Pandemonium in Paradise
Ordinary Time
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. Proverbs 3:25-26
On a sleepy January morning in 2018, people across the Hawaiian Islands received an alert on their cellphones, televisions and radios: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Those receiving the alert had good reason to take the warning seriously – with sunken navy ships still leaking oil decades after the surprise strike on Pearl Harbor by Japanese warplanes, residents were fearful that the rising tension with North Korea could spill over into a similar sudden attack.
Within moments of the alert, pandemonium ensued.
Those on the highway abandoned their vehicles to hide under the nearest overpass. Hotel lobbies overflowed with terrified tourists in sun hats and flip flops with nowhere to go. People at home took shelter in their bathtubs and prayed. One video on social media showed a worried parent hiding his children in a storm drain.
Another video captured crowds of frightened people running down the street. Searching for more information, thousands dialed 911. With phone lines overwhelmed, the only thing people heard was the busy signal.
Immediately, people reached out to their loved ones on the phone, through video messages, and texts to say goodbye.
Kimberly McMurray didn’t want her family to panic and debated on whether to contact them. In the end she did, and wrote, “We are under immediate missile threat. We are seeking shelter in the basement of the hospital. I’m really scared. I love you guys, and I’ll keep you updated the best I can.”
James Shields was driving with a friend when he received the alert. Distressed, he quickly pulled over to text his son and daughter his final thoughts and feelings. Then Shields began to experience burning chest pain. He barely made it to the hospital before he went into full cardiac arrest.
Elizabeth Weintraub was working on her laptop when her phone buzzed. While her husband slept in the bedroom, she weighed her options. Knowing there was nothing she could do to stop the impending disaster, she made the decision to let her husband sleep while she stepped outside and searched the sky for the missile approaching at supersonic speed.
Nearly 3,000 years ago, the Assyrian Empire was the superpower of the ancient Near East. The second book of Chronicles, 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 tell the story of the siege that took place around the year 701 BCE when King Sennacherib of Assyria led his troops into Judah and conquered 46 of King Hezekiah’s fortresses defending the outer boundaries of the nation.
Marching on Jerusalem, King Sennacherib surrounded the city with a vast army and sent a letter to Hezekiah and his people: surrender or be destroyed. As the Assyrian army waited for a response, they continued their assault by launching psychological arrows – publicly mocking the God of Israel. Arrogantly, they boasted that no other nations’ gods had saved them from the power of the Assyrian army, so why should Israel’s God be any different?
King Hezekiah, anticipating the siege had already fortified the city walls, built towers and dug a 1,700-foot tunnel to the spring of Gihon to provide the city with a constant stream of fresh water. However, despite these preparations, Hezekiah was nervous. He laid the Assyrian letter of threats before the altar in the temple and prayed. Then, he gathered the people of Jerusalem into the city square and encouraged them by saying,
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” 2 Chronicles 32:7-8
That night, the Angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, and Sennacherib retreated in defeat. Jerusalem was spared.
This event became a cornerstone of Jewish memory, and it is likely that Psalm 46 was composed in its aftermath because the imagery so closely mirrors the circumstances of the siege –
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” Psalm 46:1, 4-5
For ancient Israel, these verses are not mere poetry, but powerful faith statements of divine deliverance. Although Psalm 46 was written thousands of years ago, it continues to resonate because it speaks to events today that threaten to bring our world crashing down.
Amid all kinds of swirling situations that are beyond our control, we find ourselves asking the same question: who—or what—can save us?
Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii Congresswoman, was the first to post a clarification after confirming with officials. Those following her on social media read the news: HAWAII, THIS IS A FALSE ALARM. THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE TO HAWAII.
While a small minority following Gabbard’s social media breathed a sigh of relief, a broader media correction wasn’t issued until an agonizing 38 minutes and 13 seconds after the missile warning was first issued. After it became clear the warning was issued by mistake, people were furious and demanded an explanation. At a news conference, the head of Hawaii’s Emergency Management agency, Vern Miyagi addressed the mishap. Citing human error during a routine drill, Miyagi concluded – “The wrong button was pushed.”
It’s easier to claim God’s protection when a crisis is averted. But one day, someone might push a button on purpose. What does it mean that God is a fortress if a real missile strikes? How is God a refuge if heaven’s angelic army stands by with swords firmly tucked in their sheaths while a city succumbs to siege?
After years of prophetic calls to repent, God gave the Israelites over to the consequences of their rebellious hearts. This time, the Babylonians under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed Jerusalem, ransacked the temple and carried the people into captivity.
Though heartbroken, God’s people kept singing Psalm 46.
In their ruin, they came to see in the verses a different kind of divine deliverance. A salvation beyond bricks and mortar. Singing more than just one psalm, they chorused the larger story of God’s faithfulness. They trusted that from the rubble, God would fulfil his promise to raise up a redeemer to save his people from sin, death, and destruction.
Knowing this, they could wholeheartedly sing the repeated refrain of Psalm 46, even as tears streamed down their faces -
“The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (7,11)
Psalm 46 reminds us that “though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,” there is security beyond physical safety and a future beyond physical death. From the mouth of God flows a stream of powerful life-giving promises that can sustain us when circumstances beyond our control threaten to bring our world crashing down.
We can find peace when we take shelter in the One who is “an ever-present help in trouble.”
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