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There is a penetrating verse in Ecclesiastes 3:18, which reads, “. . . As for human beings, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.” In the beginning of this chapter, Solomon has been arguing for the providence of God as a solution to the meaninglessness that he sees in life (e.g., “Vanity of vanities. All is vanity”). But there is an apparent contradiction to God’s providence—injustice. Solomon has some difficulty reconciling injustice with that providence, but in this verse he concludes that injustice is didactic—i.e., it teaches; it demonstrates that humans are but brutes—animals! In our world today, there is no greater demonstration of that proposition than Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. He was recently reelected to the presidency of this nation in a sham election! He said before the election: “We are not going to give up our country because of a mere X. How can a ballpoint [pen] fight with a gun?” His army killed, beat and intimidated thousands to insure his reelection. They set up torture camps to “educate” the people on how to vote. His opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), won the 29 March election but did not receive the needed majority. So, Mugabe orchestrated this sham election the end of June, with Tsvangirai withdrawing for fear of violence to himself and to his followers.
The conditions in Zimbabwe are absolutely appalling. Inflation is running at 3 million percent, annualized!! Price controls imposed by the government mean there is little food. Staple foods are distributed as a political weapon and there is virtually no fuel to transport food anyway. Starvation is a reality and malnutrition is pervasive. Mugabe incredibly banned aid agencies from distributing aid and food. According to the UN, this puts at least 2 million Zimbabweans at greater risk of starvation, homelessness and disease. Mugabe has taken what was once a rich, prosperous country and destroyed it. He is a megalomaniac, with delusions of grandeur and power. He rules as a dictator and is supported by a ruthless and greedy group of generals. They know that if he loses power, they will too.
So, what is to be done? The United States has been demanding increased sanctions through the UN but China and Russia oppose anything that might work! Nations of Africa, especially Botswana and Zambia, detest Mugabe and what he is doing to his country. But until and unless South Africa turns against Mugabe, there is no hope of an African solution. What is most troubling is that Thabo Mbeki of South Africa refuses to take the lead in condemning Mugabe. He prefers quiet diplomacy, which is clearly not working! Mugabe has made it clear that he will never permit the MDC to take power: He would rather “die fighting” than be “ruled by an MDC government that is keen to sell the country’s birthright.”
In short, if the African nations will not pressure Mugabe, and if the UN cannot act, which it will not due to China and Russia, the only option left is for the US and Britain to take action, using force if necessary. But that is never going to occur. So, the people of Zimbabwe must wait, suffer and endure. This is where God’s providence comes in. There is injustice in Zimbabwe—in the worst possible sense of that term. The injustice demonstrates, as Ecclesiastes 3:18 argues, that Mugabe is but a beast! So, it is proper for you and me to ask God to remove Mugabe from power. He has destroyed his nation and injustice reigns supreme. I am praying this prayer: “Oh God, rich in mercy and grace, exercise your sovereign rule, be an advocate for the Zimbabwean people. Please remove Robert Mugabe from power. I pray this in the name and with the authority of Jesus Christ. Amen!”
See Roger Bate’s helpful editorial in the Wall Street Journal (19 June 2008). |
