to relieve tension in such an atmosphere, one in which the whole human race hangs in the balance?

AGE OF TENSION MEANINGFUL

Only in the light of accurate knowledge from the Bible can one deal with this tension unprecedented in history. In his book Must You Conform?, Dr. Robert Lindner wrote: “If anything can be said to characterize the time we are living in, it is the extreme tension that exists between the individual and his society. The pitch to which this tension has risen is something new in history.” This tension, reflected not only by the cold war but by riots, revolutions, terrorism and general unrest, was foretold by the Bible. Yes, the Bible foretold an age of tension.

Jesus Christ, the great Prophet, pointed forward to our day in these words: “There will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs. Also, there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation, while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.”—Luke 21:11, 25, 26.

Not knowing a way to solve the world’s problems and not putting their trust in God’s kingdom, people of the nations experience tension, even becoming “faint out of fear and expectation.” The world’s wise men who shape national and foreign policies often have their supposedly clever plans boomerang, and the resultant fiasco only adds to the world’s tension. Among the “fearful sights” and “great signs” from heaven are things that modern science has only recently discovered, such as cosmic rays and sudden, sporadic bursts of radiation, apparently caused by great disturbances on the sun. Many other tension-arousing events were foretold by Jesus for this generation, such as “great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages.”—Luke 21:11.

By going to the Bible, then, the Christian learns that these tension-producing events are all part of the great sign Jesus gave to mark the world’s “last days.” We are at the portal of a new world. God’s kingdom by Jesus Christ will soon destroy the kingdoms of this world as foretold by Daniel the prophet. (Dan. 2:44) Hence the sign of the “last days” does not produce morbid tension upon true Christians as it does for those people of the nations. Telling Christians what to do when they see this age of tension and its concomitant woes, Jesus said: “But as these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near. . . . when you see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near.”—Luke 21:28, 31.

Knowledge of the meaning of world tension thus frees you from suffering the stress and strain experienced by those who have not put faith in the true God, whose name alone is Jehovah. But act upon this knowledge. Only to the extent that you apply Bible principles to your life, trust in God and put God’s kingdom first will you have relief from world tension.

The Best

“To say nothing of its holiness or authority, the Bible contains more specimens of genius and taste than any other volume in existence.”—Walter Savage Landor, English author (1775-1864).