Baptists in Hawaii Get Word of Knowledge, Ignore Incoming Missile Alert

[Jerome]

KY Baptist pastor Hershael York in Hawaii when ominous alert came

"Shortly after 8 a.m. local time, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency sent an alert to cell phones on the islands stating, 'Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.' A television banner added, 'A missile may impact on land or sea within minutes.' State government officials revoked the alert after 38 minutes, according to media reports, and later said the message went out because of human error. But amid heightened tension with North Korea, some Hawaiians and tourists thought their lives could end within the hour."

"...he had an intuition shortly after receiving the alert that it could be a false alarm. When church members contacted him for counsel, he told them to stay where they were rather than rushing to what they perceived as safer locations."

"Craig Webb, assistant executive director of the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention....said he felt 'a peace' and didn't realize until later 'how upset everybody else was.'"

"Webb used his experience to give a Gospel witness....'should we really be vaporized...because of the blood Jesus shed and by receiving the free gift of His salvation, we would spend eternity with Him.'"

 

[Jerome]

What a contrast to many who instead fled underground in panic and fear:

38 Minutes of Fear

"They rushed with dozens of others to take the stairs down to that hotel's underground garage.....'People are on the ground crying. It was chaotic and horrific.'"

and from the article in the OP:

"students living in dormitories went to the nearby house of Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) director Arjay Gruspe when they received the alert. He led them to take shelter in the BCM offices, which are partially underground"

 

[exscentric]

Just wonderin: Why would God not give all Christians a "word of knowlege" in a situation like this? "What a contrast to many who instead fled underground in panic and fear:" Must we conclude some are "good" Christians and others are "bad". Or might we conclude some got something that is unbiblical and others took an appropriate action? Did God not have all his children on his early warning system, or is something else afoot? Was it a "word of knowledge" or "an intuition" as the article mentioned?

 

[Jerome]

Another article illustrating the different responses:

Faith - Hawaii Missile Scare

Carter, a theology lecturer for the Diocese of Honolulu, had...been thinking of taking refuge with his family in his concrete classroom. His wife had a slightly different focus. 'My wife did probably the more important thing and she prayed,' he said."

"'She said we can try to get to the classroom, but if the bomb hits, we’re goners, but what we can do is pray,' Dallas Carter recounted. 'The best possibility (of surviving) isn’t my concrete classroom, the best possibility is that the Blessed Mother provide us a miracle.'"

"Their oldest child, Mariah, 11,...told CNA. 'I literally just wanted to pray, I wanted to pray.' 'I concentrated so hard on the rosary,' she added. 'I was like ‘come on Mary I know you can do this'.'"
__________

"On the island of Oahu pro-life advocate Jason Jones was racing during the missile alert to get his wife and five of their seven kids to the closest prospect for safety, Makua Cave, behind the Waianae mountain range.....Jones shared a photo of him and his family in Makua Cave after the all clear was given, smiling in relief."

 

[FollowTheWay]

KY Baptist pastor Hershael York in Hawaii when ominous alert came

"Shortly after 8 a.m. local time, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency sent an alert to cell phones on the islands stating, 'Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.' A television banner added, 'A missile may impact on land or sea within minutes.' State government officials revoked the alert after 38 minutes, according to media reports, and later said the message went out because of human error. But amid heightened tension with North Korea, some Hawaiians and tourists thought their lives could end within the hour."

"...he had an intuition shortly after receiving the alert that it could be a false alarm. When church members contacted him for counsel, he told them to stay where they were rather than rushing to what they perceived as safer locations."

"Craig Webb, assistant executive director of the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention....said he felt 'a peace' and didn't realize until later 'how upset everybody else was.'"

"Webb used his experience to give a Gospel witness....'should we really be vaporized...because of the blood Jesus shed and by receiving the free gift of His salvation, we would spend eternity with Him.'"

Sorry but if I get a message about incoming ICBM's I'm going to do my best to get to shelter. Then I will pray to God for safety but thanking him for his Grace and love. Are you really suggesting that people should ignore warnings because of a premonition of a pastor? he might be a false prophet.

 

[Jerome]

Are you really suggesting that people should ignore warnings because of a premonition of a pastor? he might be a false prophet.

No, just relating what's being put out. More from Hershael York in the Kentucky state paper:

Kentucky Baptist Convention's Western Recorder

"Kentucky pastor and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Hershael York was vacationing with his wife and 85-year-old mother on the Big Island when the alert came....'My mother just kept putting on her makeup, less concerned than if she had received notice that it might rain'....York's wife Tanya also 'had an incredible calm and serenity'"

 

[just-want-peace]

No, just relating what's being put out. More from Hershael York in the Kentucky state paper:

Kentucky Baptist Convention's Western Recorder

"Kentucky pastor and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor Hershael York was vacationing with his wife and 85-year-old mother on the Big Island when the alert came....'My mother just kept putting on her makeup, less concerned than if she had received notice that it might rain'....York's wife Tanya also 'had an incredible calm and serenity'"

This is basically what a Christian’s reaction should be, IMHO. If I heard an incoming missle were headed for my locale, I would make a few assumptions.
1 It would most likely have a nuke warhead,
2 It would then either get me by a)immediate extension, b)delayed blast effects, or c)radiation poisoning
3 If I could find a safe place from a) or b), even the chances of surviving c) would be so miniscule as to be negligible.

I would try to get with/ contact my family simply to say “good-bye”, and pray that I died as a Christian should.

Could I actually do this; dunno, but death itself holds no fear, but possibly just the method/quickness.

 

[FollowTheWay]

This is basically what a Christian’s reaction should be, IMHO. If I heard an incoming missle were headed for my locale, I would make a few assumptions.
1 It would most likely have a nuke warhead,
2 It would then either get me by a)immediate extension, b)delayed blast effects, or c)radiation poisoning
3 If I could find a safe place from a) or b), even the chances of surviving c) would be so miniscule as to be negligible.

I would try to get with/ contact my family simply to say “good-bye”, and pray that I died as a Christian should.

Could I actually do this; dunno, but death itself holds no fear, but possibly just the method/quickness.

i'm not afraid to die either. In fact I've said this in a real situation. I was sharing my faith with a neighbor and he became angry when I said that I believe Jesus Christ is the only way to God. He was much younger, bigger and stronger than me but I was not afraid. He said that he could hit me in the face but he was afraid he'd kill me. I said go ahead, I'm not afraid to die. I added, how much glory is there in beating up a 63 year old man (at that time)? That seemed to defuse the situation which was good.

 

[thatbrian]

Christians should make no appoligy for taking cover because of threat of an incoming bomb. I have my doubts about the super-spiritual folks who did not seek cover.

 

[thatbrian]

Just wonderin: Why would God not give all Christians a "word of knowlege" in a situation like this? "What a contrast to many who instead fled underground in panic and fear:" Must we conclude some are "good" Christians and others are "bad". Or might we conclude some got something that is unbiblical and others took an appropriate action? Did God not have all his children on his early warning system, or is something else afoot? Was it a "word of knowledge" or "an intuition" as the article mentioned?

Great point. Many people like to stamp their intuitions with statements such as, "God lead me." God told me". . . So, if one says such, would that mean that disobeying would be a sinful act? Would it be a sin to take cover because "God told" this guy it was a false alarm?