Last Days of Pompeii

One subject that always opens the deep interest of people is the Apocalypse, the Revelation to John, the last book of the bible.

There are no other books, letters, prophesies, or Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ that evoke more thoughts than this last book of Sacred Scripture.  

Contained within these pages are items that provoke questions, create disagreements among many writers, preachers, scholars, theologians, and the reading public that many try to explain in detail but few really are able to discern the actual meaning of all the symbolic literature. 

However, with the ultimate destruction of the earth’s oceans, the sun and moon turning black, and the Anti-christ along with the Beast and Satan as some of the chief characters of the book, we are led to believe the worst will be coming soon.  Scripture talks about the Parousia  (the second coming of Christ) is coming upon us as predicted by Jesus himself.  Matthew contains an Eschatological discourse in chapter 24 verses 1 - 31, 36 - 44.  There are segments within Epistles and letters of Paul, and the gospel accounts that allude to this making the realization that Revelation is right on with the apocalyptic pronouncements. 

It is here, the final explosion of Mt. Vesuvius, where a cataclysmic disaster, perhaps from divine interference  may have destroyed Pompeii for a cesspool of vice, greed, gluttony, indolence, sexual debauchery, and idolatry.  The story that inspired the novel of Pompeii wrapped around debauchery of several characters and the eruption was to clear and destroy the sin of this great city.  Pompeii was no different than Rome, where the destruction or death of a great metropolis did not fall from enemies but from the depths of immorality within itself.    

Move ahead to our 21st century and look intently into the current situation that started some years ago in America.  When I was in the Army in 1954, Times Square had numerous movie theaters on 42nd street.  They all were playing current films, and most if not all had G or PG ratings.  Visiting the same area in 1964 during the World’s Fair, I believe there was nothing but XXX rated films at most of if not all at these theaters.  This is not far from sexual pleasures being apportioned throughout our society.  Of course, with the internet so available to anything one seeks, the many theaters will ultimately close.  But, the evil that is being portrayed is just the beginning of what Pompeii had already been involved in.  From the immorality of Pompeii it collapsed.  Rome also fell because of the evil found within its borders and the leaders guidance to moral destruction.  

There is a parallel to all this past evil when the attraction of debauchery becomes too difficult to avoid when the grace of purity is sold to satan’s influence.  It has occurred for centuries and is about to envelop the nation we now live in.   

Are we facing the same legacy that this ancient city of Pompeii experienced?  Is the fall of Rome also preparing us for a similar collapse?  Or is it too late to worry about the disaster our society is about to realize?

Ralph B. Hathaway,  Last Days 2021