Suspension of Disbelief

When I first started writing The Daily Jot in January 2002 there was probably about one prophetic-related event per month reported in the news. Not long, that was stepped up to about one per week. Then one per day. Now there are several per day to choose from in writing this daily column. Many readers write me emails about how they view the prophetic events of our time. Some are frightened. Some are accepting. Some embrace them because they know that they are living in a time when the Lord will return. Others are angry that anyone dare say that the signs of the times are related to God's Holy word. And many just push the "unsubscribe" button at the end of this message because they don't want to hear it or they think I'm nuts.

We are doing a Bible study on Revelation with a small group from our church. We are in awe by how news events are tracking with end times prophecy. And we often discuss how seeing the things that are happening before us are difficult to believe, even though you are witnessing them first hand. It is almost surreal to see how leadership in the United States, for example, is positioning the world for the anti-Christ through promoting Islam at the expense of Israel. It is difficult to believe that America is facing record debt, increased immorality, harsh natural disasters, political unrest and economic calamity--all at the same time our leadership is pressuring Israel to give up its land to radical terrorists dressed in suits.

It is difficult to fathom, but these things and many more are happening before our very eyes. There is a term in the literary world that has expanded to the entertainment industry called Suspension of Disbelief. Suspension of Disbelief requires that you accept or are required to believe something that you would never accept in reality. In entertainment or literature Suspension of Disbelief is a semi-conscious decision in which one puts aside disbelief to accept the premise as being real. For example, you must suspend your disbelief to be able to digest or internalize that an elected American leader would intentionally be destructive to the nation--as happened in the series 24 or the movie The Manchurian Candidate.

With prophetic events, imagine how you would have to suspend your disbelief to be able to digest a meteor hitting the earth and killing a third of the fish and destroying a third of the ships at sea. There was an earthquake in the Washington, DC area a few weeks ago. My office was wobbling. My desk acted as if it were rubber. My mind had to suspend my disbelief to understand to get to safety. My question is how much Suspension of Disbelief will people need to believe the prophecies of the Bible are occurring when they occur? How much Suspension of Disbelief does it take to understand the current calamity of the United States in view of the simple prophecy found in Genesis 12:3 regarding Israel: "I will bless them that blesses thee and curse him that curses thee."?

Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson