| Highlights of Dawn | June 1968 |
This Ailing World
THE first half of 1968 will soon be history. Its opening months, like the many chaotic years which preceded it, were filled with shocks of disaster and increasing fears of calamities ahead. On the very first day of the year President Johnson announced the serious monetary position of the United States in relation to the other nations of the earth. Mr. Johnson requested that in order to slow the drain of gold from the United States treasury that tourist travel overseas be voluntarily curtailed as far as possible. Since then a world-wide money crisis related to gold supplies came to light, and radical readjustments have been made with respect to the distribution of the available gold supply.
Late in 1967 the news came out that the medical profession was planning to transplant human hearts, and in January the first successful transplant was accomplished. The patient lived, and is now enjoying reasonably good health at home.
Also in January, Great Britain announced her intention of withdrawing her troops and military installations from all countries east of Suez. When this withdrawal is accomplished it will leave the United States the only major power to protect the world against the further advance of communist forces.
It was in January that the American intelligence ship, Pueblo, was high jacked by the North Koreans, and its crew of nearly one hundred held prisoners. The North Koreans are still holding the ship and its crew, despite the insistence of the United States Government that they be released; and also despite the fact that the demand for release was backed by the deployment of the world’s largest aircraft carrier off the shores of North Korea, just outside the territorial limits. This has been a great blow to the prestige of the United States.
A Surprise Attack
For a considerable time the people of the United States were given the impression that the war against the communists in North Viet Nam was going well, but suddenly at the time of the Viet Nam New Year the communists mounted their greatest offensive of the entire war. Many cities were occupied, temporarily—including the capital of South Viet Nam—and there was a tremendous increase in United States casualties.
This led to a further build-up of opposition to the war throughout the United States. A peace candidate, Eugene McCarthy, decided to contest President’s Johnson’s nomination for the presidency, and later Robert Kennedy also embarked upon this course. This was followed soon by the president’s withdrawal as a candidate for the presidency that he might give all his attention to negotiating peace in Viet Nam.
At the same time that President Johnson declared he would not run again for the presidency he also announced a partial pause in the bombing of North Viet Nam, and made an earnest request that the North Viet Nam Government show its desire to enter into peace negotiations. There has been a response to this request, but it will undoubtedly be a long while before the world will know what the outcome will be—although everyone hopes that it will be good.
Meanwhile there have been continued warlike rumblings in the Middle East between Israel and Jordan. There have been many border clashes, and short-term invasions, any one of which could have led to another general war between Israel and her Arab neighbors. This situation in the Middle East is sufficient in itself to continue the fear that is in the hearts of so many millions of people the world over as to what the future holds for the present starving and homeless millions of people in many lands, and, as a matter of fact, for affluent members of the world society as well. Truly it is a sick world in which we live!
The Civil Rights Cancer
On Thursday, April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, and this triggered a series of race riots throughout the nation in which thirty-nine were killed. Dr. King championed the cause of the poor, as he claimed, of all races. He was an advocate of nonviolence in his struggle against injustice, and endeared himself to well-wishing people throughout the nation. Seldom in the history of the nation has anyone been so highly honored in death.
Flags were flown at half-mast throughout the nation; schools and businesses closed. Even the New York Stock Exchange closed until after Dr. King was buried. Many now feel that the civil rights movement has lost its most effective champion; and probably this is true. It is now feared that the rioting following Dr. King’s death is but the beginning of disorders that may well continue and increase throughout the summer. Here we have another evidence of the sickness which has fastened itself upon the present social order. While the political and social physicians are doing what they can to cope with it, there is not much evidence of success thus far.
Dr. King’s Dream
Dr. King seemed to envision himself as a modern Moses whose commission was to lead the poor, especially the negro poor, to a promised land of freedom and prosperity. Apparently he had a premonition of an early death by violence, and in speeches spoke of himself as having the privilege of standing on the mountain top and seeing the promised land but knowing that it would not be given to him to enter.
From the standpoint of God’s provision for the people, Dr. King’s dream of the promised land was very limited. He foresaw the time when negroes would be fully accepted as first-class citizens, and when they would enjoy full freedom with the whites—in schools, in housing, and in every facet of life. What Dr. King failed to realize was that no amount of laws on the statute books of a nation will or can change the attitude of people’s minds and hearts. Sheer force of police strength might make it possible for a family of negro people to live next door to a family of white people, but police strength in law enforcement could not change the feelings these two families may have in their hearts toward each other.
It is true, of course, and for this we are thankful, that in millions of cases there is no racial prejudice. But where there is, the making and enforcing of laws will not remove the prejudice; a prejudice that has existed for generations. So even if Dr. King’s promised land should materialize it would be far from the ideal situation which he and many others envision in their dreams. As in the case of the Israelites of old, there would still be “Canaanites” in the land which would need either to be driven out or destroyed. Only the messianic rulership of Christ will be able to remove selfishness and racial hatred from the human heart.
