weekend%20question.jpgThis weekend question requires a detailed backdrop.
The question is simply: What do you think of all this?
The backdrop….
My column this week, “Collapse of civilization nears as UN identifies ‘masculinization of Asia’,” described a UN report estimating a shortage of 163 million Asian women due mostly to sex-prejudiced abortions. I said the Asian gender disparity had tripled between 1950 and 2005.
I said governments of countries with extreme gender imbalances would likely find the overabundance of single men perfectly suited for their military.
I also read, but didn’t include in my column, what the UN demographer said when presenting the aforementioned report last month at Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights in India. According to the Sidney Morning Herald:

French demographer Christophe Guilmoto [stated]… [t]here are 2.1 billion men and 1.9 billion women across Asia….


In response to my column, reader David W. emailed me:

Where do you think the 200,000,000 “horsemen” of Revelation 9:16 are supposed to come from? It appears that the “kings of the east” (like China) will be taking advantage of the “gender gap” and be using their single men in an attack on the West (Rev. 16:12). One-third of mankind will die….

I am not a strong student of Revelation, so I had forgotten that number and was taken aback by the reader’s note. I consulted 2 of my Bible commentaries, Halley and Baker.
Before I get to the analysis of that passage, I found Halley’s view of researching Revelation helpful:

A thing that strikes one who browses around in the vast literature that has grown up about the book of Revelation is the UTTER DOGMATISM with which so many put forth their opinions, not as opinions, but in categorical statements, as to the meaning of even the most mysterious passages, as if they know all about it, and their way settles the matter. We think a spirit of reverent humility, and openness of mind, would be more becoming in those seeking to interpret a book like this….
Even though it is a book of Mystery, with many things we do not understand, it also has many things we do understand.
Imbedded in its mysterious imagery are some of the most salutary warnings and most precious promises of all Scripture….
Alternating simplest truth with mysterical symbolism, it is a book of undiluted optimism for God’s people, assuring us again and again that we are under God’s protection, with, come what may, a Life of Everlasting Blessedness ahead.
And, alternating scenes between earth and heaven, it is also a book of the “Wrath of God,” ever and anon contrasting the joys of the redeemed with the agonies of the lost….
“Blessed is he that reads,” 1:3, “and they that hear, and keep the words of this book.” Thus the book opens. And thus it closes (22:7). God Himself said it.

Now I will simply quote the Scripture, one commentary, and three maps. Just the facts for us to ponder. No proclamations.

When the sixth angel blew his trumpet, I heard a voice from the four horns of the gold altar in front of God. The voice said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are held at the great Euphrates River.” The four angels who were ready for that hour, day, month, and year were released to kill one-third of humanity. The soldiers on horses numbered two hundred million. I heard how many there were.
In the vision that I had, the horses and their riders looked like this: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red, pale blue, and yellow. The horses had heads like lions. Fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths. These three plagues – the fire, smoke, and sulfur which came out of their mouths – killed one-third of humanity. ~ Revelation 9:13-18

From the Baker Commentary on the Bible:

With the blowing of the sixth trumpet a voice is heard coming from the upper part of the golden alter… The voice commands the angels who held back the Euphrates to release it and as it rushes toward the west it becomes a vast army of two hundred million mounted soldiers…. These mounted soldiers are agents of destruction and are commanded to kill, not just torment…. The horses are colorfully described as fiery red, dark blue, and sulfurous yellow, belching out fire, smoke, and noxious fumes.

Map of Euphrates River:

euphrates.gif

And here is a map of Asia*. I have boxed the names of the countries the UN has identified as having gender disparities. I boxed Georgia and Armenia together, then Azerbaijan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, and South Korea. You can only see some of the boxes when clicking to enlarge:

*Re: Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, reader Ryan M. emailed me:

I find it very interesting that 3 of the top 6 countries with “severe” gender imbalance comprise the Trans-Caucasian region: Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. These governments do not have population control measures like China, so some consideration of why this would occur in this region would be interesting, though of course they are not primary contributors to the Asia-wide imbalance.

Yes, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are actually part of Europe. I haven’t read why they are experiencing gender imbalances. Perhaps someone else has. But I do find their location fascinating in this discussion:
europe%20map2.jpg
One final note. The Scripture passage following the verses already quoted states:

The people who survived these plagues still did not turn to me and change the way they were thinking and acting. If they had, they would have stopped worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. They did not turn away from committing murder, practicing witchcraft, sinning sexually, or stealing. ~ Revelation 9:20-21

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