Certain metaphors are used to describe a disaster because they are connected to a monumental event—the Titanic, the Holocaust, Custer’s Last Stand, Tiananmen Square, the Sumatra Tsunami, the Alamo, or Armageddon. At times, someone will use those well-known events to describe a sudden calamity . . .

• “It was a financial Titanic in the banking industry.”
• “Down by ten points with only minutes left on the clock, the championship game became the team’s Alamo, where they refused to give up and staged a comeback that will be remembered for years to come.”
• “As the stock market crashed, investors found themselves in a situation akin to Custer’s Last Stand, desperately trying to salvage their portfolios in the face of mounting losses.”

We might add the word “Pompeii” to that list. It speaks of a sudden, yet foreboding disaster wipes out a city.

• “The sudden collapse of the company mirrored the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii, catching everyone off guard and leaving destruction in its wake.”

“Pompeii” was an ancient Roman city, 130 feet above sea level, on the Bay of Naples. In 70AD it was inhabited by approximately 20,000 residents.

“The Romans there could note that Vesuvius was emitting more smoke than in previous years, and probably the tremors were more frequent, but in general, life was proceeding pretty much according to what they considered normal. 1

As Mt. Vesuvius began rumbling and spewing ash, many people finally decided to evacuate the city. After 18 hours of falling ash, most people realized the potential danger was real. They decided to flee with their most valuable belongings.

However, approximately 1,500 people did not believe they were in danger. Life around Vesuvius was pretty much according to normal. They would have time if the unlikely happened and they had to flee. They decided to remain in their houses and “weather the storm.”

Two days later, they were all dead and buried alive. They had no time to evacuate and were trapped in the city and their houses by the fast-moving volcanic flow.

However, Vesuvius violently and swiftly erupted and destroyed them all. Pompeii was buried under 20 ft of volcanic rock and ash. Modern archaeology and excavation reveal houses, jewelry, cooking bowls, cooking pans with meals, wine flasks, bronze cups, animals, and people, all locked in a moment of time.

They believed the disaster would not arrive, and when it hit, they ran out of options!

Fifteen hundred residents of Pompeii were locked in time, bodily preserved, overcome by gases and ashes, and archaeologically frozen in place.

When I read about this event, I was reminded of the words of Scripture that speak about the return of Jesus . . . .

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be

 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. — Matthew 24:36-39

Are you prepared for that coming day?

The Bible repeatedly and clearly outlines what we need to do. The Gospel answer is presented throughout the pages of the 66 Old and New Testament books.

From Genesis to Revelation, we realize that we are sinners by nature and by deed. We are in need of forgiveness. A promised Christ, our Messiah, would come to provide for our forgiveness.

What we need to do is clear and uncomplicated. We need to trust that Jesus is who He said He was and that He did what He said He did — that He is the Messiah, the Saviour, and that His death on Calvary paid the debt of our sins.

Satan and the host of Hell would like you to believe that there is plenty of time. It’s the lie of Hell.

The “rumblings,” “smoke,” and “tremors” are more frequent than ever. Don’t wait for the day of the Lord to arrive and then suffer like everyone else because you refused the only option. Trust Who Jesus is and what He accomplished for you on Calvary!

The Simple Sinner’s Prayer

Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins.

You said in the Bible that if we confess that Jesus was the Christ and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved (Romans 10:9-11).

Right now, I confess Jesus as the Lord. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. At this very moment, I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior! Amen.

If you would like to talk further, please get in touch with me through “People’s Paper.” They would gladly forward your name and phone number so I can call you.

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1. Thoughts From the Frontline, by John Maudlin, March 2, 2024 submitted by Gordon F.