Many read the Bible. Some are not interested. Others do not want to study it thinking it is hard to understand. Some never read it at all.
When I was a little girl, my parents trained us to read the Bible regularly. At an early age, I didn’t pay that much attention on the account of Matthew 24:3-14, that there would be series of events that would lead to the conclusion of the system of things.
I never thought that in this generation, I would consider myself as an eye witness to the fulfillment of Bible prophecies that we are now living in the last days, critical times hard to deal with, is now taking place.
This year, 2014, the whole world commemorates 100 years of the first World War. Recently, European leaders met at Leige, Belgium for the World War I Centenary.
The Feb. 1 issue of the Watchtower magazine on “The War that Changed the World, a century ago, millions of young men left the security of their homes and went off to war, swept along by a wave of patriotism. An American volunteer in 1914 wrote that he was happy and full of excitement over the wonderful days ahead. Soon, though, their enthusiasm turned to bitterness. No one foresaw the way those huge armies would get bogged down for years in the mud of Belgium and France. At that time, people termed it the ‘Great War.’ Today, we know it as the First World War. By some estimates, it left about 10 million dead and 20 million mutilated and even resulted to great blunders. European statesmen were unable to stop international tensions from escalating into a global conflict. The ‘Great War’ left great scars. It changed the world in ways that still affect us today.”
Since 1914 to date, no doubt, all of us, regardless of our culture, race, background and color, are very much affected by the current world events. Literally, Philippine government officials do not sleep anymore. They are always on alert watching the world, aside from the time difference that has to be considered.
Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. There were wars and reports of wars, issues on territorial disputes, terrorism, explosions and bombs everywhere. Innocent lives were killed. Even a
3-year-old boy casualty of war uttered before his death, that he would tell everything to God.
Earthquakes, food shortages, natural calamities and disasters, increase of lawlessness, deadly diseases such as Ebola virus in Africa, MersCoV in the Middle East, SARS in Asia are shaking the world.
Filipinos are everywhere. We have land-based and sea-based workers worldwide. They were the ones directly affected by all of these.
Despite our government’s declaration on the crisis alert issued, whether voluntary or mandatory repatriation, still our kababayans continue to ignore the said appeal. They would prefer not to leave their jobs than to go home unemployed.
We all witness world events as it unfold before our very eyes. Since the 1914 situation is escalating from bad to worse, we are living in a more troubled world, a life full of pain and misery.
Is there an end to all of this? Is it a new normal to sleep and wake up in fear everyday?
Where can we find answers to life’s big questions? The Bible is providing answers for millions of people. The jw.org website can help us.