Signs of the Times

When questions are raised regarding the probability of another world war, most observers look to Viet Nam, China or Russia. This is especially true of people in the United States because we are most closely associated with news concerning these eastern areas. This is not true throughout the nations of Europe. Recent­ly a well known commentator made the following statement in a national maga­zine: “Germany is still Europe’s main trouble spot, still the danger point where World War III could begin.”

The German Empire reached its peak prior to World War fin 1914. Following their defeat in that war, the Republic of Germany was adopted and encountered extremely difficult times under the re­parations imposed upon them after the war. Following the rise of Adolph Hitler in 1933, the reparations agreements and other treaties were repudiated. The nation was remilitarized and Germany was on its way forward again.

Hitler and his general staff had planned a “Fortress Europe,” which would consist of all Europe, including Russia, under the domination and control of the Ger­man Reich. This goal came very nearly being accomplished. Near the end of the year 1941 the German army had cap­tured all of western Europe and by spec­tacular successes had overrun the outlying portions of Russia. Based on this, Hitler planned on a quick victory in eastern Russia and an early overall victory. But the fortunes of war turned. With strong counter offensives the Soviet forces anni­hilated an entire German army at Stalin­grad, the North African area was lost and with the Allied invasions on the West Coast of Europe, the Germans had lost the war.

In addition to losing territory they have lost their unity as a nation. The Germans are split into two nations; one known as West Germany is democratic and the other known as East Germany is Com­munist. Further than this one of their principal cities, Berlin, is also divided, part Red and part free. It is located en­tirely in the Eastern Zone with a corridor joining the western portion of the city with Western Germany A wall was built by the Communists to prevent escape from east to west and to discourage communication between the two sides What was formerly one united nation is now two separate German nations.

The two Germany’s are highly developed industrial nations but the political controls are vastly different West Ger many has a free enterprise system, while in East Germany the government has complete control over the production and distribution of all industry, commerce and agriculture Under these two procedures the differences in production are very great, in most cases far out of pro portion in favor of West Germany. It is now second only to the United States among the world s trading nations In addition, the standard of living in Western Germany is higher than that of other large nations of Western Europe.

Division of Germany came about following their defeat in 1945 when the Ailed powers assumed absolute control of the Third Reich In working out the details of the future of Germany many sharp differences arose between the Anglo American leaders and those of Soviet Russia After numerous meetings a settlement was agreed upon which placed Western Germany under the combined supervision of the United States, United Kingdom and France, with Eastern Ger many under the supervision of Russia The Western section was also made a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

After World War I the other nations of the world assessed large reparations against Germany and restricted her in so many ways that it seemed certain she never again would rise to a potent threatening power Yet after only 20 years Germany had risen to such industrial and military might that another war was started, and she was almost successful in conquering all of Europe After World War II, in hopes of preventing such an occurrence the opposing nations set up restrictions and regulations which they were sure would prevent Germany from rising to warlike stature again But now observers are concerned and fearful that history might repeat itself.

What is the cause of their concern ? There are three principal causes (1) The tremendous forging ahead of the economy and industry in Western Germany, (2) the build up of large armed forces, and (3) that some day the two German nations will reunite into one The combination of these events, in the opinion of many, could provide the danger point of World War III.

The build up of the West German army is the most frightening of the various concerns After being totally disarmed 20 years ago they are now emerging as the strongest conventional military power in West Europe Its organization, next to the United States, is the best equipped, best trained fighting force in the free world today West Germany is obtaining much of its military assistance through NATO This organization is supporting the German build up as a buttress against the Russian armies With the removal of the French army from NATO control and with talk of troop reductions of other NATO supporting nations, it appears very probable that West Germany will greatly exceed the NATO armies located in Europe. During the past few weeks three of the old line German generals have resigned because of disagreement with the heads of the military. This is an indication that younger leaders are assert­ing more influence in military affairs. There is widespread fear throughout Eur­ope that somehow the German army will get their hands on nuclear weapons.

As to the question of the reunification of East and West Germany, under pre­sent arrangements there is growing re­sentment and jealousy concerning the economic level of the two. Another point that is upsetting is that Germany as a divided people is barred from the United Nations, while many of the smaller na­tions of Africa are accepted as members. There is a feeling among many that Ger­many, divided against her desires, will some day take matters into her own hands and try to reunite the country.

