April 13, 2015

Neil Young. Stephen Stills. Richie Furay. Jim Messina.

Those aren’t just random names from the phone book; 49 years ago – this month – they were unknown musicians who came together under the name Buffalo Springfield, and had their debut performance at the Troubadour, in Hollywood.

Together only two years before disbursing into individual fame and fortune in other bands, they left some lyrics as their legacy. Fans would bicker over their best, but the haunting message of this ballad still resonates in the 21st Century: “There’s something happening here; what it is ain’t exactly clear. There’s a man with a gun over there, telling me I got to beware. I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s going down.  There’s battle lines being drawn; nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong. Young people speaking their minds, getting so much resistance from behind. I think it’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s going down…”

We’re back there, again. Something is happening here. Some say, “Well, things have always been this way.” Really?

“First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this "coming" he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men,” (2 Peter 3).

So, have things really always been this way? The Earthquake-of-the-Week has become routine. Volcano activity in obscure places shuts down world travel, affecting convenience and commerce. People entrusted with billions – on Wall Street, and on Capitol Hill – are squandering the life savings of the gullible and vulnerable. And, in our "modern world," war is now triggered almost exclusively by religion.

Drop your blogs; cease your Twitter; close your Facebook. It’s time to go a little deeper on what really matters. First, read this segment of Jesus’ view of the future (could He see the 21st Century?) from Matthew 24:3-44. Today’s news headlines are 2000 years old…

Eschatology (the study of the final events of history) is unplowed intellectual ground for most Christians. “It doesn’t seem to be relevant to life today” is an old argument against this challenging subject. Problem: today has become the tomorrow that biblical prophecy features.

Buffalo Springfield was right: something is happening here. Nightly news – Fox or CNN – are essentially clueless. Are you going to listen to Anderson Cooper or Glenn Beck or Bill O’Reilly for your informed perspectives, or wrestle with the words of Jesus… and the insightful commentary of modern Bible teachers/writers who look at the headlines through the filter of the Scriptures?

“And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here…” (Romans 13:11-12).

Bob Shank