My comments on the terrorist events of 11 Sep 2001

The Cross on the Twin Towers

Initial thoughts:

I was in a taxi travelling to Heathrow airport in London at 2pm (9 EST) on Tuesday 11th September and I heard the report about the first jet hitting the World Trade Center, then the second jet and finally the jet hitting the Pentagon building. My flight was to Canada and I spent 5 hours in Heathrow as the flight was later cancelled. I then went home and spent most of the night watching the TV reports on the BBC. (I am British, but I have spent much time in the USA in over 13 states).

When I went bed my thoughts were on the following two passages of scripture:

Firstly the passage in Revelation that speaks about the destruction of Babylon the whore who represents the world's power, the world's riches, excessive luxuries, the world's trade, the world's religions and the world's commerce and culture:

(Rev 18:3-19 NIV)For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." {4} Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; {5} for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. {6} Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. {7} Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.' {8} Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. {9} "When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. {10} Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!' {11} "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more-- {12} cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; {13} cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. {14} "They will say, 'The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.' {15} The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn {16} and cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! {17} In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!' "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. {18} When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' {19} They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!

The problem with Babylon was her great wealth, excessive luxuries, her pride and she gave herself glory. She seduced the kings, the merchants of land and sea to follow her ways -- to seek wealth and riches (rather than God). God's people are told to come out of her "so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues" 18:4

Then the words of Jesus, in which he comments on human disasters in Galilee and Jerusalem. Those who died in the Twin Towers were no worse sinners than we are.

(Luke 13:1-5 NIV) Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. {2} Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? {3} I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. {4} Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? {5} I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

They did not repent and in AD70 the whole of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and over a million Jews lost their lives.

I also thought about the fact that an ideology is the most powerful thing. These men had an ideology so powerful that they were prepared to give their lives for it. They were on a Holy War (Jihad) and believed that they would go straight to paradise. Their ideology was wrong -- in Christ Jesus we have a more powerful one, but are we prepared to lay down our lives? It should be noted that an ideology cannot be destroyed by force. The Chinese tried to wipe out Christianity in China, all that resulted was more Christians.

(Eph 6:12 NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

What is God saying to the world through these events?

I do not pretend to have a prophetic ministry, but we need to see what the Lord is saying to us Christians in these events. I wept, when I heard the stories of people who escaped, or those who phoned their loved ones from the plane. I have been up the Twin Towers in 1989 (photos). We think that about 500 British people also lost their lives in the destruction, it was the World Trade Center, it was not just an attack upon the USA..

The symbolic significance of these events is discerned even by unbelievers -- the terrorists struck the Twin Towers, symbolic of Americas wealth and trade, and the Pentagon, symbolic of Americas military power. The irony is that they learned to fly in America and used American planes against it.

Decades ago it could be said "In God we Trust". Today the truth is that we trust in Mammon and in our military might. As a nation we have rejected God. We have shut him out of the schools and can hardly be surprised by the events of Columbine. God says to us -- I am not allowed in schools. If we reject God and make idols out of money and military strength, it is hardly surprising that we come under God's judgement as he withholds his protection and allows our enemies to triumph over us. We say "God bless America" but then pass legislation that despise His laws -- eventually enough is enough. If we honor God, he will honor us, if we despise him he will despise us (1 Sam 2:30)

God is shaking the nations. We can trust in our economic and military power, or return to God. If we don't return to God, He will give us over to our idols and our enemies.

These comments apply just as much to the West as they do to America - it was the World Trade Center.

Does Revelation speak of the destruction of the Twin Towers?

These are some comments I wrote in 1995, when discussing chapter 17 about Babylon the whore (in my Commentary on Revelation).

The woman is the personification of that earthly city which is to be seen in contrast to the heavenly city the new Jerusalem. She is an earthly counterfeit of that heavenly city, she is covered in precious jewels, pearls and gold as is also the new Jerusalem. She is to be contrasted to the woman in chapter 12, who represents God's elect and who is clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She is the earthly copy of God's heavenly society which is His church, she is the world that is human society organised independently and in defiance of God. We see her in Cain who murdered his brother and went out from the presence of the Lord to found a city (Gen 4:16-17). We see her in Babel in which mankind, in rebellion to God, conspired together to make a tower so that they could reach heaven (Gen 11:4), a religion of works. We see that the woman and the city is a composite city; Egypt, Sodom and earthly Jerusalem (11:8) being one example, she represents false or apostate religion as represented by earthly Jerusalem who persecuted the prophets and crucified our Lord. She also represents the world with its the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does (1 John 2:16). She represents the world's power, the world's riches, the world's trade, the world's religions and the world's commerce and culture. Her destruction occurs with the seventh bowl, 16:17, in which a tremendous earthquake causes the great cities of the nations to collapse, the great city Babylon is split into three parts. At Babel they began building a city with a tower that reached into the heavens in order to make a name for themselves but God scattered them around the world, and even today all the worlds major cities are competing to build skyscrapers taller than each other. One only has to think of Manhattan with its great skyscrapers, the twin towers of the world trade centre, which are monuments to mankind's achievements, when they are destroyed commerce will be destroyed and those who used it to become rich will mourn her passing. Hailey comments that she is the third of Satan's three methods of destroying the church after the two beasts who represent political power and false religion or false doctrine. She represents the world of lust, all that appeals to the flesh or the mind and entices and seduces us away from God, just as she successfully enticed the kings and inhabitants of the earth away from God. This can be seen by the image of her destruction in which she is a great millstone being hurled into the sea; thus she represents the temptations of the world causing believers to be tempted into sin (Mat 18:6).

The message to us as Christians seems to be:

(Rev 18:4 NIV) Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

Are we in the times spoken of in the book of Revelation?