The thought of Western Germany acquiring nuclear weapons and attempting to unite the two nations is more frighten­ing to some Europeans than the threat of Communism.

Whenever there are wars and rumors and news regarding preparation for war, we see further evidence of the working out of God’s plan with the earth as fore­told throughout the writings of the pro­phets. A sequential following through of prophecy gives us a picture of the rise of wars in the nations of the world which will end in their overthrow at the return of Christ.

There are two prophecies which apply particularly to these events. First from Joel 3 is the proclamation to the Gentile nations to prepare war; and second, the detailed account in Ezekiel 37 and 38 of the assault of the European armies against the land of Palestine and their final over­throw by Christ and His saints.

It is very evident that Germany will be among those who are included in the northern armies. Brother John Thomas in “Elpis Israel,” commenting on “Gogue of Magogue” states, “Magogue is the re­gion extending from Ros, or Russia, to the Rhine, comprehending Wallachia, Transylvania, Hungary and Germany.”

Therefore when we see threats of war in Germany we can rest assured that the time is approaching for the coming World War which will bring the return of Christ to the earth. We are told of world con­ditions at the return of Christ: “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are com­ing on the earth . . . Then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your re­demption draweth nigh.”

Fearful Sights

Mankind is in a state of rebellion and chaos. The greatest power on earth finds itself powerless to solve the tensions building up within it. The United States has a minority of ten percent which is stirring from its cocoon with a fervor that shakes leaders and people to their very souls. The voice of the Negro peo­ple is sounding through the land with very little offered in reply. Why? Be­cause there is no answer; the solution is not available to man’s understanding. What develops is a state of consternation, resulting in “every man doing that which is right in his own eyes.”

The confusion is very apparent from the fact that the Negro people have or­ganized themselves into various groups which have conflicting ideas. They can­not agree within their own ranks as to the most important step to take or how to go about taking it. So we see the “Black Muslims,” NAACP, CORE, and the SNCC each trying to take over the leadership of a hopeless situation.

One of the battle cries that emerged from the struggle is “Black Power!” This phrase was used by Stokely Carmichael with great effect and has aroused many to a more militant attitude. Much concern has been expressed by other Negro leaders about the slogan. Move­ment elder Bayard Rustin was quoted as saying, “It’s a frustration politics . . . People end up not having a real program, and in their frustration they turn to dis­cussion. Obviously one-tenth of the pop­ulation can’t bring about solutions in a society where problems are solved by Congressional vote. To talk about Black Power is not realistic.” Mr. King, who was newly on the defensive, said, “We must be interested in power that’s moral, right and good.” Meanwhile, Mr. Car­michael stated, “If Negroes let white men step on them, they deserve to be stepped on. Give people Black Power, and they will overcome fear.”

But what of us who “knowingly” are observing these disturbances, these erup­tions of human emotion? Do we become involved in these impossible situations voluntarily? Are we constantly or occasionally verbally participating or tak­ing sides in the issues? God Forbid!! If there was ever a time when we should be abstaining from worldly pursuits, it is now. The cry of “human rights” has always been an excuse for wanton lust and desire to burst forth upon societies. How much blood has been shed in the name of “decency?” The ever-present fear of another Watts riot or Chicago uprising should prove that believers in the Kingdom of God cannot be in­volved.

Come Out of the World

Separation from man’s organizations today is most important. As a peculiar people, we are advised constantly to come out of the world and its ambitions. Certainly we have no Rights, nor has any man, except the right to follow God’s principles. When divine guidelines are discarded and man begins to do those things that are right in his own eyes, the degeneracy of his activities is quite apparent.

Because of man’s very degeneracy, to­day we see God pouring out these trou­bles upon mankind. Human wickedness, sown with little regard for anyone, reaps this present evil. “Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?” (Amos 3:6) God is allowing these ter­rible happenings as just retribution for man’s disinterest in his Creator, his dis­regard for human life, and his swine-like wallowing in the mud. Surely the inexorable law of God “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” is being manifested today.

