By Van Yandell
Psalm 62:5-7 “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.”
On a recent Friday morning, computer systems around the world crashed. Airlines, hospitals and banking were immediately thrown back to the curse of pencil and paper of which they had none or did not know how to use it.
The reason for the crash was reported to have been because of the downloading of an update into the computer software.
Regardless of the reason, we were reminded of how vulnerable the world is to computers, the internet and electricity.
When we consider the many eventualities that can interrupt the information flow, the repercussions become horrifying.
Recently we have experienced problems in our area with internet and phone service. We also use an antenna for local TV channels and the reception has not been particularly good. I suspicioned the solar flares that generated the aurora borealis.
It was also possible atmospheric conditions or even maintenance on a transmitting device could have been responsible. At any rate, for a few weeks, we were partly cut off from the world.
At times we do not know or comprehend the reason (or reasons) for our disconnection from the world. The culprits that might destroy the electricity supply may be satellite or com tower problems, or an electro-magnetic pulse.
The possibility of a terrorist attack or highly skilled computer hacker could set us back decades in a few seconds. Regardless of the cause, we have allowed ourselves to become vulnerable in this world of technology, rapid transit and instant communications.
Paper and pencil may not have been able to keep track of inventory and automatically order more product when the supply on the shelf became low, but it worked without electric power or the internet. When the power goes off or the internet fails, only then do we realize what a trap we have set for ourselves.
Daniel 12:4 “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” We usually consider these words of Daniel as prophetic but they may be a warning; or are those the same?
Could our immense supply of technological devices ultimately be our destruction? Some are predicting AI (Artificial Intelligence) could trigger a world war or put the entertainment industry and designers/architects out of business. Why do some find it necessary to eliminate the need to think?
As technology increases, the deeper we are digging this self-destructive hole and the more vulnerable we become. For the open-eyed individual the future is certain if we continue to invest our future in the technologies that can immediately self-destruct or be destroyed.
And finally, the truth comes out. The song “All My Hope is in Jesus” says more than the world is willing to accept. “All my hope is in Jesus. Thank God my yesterday’s gone, yes, all my sins are forgiven. I’ve been washed by the blood.”
If anyone has not realized that hope in this world is hopeless, perhaps that song will open a few eyes. We keep seeing the sign, “Wake up America.” That may have a much deeper meaning than we realize.
Our dependence on the technological advances of mankind rather than our Creator God is shortsighted and foolish. Those products are susceptible to attacks from many angles and sooner or later, those attacks will come.
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” It certainly appears the world has come to the point of “leaning unto our own understanding.”
Electricity and the internet have led us to believe we are indestructible and immovable. Believing we have all we need through our own power and the power sold to us leaves us helpless in our false sense of security.
Many in our world are living under false senses of security. I have been reprimanded several times for teaching a faith based belief in the Lord Jesus as crucified and resurrected as the only eternal salvation. While I am convinced of that partly because of Biblical accuracy, much of the world is not.
This is a certain Biblical admonition and the fulfilled prophesy and other real-world concepts such as nutrition, economic, parenting and science prove this. God certainly knew these things before mankind did.
The finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 definitely proves the authenticity and age of the Bible writings. Many will not concede that their Creator knows more than they do. I’m not sure if I find this laughable or a characteristic of pitiful ignorance.
As long as humankind places our faith and trust in man’s knowledge (and gadgetry), we will fall short of the fuller enlightenment offered by the scriptures.
Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”
Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and missionary, from Fredonia, Kentucky.
