Afghanistan
Updated: Oct 4, 2021
This excellent article is shared with permission. We live in dangerous days. May we be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might. Blessings, Beloved.
Afghanistan: What Does it Mean for Our Future?
I was working on this newsletter yesterday when the news broke of the bombings in Kabul, Afghanistan. Everything I tried to write after that seemed meaningless in the light of the deaths of the U.S. servicemen and Afghans. Today, I deleted what I wrote yesterday and started again.
Before the tragic deaths at the Kabul airport, I posted this article on my website, What Do the Events in Afghanistan Reveal about our World?I do not intend to repeat what I said in this post except for a couple instances below, but rather provide additional perspective on what it means to live in these perilous times before our departure to be with Jesus.
What do the tragic events in Afghanistan mean for our future?
1. Evil and Violence Will Continue to Grow Exponentially. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the Apostle Paul refers to the Antichrist as the “man of lawlessness” and “the son of destruction” or perdition. I have known for many decades that the Tribulation period will bring unprecedented wickedness and violence to our world, but what I see in the U.S. and throughout the world continues to shock me. I wrote the following in my post”
“The recent events in Afghanistan confirm the rapidly growing presence of evil in our world. The Taliban are ruthless, demonic killers that seek to impose an oppressive tyranny on the Afghan citizens of which they are well aware. Why else would mothers hand their babies to soldiers at the Kabul Airport? They would rather see that their infants have a chance at freedom than raise their dear precious children under a viciously cruel regime that kills without any hint of remorse.”
The Taliban are murderous terrorists that kill without a moment of hesitation; violence in the world will greatly increase with them in charge of most of Afghanistan. If the Biden administration leaves any Americans behind, these terrorists will treat them harshly and likely kill many of them.
2. America Will No Longer Be a Force for Good in the World. Up until January 2021, the U.S. remained a force for good in the world. Yes, we have made mistakes during the past several decades: nevertheless, we have fought terrorism at home and abroad, defended liberty, and in doing so saved a great many lives.
But sadly, such is no longer the case.
As a result of the ongoing debacle in Afghanistan, many leaders in the Western world say they cannot trust President Biden. The British Parliament voted to hold Biden in contempt for his many failures in Afghanistan. China feels emboldened to attack Taiwan, which many expect will happen very soon. Israel knows it can not longer depend upon America to rush to its aid should the Islam nations attack or invade, and has said as much publicly.
I believe that the ineptness and immaturity of U.S. leadership indicates that God’s judgment on America has already begun (See America in the Crosshairsfor more on this).
3. Satan Hates Born-Again Christians and Will Step up his Assault on Us. Perhaps the clearest message from the catastrophic events overseas is this: Satan seethes with murderous hatred toward all of us who are in Christ. In the article I referenced in the introduction, I wrote this:
“I have read many reports to the effect that if the Taliban soldiers find anyone with the Bible on his or her smartphone, they instantly kill that person. Credible reports exist to the effect that the Taliban are going door-to-door and executing all Christians that they find. One missionary, who has been in contact with twenty-two Afghan pastors, reports that most of them do not expect to survive this murderous purging.”
Though many seek to label reports of these atrocities as fake news, leaked reports out of Afghanistan confirm that these things, and worse, are indeed taking place.
The unwillingness of the Biden administration to acknowledge or condemn these atrocities does not bode well for Christians in America. I believe that if the Lord does not appear to take us back to heaven in the near future, believers in the U.S. will face increasing persecution.
4. We Will Need a Firm Grip on Our "Blessed Hope. I know I have painted a grim picture of our world, but this is precisely the one Scripture reveals ahead of Jesus’ return to earth to reign in power and it's happening now. We live in biblical times!
We also know that the Lord will not allow His church to experience the wrath of “the day of the Lord,” which includes the Tribulation (see 1 Thessalonians 5:3-11). Our world will likely grow more violent and oppressive in the coming weeks an months, but we will not endure the judgments of the tribulation outlined in Revelation 6-18.
As I have written before, the popularity of divorcing the Rapture from the Gospel (click here) leaves so many believers unprepared to deal with events such as the Afghan tragedy and a world headed toward a tyrannical global government.
Now is not a time for fear, but for a firm grasp on the words of Titus 2:11-14. If we for a moment think that this life is all we have, or that this life must make sense to us, we will quickly fall into doubt or despair. We find courage and peace in our hearts as we look ahead to what the Lord has for us in the near future.
You see, it's our "blessed hope," our imminent departure to the place Jesus is preparing for us (John 14:1-3), that enables us to face these perilous times with courage knowing that our best days lie ahead and that nothing in the world can negate the Lord's precious promises to us of paradise and reigning with Him. Nothing!
Blog Posts
Below are some of my recent blog posts. I want to draw your attention in particular to Unforgettable Faces as it also speaks to other matters that we all deal with during these last days,What Do the Events in Afghanistan Reveal About Our World?
Blessings, Beloved of God.