Thus, we see signs from God staring at us from every paper that is printed, from every news magazine being published, and every television newscast produced. People from every walk of life, every station in the land, and every ideological group are thinking, talking, and trembling about the troubled situa­tion. Why? Because solutions are impos­sible apart from the return of Christ and the infinite wisdom He brings with Him.

How many people have we told about Christ’s return? How long have we been preaching to all we know that these events are the result of sin? We are the latter day Noah, standing in the Ark of God, and it behooves us to state that “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:7-10)

As in the Days of Noah

The figure of Noah could hardly be more appropriate to our day. For, it isn’t just the minority group of the Negroes which are rebelling, but all classes of people. A very current rebellion is the airline strike which has affected 65% of the air passenger business. Literally thou­sands of people are stranded in various places because of lack of transport facili­ties.

Countless troubles are arising because of people fighting for their so-called rights. A short while ago chaos reigned in New York because five strikes were going on at the same time; bus drivers, cab drivers, railroad workers, newspaper­men, and registered nurses all demanded higher wages. England’s disastrous dock­workers strike shows the rebellious atti­tude is not just a local affair. In many smaller countries similar uprisings have led to the overthrow of governments.

The spirit of rebellion is also ex­hibited by the younger generation. Col­lege students launch protest rallies where it doesn’t seem to matter what the pro­test is for, as long as it is against some­thing. Rebellion! Rebellion even against moral standards upheld for thousands of years! A common occurrence is the co­habitation of boys and girls with no in­tentions of marriage but simply for con­venience. Counselors at the large uni­versities estimate that 50 couples are sharing rooms at each college, while stu­dents feel the number is closer to 150 couples.

Into this environment our children are stepping during these Noahic days. No, we are almost pushing them toward an association with a decadent population by allowing the stress on education to affect us. Certainly education is needed, but it is in connection with the word of God where our knowledge is a matter of.

Right Kind of Education Needed

life and death. The plan and purpose of God should be stressed instead of those things that the Gentiles seek. Like Noah, we should be bringing our families closer and tighter around us in the work of the Lord by building the household, preach­ing the destruction message, and entering into our Lord.

The signs are all about us. Yes, even in our midst we find these wordly ideas rearing their ugly heads. In the past the sinful individuals were dealt with im­mediately and severely. Life was snuffed out, and close relatives were told not even to mourn their passing. But, when corruption increased, whole communities were utterly destroyed, as in Noah’s time when every man, woman and child, ex­cept for one family, was suddenly, with­out warning, destroyed.

Accept these signs of unrest, rebellion and immorality in all their stark reality with divine understanding, and then, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, ac­cording to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, where in dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore be­loved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blame­less.” (2 Peter 3:11-14)

May we “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)

About three years ago, Astronomer Maarten Schmidt entered the huge silver dome of California’s Mt. Palomar Observatory, as he does about thirty times a year, to study and analyze faint quasar light that has been travelling through space, it would appear, for billions of years before entering the telescope. His patient vigilance has unearthed facts that have virtually rocked the worlds of astronomy, physics and philosophy.

For years (since 1931) it has been known that radio signals were bombarding the earth from outer space. Since the close of the second World War, astronomers all over the world have designed and built huge steel-ribbed parabolic dishes and rows of spindly antenna arrays in an effort to solve the mystery of the radio waves. Through the use of radio receivers placed at distant spots, they were able to pin-point stellar sources of signals. With the improvement of radio telescopes, it finally became possible for radio astrono­mers to direct optical astronomers to smaller and better defined areas. Through the refinement of techniques and the improvement of telescopes, astronomers were able to spot objects outside the solar system that were associated with discrete radio sources. In 1949, they located the Crab Nebula, the remnant of a star ex­plosion in the earth’s milky way (our galaxy). Later, a large galaxy 50 million light years from the earth was identified. A light year is a convenient term to ex­press the vast distances that exist in the universe, being the distance light (travel­ling at a speed of 186,284 miles per sec­ond) would travel during the course of one year: about 6,000,000,000,000 miles! The development of radio telescopes made possible the subsequent discovery of about 100 additional galaxies and supernovas as sources of tremendous radio transmit­ters. A supernova is a star hundreds of times brighter than the ordinary explod­ing star which suddenly increases its light and energy output, and then sinks back to relative obscurity. These discoveries have made possible a more extensive knowledge of the vastness of the uni­verse.

