The Crumbling Image

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.--Daniel 2:44

Karl Marx had a simplistic view of world politics. He saw it as a struggle between the masses and the classes. Viewed from a nineteenth century standpoint, his view was not far wrong. Pastor Charles T. Russell in his Battle of Armageddon exhibits a similar perspective. He sees the great battle of the ages matching the privileged aristocracy against the oppressed "have-nots" of society.

History supported these views. The inequities of serfdom had given way to equal or greater injustices under capitalism. The industrial revolution widened the gap between the rich and the poor. Downtrodden groups were growing restive--laborers, minority races, women.

In Europe, hereditary monarchies were hard-pressed to meet the challenges of a changing society. The United States, still recovering from a disastrous Civil War, was developing expansionist trade policies to fuel its fast-growing industrial economy.

Over one hundred years has passed since these ideas were promulgated. How has society changed? What role does government now play? Do the premises of the past hold true for the realities of today?

World War I

"A world has come to an end." So wrote Barbara Tuchman of the effects of the first world war in Guns of August. The conflict that spread from the streets of Sarajevo to the Palace of Versailles was the death knell for the hereditary ruling houses of Europe. Along with their demise went the entire concept of the divine right of kings. The French Revolution and the spread of populist fervor that reached every country of Europe in 1830 swelled to the virtual overthrow of aristocratic governments by 1918. Royalism was out, democracy was in.

What the prophet had spoken concerning a threatening confederacy in ancient Israel was being replayed: "Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces" (Isaiah 8:9).

The loose associations of the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente gave way to two attempts at tight girding confederacies: the League of Nations following World War I and the United Nations after World War II. But none of these was long able to hold back the tides of war.

Socialism

Edward Bellamy in Looking Backward and other nineteenth century writers considered Socialism as Utopia. Benevolent state ownership of all wealth with equitable distribution to all would cure the ills of both serfdom and capitalism. The theory was bright but the reality proved gloomy.

When Socialism was a major issue in early twentieth century England, Dr. John Edgar lectured throughout the country on Socialism and the Bible. He correctly saw the problems that Socialism would face. "[A] greater obstacle to Socialism becoming established . . . is the opposition of vested interests. By vested interests I mean everything which certain people believe to be their rights, whether it be rank, or property, or land, or money. The man who happens to be a king or peer, considers the rank his by right. The man who has inherited or bought property or land, claims that it belongs to him by right; and the same is true with regard to money. More and more opposition will be offered by those who possess vested interests, for very few will give up what they believe to be their rights simply that the community may benefit. All men do not yet love their neighbors as themselves. Before such change can be effected, there must be a moral revolution. Men’s hearts will first require to be changed." (Faith's Foundation, pages 311, 312)

Nor did the United States escape the experiment with Socialism. The economic boom of the "Roaring 20's" was followed by the woes of the Great Depression. The plight of the poor was felt so strongly that government intervened as the employer of last resort. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, seeking to ease some of the inequalities, introduced a New Deal with its resultant welfare state. Unfortunately, attempts to put a human face on government soon resulted in a bloated bureaucracy and reports of welfare abuses abounded, resulting in deepening polarization between conservative and liberal politicians.

Communism

The philosophical socialism of Bellamy was met by the radical socialism of Marx and Lenin. The weakening of the social fabric of Europe following World War I created the conditions for the Russian Revolution in 1917.

The 70-year experiment with Communism proved disastrous. Millions perished under the purges of Stalin. Economic conditions did not keep up with the rest of the world. Human rights were ignored. The nations of eastern Europe became client states. The development of nuclear weapons often brought the Cold War to the brink of a hot war. The world's "doomsday clock" was set at 5 minutes to midnight.

Claiming to be the champion of the oppressed people of the world, Communism increased oppression. Posing as the last vanguard against colonialism, it became imperialistic. Many students of the Bible could not help but see the appropriateness of the prophecy in Amos: "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him" (Amos 5:18,19).

The lion had long been the symbol of the British empire, the world's strongest colonial power. As the emerging nations, especially in Africa, began to struggle for their independence, it was the Russian bear that often embraced them. Yet in the tightness of the bear's grip, these nations felt the claws behind the paws. Fleeing into their own house of nationalism, the serpent of internal strife and repetitive coups continued to plague them. Truly the day of the Lord, promising such a bright and optimistic future, has proved at its onset to bring darkness and not light.

Pope John Paul II

Religion was discouraged under Communism. Atheism was to be the religion of the land. Poland appeared to be the only exception among the Eastern Bloc countries. There Catholicism had a working arrangement with Communism. A dramatic change came to this relationship when Karol Wojtyla was elected as the world's first Polish pope, taking on the name of Pope John Paul II.

Wojtyla was far more than a figurehead. As an active, hands-on diplomat, his influence was soon felt even beyond the Catholic community. Among his early accomplishments was presiding over the downfall of the Communist system using the civil arm of Solidarnosc and its leader Lech Walesa. The roles of Mikhail Gorbachev and the American president, Ronald Reagan, were also important in this process.

The decline of Communism was accompanied by an increase in prestige and power for the Roman Catholic Church. Dating the Communist rule from 1919-1989, many students of the Bible saw the fulfillment of the "seventy years" of Isaiah: "And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing" (Isaiah 23:17,18).

