Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a large star, burning like a torch, fell from the sky. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. And a third of all the water became bitter, and many people died from drinking the water that was bitter.
–Book of Revelation 8: 10-11
Ever since mankind discovered how to split the atom, its unleashed power never ceases to amaze us. When used in war, it can destroy entire cities and leave entire regions desolate. In a more peaceful application, when left within the safe confines of a reactor vessel, the sheer energy is enough to power many cities – even entire nations! But when containment is breeched, it becomes a veritable Pandora’s Box.
The reactors at the Fukushima I Nuclear Plant may have weathered the 9.0 earthquake that struck off the Miyagi Prefecture of Japan on March 11, 2011; but the 46-foot tsunami that struck soon after deprived the plant of the safety apparatus that would otherwise protect the reactors from an all-out meltdown. Despite heroic efforts to the contrary, the Fukushima I Nuclear Plant is expected to be a total loss as Japan faces its worst nuclear crisis since two atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki toward the end of World War II.
The severity of this nuclear crisis rivals the one that occurred at Chernobyl in the Ukraine twenty-five years ago. When all is said and done, perhaps the Fukushima incident will be on record as the worst nuclear accident of all time. For now.
I would like to now point out something that perhaps you were not aware of: the once-thriving city of Chernobyl is named after the Ukrainian word for mugwart - also known as wormwood! Coincidence? I think not!
There are some who hold the view that the Great Tribulation will occur before the Rapture, and that the Chernobyl incident is the fulfillment of the Third Trumpet Judgment. Granted, while it is intriguing that Chernobyl is specifically named in this prophecy (at least in Russian), I do not hold that view.
Clearly much of the biosphere in and around Chernobyl was – and still is – contaminated by the 1986 incident. But as serious as it was, this disaster did not incur the Biblical proportions as prophesied in the Scriptures. Indeed the situation in Japan may yet prove to be even more serious than Chernobyl was, but again – not Biblical proportions. Most would agree that the account in these two verses implies that one third of the entire world will be poisoned.
Like many, I hold the view that the Great Tribulation will not occur until after the Rapture. Imagine what the world would be like after millions and millions of Christians have simply vanished from the Earth. It will be utter chaos. Anything goes. Soon after, on top of all that chaos, the judgments that await mankind will be poured out. These judgments include earthquakes and other natural disasters which occur before the Third Trumpet Judgment that specifically names Wormwood. No doubt there will be many nuclear power plants that will be affected by these disasters. Between the Rapture and the Judgments to follow, there will already have been a considerable reduction in manpower. Many nuclear power plants will be severely undermanned – or even unmanned.
In southern California, there are two active reactors at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and two reactors at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Both of these power plants are located within an active earthquake zone. And in Arizona, there are three reactors at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. A level-7 incident (such as they had at Chernobyl and will possibly be had at Fukushima) at any one - or a combination - of these plants will have devastating ramifications for the region. With the prevailing winds, it could make much of the American Southwest inhabitable for decades, if not centuries.
Consider also that much of the eastern United States and nearly all of Europe is under the threat of severe radiation in the event of multiple meltdowns. Now the scenario where one third of our world will be poisoned as prophesied in Revelation 8:10-11 becomes not only a possibility, but is indeed plausible.
Here is another interesting fact to note: there are far fewer reactors operating in the Middle East. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Just another instance of God’s protective Hand over Israel.
The Book of Revelation was originally written in the Greek language common in the 1st Century AD; the fact that Chernobyl and Wormwood are translations of the same word is not a coincidence. I am one that believes that God’s Hand has been and continues to be upon human history. Considering all the nuclear plants that could possibly suffer from a serious incident, I believe He purposely chose Chernobyl. It was chosen to serve as a warning. It was chosen to underscore these specific verses, to show us how one third of the earth would be poisoned. It was chosen to give us a reference point – since 1986, all nuclear incidents have been compared to Chernobyl. Although it will be much, much worse than Chernobyl, those who manage to survive the Third Trumpet Judgment (and there won’t be many) will still compare it to Chernobyl.
Keep watch my brethren, and remain vigilant.
Keep watch my brethren, and remain vigilant.
Source:LiveScience