This advancement in technical skill eventually enabled astronomers to dis­cover strong radio signals coming, from what appeared to be small faint stars. Though obscured, as far as optical tele­scopes were concerned, the stars stood out like beacons to the radio telescopes be­cause of their powerful transmission of radio signals. These came to be called “quasi-stellar sources,” a term that soon was reduced to “quasars”. The most pow­erful tool to the astronomer was next utilized—the spectrograph; which sepa­rates light into its component wave lengths. When scientists pass the light through a prism or on a series of fine lines etched on a glass plate, they are able to disclose many secrets about its source. Using the giant 200-in. Palomar tele­scope, Astronomers Allan Sandage and Jesse Greenstein painstakingly channeled the faint light of a quasar over a period of six or seven hours. The tiny spectro­grams produced showed no color, only shadings of black and white, which under the microscope revealed strange patterns never before observed in Stellar spectra. These were later identified by Schmidt as hydrogen lines superimposed on the red portion of the spectrum. Ordinarily, hy­drogen lines are found on the blue seg­ment of the spectrum, but these had somehow shifted to the red—a fact that could only be accounted for if the light sources were racing away from the earth at fantastic speeds. This same effect had earlier been observed in light from dis­tant galaxies which are receding from the earth. After measuring the shift, Schmidt calculated that the quasar from which this spectrum had been made was moving away from the earth at 15% of the speed of light, or about 28,000 miles per second. Applying the law of Hubble (the greater the red shift in a galaxy’s spectrum, the faster the galaxy is speeding away, and the further it is out in space), the astron­omer calculated that the quasar must be about 1.5 billion light-years from the earth.

Oldest Observable Phenomenon?

The tremendous distance comprehend­ed in 1.5 billion light-years was sufficient to shock the scientific world. Upon publi­cation of Schmidt’s findings and theories, the noted astronomer, Greenstein aban­doned his own theories on quasars, and, applying his colleague’s “red-shift” key to a spectrogram that he had taken from another quasar, discovered that it appear­ed to be some 4 billion light-years away. About 90 quasars have been identified to date. When the theories of Schmidt are strictly adhered to, it would place the most distant quasars at 8 billion light years away. The possibilities resulting from such calculations are staggering. It would mean that the light now being measured and recorded left their source 8 billion years ago—– long before this earth and the solar system of which it is a small part were born. What has hap­pened to the quasar from the time when the light now seen left it (8 billion years ago) and now is indeterminable.

In the Beginning — God

Quasars, therefore stand out as the old­est observable objects in the universe—placing its beginning at least 10 billion years ago. Small wonder that David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was moved to declare, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast or­dained; what is man, that thou art mind­ful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psa. 19:3,4) Al­though it is beyond our ability to intel­lectually comprehend such a length of time as 10 billion years, it does serve to illustrate the concept of eternity. It is be­lieved that many of the observable quasars have now burned out—that many of the former stars ceased to radiate heat and light. A striking contrast is set forth by King David between the silent inhabi­tants of the universe and their Great Originator: “Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But Thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” (Psa. 102:25-27) Though the natural heavenly bodies are, almost undetectably, expiring, the eternal God of Israel changes not! The Scrip­tures attest to the presence of God when even the most ancient elements were brought forth–eons of time prior to the birth of all the heavenly bodies: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth, and the world, even from Everlasting to Everlasting, thou art God” (Psa. 90:2,3)

The actual presence and existence of God today, though declared to be dead by those whose theories have sprung from their own deceitful hearts, is abun­dantly evident about us; Even as it was to generations past, of whom Paul writes: “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God Hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being under­stood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and God­head; so that they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:19,20) God, whose origins are from everlasting (an inconceivable and incalculable time before anything was made) to everlasting (an even more in­comprehensible conception of time) holds the futile vanities of mankind in derision, and shall remain immortal in the unap­proachable light of holiness throughout the endless ages of eternity—long after current theories of His demise have mouldered into dust.

