The Roar of the Sea and the Waves

According to "Answers.com", ninety percent of world trade is transported across the oceans, and consists of goods such as oil, coal and grain, automobiles and other commodities. On March 5, 2010 the CNN was one of the online newsletters that broke the news that a cruise ship, the Louis Cruise Line, had been hit by two 26-foot giant waves off the coast of Spain, causing the death of two people and injuring another fourteen.

If we stop a little to think about the data, 90% is practically the totality of world trade, leaving very little to be transported by other means, such as planes, trains, trucks... What would happen then if, all of a sudden, the sea ceased to be a safe place for the transport of goods between nations? These two waves that descended on the cruise ship near Spain appeared practically out of nowhere, rising from the apparently still waters like two malicious giants, sowing panic among passengers who until that moment were dedicated to enjoying the amenities of a trip on a luxury ship. Earthquakes high on the dangerous scale arehappening almost daily, and after the earthquakes comes speculation about the possibility of devastating tsunamis, as happened a short time ago, after the great earthquake in Chile, on February 27, 2010.

All these events bring to mind the words of Jesus, in chapter 21 of the Gospel of Luke, verse 25, "There shall be...distress among the nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves." It seems that the sea occupies a central place in the prophecies concerning the last times, that predate Jesus' return to Earth. Where is the Great Babylon of the 17th chapter of Revelation? In the very first verse we read that she is "sitting on many waters" and that she is "clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls..." (verse 4) This is an objective description of world trade and the riches it moves, the pleasures it provides to a few who have managed to put themselves at the helm of control of the current economy, or who can benefit from it.

The apostle John, when he saw the woman, was astonished with great astonishment, but the angel said to him, as if rebuking him, "Why did you wonder?" as if he wanted to communicate to him that we Christians must not be impressed by the glow of the wealth of this passing world, that is consumed by moths, rust and thieves, unlike the riches that are stored and accumulated in the heavenly bank, yielding an interest of eternal life. Further on it is said that the waters where the harlot is seated are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues... We understand that this means that all nations, all people in the world depend on world trade, carried out in its entirety, practically, by sea. How did we get to this point, this extreme dependence of people's well-being on international trade? This fact is a consequence, in the long run, of the men who run nations being influenced by ideas of economic thinkers such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo, the so-called "fathers of classical economics". These men deftly developed the argument that even if a nation could produce all things necessary for the consumption of its people, it would be more prosperous if it dedicated itself to producing only those things for which it had a natural advantage, provided all other nations did the same, and practiced trade with the surpluses of his production. And that's how the world has become increasingly dependent on international trade, with countries that produce only a few products, such as oil, and get everything they need with the money acquired by selling the part they don't consume of their main product. So, what chaos would it be for the world's well-being if global trade were disrupted by adverse conditions in the earth's oceans! Nations would no longer be able to acquire what they needed, nor would they be able to produce it immediately.

"Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate." (Rev 18:16.19)