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Leadership?
(Continued from page 9)
The problem is profound.
From the record of history- and,
even more so,
prophecy-the
out–
come of such irresolution is plain.
This world is headed for a time
when leaders of major nations will
not
be reasonable men. For the
sake of order and survival, unrea–
sonable people will obtain control
by default and make decisive, con–
fident decisions to meet extraordi–
nary crises. They will move history
in new and peri lous directions of
their own .choosing.
If events continue on their pres–
ent course, we must sooner or later
enter a new age of política! despo–
tism and social and religious bar–
barism. The world will find itself at
the merey of leaders who, though
morally disqualified, will exercise
enormous power- power divorced
from reason, power that will bring
unparalleled ruin on the world!
Understand this: What we cal!
"civilization" is largely a veneer, a
facade, a pretense. World War
11
shows that the line between civili–
zation and barbarism in Europe and
Asia is a fine one indeed! Civiliza–
tion has been built on the sandy
foundation of denial of basic
human behavior patterns, of repres–
sion of the dark side of human
nature. When times are good, the
pretense of civilization holds.
But as economic and social con–
ditions deteriorate and human
nature is unleashed in its fui! fury
by self-willed, bellicose, intemper–
ate men governed only by passions
and prejudices, civilization rapidly
crumbles to dust!
Bad News-Then Good!
Bible prophecy
confirms
the reality
of the dangers that history indi–
cates lie ahead.
Jesus Christ revealed that we are
headed into a time of tribulation
"such as was not since the begin–
ning of the world to this time, no,
nor ever shall be" (Matt. 24:21). lt
will be the most awful international
catastrophe in earth's history!
lt
will be a time when "nation
shall rise against nation, and king–
dom against kingdom" (verse 7).
And- if not supernaturally cut
short-it would be a time so
38
perilous that "there should
no .fiesh
be saved [alive]" (verse 22).
Bible prophecy also tells us that
the days ahead wi ll be a time of
despotism on a scale unmatched in
history! Most prominent among the
end-time tyrants will be one sym–
bolically called "the Beast."
Thct Beast is a great dictator
revealed in the Apocalypse or book
of Revelation. He is to rule over 1O
nations or groups of nations, cen–
tered in Europe, just before the
return of Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:12-
13).
More than 25 centuries ago, the
prophet Daniel recorded a descrip–
t ion of this coming despot:
"And in the Jatter time ... a
king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall
stand up. And his power shall be
mighty .. . and he shall destroy
wonderfully, and shall prosper, and
practise, and shall destroy the
mighty and the holy people" (Dan.
8:23-24).
This tyrant is portrayed as
proud, insolent, merciless, a manip–
ulator, cunning in the art of politi–
cal maneuvering-the epítome and
culmination of the worst in despots
throughout history. He and others
will plunge the earth into a new and
terrifying- and thankfully brief–
Dark Age!
To save humanity from total
destruction J esus Christ will return
to rule as King of kings and Lord of
lords (Rev. 19:16). He will return
to a world in ruins, foul with cor–
ruption, the victim of its own false
ways. He will "destroy them which
destroy [or corrupt] the earth"
(Rev. 11: 18). He will then establish
God's
kingdom over all nations,
replacing the governments of man.
Man will then learn the supreme
lesson-that human beings, cut off
from God and rejecting his knowl–
edge,
do not know
the way to peace
(lsa. 59:8).
The reason?
This world's problems are essen–
tially
spiritual
in nature. They can–
not be solved through the use of
mere physical knowledge alone.
That's why leaders may use all of
their productive skills and knowl–
edge and ingenuity-and
still
be
unable to master the problems that
confront them! They might prolong
the life of their societies by compe-
tent action-but never indefi–
nitely!
Apart from God, leaders can
only grope in darkness, struggling
in vain against forces far beyond
their ken. Mankind through history
has rejected the only knowledge
that would allow its governments to
succeed-the revealed knowledge
of God and his way!
Man's attempts to rule his own
way, apart from God's revelation of
essential knowledge, have proved
utterly
disastrous.
Man has proven
his complete incapability of ruling
himself!
God is permitting the world to
go its own way, to learn for itself
the bitter lesson that tbe Satan–
inspired way of
rejecting
the laws
and government of God can in the
end bring nothing but calamity.
Most would never believe it–
now.
The good news Jesus Christ
brought is an
announcement-a
proclamation that the imperfect,
humanly devised governments of
this world are soon to pass into his–
tory, to be replaced by the world–
ruling perfect government of God!
lt
is going to happen- but only
after mankind learns sorne hard les–
sons through bitter experience!
Moreover, Jesus Christ is not
going to do this ruling by himself!
He is coming to set up a highly
organized
WORLD GOVERNMENT,
with many positions of authority–
positions that will be filled by
former humans who, in this life,
have qualified for a position in the
kingdom or government of God.
They will not be elected by men,
nor wi
11
they selfishly seize
power-but rather will be ap–
pointed and set in office by God's
appointed ruler, Jesus Christ.
Then the earth will at last have
leaders who will not be over–
whelmed by events, and who will
not be corrupted by great power–
leaders who will understand that
true leadership comes through
serving others
(Mark 10:43-45).
A new age
is
coming! This "pres–
ent evil world" (Gal. 1:4) is soon to
pass away. In place of this world's
civilizations, all nations willlearn the
great lesson that
God's
government
is the only way that w'ill produce the
lasting peace and prosperity that al!
peoples seek!
o
The PLAIN TRUTH