If there is one outstanding similarity between the various prophecies of the Old Testament that deal with events lead­ing up to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom, it is in respect to the geographical arena in which those events will transpire. Whether we turn to Ezekiel, Isaiah, Zechariah or Joel, the prophets are consistent in their identification of that part of the world in which the future desti­nies of the nations are to be determined. Zechariah foretold the gathering of all nations “against Jerusalem” and the ulti­mate disaster that would befall the “city of the great King.” He spoke of the fury of God that would stimulate Him in battle against the spoilers of His people when He would “go forth, and fight against those nations as when He fought in the day of battle” (Zech. 14:1-3). Both Daniel and Ezekiel declare that Gogue and his confederates would be defeated upon the mountains of Israel, when Yahweh will make Himself “known in the eyes of many nations” by the com­plete and final overthrow of the northern spoiler. The residue of mankind shall then be made to understand that God is King indeed—or as He reveals His plan through Ezekiel; ” . . and I will bring thee against my land that the heathen (nations) may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes . . . For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shak­ing in the land of Israel.” (38:16,19) Daniel, likewise, foretells the efforts of Israel’s enemies to establish a center of operations in the cross-roads of the world—an effort that ends in utter fail­ure: “And he shall plant the taber­nacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” ( 11 :45)

Escalation on a Second Front

It is because of prophecies such as the foregoing, that students of the Bible have viewed with deep interest the happenings in the holy land: a view that has been quickened since the establishment of the independent state of Israel in 1948. In recent months, the attention of the world has been fastened on the full scale guer­rilla war being waged in Vietnam. The escalation of the war effort there has been and is a matter of great concern to the people of this world. However, almost im­perceptibly, at least to most individuals, there has been a similar, and far more significant escalation of tension and arma­ment in the Middle East. There are con­stant border clashes between the Israeli troops and the Arab states as the feud over water rights builds up to the boiling point. Israel has reached that stage in her economy and population growth where she must have a greater supply of water. The only way to assuage her thirst is in tapping the tributary streams that pour into the Sea of Galilee. The result of this diversion is even now being felt as the water of the natural lake are be­coming saline. When the diversion is complete, the water line of Galilee will be down by one third, making the water unfit to drink. The Arabs strongly feel that they have a natural right to the waters, and that Israel is committing an immoral act of aggression in cutting off the supply. Tanks and troop installations line the border between Israel and Syria, and hardly a night goes by when shots are not exchanged between the two powers. In all likelihood, there will be a major break out of fighting before long, which could explode into a conflagration engulfing the big powers of the world.

The build up of arms, though on a smaller scale, is a close match to that of the nuclear powers. Russia, over the past few years has poured in excess of one billion dollars in arms and aircraft into the Arab states in an endeavor to unbal­ance the fighting capability in their favor against Israel. The Soviet Union has sent about 2500 tanks into the Arab states, many of which are large powerful types, outnumbering those in Israel four to one. In addition to tanks and other mobile units, Russia has supplied about 150 bombers, most of which are Ilyushin 28’s. The smallness of Israel’s territory make her quite vulnerable to even a limited number of heavy bombers. The Arab states are also well equipped with Soviet built fighter planes such as the MIG-19’s and MIG-21’s.

A Balance of Weaponry

For more than a decade, the United States has been trying to maintain a bal­ance of weaponry in the Middle East, between Israel and the Arabs. About a year ago the U.S.A. backed West Germany plan to supply Israel with $80 million worth of second-hand “Patton” tanks. The whole deal was squelched when the indignant Arab nations broke diplomatic ties with Bonn, and when Egypt’s Nasser threatened to recognize East Germany. In the middle of February, however, the United States calmly announced that she would supply the needed tanks to Israel. The Arab re­action to this was understandably re­pressed. They could not very well cry favoritism, since the U.S.A., last fall, sent too tanks to Jordan and joined with Britain in a $400 million air-defence deal with Saudi Arabia. Egypt, also, depends heavily on U. S. aid in foodstuffs. Early last month Russia sent a flight of super­sonic MIG-21D’s into Cairo, plainly superior to Israel’s slower French-built Mirage III-C’s. In addition, Egypt was supplied with two Soviet submarines and a brace of destroyers. Tipping the Scales

