Fallout From Chernobyl

Disaster struck a nuclear power station in the Ukraine on 26th April

1986, and over a period of several weeks the extent of the problem

was only gradually disclosed by the Soviet authorities.

Christian concern and sympathy go out to all who suffered through the tragedy. Some were killed by the original explosion and others died later from the effects of serious radiation. Many remain gravely ill as every effort is made to provide suitable treatment. It is impossible to assess the potential future damage to the health of thousands who had some exposure to the radiation. Added to this is the human distress resulting from the mass evacuation of people from polluted areas. It has been officially confirmed in Moscow that 92,000 people were evacuated from the area around Chernobyl, and are likely to be away from their homes for some time.

Tremendous efforts were made to seal off the damaged reactor and prevent the escape of further radioactive substances. Helicopters dropped tons of sand, lead and boron on to the reactor, and it is planned to encase the unit within a concrete barrier which will reach 96ft. into the ground. The earth in the immediately surrounding area has of course been heavily contaminated.

At the time of the accident strong air currents from the Black Sea were flowing north-westwards over the Ukraine to the Baltic Sea and Scandinavia. Abnormally high levels of radiation were first identified in Sweden, followed by other Scandinavian and East European countries. Widespread alarm led to immediate precautions by several governments as they carefully monitored radiation levels. There were warnings against drinking rain water, or dairy milk or eating fresh green vegetables. The European Community temporarily banned the import of meat or farm products from Eastern European countries affected by the fallout from Chernobyl.

Mercifully the level of radiation from fallout was relatively small in most countries, but the whole episode underlined that vast numbers of people may so quickly be put at risk by accidents of this kind. How dependent we are on God's providential care! The greater the power achieved by modem technology the greater the risk when things go wrong. "let the nations know themselves to be but men", wrote David: a humbling reality once more borne home to us by the tragic events at Chernobyl.

There was a sombre warning from Dr. Robert Gale, an American bonebarrow transplant expert who helped Soviet medical men in treating victims of the disaster. He said, "This incident has demonstrated our very limited ability to respond to nuclear accidents. If we are very hard pressed to deal with 300 cases it should be evident how inadequate our response would be in thermo-nuclear war". In a televised speech to the Soviet people Mr. Gorbachev struck a similar warning note "inherent in the nuclear arsenals stockpiled are thousands upon thousands of disasters far more horrible than the Chernobyl one".

Assuming such possibilities, two features of the Chernobyl disaster suggest potential links with the prophetic Word about judgements at the time of the end - contamination of earth and vegetation and pollution of water supplies. For in Rev. 7:3 we read: "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads". When the first trumpet sounded (Rev. 8:7) "there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up". At the victorious climax, the sounding of the seventh trumpet, all heaven rejoiced in the triumph of God's Christ. The time had come "to destroy them that destroy the earth". As to pollution of water supplies, the sounding of the third trumpet (Rev. 8:10,11) resulted in a third part of the waters becoming wormwood; and many men died of the waters because they were bitter.

Do the areas of Ukraine farmland contaminated from the Soviet nuclear accident today forebode the vast destruction of earth and vegetation tomorrow? Have we seen in the Chernobyl nuclear fallout a tiny example of how such widespread water pollution could be brought about at the time of the end? A final answer to these questions must await fulfilment of Scripture; but the feasibility of literal fulfilment is increasingly apparent. Meantime, living in a generation under threat of nuclear war, our confidence lies in God who is our refuge and strength: "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him".

unknown | Sept 1986
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