On Tuesday, August 8, North Korean President Kim Jong-un threatened a nuclear strike on Guam, a U.S. territory approximately 2,200 miles southeast of North Korea. The threats came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats earlier in the day to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea if they endangered the United States.
North American Division President Dan Jackson issued a statement calling for prayers for Guam on Saturday, August 12. According to the Guam-Micronesia Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, there are eight Adventist churches, an academy, and a health clinic on the island.
President Jackson’s statement is included in full below:
On behalf of the entire North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I would like to let our members and the citizens on the island of Guam know that our concern and prayers are with you. We take solace in the words of Mark 13:7: “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed"; and Matthew 28:20: “And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Please know that the people of the Seventh-day Adventist Church love you. We know that God is present in trying times, just as He always has been and will continue to do so. We join you in praying for the governments of the United States and North Korea to find a peaceful solution to their differences.I would like to ask all of our 1.2 million members in the division to join in a special prayer of solidarity for those living in Guam and Micronesia. The Guam-Micronesia Mission is an important part of our North American Division family and during times like these we need to come together in support of our family. Please pray for the members of our churches and the pastors who minister to them; pray for the student missionaries and volunteers who work in the schools and clinics throughout the mission; and pray for the more than 400,000 people living in the mission territory.We put our faith and trust in God, knowing that He is our eternal Shepherd, Protector, and source of strength.
Prayerfully, Daniel R. JacksonPresident, North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Alisa Williams is managing editor for SpectrumMagazine.org.
Make sure your comments are germane to the topic; be concise in your reply; demonstrate respect for people and ideas whether you agree or disagree with them; and limit yourself to one comment per article, unless the author of the article directly engages you in further conversation. Comments that meet these criteria are welcome on the Spectrum Website. Comments that fail to meet these criteria will be removed.
This I s one case where our US President could learn a valuable lesson from our NAD President. Our brother and NAD President is asking us wisely to unite in prayer in these trying times. Instead on the phone to the Governor of Guam the U.S. President was suggesting that the end result of North Korea’s threat might be a ten fold increase in tourism for the Island of Guam. We need to pray for our political leaders specifically the 45th President of the United States.Let’s see if God say’s anything about His expectations about how His people should choose and follow their leaders. Should Christians vote for the “lesser of two evils?” How much do we need to compromise to keep a “seat at the table?” We should listen to what God say’s about these issues.
Unbelievable political correctness. I thought we should pray for both Guam citizens AND poor North Koreans. No wonder the Gospel cannot reach those nations. When the Church sides with State politics it commits spiritual adultery.
There are probably secret believers in God in North Korea. But with that type government it would be dangerous to put a “fish” sign on one’s house.
Should Korea FINALLY be united as one, I am sure Christians in Seoul and other places would flood North Korea with LOVE.
This totalitarian fantasy world cannot last forever. Romania and Albania were almost as bad 30 years ago, and it all came tumbling down. The gospel must reach the whole world before Jesus comes. That includes places like Saudi Arabia and North Korea.
All countries with an Islamic majority seem to make it difficult/impossible for Christians to proselytize/gather to worship/exist in their countries.
When Islamists who choose to leave Islam for any reason, are subject to the death penalty, how can any other religion reliably hope for converts from Islam?
With one billion Islamists on the planet seemingly impervious/impenetrable to Christianity, “preaching this gospel to all the world” seems a distant unobtainable mirage/myth/fantasy…
But North Korea is so isolated and insular any introduction of the gospel is virtually impossible.
So " this Gospel shall be preached to all the world and then shall the end come"
makes postponing/deferring the Second Coming, an inescapable inevitability.
i think we should really be praying that both donald trump and kim jong-un will be removed…people are suffering under their leadership, if you can call it that, and both are a threat to the safety of the planet…
on the other hand, hideous monsters were in power during christ and the apostles’ day, and that seemed to go hand in hand with people developing a strong spirituality…
This is a balanced, and even-handed letter of encouragement toSDA’s in GUAM. I do not think that Guam need worry , since it is likely, almost sure , that any attack by missile will be taken down by US armed forces. Kim’s beef is that during the 1950-53 Korean war the US Military killed over 1 million people in NK- about 400,000 of their military and nearly 700,000 civillians during the war HE SAYS was started by the US. There is also no overt “Christianity is superior” message in the letter in referring to KIM. WISE, since Christians have their" little faults" as well which they do not dwell on too much. Minor faults of course, such as the spreading of the Christian gospel by mass murder during the Crusades and the enslavement and forced labour of Africans for hundreds of years , using disciplinary procedures such as burning alive on a cross for whistling admiration for a white female, and so on. Father, help the human species please. We seemingly cannot control the urges of our brain stem which generates violence, murder , war and so on. If a missiole should somehow rfeach guam, that will be the end of the world as we know it, since Russia and China will almost certainly be dragged into the vortex of the ensuing confusion. I think John hints that about 2 bnillion people will be killed— the “third part of mankind” ? The world is now at about 6 billion.
so IF north korea lauched a nuke at the U.S. they shouldn’t be responded to with fire & fury? what would you prefer? a peace sign with the fingers after the first nuke hits us?
Even a just war is awful. It’s fearsome. Nevertheless throughout the Bible we are told, “Do not be afraid,” and “Do not fear.”
King David says in Psalm 27:3-6, “Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. …For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.”
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.”
Even Jesus told us not to be afraid if war is imminent. Matt. 24:6 says, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”
i so agree! for the last 25 years, the US & S Korea have tried to ‘love’ the North with bribes of food and money, look where it has gotten us! Many years ago, the west accomodated a little facist in Germany, that spawned the jack booted facists in this country!