Arab disunity in the past has been an assurance that the balance of weaponry would not be tipped too far in one direc­tion. It was lack of cooperation and unity that prevented the confederation of Arab nations from driving Israel out of the land in 1948, and again in the Suez war. The leaders of the Arab nations and the young military personnel in Egypt are well aware of the need for consolidation of purpose among the Arab states, if they are to succeed in their dream of destroy­ing Israel. A series of summit meetings amongst the leaders of the Arab states, which began two years ago, is chiefly responsible for this new tactic. In the military field, the Arabs have formed a United Arab Command, and have taken steps to modernize and expand their armies. Schedules have even been set up for the acquisition of new equipment among key Arab nations surrounding Israel. All of this, despite safeguards, is causing the balance of power to shift against Israel, and if continued, will eventually supply the Arab nations with 500,000 fighting men, well equipped and on a par with israeli forces.

In addition to this coordinated effort, Egypt is developing a missile system to meet her needs. Through German scien­tists imported by Nasser. Egypt has desig­nated three types of short range missiles; the 235 mile-range Al Zafer, capable of carrying a 1000 pound warhead, the 375 mile Al Kahir with a similar warhead, and the Al Ared with a one ton warhead and a range of 1,000 miles. It is esti­mated that Egypt now has around 300 missiles (none of them nuclear). In ad­dition to these, Russia has delivered 14 fast patrol boats, equipped with missiles, having a range of 20 miles. Israel is also engaged in a missile development, but has nothing to compare with the superior Egyptian arsenal.

The stage is steadily being set for the initiation of that conflict that will ulti­mately herald the coming of the Son of God. Who would have thought, from a natural point of view, three or four decades ago, that anything of the significance of these present events would ever arise on the scene? Though the combined power of these ancient nations is insigni­ficant when compared to that of the nuclear giants, a skirmish over water rights could well be the fuse that would set off Armageddon. Though it is the de­sign of Egypt and the Arab states to effect the annihilation of Israel, we have the reassuring words of the God of Israel as He reveals the future destinies of those that hate His people: “Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion.” ( Joel 3:19-21)

Vietnam—The Undeclared War

By the end of 1965 it was clear that the United States had irrevocably com­mitted itself to continue the war effort in Vietnam. Of the 900,000 men in the armed forces—soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines__ in territory other than the United States, 400,000 were stationed in Asia; half of these in Vietnam. It is a perplexing kind of conflict to most of the men involved, for the enemy was not even formally at war with them. President Johnson’s vow of seven months ago (“we will stand in Vietnam”), committed this country to the tremen­dous task of defeating an elusive enemy on his own territory and on his own terms. The stakes, however. as U.S. officials see it, are far greater than merely preserving the South Vietnam government. Whoever holds the peninsula holds the gate to Asia. It is felt that in the event South Vietnam fell to Hanoi under Commu­nist control, both Cambodia and Laos would succumb immediately. As General Pierre Gallois, a well known French strategist remarked, “If you lose Asia, you lose the Pacific lake. It is an extraordinary problem. the problem of the next 20 years.”

There are many reasons why the Uni­ted States has not formally declared war against the Communist regime of Hanoi. President Johnson already possesses all the power necessary to wage the present conflict without a declaration. He also has the backing of the Congress, who in August, 1964, by a Southeast Asia Resolution, endorsed the Vietnam conflict. Under his present position the President can muster a fighting force of 5 million men, more than adequate to deal with the Asian trouble. President Truman in 1950 proclaimed a state of emergency for the prosecution of the Korean war (without formally declaring war)—a proclamation that is still in effect, due to the continuing “cold” war. It is also seen that the United States does not want to fight an all-out war; i.e. one in which one side was defeated or annihilated. Further, a formal declaration of war might tempt Red China or Russia to enter the conflict —perhaps even trigger a nuclear conflict. Even short of this, Red China would be in a position where she could throw vast numbers of troops into Vietnam, escalating the present fight into a major ground war.

