ENDY JAY
Afghanistan has been taken over by the Taliban, almost without a shot being fired. Afghan President Ghani has fled the country. Of what concern is that to me? would be an expected, even logical in the given situation, reaction from any reader. Granted, but then what is the point of starting this note with a statement that has little chance to attract attention?
Yet, if what is happening in that distant land, many Mauritians would be unable to locate on the world map, is not of direct concern to most of us, it is one of these signs happening in quick succession that should attract everyone’s attention in the manner it has unfolded, so rapidly that it has taken the whole world by surprise, and above all how it relates to a crucial point on which I have attempted to invite attention in a couple of my recent notes: ‘ that failure of human rulership’, manifestly at the end of its allotted time* as we will soon see. And I am taking Afghanistan as a fitting confirmation of that failure, and how it relates to Bible prophecies, especially when the Creator reminds us ‘Do not put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man who cannot bring salvation.‘ (Book of Psalms 145 verse 3).
American involvement in Afghanistan has been overseen by four successive Presidents, and the latest, Biden, chose to effect a complete withdrawal from that country by August 31 next, to honour an election promise that attracted votes. Before that withdrawal is complete, the Taliban, against all expectations, are almost in full control of the country, forcing Biden to … send in additional troops to ensure the orderly and safe evacuation of American nationals and others at risk! In the meantime, the scramble is already on in most of the Western world to find ways to prevent that this new situation does not result in Afghanistan becoming again a breeding ground for terror. The US, along with NATO allies, intervened nearly two decades ago with that objective in mind, having spent in the process trillions of dollars. Back to square one? And we can fairly easily imagine what lies ahead if that fear is confirmed. Moreover, for the Taliban to run a country, with their set of primitive values, is in itself an anachronism in 2021, indeed an eye-opener.
(The only positive element so far is that it all happened without a blood bath. I’ll leave it to the qualified observers and commentators to give their views and analyses why a President flew like a coward, leaving his people to the frightening ordeal that will inevitably ensue, judging from the hectic scramble to leave by thousands, the Taliban having already made clear how they intend to rule, and why a 300,000 strong army, trained by the Yanks and equipped with modern weaponry and latest military technologies, did not put up a fight)…
Now to come back to ‘human rulership’. At the beginning of this year, the confirmation of Biden as the 46th President of the United States was met with euphoria across the planet, especially in the Western world. The ‘monster’ had been eliminated. ‘The United States is back’ after four years of ‘America First’. Now with all that is happening in Afghanistan in Biden’s first year in power, we are tempted to believe ‘US back … with pants down’. That botched withdrawal – the clear sign of failure that represents a major dent on the reputation as a reliable ally of the most powerful nation – even afforded the disgraced Trump to tweet, according to CNN, ‘Tragic mess in Afghanistan’, even aiming dig at the American people with a ‘Do you miss me yet?’ And already the blame game and passing the buck have already started in the U.S.
All this to show how the ‘scene of the world has been changing’, spread over sufficient time to give opportunity to react, with unprecedented events with all the ingredients to strike attention, events with no slight hints as to what lies in the offing as never before, the clear indication we are on the brink of witnessing the most crucial happenings in the history of humanity, that watershed to alter significantly the quality of life on the entire planet beyond men’s wildest dreams. Yet, many prefer their present shaky comfort, others distracted by the many woes of daily living and a fair lot as indifferent as one may be. But to be brought soon to witness the reality when ‘the powers of the heavens will be shaken’, getting men to faint out of fear.
Are we witnessing the invisible hand of the Creator pulling the strings, ahead of His global intervention as promised? Faut voir pour croire? Attendons voir!
(*That one we keep in abeyance, if the reader doesn’t mind).
P.S: I have purposely avoided to mention anything on the local scene, having so far said enough on that score to convince, no additions needed to know where we are headed for. But I have rather limited myself to the situation in Afghanistan which, ‘most probably’ is (it would have been peremptory to say ‘will be’) the missing link to trigger one of the most terrifying Bible prophecies that will stun beyond imagination and, at the same time, provide the clue to what Jesus said in his famous Sermon on the Mount: ‘By their fruits you will recognize them. Never people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruits. Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Really, then by their fruits you will recognize those men.’ (Gospel of Matthew chapter 7, verses 16-20).
While we cannot forget that Covid-19 and climate change are still on the rampage, and building up.