Walls and Fences in the 21st Century (Part 1 of 18)

Introduction

Republican President Donald Trump is in a squabble with mostly Democratic members of Congress about building a wall on the U.S. southwestern border with Mexico to stop the ongoing problem of illegal immigration into the U.S. from Central and South American countries. Trump recently has argued that it is a “national emergency.” Democrats generally are opposed to solving this problem by constructing a physical barrier such as a wall, and some are opposed to a fence. They generally say it is trying to solve a 21st century problem with an antiquated approach and that it would be economically wasteful.

It is surprising to me that in this political dispute, not much is being said about the many nations that recently have been building border walls and/or fences to solve their own problems. Obviously, if so many nations are doing this, and some of them claim it works, this would seem to support President Trump’s argument.

I am writing Book 3 in my Still Here series on eschatology. I have a chapter intended for this book that is about the current building of border walls and fences in the world. But I’m not sure if I’m going to include this chapter in this book. So, I’ve decided to publish it here on my blog regardless of whether or not I will include it in the book.

I also have chapters in this book about how certain Bible prophecies that must be fulfilled before the return of Christ. I therefore show how the Bible does not say Jesus’ return is imminent or that it will occur soon. I believe that English Bible versions that have the heavenly Jesus saying, “I am coming soon” (e.g., Revelation 22.7, 12, 20 in the NIV, NRSV, ESV) are wrong translations. I believe the KJV and NASB have it right–“I am coming quickly.”

I will now publish this chapter according to the chapter subheads. There are 18 of them. So, for the next 18 consecutive days, at 8:00 AM each day, I plan to publish consecutive portions of this chapter. Here we go.

Introduction

The Bible predicts that during the latter days all wars will be fought with only primitive weapons, such as swords, bows and arrows, spears, and clubs. I first learned this in 1975 upon reading G. H. Lang’s commentary on the book of Daniel. It is entitled The Histories and Prophecies of Daniel, 4th edition (original 1940; Kregel Publications, 1973). I then concluded that in order for this to occur, the world must previously have disarmed itself of not only nuclear weapons but all conventional weapons as well. Of course, this will take time. This is one of the many reasons why I claim the end of the world and simultaneous second coming of Christ cannot occur for multiple generations from now.

Of course, this assertion about world disarmament raises questions such as why and how this will happen. I don’t think the Bible has any answers about this. Thus, to attempt answers is mere speculation. Will the nations wise up and eradicate such destructive weapons? Or will there be nuclear war or worse that causes them to do so?

Many astute thinkers have concluded that this world’s advanced weaponry is absolute insanity. For instance, the famous physicist and mathematician Albert Einstein was involved in the Manhattan Project that produced the first atomic bomb. The U.S. used it on Japan to end WWII. Einstein soon afterwards joined other scientists in calling for the abolishing of atomic weapons. He said, “I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

Soon after I learned this in the Bible about wars being fought with primitive weapons in the latter years, I noticed that the Bible predicts that in the latter years there will be many border walls and armed fortresses in the world. These obviously will be constructed for defensive purposes, that is, to protect against outside attacks as during antiquity. The world used to be full of such walls. Many hundreds of years ago, cities operated as city-states surrounded with a high wall. Some larger city-states had an inner wall and an outer wall, with perhaps a moat as well.

In fact, walls, fences, and fortresses are being constructed at the present time at a surprising rate. In many parts of the world it is being done mostly to reduce illegal immigration and the transport of illegal narcotics.

I’ll begin this somber subject on a lighter note by sharing some personal anecdotes.

[To learn about the Bible’s predictions about wars in the latter days being fought only with primitive weapons, see Someday, No More Guns.]