Page 7 - Good News March 2020 paper
P. 7
The Precarious State Of The World
Continued from p. 6 Kelvin Dalrymple, the Vice Presi- fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers Despite this all, we serve a God
Continued from p. 6
undoubtedly relate to Uganda's dent and Senior Credit Officer at have seen, since the day that they who will never leave us, and
struggle. The insatiable locusts Moody's Investors Service, is were upon the earth unto this day. Jesus has promised that He will
will consume any vegetation they anticipating more problems in the And he turned himself, and went comfort us even as we endure
can find, and they have made their days ahead. "Rising food prices out from Pharaoh." these difficult times.
way into Ethiopia, Somalia, from a prolonged shortage of key
Djibouti, Eritrea, Tanzania, Sudan, crops fuels the potential for social While the swarms of locusts In John 14:18, Jesus said, "I will
South Sudan, and Kenya. unrest across East Africa, a today are not quite as bad as the not leave you comfortless: I will
region where we already assess plague the Egyptians faced, it come to you." I urge every reader
These swarms are mind-bog- political risks as elevated and the serves as a stark reminder that to repent of your sins if you have
gling. In fact, one swarm that hit ingredients for potential social these days are filled with fearful not yet done so and dedicate your
Kenya covered 930 square miles. unrest prevalent," Dalrymple sights. life to God. In so doing, we find the
According to Priya Gujadhur of said. Amazingly enough, experts peace and comfort that comes
the UN's Food and Agriculture have warned that with more rains The world of today is in crisis. only from our Saviour, Jesus
Organization, "A swarm that size expected, the number of locusts There are many diseases and Christ.
can consume food for 85 million tormenting Africa could increase disasters with which to contend,
people per day." by 500 times by the month of June and humanity faces numerous - Samuel David Meyer, The Last
2020. threats each and every day. Trumpet Newsletter, March 2020
An article by the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation further These are amazing days. The
states that the locusts devoured stories we see splashed across
some fields and crops in as little news headlines sound like stories
as 30 seconds. Very little was straight out of the Bible. Swarms olicarpus van Smirna, 'n leerling van die apostel Johannes, het
spared. "The locusts appeared, of locusts call to mind Biblical groot invloed op sy tydgenote gehad en hulle het hom as
and we called the authorities imagery as God had used these Pgeestelike vader vereer. Toe die vervolging onder die regering
immediately. The airplanes same creatures to punish the van keiser Marcus Aurelius in heftigheid toegeneem het, moes ook in
started the spraying from one Egyptians during the time of the Smirna baie Christene hulle geloof met hul bloed beseël.
edge of the river. Some died, but ancient Israelites. It is remarkable Policarpus was reeds byna 90 jaar oud en het op aandrang van
the rest of the swarm moved to how much the story found in sy vriende hom op 'n plek buite die stad gevestig. Spoedig het die
our farms. They destroyed Exodus 10 sounds like the news heidene egter sy skuilplek ontdek, maar hy het hom blymoedig in die
everything here. They have now out of modern-day Africa. In hande van die vervolgers oorgegee met die woorde: “Laat die wil van
die Here geskied.” Baie pogings is aangewend om hom sy geloof te laat
moved to our homes. They are Exodus 10:5-6, Moses warned afsweer, selfs deur die regter wat hom verhoor het. Die grysaard het
now laying eggs there," said a 38- Pharoah that locusts were egter sy gestalte, wat deur die las van die jare geboë was, opgehef en
year-old Kenyan mother who coming, stating, "And they shall met die oë na die hemel gerig, gesê: “Ses-en-tagtig jaar het ek Hom
recounted her harrowing tale. cover the face of the earth, that gedien en Hy het vir my niks anders as goed gedoen nie. Hoe kan ek
one cannot be able to see the Hom dan vloek, my Here en my Heiland wat my verlos het?” Hierop is hy
The desperate situation in Africa earth: and they shall eat the na die brandstapel gesleep (155 n.C.).
prompted UN humanitarian chief residue of that which is escaped, Vir ons menslike verstand is dit moeilik om te begryp waarom
Mark Lowcock to say, "There is which remaineth unto you from die Here dit alles toegelaat het. As ons egter let op die vrug van die
the risk of a catastrophe." He also the hail, and shall eat every tree vervolging, ontvang ons meer lig. Uit hierdie lydensgeskiedenis leer
warned that efforts to stop the which groweth for you out of the ons die waarheid van die spreekwoord: “Die bloed van die martelare is
locust swarms have been insuffi- field: And they shall fill thy die saad van die kerk.” Hoe méér die kerk verdruk is, hoe meer het dit
cient. "The response today is not houses, and the houses of all thy gegroei! Nie slegs in uitwendige grootte nie, maar ook in innerlike krag!
gonna work, unless there's a big servants, and the houses of all the [Handleiding vir die Studie van die Kerkgeskiedenis, Prof. S du Toit, Pro
scale-up," he said. Egyptians; which neither thy Rege-Pers Beperk, Potchefstroom, 1970].
