REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR---CHARLES WOODRUFF
Today the industrious Japanese people are known for making electronics
and automobiles, and being a close ally of the USA. Only 72 years ago this week
very few in the USA had ever heard of Sony, or Toyota, but on December 7, 1941,
we sure learned they could make airplanes and bombs! President Franklin D.
Roosevelt referred to it as “A day that will live in infamy”, and it
has. Long before 9/11/01 became a focus of national unity (for a short time);
Pearl Harbor became a focus of national unity for four years of America’s
involvement in World War II. Many of our fathers and grandfathers fought in
that war, many at the cost of their lives. There are few survivors still alive
now. (See link- find good pictures on this site) http://worldwar2database.com/html/pearl.htm
I was not born yet, but I am a “war baby”, born November 1942. I
remember the war, and Pearl Harbor, more from history than living it. But,
remarkably, I remember seeing back then on our recently bought Admiral television,
with the small round screen, and in black and white; the signing, aboard the
battleship USS Missouri, in Tokyo Bay, of the peace treaty between the USA.and
Japan. I do remember it, although in September 1945, I was just under three
years old! So it is possible what I saw was a replay a few years
later, but I remember my father pointing out what was happening on the
television at that moment. So it made an impression on me at a very young age.
(See link) http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/js-8.htm
I was glad that this year all the major networks seemed to honor the
few still living, and those heroes who died there in Hawaii on that Sunday
morning; those sailors, marines, soldiers, airmen and coast guardsmen who
scrambled to bring some order out of the chaos that was at Pearl Harbor that
day. The nation came together, and it was good that God in His Providence
brought us through, or you and I ( if alive at all), might not only be driving
Nissans and Toyotas, watching Panasonic and Sony TVs, listening to Onyko and
Yamaha stereo systems; using Nikon and Olympus cameras-----but we would likely be
speaking Japanese, or German!
While we commend the courage of “The Greatest Generation”, and all our
military today, as well, who put their lives on the line for this country, our
military might will not save us. We cannot trust in our might and
armaments “Woe to them that go down to
Egypt for help ; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are
many; and in horsemen, because they are
very strong; but they look not
unto the Holy One of Israel,
neither seek the Lord!” (Isaiah 31:1) Apply this verse spiritually, and see the urgency of it! Their armaments were horses and spears; today
it is tanks and planes. It will take the sovereign mercy of God to turn around
a nation that has come so far down the slippery slope since the days of World
War II. We have enemies that have sworn to destroy us, and America’s leaders do
not know how to handle them. They are bad, but if God becomes your enemy,
you know it’s all over! When I see that God is a God of justice, I tremble
for my grandchildren, and yours, should the Lord tarry. I for one, pray-- “God,
please, in Your Sovereignty, send a revival or--- better yet, come soon, Lord
Jesus!” (See Habakkuk 3:2 and Revelation 22:20).
Of course, war is not a new problem for the Christian to consider. Look
at the London
Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, Chapter 24
Of the Civil Magistrate
1 God, the
supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained
civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory
and the public good; and to this end hath armed them with the power
of the sword, for defence and encouragement of them that do good,
and for the punishment of evil doers. (Rom. 13:1-4)
civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory
and the public good; and to this end hath armed them with the power
of the sword, for defence and encouragement of them that do good,
and for the punishment of evil doers. (Rom. 13:1-4)
2 It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute
the office of a
magistrate when called there unto; in the management whereof, as
they ought especially to maintain justice and peace, according to the
wholesome laws of each kingdom and commonwealth, so for that end
they may lawfully now, under the New Testament wage war upon just
and necessary occasions. (2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 82:3,4; Luke 3:14) (1)
magistrate when called there unto; in the management whereof, as
they ought especially to maintain justice and peace, according to the
wholesome laws of each kingdom and commonwealth, so for that end
they may lawfully now, under the New Testament wage war upon just
and necessary occasions. (2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 82:3,4; Luke 3:14) (1)
Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office during his fourth term as
president. Succeeding him was Vice-president Harry S. Truman (A Baptist from
Missouri). I’ll leave it to your own study to decide if you think President
Truman was a good Baptist. He was called “give ’um hell Harry”, and didn’t mind
cussing once in a while. One thing for sure, he had inherited his job from a
good war time president. There are a lot of things I do not like about my
Grandfather Smith’s favorite president, Mr. Roosevelt, but he knew how to hold
the country together in a very necessary war.
President Truman wanted to carry on the legacy. After the Germans
surrendered, he had to make an awful decision for a professed Christian.
