Never before have we had
such a dire need to truly grasp the meaning of today's world events—at
the very time when normal news outlets are in obvious decline. In this connection
the Bible itself explains how we can face both present and future happenings
with much greater confidence.
by John Ross Schroeder
Back in 1995 a Newsweek feature
stated that the old media outlets were in decline. Now, 10 years later, the
numbers of people watching normal news coverage have only gotten smaller at
a time of considerable population growth. The news audience is shrinking in
the United States, and studies show that new sources like the Internet are
not fully replacing the old ones, especially among young people.
Yet a recent article in The
Wilson Quarterly explained,
"The appetite for news, and for engagement with civic life, must be nurtured
and promoted, and it's very much in the public interest to understand the
task... Only by reaching a collective judgment about the value and necessity
of vigorous news media in American democracy can we hope to keep our public
watchdogs on guard and in good health" (Spring 2005).
This principle is especially
important when properly understood from a biblical point of view.
The Bible underscores the need for an informed citizenry
Jesus Christ fully understood
the importance of grasping what's occurring in the world in direct connection
with His prophesied second coming—the greatest news headline event yet
to be written.
The gravity of our times
is highlighted by the historic/prophetic warning words He uttered in what
theologians call the Olivet Prophecy. Christ said:
"For then there will be great
tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this
time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh
would be saved, but for the
elect's sake those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:21-22, emphasis added
throughout).
Can we grasp the incredible
global impact of those fateful words, spoken nearly 2,000 years ago? In this
pivotal prophetic chapter Christ also spoke of major wars, religious deception,
famine, disease epidemics and earthquakes in different places. And Jesus predicted
that lawlessness would abound in our societies and that the persecution of
Christians would lead to martyrdom for some.
