GN Commentary: June 18, 2009 - North Korea and Bible Prophecy

Today we have rumors and threats of war almost weekly. But what does that really mean? Should we be concerned?

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Video Transcript

We live in a very dangerous world.  The headlines from this past week remind us just how true that statement is: Thousands Protest Election in Iran; Israeli Prime Minister Keeps Open the Option of a Military Attack on Iran; and North Korea Threatens the United States.   

Consider this threat from North Korea.  In 1994 North Korea signed an agreement with the Clinton administration promising not to develop a nuclear bomb.  But in 2002, Kim Jong Il kicked all the nuclear inspectors out of his country while he began enriching uranium.  Four years later in 2006 North Korea tested its first nuclear bomb and just last month, they tested their second nuclear bomb.  Speculation is that there will soon be a third test.

This threat is real and it is growing.  The Associated Press (AP) reported this week that:  "North Korea... is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs." 

In the same article the AP reporter wrote:  "North Korea warned Wednesday of a 'thousand-fold' military retaliation against the United States and its allies if provoked..."

What is the world coming to—North Korea threatens the U.S.? 

In His Olivet prophecy found in Matthew chapter 24 Jesus Christ warned that in the end time there would be "wars and rumors of wars." 

Today we have rumors and threats of war almost weekly.  But what does that really mean?  Should we be concerned?  History says "yes."  In most cases, if left alone, unbalanced leaders like Kim Jong Il really are willing to do the unthinkable.

General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress on June 16 that North Korea was "3 to 5 years away" from having an atomic bomb that could threaten the U.S.  When asked what our chances would be of shooting down a North Korean missile armed with a nuclear warhead and headed for the U.S., he said "excellent, 90% plus."  That means that within 3 to 5 years, North Korea will have the capability to launch a nuclear attack against the United States.  But, hold on, our defense system has a 90% chance of stopping the attack!  That's pretty good, but it still leaves a 10% chance that the missile could get through.  Consider what it would mean if a nuclear bomb were to detonate over an American city.

I don't know about you, but I am not reassured by the general's assessment. 

The book of Revelation contains a prediction of a coming global war, through the metaphor of a horseman riding a red horse.  In Revelation 6:4 we read:  "...and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another..." 

The Bible says this Great War is coming.  It is simply a matter of who will start it and how soon! 

If we are paying attention to Bible prophecy and watching world events we won't be surprised when this happens.  We will know that the end is near and that the return of Jesus Christ to bring peace to this earth will follow shortly.  This is the real gospel, the good news of the Kingdom of God.

For GN magazine, I'm Jim Franks.