The Holocaust

Israel has always been a focal point of biblical prophecy. The first aliyah of their return was dated by David Ben Gurion to 1878 when, as a result of the Berlin Congress of Nations, the first émigrés established the pioneer settlement of Petach Tikvah on the sand dunes just north of today’s city of Tel Aviv.

The political Zionist movement of Theodor Herzl and the influence on the British government by Chaim Weizman to issue the Balfour Declaration putting Great Britain on record as favoring the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine were seen as being prophetically indicated.

The Zionist movement was a partial fulfillment to Jeremiah 16:16, "Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." Whether the illustration is that of the angler offering alluring bait or the net fishermen taking advantage of the social habits of man to flock together, the illustration is strong (see also Isaiah 19:8).

However Jeremiah also spoke of "hunters." The rise of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler with his practice of genocide perfectly fit this picture. The Holocaust claimed more than eight million Jewish lives, as well as large numbers of Poles and other targeted groups.

Dreadful as was the Holocaust, there was a beneficial side effect. Sufficient world sympathy was aroused for the cause of the persecuted Jew to create the political climate for the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. The original boundaries of the partition plan were quickly challenged. Repetitive wars with neighboring Arab nations erupted in 1948, 1956, and 1967. As a result of the last of these clashes, Israel reestablished its capital in Jerusalem, fulfilling the biblical prediction that "Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:6).

Nationalism

One of the prophecies of Israel's return to her home land is given in parabolic language in Matthew: "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (Matthew 24:32,33). The fig tree is identified with Israel as far back as Jeremiah 24:1-3.

The Luke account of this prophecy adds still another dimension: "And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand" (Luke 21:29-31).

Israel was only one of scores of nations to emerge on the world scene following the second world war. Large countries like India and dozens of smaller ones, particularly on the African continent, joined the world family of nations. The strong colonial powers of England, France, Spain, and Portugal lost their overseas dominions. The claims of the victims of political oppression found their counterparts in other segments of society.

The Civil Rights movement under such strong leaders as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the United States and Nelson Mandela in South Africa raised the consciousness of black people. However such corrective policies as Affirmative Action often failed to reach their goals and brought about further disillusionment in government.

Women's rights advocates pleaded the feminist cause. While increasing the economic gains of women, these advocates began proposing other more controversial views. Strong positions for abortion on demand were countered by an active pro-life movement declaring the sanctity of life. Extremists joined the fray by bombing abortion clinics and killing doctors who performed abortions.

The working man continued to organize. Heady with the early successes of Samuel Gompers and John L. Lewis, unions grew stronger and stronger. Soon they were as rich and powerful as the corporations they were opposing. With their wealth, corruption entered and the reputation of the labor movements became tarnished.

A Failure to Protect

The function of government is to provide an atmosphere for stable growth and those services necessary for "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The ability of government to provide an environment of safety has been sorely tested by at least three developments.

1. A drug problem has erupted world-wide. All attempts to stop trafficking in narcotics have been frustrated. Untold thousands have died from overdoses. Corruption in high places has permitted the formation of multi-billion dollar drug cartels. Drug pushers have used extreme violence to protect their territory.

2. A closely related problem has been the breakdown of the family unit, particularly in the inner cities. Gang violence and drive-by shootings are a daily feature of the daily news. The predicted conditions of 2 Timothy 3:1-5 have proved all too true: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

3. The accessibility of weapons and explosives has seen an unprecedented advent of terrorism. The strongest of countries lie helpless before the committed terrorist who is willing to give his own life for his cause. Traditional methods of law enforcement have been only partially successful in stemming this tide.

Lack of Confidence

All of the above have eroded the confidence of people in their governments. In the past half century alone two presidents of the United States have either been forced from office or been tried under articles of impeachment.

While personal scandals have often been the lot of those in high office, it has been the political scandals that have most rocked the nations. The disastrous Viet Nam war called the decision-making apparatus of the United States into serious question. The Iran-Contra scandal demonstrated the willingness of high officials to ignore the law for strategic advantage. Charges of economic corruption at the very highest levels has toppled more than one Japanese government.

The people's judgment of their rulership has been an echo of the handwriting on the wall in the last days of the Babylonian empire: "Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting" (Daniel 5:27).

Recompense

Armageddon is, above all, the just recompense for the misdeeds of those who govern. "For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands" (Jeremiah 25:14). The prophet Hosea puts it even more directly: "They have sown the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7).

The whirlwind is an apt symbol of the Battle of Armageddon. In our theme text we see the final outcome for the mighty image of which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed. A stone was taken out of the mountain and smote it on the feet and it crumbled to pieces--a process we see happening all about us today as the mighty monarchies crumble before our eyes.

After the image is crushed, it is ground into chaff (Daniel 2:35). With the mighty kingdom mountains of this earth ground to chaff, how appropriate is the commentary of Isaiah: "The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind" (Isaiah 17:13).

That storm will be great. It will totally level human society (Isaiah 40:4). But after the storm will be a calm. There will be a "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12). This will be the voice of the Lord saying, "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39). Then will come the welcome words, "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord" (Exodus 14:13).

As one writer has well put it, "The kings of earth have had their day, it is said, but there is a king whose day has just begun." That king will judge righteous judgment and peace shall once again come to this earth.