And I saw and I heard a vulture flying in midheaven saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe, to those who live on the earth, because of the rest of the sounds of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets." Rev. 8:13.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we got him," U.S. administrator Paul Bremer told journalists in Baghdad, to loud cheers from Iraqis in the audience. American soldiers had just found Saddam Hussein in a tiny cellar at a farmhouse about 10 miles south of his hometown of Tikrit. Saddam was the most wanted man on a list issued by U.S. authorities, but had not been seen since Baghdad fell to American forces seven month before.
After receiving a tip from a member of Hussein's family, U.S. forces cordoned off the area. Then they discovered the Iraqi strongman, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands during a 24-year reign of terror, cowering in a "spider hole," a tiny cellar. Access to the hiding place consisted of a narrow hole covered with a rug, brinks, and dirt and about six to eight feet deep. In one last show of bravado, he announced to his captors, "I am Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq, and I am read to negotiate." A quick-minded American soldier rejoined, "I bring you greetings from President George Bush."
Video footage released by the U.S. military showed a disheveled-looking Saddam with a long black and gray beard in custody, receiving a medical checkup. Hussein emerged from his hiding place "very much bewildered" and said "hardly anything at first," according to Major General Raymond Odierno. Soon after, people began celebrating the capture of their former president in the streets of Baghdad and northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk by sounding their horns and firing into the air.
The hut where Hussein had been living contained two tiny rooms. One was a bedroom cluttered with clothes, some of them new and still in their wrappers, and the other a kitchen with running water. In spite of his record, I felt a tinge of sympathy for the man.
"Christians suffering at the hand of evil rulers should never envy the position of those who persecute them. The seven trumpets are poured out on "those who live on the earth," the very ones who afflicted the faithful, as described in the seals (Rev. 6:9,10). Those who have hurt or killed the faithful people of God are marked in the "books," and if they do not repent, they will suffer as much as or even more than those they attacked. It isn't a pretty picture. I'd rather face the wrath of humanity than the wrath of God.
Lord, help me not to judge reality by who is up or down in the power polls. Enable me to see that human power is temporary and so is the suffering it causes. Lead me to trust that You will soon make everything right.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we got him," U.S. administrator Paul Bremer told journalists in Baghdad, to loud cheers from Iraqis in the audience. American soldiers had just found Saddam Hussein in a tiny cellar at a farmhouse about 10 miles south of his hometown of Tikrit. Saddam was the most wanted man on a list issued by U.S. authorities, but had not been seen since Baghdad fell to American forces seven month before.
After receiving a tip from a member of Hussein's family, U.S. forces cordoned off the area. Then they discovered the Iraqi strongman, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands during a 24-year reign of terror, cowering in a "spider hole," a tiny cellar. Access to the hiding place consisted of a narrow hole covered with a rug, brinks, and dirt and about six to eight feet deep. In one last show of bravado, he announced to his captors, "I am Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq, and I am read to negotiate." A quick-minded American soldier rejoined, "I bring you greetings from President George Bush."
Video footage released by the U.S. military showed a disheveled-looking Saddam with a long black and gray beard in custody, receiving a medical checkup. Hussein emerged from his hiding place "very much bewildered" and said "hardly anything at first," according to Major General Raymond Odierno. Soon after, people began celebrating the capture of their former president in the streets of Baghdad and northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk by sounding their horns and firing into the air.
The hut where Hussein had been living contained two tiny rooms. One was a bedroom cluttered with clothes, some of them new and still in their wrappers, and the other a kitchen with running water. In spite of his record, I felt a tinge of sympathy for the man.
"Christians suffering at the hand of evil rulers should never envy the position of those who persecute them. The seven trumpets are poured out on "those who live on the earth," the very ones who afflicted the faithful, as described in the seals (Rev. 6:9,10). Those who have hurt or killed the faithful people of God are marked in the "books," and if they do not repent, they will suffer as much as or even more than those they attacked. It isn't a pretty picture. I'd rather face the wrath of humanity than the wrath of God.
Lord, help me not to judge reality by who is up or down in the power polls. Enable me to see that human power is temporary and so is the suffering it causes. Lead me to trust that You will soon make everything right.
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