We have been in what the bible calls the 'last days' since the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17) . I believe that the book of Revelation has a message to every generation of Christians since the day it was written.

(Rev 1:3 NIV) Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Final thoughts

For many of you, my comments will be deeply unpopular, however, God in his love is calling America back to himself -- if we ignore this warning something far worse will happen. What the terrorists meant for evil, God wishes to use it for good, to draw people, the nation and the world to Himself. If we do not heed his whispers, then he has to shout to us in our pains. If we continue to serve our idols then the death of over 4,500 people will have been in vain.

PS. President Bush is telling the world to choose between terrorism or the USA. God is telling us to choose between our idols or Him. Great Britain used to be a great nation, we sent out many missionaries, but now we have largely rejected God and have now become a state within the European Union. God is gradually handing us over to the forces of evil. I do not wish to see the USA follow our path.

May God bless America.

May God be merciful to America -- we do not deserve God's mercy, but if we did, then it would not be mercy.

Angry at God?

PPS. to those who are angry at God. -- I allowed wicked men to put my Son through a mock trial. He was whipped, so that his back was raw, he was mocked by the Roman soldiers, they hit him on the head and pulled out his beard. He was so weak that he could not carry his cross to his place of execution. I watched as they nailed his feet and wrists to the cross -- he was stripped naked in front of the world. He, who knew no sin, became sin so that I could forgive you. I had to hide my face from my Son as he died on the cross, so that I could accept you.

How should we as Christians respond?

We should each seek to discern what the Lord is saying to us individually and as a country, especially those in leadership need to hear God's voice. A classic prayer of petition and confession to God for his country is that of Daniel in Dan 9:1-20. In it he confesses his own sin and that of his own people, we would do well to follow his example.

• Forgive and love our enemies (Mat 5:44, 6:14)
• Mourn with those who mourn (Rom 12:15)
• Pray for our country and its leaders (civil and religious) especially our response to this disaster (1 Tim 2:1-2)
• Change our attitude to money and material possessions ie. repent (Luke 12:15)
• Come out of Babylon (Rev 18:4) love not the world (1 John 2:15-17) see Come out of her, my people.
• Be salt and light, in the world but not of it (Mat 5:13)
• Go into the world rather than stay in our Christian ghetto's (John 17:15-18)
• Young Christians, go to third world countries and tell your church about it.

Book Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn

Articles About Money

There is a tension here, because we are to come out of Babylon and yet still be in the world and minister to it. Americans think only about America, get a passport and visit the third world, then you might see the roots of the hatred against America, and also understand the great good that the church can do in order to fulfill the Great Commission and relieve poverty.

Vengeance belongs to God (Rom 12:19 ), but He has given to the state the job of administering justice (Rom 13:4 ).

(2 Chr 7:14 NIV) if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Some responses I have received to my comments.

Editorial comment from the British magazine Prophecy Today

If you find my comments helpful then freely distribute them.

Written on 14 Sep 2001, updated 17 Sep, 15 Oct, 1 Dec.

A prophecy given on 21st Jan 2002

Note: We should test prophecy to see whether it is from God.

My beloved people, this is my last warning to you to repent from your wickedness and turn to me, your loving Saviour and Lord. I have loved you with an everlasting love, but you have spurned my love. I have poured out my blood for you, I have given my Body to be broken for you, but you have trampled on my crucified limbs and you have scorned my holy blood. No other nation on earth have I blessed as I have blessed you. But you have grown weary of my love. It has been a burden to you. I have given you my Holy Scriptures in your own tongue, but you have not believed the Word of Truth. In unbelief, you have mangled them and torn them to shreds. They were my love letters to you. Do you not understand that I love and desire to instruct and enlighten you?

My dear people, there are a few seconds left. Go back to my Word and find me -- find the Truth. Then fall on your faces before me -- I am your loving Saviour but I am also your Holy God.

Most of you have long since given up the protection of my House. Why did you not wish to sit quietly with your God and enjoy his loving fellowship? Why did you weary of singing his praises? Why did you find it such a dreary burden to ask his blessing on all in Church and State? I have prepared Banquet after Banquet for you, a feast of unspeakable delights. But the vast majority of you have preferred any toil or pleasure rather than come to my courts.

Alas, you have gone so far from me, the Lord your Healer, that you now wallow in every kind of filth and depravity. You have been utterly deceived by the Evil One, and most of you have been fooled into believing that he does not even exist.

I call upon you with the utmost urgency to turn back to me. You are just about to fall into the darkest abyss imaginable. You must come back to me. All that call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.

September 11th was only the beginning. Your precious land has already been infiltrated with every kind of pernicious enemy. If you do not turn back to me now, and repent of all your witchcrafts, fornications, adulteries, murders, violence, depravities, child abuse and all the multitude of your abominations, you will perish in the most horrendous disasters that ever befell mankind. Only those who call upon me can be saved. I beg you, listen to the voice of your loving Saviour. No-one else can rescue you. I have paid the price for your sins. Receive my love and forgiveness. Do not delay. The sands of time are running out. I am soon coming in Judgement.

The wise among you have already perceived who the enemies are. But the wise among you are a tiny remnant. Most of you, including the highest in the land, have been deceived into befriending your most dangerous enemies and forming alliances with them. Their smiling faces conceal wicked, devilish hearts, and they are biding their time to stab you in the back. The slaughter will be unspeakable - worse than anything you could ever have imagined. Disaster will follow upon disaster in unbelievably quick succession. The twin towers were the first to fall. That was the ultimate warning. The evils you are committing have to be brought to an end. The cup of iniquity is very nearly full. I hate evil, says the Lord Your God. Turn to me now. I love you.

Added 7 June 2002

My comments on the Tsunami disaster of 26 Dec 2004

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