Wanted: a firm foundation on which to place our feet

Europe is broke, Arab world is upside down, Israel is tired of outrageous prices; world leaders are politicians, but not statesmen.

By MALCOLM HEDDING
Looters 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Looters 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Rev. Hedding is vice chairman of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem; www.icej.org
There is not one part of the world today that is not in some kind of turmoil and upheaval. Europe has literally gone bankrupt, and thus one EU country after the other has descended into financial chaos. More will follow.
America is drowning in debt and embroiled in two wars. The Arab world is engulfed in riots and public protests, as millions of people attempt to finally break free from the shackles of totalitarian dictatorships. Africa continues to struggle with poverty, war, famine and inept governments that cannot do what is right for their people.
Then there are the alarming images of London burning, as lawless youths rampage through its streets, breaking and burning everything in sight.
Even Israel has been beset by protesters who have decided that enough is enough in terms of the outrageously high costs of basic food and housing.
Add to this picture the seemingly out of control natural elements that are ravaging almost every part of the globe at regular intervals. The picture is not a good one.
More sobering is the fact that much of the above is man-made! It did not have to be this way, but misguided socialist policies promising entitlements to all on an unprecedented scale have brought nations to their knees.
The age-old ideas of hard work, discipline and faithfulness have gone.
Now, everyone is a victim of his environment and deserves a “free ride” in this world. Politicians, hungry for power, have recklessly promised these entitlements without ever thinking about the consequences and the manner in which they can be paid for. Truly we are on sinking sand! Out of such chaos a strong man arose in Germany in the 1930s, through a democratic process, who promised order, hope, prosperity and peace. He turned out to be a tyrant, without equal in human history, and in the end he destroyed 53 million lives. Could the global chaos facing the world today produce a similar “Mr. Fix It” who would become “Mr. Trouble”? We arrived on these treacherous sands because of inept leaders who are mere politicians, not real statesmen. The world is crying out for a leader who will extract it from its ever-growing woes.
Economic chaos and meltdown threaten everyone. Without a stable economic order, there can be no future for the average citizen. Thus, economic stability is the major issue facing the world today.
In response, economists and politicians are beginning to call for one world currency and a tighter form of global government. Just last year the Russian president presented a global currency coin to the international community.
On the other hand, the Bible warns that days of great shaking will beset the world, to remove the flimsy foundations upon which humanity has built its plans and systems. These shakings will also involve the natural elements, and all of this combined will produce such fears that men’s hearts will fail them! The Bible also warns of the advent of fierce times of unprecedented lawlessness. All of this comes because the world is burdened with the weight of sin and rebellion against the God of Israel.
Of course, the whole notion of being accountable to God for our sins is scoffed at today. God is considered a myth, we are the masters of our own destiny, and we will prevail. I think not! This same Bible also warns that out of world chaos a global leader will emerge who initially will achieve great success and thereby gain the allegiance of the fearful but unsuspecting masses. He will bring the world to ruin just as Hitler did.
We would do well to place our feet upon the foundation of God’s Word and a personal relationship with Him.
Anything short of this will leave us standing on sinking sand!