CNN: For the past 15 years, Leslie Schweitzer has helped support the American University of Afghanistan, from literally the ground up. As a board member of the university and chair of the Friends of American University of Afghanistan, she spent much of the past week with the president of the university, Ian Bickford, and other members of the board in Doha, Qatar, assisting with the effort to evacuate around 4,000 students, faculty, Afghan national staff and their families, as well as alumni — namely, all of those who had been involved with the American University of Afghanistan over the past decade and half.
“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” 1 John 5:19
Now Schweitzer is watching as the university’s campus is taken over by the Taliban, and she fears for the many students left behind. And she has good reason to fear: In August 2016, Taliban gunmen assaulted the university killing at least a dozen students and staff.
During the past two weeks Schweitzer says both the Taliban and the US government in different ways hindered the evacuation effort. (Disclosure: In May, I took part in a planning meeting with Schweitzer and other leaders of the American University of Afghanistan in which they discussed what to do if the Taliban did take over). Read More
Opinion: “Left behind” are common words today relating to Americans/US allies being left in a 7th century ideology under the control of one of the more dangerous terror groups on the planet.
The horrors of the Taliban and related terror groups shocks the senses of the West.
But ‘left behind’ also has a Biblical context that is even more terrifying.
“So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.” Genesis 6:17
Only Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives, eight souls and the animals that God commanded to be included, were on the ark. Imagine the scoffers in Noah’s day, mocking and taunting him for following God’s LITERAL Word. They would all perish.
In the same way, God’s literal word tells us that in the last days a similar event would happen, and those who have rejected the pardon for sin that the cross of Jesus Christ provides will also be left behind.
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
The great Apostle Paul, who wrote 2/3rds of the New Testament, gave us a lot of prophecy on this topic because after 1 Corinthians he followed with this …
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Knowing from Peter’s prophecy (2 Peter 3:2-3) that there would be scoffers in the last days, Paul added the catching up (Greek harpazo, caught up), or Rapture doctrine, into three more verses.
- Romans 5:9
- 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9
Those ‘left behind’ this time will have to endure the 7 year tribulation.
Do you know any scoffers?
See our Editor’s post “Our Kinsman Redeemer” HERE
