When the Lord returns, the institutions of the world will be in a state of desolation. Whenever man is in the ascendancy there is religious, educational, financial, military, social, artistic desolation. Self-centered man is forever striving but never able to arrive at lasting solutions. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are contained in Jesus Christ, from algebra to zoology.

Many of the problems facing the society of today, such as famine and flooding, for example, could be solved readily if those in charge would ask God for the solution. God is more than willing to provide the wisdom we need for every situation.

But at the appearing of the Lord another destruction, another desolation, shall take place. The saints of the Lord shall go through the earth burning up all of civilization that is not pleasing to God.

Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste—nothing escapes them. (Joel 2:3—NIV)

It shall be the same fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, and vaporized the sacrifices and the water at the prayer of Elijah on Mount Carmel.

Jude refers to it as "eternal fire."

In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7—NIV)

Picture New York City (and the same could be said for any of the major cities of the world). It is not a fit place for people to live or work in. It is a hideous jungle filled with frantic people, rushing about, accomplishing little of eternal value. One walks through the streets at night at the peril of his life.

You can buy any kind of sin there. You can rent a sex slave, male or female. Those afflicted with AIDS cry out for help. Those who live in the dark places of the subway system are going blind from lack of light—some of them trying to read a Bible.

The United Nations is nearby—the blind leading the blind, followers of false gods.

New York City shall be destroyed by fire—now, or at the coming of the Lord. It is not a suitable environment for human beings. The same is true, as I said, of Paris, London, San Francisco, and other large cities. They are not what God has in mind as a habitation for people. They all shall suffer the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Antichrist already shall have destroyed the social institutions, just as human life is being destroyed in New York City. But when the sons of God go through the earth, at the coming of the Lord, they shall destroy the impressive structures as well as the dens of pornography and sadomasochism.

The asphalt jungles in which people are born, live, and die like rats in a cage, shall be destroyed. These are not examples of how God desires that His children live on the earth.

To be continued.