One-hundred, fifty years ago this week, British astronomer Richard Carrington was observing the sun as it was projected onto an eleven inch screen. He was sketching a group of sunspots when he observed a brilliant burst of light that appeared over the sunspots. The entire event was over within five minutes. Mr. Carrington had witnessed an extraordinary solar flare, a magnetic explosion on the sun. It was September 1, 1859.
Hours later in the middle of the night, campers in the Rocky Mountains awakened to a glow that they thought was the dawn. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, were seen as far south as Central America. People were reading the newspaper by the Northern Lights in Cuba.
The next day, the electromagnetic inductance caused by the huge magnetic pulse was shocking telegraph operators and setting the telegraph paper on fire. The telegraph was operated by batteries. The operators unplugged the batteries and were still able to send messages by the electricity inducted into the wires by the magnetic storm.
It is estimated that a similar event today would cause damages in the trillions of dollars and would take years to repair. An electromagnetic pulse of that magnitude would disable our electric grids and generators. Most, if not all, electronic devices would be disabled. Automobiles, even cars without electronic ignition made prior to the 1970s would be inoperable. The internal circuitry of radios and telephones would be destroyed. We would be back to horses and buggies and smoke signals. If you doubt this, do a little research on electromagnetic pulse, or EMP.
I believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible. There are many metaphors in the Word and there are occasions where the Bible describes something as “being like” an article or event. But ALL fulfilled prophecy has been fulfilled literally, and there is no scriptural reason to think that future prophecy will be different.
Yet, despite my belief in the literal fulfillment of prophecy, when I read certain passages about future battles and these passages speak of horses and chariots, bows and lances, I tend to think that the writer is describing these future events in terms that he understood thousands of years ago. But, I could certainly be wrong. It is entirely possible that these ancient prophets were describing battles exactly as they will be.
In the event of an EMP, airplanes will not fly; tanks and trucks will not run; missiles will not be able to be launched. Rifles will fire until the ammunition runs out. Then we are back to making it by hand and transporting it by wagon. Battles will be fought the old-fashioned way.
When Ezekiel 38:4 says there will be an army, horses and horsemen; and when Ezekiel 38:15 speaks of a mighty army, all of them riding on horses, the prophet may have been accurately describing the event literally and not figuratively. Of course, I do not know that this is what will happen. But it is entirely possible that the Lord, who controls the sun, could send another massive EMP that would knock all nations back into the 19th Century, or worse.
This might explain why the nations named in these future battles are all near Israel. It is difficult to travel thousands of miles on foot or horseback, and modern ships and planes would be inoperable. It might also explain why these nations feel unhampered to attack Israel, which will no longer have a nuclear capability to defend itself. I do believe we live in interesting times.
Come, Lord Jesus!