Suffering Would Continue
Let us suppose that human wisdom and ingenuity could bring about a peaceful and just solution to all the problems which plague the world today, including the securing of full civil rights for the black people in this country, and in Africa and in other places where they are downtrodden. This would mean that fighting would cease in Viet Nam, and between Israel and her Arab neighbors. It would mean that the communists and the capitalists to co-exist in peace, and thus the threat of aggression would be removed.
It would mean that the underprivileged and starved of every nation would be lifted up to the prosperous level of their fellows in their own countries, and throughout the world. It would mean that there would be no more worry about the gold standard, or other money problems; and that nations as well as individuals would learn that the true way of happiness is to be found in living for one another, instead of fighting with one another.
Surely this would be an improved society; but it would not be a completely happy one, for in it the people would still be growing sick and dying. The earth would still be dotted with graveyards and hospitals. There would still be doctors and druggists everywhere. There would still be millions of crippled, and blind, and deaf; and there would still be a hundred and fifty thousand humans dying every twenty-four hours. A “promised land” in which death stalks about so prominently and so unfettered comes far short of what the Lord has really assured us to be his plan for this sin-sick and dying world.
Redeemed from Death
God’s remedy for all the ills of the people is his messianic kingdom. Jesus is the promised Messiah and King in this provision. At Jesus’ first advent he gave his life as a substitute for the forfeited life of Adam, and, by redeeming Adam, Jesus redeemed all of Adam’s children. This was an important work of preparation for his coming kingdom, for without the ransom, regardless of how many other good things Jesus provided for the people through the agencies of his kingdom, he would be reigning over a dying race.
True, it would be better to have peace than war; but with death stalking up and down in the earth the people could not fully enjoy a life of peace. Peace would seem empty and meaningless in a home broken by the Grim Reaper, Death—and every home would be, sooner or later. An abundance of food which such a small part of the earth’s population enjoys today, would tend to be tasteless with precious members of the family being carried off in death.
But Jesus, earth’s new King, does not propose to reign over a dying race; for the divine plan is that his kingdom will provide health and life for all who will accept these blessings on the terms provided by divine wisdom, these terms being the acceptance of Jesus as their Redeemer, and obedience to the laws of the messianic kingdom. And what a change that will make in human experience! It is difficult for most people to believe that such a change can possibly be brought about. There has always been sickness and death, they reason, and so there always will be sickness and death.
But this reasoning does not take into account the power and promises of God, and the fact that he is abundantly able to fulfill all his gracious promises. When we reason from the standpoint of the Word of God, we reach a different conclusion. We know that Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead; and we know that the same divine power that enabled him to perform these miracles will again operate, not for the healing of merely a few of the sick, and the raising of only a few of the dead as was true at his first advent, but that all the sick will be restored to health, and all the dead raised to life again.
Of that “promised land” of divine prophecy we read, “The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.” (Isa. 33:24) Throughout the ages people have become sick and died because all have been members of a sin-cursed and dying race—a race condemned to death because of the original sin of Adam. During the Millennium the people will not need to be sick, because provision was made by the redeeming blood of Christ to set aside the penalty for adamic sin and to restore them to human perfection.
What a change that will make in habits of conversation! When we meet our friends and neighbors today nearly always inquiry is made concerning their health. While occasionally we get the reply, “I am feeling fine,” as a rule there is something the matter, some ache or pain, some failing of vision or loss of hearing. How wonderful it will be when “the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick.”
And think of the joy that will fill the earth as a result of the resurrection of the dead! The first ones raised are those who have followed in Jesus’ footsteps of sacrifice faithfully even unto death. These, according to the Scriptures, are brought forth in “the first resurrection,” and will live and reign with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev.20:6) In order to reign with Christ these will be exalted to the divine nature, as Jesus was when he was raised from the dead.
Then there is another group who will be brought forth from death in what Paul describes as “a better resurrection.” (Heb. 11:35,40) These are the ancient prophets and other worthy ones who served God faithfully during the ages preceding the present Gospel Age. These will also be rulers in the messianic kingdom, not in their own right, but as the human representatives of the divine messianic company, who will be invisible to human eyes.—Psa. 45:16; Isa. 32:1; Matt. 8:11; Luke 13:28,29
Then there will be the general resurrection of all the dead! These will be brought forth as humans, and given an opportunity of being restored to perfection, and of living on the earth forever. Dr. Martin Luther King will be among these; as will also all who have been slain in race riots, in wars, and those who have died of disease or of old age. The dead, “small and great,” will be brought forth, and enlightened and tried, or judged. What a glorious day that will be! It will be then that the dreams of Utopia will all come true, to the joy of the people and to the glory of God.—Rev. 20:12