HOLY LAND AFTERMATH - Why Suffering?

I know you have asked yourself; "Why is there so much suffering in the world?" "Why should people in the 3rd world countries live in such desolation and poverty?" "Why is there so much sickness and disease and why is it more prevalent in other countries?" I know you can think of more but these will start our discussion.

What does it mean to live in a 3rd world country? Who is 1st and 2nd? According to the "all knowing internet", I found out that the USA and their allies are considered the 1st world order. The 2nd is the Soviet Union and their allies. Leaving the non-aligned and neutral countries, the 3rd. The 3rd was originally coined during the Cold War to distinguish those nations that are neither part of NATO nor East of the Communist bloc. Beginnings of a new global order?

To bring it all up to date; the Soviet Union fell and so being a 2nd world country is meaningless. I suppose you could say that all countries that are against the USA are considered 2nd. Today 3rd world is used to describe developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. Many poorer nations have adopted it to describe themselves. Where it all came from is probably the media. They have lots of clout and people are inclined to follow their lead.

Let's bring it into a Biblical perspective. In the beginning woman was like Adam, created by God in His own moral and spiritual image. Eve was first deceived by Satan although Adam freely chose to sin and thereby merited guilt and death. Adam's life in the Garden of Eden was conditioned upon obedience. God had warned Adam of the consequences of eating of the forbidden fruit. Adam fell because of his disobedience. He was tempted by Satan to do so although he yielded to temptation by his own free will. "Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons." Genesis 3:7 Sin is now a factor in 'why suffering'. Up until Adam and Eve sinned, they lived in the Garden without spot or wrinkle. Disease was not even heard of nor sickness and death.

Paganism is to live as an unbeliever; One who does not believe in, nor follow God's teaching. "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." Matthew 18:15-18 We treat them as unbelievers! A Gentile is a pagan! A pagan is one who is not a follower or in todays language; a Christian!

Every convenant has a seal. The first seal was an outward sign called the 'tree of life'. If eaten after Adam sinned, he could live forever. "Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the 'tree of life' with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:2 God closed the garden and removed this tree and placed it in heaven, where it becomes the restorer of believers on the day of their redemption. That is; Heaven where we can live forever.

Why suffering? When Adam ate of the tree of knowledge, sin was born. Most that are considered 3rd world do not know God! Those without God suffer the most and it looks bleak. Their desolation, devastation is extreme. Everyone experiences desolation, disease and death. Those who walk with the Lord have peace. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/30/09