What has caused so much turmoil in the world today?

Let’s begin with the first rejection of God where more than one person has turned away from him. This could be answered by blaming our first parents, which has been covered many times by innumerable works of exhortation and print. But, it goes much further when we look at each person whom God has chosen to carry the load of evangelization and failed more than once.

This falling away is known as sin. We are told that if you throw a stone in the air the very essence of air-waves will change enough that the result will affect everything in the universe. Seems too imaginable to think one movement from one person can have a direct effect on everything around us, but the fact is all movement everywhere is dependent on something outside itself.

So it is with moral pronouncements or adherence to the balance of what is right within the mind of man. What has caused a total disruption to peaceful living with the violence that occurs on a daily basis? An evil society has arisen everywhere and all are directly involved by the weakness we have acquired.

Perhaps the most atrocious activity we are living with is the multiple shootings that just don’t appear to have a finality to its passion. Change the age requirement for being able to purchase weapons of destruction. Legislate gun manufacturers to eliminate the weapons that are used for war and not home use. Create physiological means to examine those who appear to have mental disabilities and keep them from purchasing these weapons. The list could go on and the answer would be no closer than it already is.

Legislation, strict gun laws, changing ages will not correct any of the evils that confront us. A too easy solution is at our fingertips and no one is really able to ascertain how to change what is burying our nation, one city at a time. We must go back to the Old Testament and see the same destruction of the Israelites’ security after leaving Egypt. How much was God going to tolerate when one event after another from his people completely ignored the very blessings he worked through Moses and they still turned away.

As we watch the morning news and see or read about another shooting, a rioting group burning buildings to make their dissension known, or threats to law-abiding citizens who try to keep the peace, becomes too disheartening for many of us who never grew up with the anarchy we see now.

When we read Revelation it is easy to see that Babylon is at the center of evil perpetrated on the world and all those who have rejected God are falling into the web that evil has sown a web that will eventually suck non-believers into.

It is sin in all of its evil seductions that has caused the complete collapse of world adherence to the presence of God and his welcoming arms of security if only man would turn back to him. If the Israelites would have trusted the guidance of God through Moses, they would have reached the promised land. They didn't, and we have the warnings from modern prophecies that could change the direction we seem to be falling into. Legislation should begin by Congress realizing they are partially to blame by allowing the grip of evil to control our laws and enact unholy directives in our schools, churches, and people at large. Remember, we are the government, you and me, and those we voted into congress work for us.

Turn to God and remove the attraction to sin within our nation's elected officials and God will definitely change the direction we are on. Ignore the sin that congress allows and the same outcome of the Israelites will be ours.

Ralph B. Hathaway