Comment By Torchlight

God's Earth and Man's World

On December 21, 1968 the three-manned American spaceship Appollo 8 was blasted off to its historic journey round the moon. This was the most spectacular of all the spaceflights, "the farthest and most daring journey ever made by man". The world watched with breathless wonder until the successful splashdown in the Pacific on December 27. All was well - mission completed.

This great technological triumph was followed some three week's later by the link up of the two Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 to form the first orbiting experimental station. By all accounts most of the problems of a lunar landing have been solved and it is confidently predicted that men will be on the moon this summer. There is talk of exploiting the industrial potential of the moon and already enquiries are being made for the purchase of sites there! All this is reminiscent of the early aspirations of mankind at Babel. On that occasion God intervened. The universe belongs to Him. We do not know how far He will permit man to go but we are assured that He has plans for the disposition of His creation under the control of His beloved Son, the Heir of all things, our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.

The photographs taken by the American astronauts as they came from behind the moon were indeed amazing. They reminded one of Addison's beautiful lines:

What though in solemn silence all

Move round the dark terrestrial ball,

What though no real voice or sound

Amidst their radiant orbs be found;

In reason's ear they all rejoice,

And utter forth a glorious voice;

For ever singing as they shine,

"The hand that made us is divine".

It was interesting, too, to read of the impressions of the crew of Appollo 8 as they viewed from outer space the earth which is their home. I picked out this comment by Frank Borman as worthy of note: "The view of the earth from the moon fascinated me - a small disc 240,000 miles away. It was hard to think that that little thing held so many problems, so many frustrations. Raging nationalistic interest, famines, pestilences, don't show from that distance". True enough to human eyes, but God sees it all, "The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth" (2 Chronicles 16.9). He hears its groan and sees the wickedness of man. Men may conquer space but they cannot conquer sin. Only the Son of God, born of a woman, dying alone on Golgotha's hill, has the remedy for man's spiritual maladies. Incomparable Saviour!

Middle East Anxieties

As 1968 ended the curtain fell on a turbulent international scene. The old sores which were there at the beginning of the year were still festering. In Europe new problems darkened the picture. There was fear and disillusionment among the nations, and new outbreaks of violence added to the anxieties of governments in various countries.

The early weeks of 1969 brought no prospect of any easing of the world's troubles. The most ominous development of recent months has been the further deterioration of Arab-Israeli relations. Raids by Arab guerillas on Israeli occupied territory have been increasing in volume and strength. There has been massive retaliation from the Israelis, and while this goes on the danger of a new war in the Middle East becomes more acute. Action by Arabs outside Israel against Israeli civilian aircraft in neutral countries is a new and serious development. Israel's sharp retort by raiding Beirut airport and destroying an estimated �3 million worth of aircraft there was viewed gravely by the United Nations and brought severe censure. In this climate the efforts of U.N.O. Special Representative Gunnar Jarring to bring the two sides together are made still more difficult. Humanly speaking the situation is as bad as could be.

God's people need to be intelligently informed on such matters because we are responsible to pray for all men. The travail of mankind should not leave us cynical but rather move us to compassion and importunate prayer. We have nothing but that which divine grace has brought us. And, "Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?" (Mark 11.17).

The Faithfulness of God

It was a long haul from God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) to Israel's conquest of the land of Canaan under Joshua. Centuries of human history with all its twists and turns but served the purpose of God. Men might oppose, Israel would fail, but the promise of God to that lonely pilgrim stood, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Genesis 15.18). God was faithful to His word, "The LORD gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers

There failed not aught of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel; all came to pass" (Joshua 21.43,45). "He abideth faithful" (2 Timothy 2.13).

God has never yet failed to fulfil His promises. To doubt Him is unthinkable. Today there is little trust in the words of men. Here then is a promise from our unfailing God to bring us daily strength and courage:

"Himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither

will I in any wise forsake thee" (Hebrews 13.5).

unknown | Mar 1969
Comment By Torchlight