OPINION Nichols: Gates, Schwab, Trudeau, Et Al

Merlin Nichols Columnist

Bill Gates, Klaus Schwab, Justin Trudeau, and all others in your circle of influence, surprise, you are all human like the rest of us and subject to the ultimate limitations of all humanity.

“What do we gain from all our labor at which we toil under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)?And what do the wealthy and powerful gain from all their investments, their posturing, their threats?

“Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains” (Ecclesiastes 1:3) – for the present.

In southern France, Mirja and I observed fascinating formations on heavily forested mountain sides. Fascinating for their uniformity, until we understood: Once upon a time during the Roman period they were terraced vineyards, and in the valley below, arched stone bridges built by the same Romans still span the stream.

In Italy we observed the lush production of the Po valley amid villages and cities millennia old.

And the earth remains with much of its original beaty and regenerative capacity intact.

In spite of – just fill in the blanks.

But will it remain forever?

Will it succumb to human depravity and depredation, or will some other cause bring an end to our toil, pain, fear, hopelessness, and pleasure?

Right now, we are hearing strident voices warning of doomsday from the warming of the planet and the accumulation of CO2 in our atmosphere.

Within living memory of anyone over 50 it was doomsday from the cooling of the planet.

You can’t have it both ways, John, so what’s your pick?

Let me introduce you to a writer, stateman, and prophet from the 7th and 6th centuries BC.He had much to say about the time in which we find ourselves struggling to survive if not thrive, and about all the intervening times for those approximately 2700 years.

When we compare his prophecies, call them predictions if it makes you feel more comfortable, with the written record of the history of those intervening years, centuries, and millennia, one thing stands out: he is bang-on accurate.

With a record of accuracy like that, one is not being naïve to suppose that his prophecies that are still future will likely pan out the way he has described them.

His name was Daniel, and you will find his work in the English Bible sandwiched between the writings of Ezekiel, a contemporary, and Hosea from the middle of the 8th century BC.

Daniel was an involuntary eunuch in the government of

The War on Crime

Nebuchadnezzar, the richest and greatest ruler of the NeoBabylonian empire.

Daniel wrote four prophecies during his seventy plus years of service to Babylon and Babylon’s successor empire, Medo-Persia. The prophetic time spans begin with either Babylon or Medo-Persia, depending on the date of writing, and extend to the end of time.

The prophecies deal with the political, military, and religious features of the centuries,with each succeeding prophecy adding to the detail.

By 2023 we have seen everything fulfilled to this date with astonishing accuracy. Only one detail remains to be completed.

Give me only one good reason to doubt that this remaining item will not be fulfilled with the same attention to detail as the rest of the prophecies for the last 2700 years.

Only one, good reason or bad.

Then explain to me how a courtier, diplomat, advisor of the king of Babylon could see with such precision into the far-distant future.

There is only one answer.

God will do nothing without revealing His secrets through His servants, the prophets(Amos 3:7).

Seems like His secrets have been revealed; our role is to read and understand.

And what is the final item to be

accomplished?

God will set up His everlasting kingdom of justice and peace –and right now the invitation is still open to participate in that everlasting kingdom!

That’s it and it has been written there for the last 2700 years –and in English for more than 400 years,

No, the earth won’t stall out in a pandemic with its lockdowns and mandates, though we likely will experience more of them. It won’t fizzle out in a global meltdown, though we likely will see massive upheavals in the systems we have taken for granted. It won’t even blast out in a nuclear holocaust, though wars will not cease.

It will end when the Creator shouts from above, “Enough. You’ve had your chance and you’ve blown it big. My turn now! It’s time for My eternal kingdom of justice and peace to be established. I am going to make everything new. Everything.”

And so, Klaus Schwab, Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau, and all others great and small, listen up. There’s a place in that everlasting kingdom of justice and peace for each of you if you willrelinquish your pride and ambition down here.

Because, as CS Lewis, the English atheist turned great Christian apologist so notably declared, “No souvenirs of hell will be admitted through the narrow gate” (The Great Divorce).

DC Music Fest preps for year ten in 2024

Organizer Jeremy Linklater says this the ninth year since the first of the initial festival - and is looking forward to the ten year anniversary coming up next year. editor@dcdn.ca

Camp Day another huge day for kids

Local celebrities of all kinds were out Wednesday slinging hot coffee and more for Camp Day. Right, councillor Gregg Apolonio talks hot coffee, and vying for a prize. BROWN