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Kat:
Hi Arion, I see your point of being a prepper, having a well stocked pantry is a good idea, especially as I live in a coastal area and it's Hurricane season. I understand that and how we need insurance and savings to get us through unexpected, but normal life circumstances.
I guess where my thinking has changed is in thinking that every major natural catastrophe, or major social upheaval is leading to worldwide economic disaster... I think a lot of people still believe there will be a great tribulation at the end of this age, worse than anything before. Can we not see that this age has been filled with disasters and will be right up to it's end.
There have been plenty of times in history for people to think they were in the worst of it, whole civilizations have been wiped out before. The Black death estimated to have killed as much as 60% of Europe’s population. World War I was over 37 million: over 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded... World War II was even worse in absolute terms of total dead, Over 60 million people were killed, which was about 3% of the 1940 world population (est. 2.3 billion). Those were the major wars there have been countless lesser, but still horrific wars with huge death toils, where nations were decimated.
Earthquakes and volcanoes are the same, they have reaped destruction in the past as much as now. So why is everybody looking for a 'great tribulation' to come at the end of the age? I think it's because that is what the church taught and we have not let go of that. What did Christ say things would be like just before He returns?
Matt 24:37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
v. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
v. 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Luke 17:26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
v. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
v. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,
v. 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—
v. 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
The people of Noah's and Lot's day were living their normal lives and 'suddenly,' without warning or build up, they were sweep away and that's what Christ said it will be like at His return. I think Christ could return any day, nothing happening in the world will indicate it is approaching.
Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
v. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
v. 35 "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,
v. 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.
v. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.
v. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!
v. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.
v. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Extol:
--- Quote from: Kat on June 29, 2015, 08:26:15 AM ---
There have been plenty of times in history for people to think they were in the worst of it, whole civilizations have been wiped out before. The Black death estimated to have killed as much as 60% of Europe’s population. World War I was over 37 million: over 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded... World War II was even worse in absolute terms of total dead, Over 60 million people were killed, which was about 3% of the 1940 world population (est. 2.3 billion). Those were the major wars there have been countless lesser, but still horrific wars with huge death toils, where nations were decimated.
Earthquakes and volcanoes are the same, they have reaped destruction in the past as much as now.
--- End quote ---
This is an excellent point. People talk about all the horrible things going on in the world, but it doesn't seem that bad to me, at least compared to at other points in history. They only seem just as bad (or worse) because there is television and social media, and we have immediate access to disasters and horrors all over the world.
By the numbers, nothing remotely as catastrophic as the Black Death has happened in the world since....well, probably since the Black Death. WWII might have seemed like the end of the world, but that took "only" 3 to 4 percent of the world population. The Black Death killed roughly 20% of the world---a huge difference. And as Kat said, the percentage was much higher in Europe. Also, WWII was a war. Deaths are inevitable. But they didn't know what the Black Death was. Imagine half the people in this country dropping dead and not knowing why or how. Imagine that happening in the Information age with TV and Internet...
arion:
--- Quote from: Kat on June 29, 2015, 08:26:15 AM ---
Hi Arion, I see your point of being a prepper, having a well stocked pantry is a good idea, especially as I live in a coastal area and it's Hurricane season. I understand that and how we need insurance and savings to get us through unexpected, but normal life circumstances.
I guess where my thinking has changed is in thinking that every major natural catastrophe, or major social upheaval is leading to worldwide economic disaster... I think a lot of people still believe there will be a great tribulation at the end of this age, worse than anything before. Can we not see that this age has been filled with disasters and will be right up to it's end.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
--- End quote ---
Absolutely agree. Being labeled a 'prepper' means different things to different people. It can mean anything from a whacked out survivalist with a doomsday bunker to having a well stocked pantry as a normal way of life. Just depends on how you look at it and who you ask the question to. It's amazing to me that there are people in hurricane prone areas that don't have some items stocked away at the beginning of hurricane season. You see it every time when a hurricane watch is announced and people flock to the stores and strip everything in sight. If you know you live in a hurricane prone area it makes sense to prepare against that. Same with those folks who live in tornado alley in our midwest. It's not considered extreme by people down there to have a tornado shelter and some supplies on hand. For me living up here in the great white north it's crazy not to have a wood stove and a year or two worth of firewood laid up, ect.
I've prepped for over 20 years and I thank God that I've never needed any of those things. Any food put away can always be eaten or if it's getting older then giving it away to a food bank, ect. I personally know people who either lost their job or had a serious health issue and because they prepared against the unknown their children were able to eat and they didn't have to burden society by going on welfare. I take Greece right now for example and I reflect on Ray's Tower paper. What is coming to the U.S. is going to be worse than what is happening right now to Greece. Personally I think God warns us in advance for those that are listening in order to mitigate against what is coming...but thats just me. I think it's a matter of where you put your trust. It's easy to get off track putting your trust in what you can do and then turning into a nutty survivalist. If it consumes most of your time and your living in dread of the future then you have bigger problems. I just do what I can with what I've got and the results for good or bad are up to God. I can attest for me personally that God has never failed me and I still sleep well at night even in this nutty and mixed up world.
Take care!!
Addison:
Judgment may be coming but if you read Isaiah 1:9 it indicates that God will save us from total destruction because of the elect:
9Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors [remnant], we would be like Sodom we would be like Gomorrah.
You bring up a possible economic judgment... it is interesting that Greece is set to default tomorrow which has the potential to cause worldwide economic problems. I just read on the news that the US stocks hit the lowest point they have in years today because of this panic.
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