World
Population
Reaches
7 Billion! 
The
United Nations marked October 31, 2011 as the day when
the world population reached 7 billion souls! Although
it is impossible to determine exactly when this population
milestone was reached, we can say that there are approximately
this number of people on earth at this time.
This
is an astronomical number of people! For
example, the moon is an average of 238,857 miles from the
earth. If people
were to stand side by side at three foot intervals, one
mile would allow 1,760 people to stand beside each other. At
this rate, 420,388,320 people, standing side by side, would
reach the moon. And
that span would need to be repeated 16.65 times for the
entire 7 billion to reach the moon! World
population would reach the moon more than 16 times, standing
side by side! This
earth is teeming with people!
The
Fort Worth Star Telegram pointed out the length of time
it took for the world population to increase. In
1804, there were 1 billion people on earth. By
1927, there were 2 billion; by 1959 there were 3 billion;
by 1974 there were 4 billion; by 1987 there were 5 billion,
and by 1998 there were an amazing 6 billion people on earth! Now,
only 13 years later, there are approximately 7 billion
souls on this earth! When
I was a child, there were roughly 2.5 billion people here
and now that number has increased nearly threefold to 7
billion!
We
must also realize that nearly
all of these people are lost. They
are “separate from Christ,” have “no
hope,” and are “without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Although
we really don’t know how many people know Christ in this
world, suppose there are 10 million true Christians. This
would mean that there would be only one Christian in 700
people! If
there are only 5 million people who have been born again,
this would be one person in 1,400 people! And
if there are only 1 million true believers, this would
be one saved person in 7,000 lost persons! Again,
we just don’t know how many people are genuinely saved,
but know that number is very, very small.
Remember
that Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the
gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction,
and many are those who enter through it. For
the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life,
and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The
Lord urges us to enter the narrow gate and walk the narrow
way that leads to eternal life. He
warns that there is a wide gate and a broad way that leads
to eternal destruction. “Many” are
on the broad way, while “few” are on the narrow way!
Realizing
that there are so many unsaved people on earth should make
us recognize the extent of our work on earth. Many
professing “Christians” waste their time watching TV, going
to sports events, and viewing movies—when millions and
millions are perishing in spiritual darkness! About
150,000 people (mostly unsaved) die every single day. What
are we doing about this? Recall
Jesus’ words to His disciples: “Lift up your eyes and look
on the fields, that they are white for harvest” (John 4:35b). Remember
too our Lord’s words: “Go into all the world and preach
the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).
With
such a vast number of people lost around us and so many
dying each day without a Savior, can we do anything other
than be involved in reaching this great multitude with
the only message that can save them from eternal ruin—the
good news of Christ Jesus! “I
am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God
for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16a).
Remember
that there are now 7 billion people on earth in need
of the saving message of a crucified and risen Savior—the
Lord Jesus Christ! Let
us look at these lost and perishing people in love, concern,
and fear for the sake of our gracious God!
Richard
Hollerman
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