Continue with Tremors In Human Society

Other things besides wars, though, have shaken human society to its foundations since 1914. One of the most traumatic upheavals was triggered by the U.S. stock market crash of October 29, 1929. This brought on the Great Depression, which affected all capitalist countries. That depression bottomed out between 1932 and 1934, but we are still feeling its effects. Since 1929 an economically sick world has been patched up by makeshift schemes. Governments indulge in deficit financing. The oil crisis of 1973 and the stock market plunge of 1987 added to the shakings of the financial empire. Meantime, millions of people buy largely on credit. Countless numbers are victimized by financial gimmicks, pyramid schemes and lotteries and other gambling subterfuges, many of which are sponsored by governments that should be protecting the people. Even Christendom's television evangelists stretch their hands out for their multimillion-dollar share!- Compare Jeremiah 5:26-31.

Earlier, economic troubles had opened the way for Mussolini and Hitler to seize power. Babylon the Great lost no time in courting their favors, and the Vatican entered into concordats with Italy in 1929 and Germany in 1933. (Revelation 17:5) The dark days that followed were surely a part of the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy that the sign of his presence would include "anguish of nations, not knowing the way out. . . while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth." (Luke 21:7-9, 25-31) Yes, the quakes that began to shake human society in 1914 have continues, with powerful aftershocks.

Next time: Jehovah Does Some Shaking