[This is one in a series of mid-week Reflections published by Horley Baptist Church during August 2020]
Today is the 6th of August. It is the birthday of the eldest of my six nieces but for most people the significance of this date is not a reason for happiness. Today is the 75th anniversary of the destruction of the Japanese city of Hiroshima by atomic bomb. Tens of thousands of people died during the onslaught and many others died later as a result of its after-effects but it is argued that this horrific action was necessary to bring a rapid end to the atrocities of war in south-east Asia and the South Pacific islands.
I have been to some of those islands. Indeed, my niece spent some of her formative years there. A generation after the end of the war, remnants of aircraft and the minutiae of war were slowly being reclaimed by the jungle and there were still the occasional sounds of live ordinance being made safe. There were many people who could recall their experiences of living in a time of great brutality.
This wholesale destruction of cities is not unique to the 20th century. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in the time of Abraham, Jericho was destroyed by Joshua and it is said of Jerusalem that the Romans left not one stone above another, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Mark ch13 verse 2. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Throughout history, cities have been destroyed and their inhabitants displaced, whether by war or by natural events. Later in that same chapter, Jesus foretold that “When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.” These things are not a surprise to God, and should not be a surprise to us.
The people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were sacrificed to bring an end to a regime of evil at a particular place and time. We need to remember the consequences of evil and the cost involved. The Son of God was sacrificed to bring an end to the dominance of evil everywhere and for all time. Do we appreciate the cost of that sacrifice?
~~~~~~~~
.
Return to Mid-week Meditations
Jump to Index of Bible Passages
.
Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
