Armageddon
Excerpt
On
April 14-17, 2003,
the Public Broadcasting Station aired a
documentary series of four two-hour specials entitled
"Avoiding Armageddon." Former CBS news anchor
Walter
Cronkite narrated the documentary, and Turner Television Network
financed it.
Cronkite, known in the world of journalism as
one of the most trustworthy news reporters, began the series by explaining
that the word "Armageddon" is taken from the book of Revelation in the
Bible.
The title "Avoiding
Armageddon" implies that there is a future potential for the destruction of
our civilization, but this can be
avoided if mankind uses
diplomacy and keeps the weapons of mass
destruction only in the
hands of responsible educated leaders. The whole series raised many questions that need
to be addressed.
However, from my worldview, I believe there are four essential truths
that must be discussed.
Firstly, we need to define the
meaning of the biblical term
"Armageddon." Secondly, we need to determine
whether the biblical term "Armageddon" refers to a battle that was fought in
the past or a
future battle to be fought in the
Mideast.
Thirdly, we need to see if the
most vocal doctrine—that of a future Armageddon—is actually the
belief of the majority of Bible scholars and theologians. Fourthly,
we need to see how
our belief system, good or bad, vitally affects our
worldview on a day-to-day
basis in our lifestyles, because there is always a link between belief
and action. In other words, what we
believe about our future determines how we live today.
Viktor E. Frankl's
book Man's Search for Meaning is based on years of
unspeakable horror that he
spent in Nazi death camps, and he explains
why belief and a reason
for living are so important. He wrote, "The
prisoner who has lost
faith in the future—his future—is doomed"
(Michael E. Riemer, It
Was At Hand, Xulon Press, Fairfax, VA, 2002).
Since the word Armageddon strikes fear in
the hearts of many people worldwide, I
feel that we should challenge the "truthfulness" of
this PBS documentary—for the sake of
truth.
Jesus Christ said,
"You shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free"
(John 8:32).
In this case, biblical
truth about our future will make us free from
unhealthy fear and give us
a healthy, reverential fear of the author of
the Bible, God's Holy
Spirit.
In challenging the
erroneous worldviews concerning Armageddon, I
am going to share some
views that are perhaps new to you. Therefore,
please consider King Solomon's words of wisdom:
He who answers a
matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to
him (Prov.
18:13)....
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