Peace Feelers—And a Warning

In December of last year, a peace of­fensive was initiated, commencing with a moratorium on bombing strikes against targets in North Vietnam. The pur­pose of the pause was to give the Com­munists one more chance for making a choice. The peace effort was aided in many diplomatic circles, the capitals of Europe providing impetus to the peacemakers. United States Representative to the U. N., Arthur Goldberg made an historical visit to Rome on December 29th to gain an audience with the Pope. At President Johnson’s order, Goldberg thanked Pope Paul VI for his continu­ing concern for the situation in Vietnam, and pledged further efforts to find an “honorable and lasting” peace. After leaving Rome, the Representative flew to France for talks with de Gaulle. Pope Paul, in mid-December did much to ar­range the Christmas truce. His access to Hanoi, it was felt, could have provided means to getting the Communists to the conference table. W. Averell Harriman flew to Warsaw to meet with Polish Communists in an effort to explain to them the U. S. position in Vietnam. Chi­nese representatives meet on a regular basis in Warsaw, and it was thought that Harriman hoped to meet them on this trip.

As the Tidings goes to press in mid-January, it is evident that the peace ef­fort is doomed to failure. Hanoi has just announced that the only conditions under which she would consider meeting at the conference table, would be the complete withdrawal of United States troops out of South Vietnam. The die seems to be cast for a greater, more expanded war in Southeast Asia. On December 15th, a highly destructive bombing raid was made on a power station, just 14 miles from Haiphong, chief port of North Vietnam. It was the first attack on a major indus­trial target in the north, and effected a knockout of 20% of the country’s power supply. Some military men interpret this raid as a warning to the Communists as to what they may expect if peace negotiations failed. One Washington official observed; “When a major power plant or a big building is blown up in a poor coun­try like North Vietnam, it’s like watch­ing 15 years of anguished toil go up in smoke in a few minutes and that’s go­ing to hurt a lot more than reports of some more guerrilla casualties.” When one remembers that North Vietnam is only the size of Florida it is understand­able how it could virtually be pulverized by increased U. S. air, ground and sea forces.

Increased Spending; Increased Casualties

Should peace efforts fail U. S. forces in South Vietnam will be quickly in­creased from the present 175,000 men to 400,000. Just a year ago there were but 22,000 GI’s in South Vietnam. This means an expansion of the draft system and probable calling up of reserve units to help meet the increased manpower needs of the military. While putting out peace feelers, President Johnson was also preparing for increased demands on the economy and manpower of the country should the efforts fail. On January 4th, it was revealed that the President was about to ask Congress for a supplemental appropriation of 12 to 13 billion dollars to finance expanded war costs. The new budget, to be submitted by Johnson to the Congress on July 1st, defense appro­priations will probably exceed 60 billion dollars. Spending by the government for the year ending in mid-1966 will be from 105 to 107 billion dollars, while that for the following year is estimated to be as high as 115 billion dollars.

It is obvious that America must get set for increased casualties that is likely to continue for many months and possibly years. Though the United States has 7 Southeast Asia Treaty Organization allies, their combined military contribution in South Vietnam is only 1600 men as compared to U. S. 175,000. Australia leads the contribution with 1300 troops from their 69,000 men under arms. New Zealand is second with 300 out of 13,000 men under arms. Britain, France, Pakis­tan, the Philippines and Thailand have no men under arms serving in South Vietnam.

1966 is an election year in the Uni­ted States, which means that the Presi­dent will be under tremendous pressure to apply air power on a vastly enlarged scale in an all-out effort to bring the war to a conclusion. In view of the refusal of the Communists to meet at the con­ference table, it seems likely that the new year will see a great escalation of bombing and stepped-up ground fighting. How dark do the clouds grow in the horizon, as the day of God’s judgment approaches. Just how far the present war will go remains to be seen. The difference between the Communist countries and the free world is becoming ever-increas­ingly marked, paving the way to the great conflagration that, according to Divine foreknowledge will ultimately take place. The present unrest among the world powers and the perplexity with which political figures view events (in the same generation that witnessed the establishment of the Israeli State) reveal to the people of God that we are truly living in the time of the end—the time when we should look up, and lift up our heads—for our redemption draweth nigh.