The fanatical Japs were not going to surrender, and perhaps would carry the war
on for many more years. Normandy had cost may lives, but was the beginning of
the end for the Nazis. To do the same thing in Japan, invade them, would cost
many more allied lives, as well as Japanese. The atomic bomb had been secretly
developed in New Mexico. So with much apprehension and after warning the
Japanese to surrender, ‘or else’, Truman ordered two of them dropped; one on
Hiroshima and one on Nagasaki in August, 1945. These cities were devastated,
many Japanese lives were lost, many maimed for life. Yet the war ended swiftly
after that. The Imperial government of Japan surrendered quickly, to be
formally signed as stated earlier, on the USS Missouri in September, 1945.
Did Truman do right? He thought he did. In spite of many naysayers, In
spite of the awfulness of what was done, history has proven that Harry S.
Truman evidently did the right thing. A horrible thing to end a horrible war
that began for the USA on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. (See link-Look
carefully however, some of the photos are a bit heart wrenching).
Will it ever come to that in the Middle East? Would any American
president in this day of weak kneed political correctness ever do such a thing
to save thousands, even millions, of American lives? It is a terrible decision,
but this is the challenge our current president or one to come later, may well
have to face if things proceed on their present course. May God help us, for
only He can. It’s always been that way, but perhaps we see it clearer now. Oh,
let us trust him!
Why do we have wars? Why do people and nations want to kill each other?
Here are some words to help us to grasp it better from the late
minister, Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who pastored in London during WWII.
So our first reply to
the question “Why does God allow war?” is to ask another question— “Has God ever
promised to prevent or to prohibit war?”
(2) Our second answer
may also be put in the form of a question: “Why do we expect God to prohibit war?” or “Why
should God prevent war?” Apart from the theoretical reason that God should prevent
war because it is sinful, with which we shall deal in the next section, there can be no doubt that the
real reason why people expect God to prevent war, is that they desire a state of peace, and feel that
they have the right to live in a state of peace. But that immediately raises another question,
which, in a sense, is the fundamental question with respect to this whole matter. "What right have
we to peace?"
"Why do we desire peace?” How
often, I wonder, have we faced this question? Has not the tendency been to take
it for granted that we have a right to a state and condition of
peace? (2)
And again Dr. Lloyd-Jones says
The question that
needs to be asked is not "Why does God allow war?” but rather, "Why does God
not allow the world to destroy itself entirely in its iniquity and its sin? Why does He in His
restraining grace set a limit to evil and to sin, and a
bound beyond which they cannot pass?" Oh,
the amazing patience of God with this
sinful world! How wondrous is His love! (3)
“And ye shall hear of wars and
rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass,
but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and
earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew
24:6-8).
notes
(1)London Baptist Confession of 1689, Chapel Library edition,
Pensacola, FL, no date. Free copies: 2603 W. Wright St, Pensacola, FL 32505, or
see
http://www.chapellibrary.org/ phone: (850) 438-6666
(2) Why Does God Allow War? D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones; Originally published
1939, Hodder and Stoughton; 1986 edition, Evangelical Press of Wales, page 91
(3) ibid; page 101
A CHRISTIAN NATION
How shall we think of our own nation?
Our nation has never been a pure Christian nation, any more than Israel was
ever entirely godly. But our nation certainly had strong Christian roots, and
God, truth, the Bible, and morality were revered even if not consistently
obeyed or practiced in those early days. The Puritans, who were an unusually
strong force in our nation’s founding, looked upon America as a new Israel and
regarded their venture as an “errand into the wilderness,” much like the Jews’
desert journey toward the Promised Land. Isn’t it right to say that America was
blessed in its early history because in a large measure its God was the Lord? I
think that is obvious. Large numbers of our people sought God fervently, and
God heard them and blessed them with peace and prosperity.
But now? Now we have a remnant of believing people and have no doubt been spared many great tragedies because of them. But our country is not Christian anymore. It is militantly secular. God is not sought out, nor is his word honored. I fear to think what is coming for the United States of America, whose god no longer is the Lord. America’s real god is money. And yet, the blessings of God surround his people, even in a godless or fiercely secular environment, and it is right to remember them.
James Montgomery Boice
But now? Now we have a remnant of believing people and have no doubt been spared many great tragedies because of them. But our country is not Christian anymore. It is militantly secular. God is not sought out, nor is his word honored. I fear to think what is coming for the United States of America, whose god no longer is the Lord. America’s real god is money. And yet, the blessings of God surround his people, even in a godless or fiercely secular environment, and it is right to remember them.
James Montgomery Boice
