Around 2,800 years ago there was a drought in Israel lasting 3½ years, brought about because of Israel’s disobedience of God’s laws. The leading example of the nation's wickedness was their King, Ahab, so, Elijah the Prophet strode into his palace, announced the coming drought, and strode out again.
…Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. 1 Kings 16:33
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 1 Kings 17:1
The present conflict in the Middle East is not unexpected by Bible students. Old Testament prophecies have much to say about conflicts in the area, some of them still in the future. While there is not universal agreement on the sequence of fulfilment, the reliability of the predictions is assured by the accuracy of those already fulfilled.
Since his election to a second term as president of the United States, President Trump's behaviour has shocked and dismayed many throughout the world. However, we Christadelphians are reminded of the principle we have mentioned before on this website: that God is in control of world events and will one day replace the kingdom of men with the kingdom of God. This is clear from numerous Bible passages, especially those in the book of Daniel.
Current hostilities should not surprise Bible believers, for the attitudes and actions of Israel’s hostile neighbours were foretold many years ago. If you compare a map showing Israel’s enemies in Psalm 83 with a modern map of the same area, you will see a remarkable correspondence with the nations seeking Israel’s hurt and destruction.
Psalm 83 begins
Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
Five hundred years ago this year, a few brave men defied the authorities and published a translation of the New Testament into English. William Tyndale had just finished his translation from the Greek text but having been banned from publishing it in England, he had moved to Europe to publish it and continue his translation work.
We live in an imperfect world in which suffering is a fact of life and we cannot eradicate it. We are vulnerable and susceptible to suffering and death, unscrupulous humans even intentionally inflict suffering upon others. Suffering has many causes: war, poverty, disease, bereavement and depression are only a few, but some types of suffering can be beneficial - pain can alert us to the need for medical assistance, for example, and suffering is an important element of human development - the process we usually call growing up.