“And ye shall hear of wars and ru­mours of wars see that ye be not trou­bled for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” The pro­phetic statement by Christ foretold the conditions among the nations of the earth as the time of His return approached There have been many wars but none of them have grown Into the great conflict that would usher in His appearance As concerning these wars, the end is not yet There may continue to be such encounters between nations and still not the end But this we know, at the appointed time frictions will accelerate between nations and build up to the major war which pre­cedes the time of the end With the animosity, rivalry and distrust of all coun­tries toward each other, what appears to be a small incident could spread like a forest fire and engulf the world There­fore ever disturbance between countries, whether large or small is watched with interest as to its possibility of spreading.

Old Feud

While the various governments are concerned over the war in Viet Nam, an old feud between Pakistan and India has exploded into violent fighting and the world is faced with a new war While the conflict on such a large scale is new, the disputes and disagreements leading up to it have been continuing for 18 years The issues behind the disagreements are very significant in the possibility of a further spreading of the war.

Pakistan was founded as a republic in August 1947 when Great Britain with­drew sovereignty from the Indian subcontinent It consists of several former Indian provinces with an area of 365,000 square miles and a population of almost 100 million Pakistan is not a small country but is greatly overshadowed in size by India which consists of 1,200,000 square miles with a population approach­ing 480 million.

There was great rejoicing throughout India as they gained their independence and also satisfaction in the division of the country into three main areas, Pakistan, India and Kashmir Of the two main re­ligious factions, the Hindus and Moslems, the Moslems were outnumbered by an almost 10 to 1 ratio They felt they would not be properly represented in government and sought a separate coun­try based on their request the republic of Pakistan was formed with a predominantly Moslem population.

Strife Began Early

Strife between the newly created do­minions began soon after their inception, concerning persecution of religious mi­norities, Hindus in Pakistan and Moslems in India This brought about a mass exo­dus, one of the greatest in our times Within one year of the establishment of the two countries, 31/2 million Hindus migrated from Pakistan to India and 5 million Moslems migrated from India to Pakistan At the present time the population of Pakistan is about 90% Moslem with India having about the same percentage Hindu.

Between Pakistan and India there re­mained the princely state of Kashmir which was independent Although it was inhabited dominantly by Moslems, the ruling Hindu maharajah in late 1947 agreed to join the Union of India Pakistan opposed the move maintaining that the people should be allowed to decide which government they preferred At that time both Pakistan and India sent troops to Kashmir After two years of conflict the United Nations moved in and set up a 470 mile cease fire line This gave India control of approximately two thirds and Pakistan control of one third of Kashmir.

Later the matter was again referred to the U N Security Council who agreed to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir which would allow the people to decide Both sides have held irreconcilable viewpoints regarding the plebiscite Since then the U N has attempted to arbitrate the dispute to no avail The plebiscite has not been held and Kashmir remains today controlled partially by Pakistan and par tidily by India As the issue has not been settled by peaceful means the two countries are now trying to settle it by war.

The political aspects of the outbreak will  involve many nations and could be far reaching The United States has high stakes in the outcome and is anxious to restore peace between India and Pakistan She realizes that further war and chaos in this part of the world would strength en Red China s control over vast areas of Asia.

United States in the Middle

As usual, the United States finds her self caught in the middle For many years she has been trying to maintain friendship on both sides and has supplied arms and military equipment to both She has furnished massive assistance in the field of economic aid, approximately $3 billion dollars to Pakistan and $5 billion to India All the assistance both military and financial was understood to be for the purpose of combatting Communism Now it is being used by both India and Pakistan to fight each other.

Many world leaders believe this conflict to be a problem for the United Nations It is thought that if there is one thing that might unite its members it is the possibility that the U N might head off an incipient stride towards a world war The U N has been unable in the past to make its recommendations stick Had they been sufficiently forceful 20 years ago in requiring a plebiscite in Kashmir, the present fighting might not have taken place.

The efforts to achieve peace by the man made organizations will end in failure Not due entirely to their weaknesses but because of the prophecies and proclamations given by God regarding the final outcome of the nations We are living in the period foretold by the prophet Joel Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears let the weak say I am strong. This period must come to pass and run its course because it is proclaimed in the Word of God Men will seek for peace but there will be no peace until Christ returns This peace will be brought about by the intervention of God into the affairs of the world, not by the desires of men Then the conditions existing today as foretold in prophecy will be completely reversed and will be replaced by the blessings prophesied by Micah. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more.