Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses, government rules out terrorism, former general won’t

Portion of collapsed Francis Scott Key bridge and the
Dali container ship that hit it (FBI photo via Wikipedia)

A major bridge in Baltimore, Maryland was destroyed:

March 26, 2024

Pilots of the cargo ship that crashed into a major bridge in the U.S. city of Baltimore, Maryland, issued a mayday call shortly before the structure collapsed into a river, enabling authorities to save lives, according to the state’s governor.

“We can confirm that the crew notified authorities of a power issue,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore told reporters Tuesday morning, hours after the incident. Moore said the Singapore-flagged container ship Dali had no power before smashing into one of two main columns supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge and causing the bridge to collapse.

Moore said the crew’s warning enabled transportation officials to quickly halt traffic along the interstate highway crossing over the bridge. “These people are heroes. They saved lives last night,” the governor said. The ship’s crew also dropped its anchors in a futile attempt to avert the disaster.

Even so, eight people on the bridge, reportedly all part of a construction repair crew filling highway potholes, were believed to have plummeted into the Patapsco River during the incident, which occurred at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Two of the workers were rescued, with one transported to a trauma center in serious condition, while the other was uninjured. Searchers were continuing to look for the other six, with divers facing bone-chilling water temperatures of about 9 degrees Celsius (48 Fahrenheit).

Video showed a large section of the bridge quickly collapsing into the river after the Dali collided with the support column. The vessel is 48 meters (157 feet) wide and 300 meters (984 feet) long and was loaded with cargo containers setting sail for Sri Lanka.

Authorities said several vehicles — perhaps five — were on the bridge when the collapse occurred, apparently vehicles driven there by the workers and later discovered in the water.

U.S. President Joe Biden said at the White House that he would ask Congress for federal funding to rebuild the bridge and that he plans to visit the site soon.

“We’re going to rebuild that port,” which he said supports 15,000 jobs. “We’re going to rebuild that bridge as soon as humanly possible.”

He said there was no reason to suspect terrorism in the incident, even as conspiracists offered nefarious theories about the cause of the incident on U.S. websites. https://www.voanews.com/a/francis-scott-key-bridge-in-baltimore-collapses-vehicles-fall-into-water/7542751.html

While the incident does not sound like a terrorist act, some are not so sure:

A “Black Swan Event” – General Flynn Raises Questions About Baltimore Bridge Collapse

March 26, 2024

“Can we take the idea that this [Baltimore bridge collapse] was a terrorist attack off the table … and absolutely we cannot do that,” President Trump’s former national security adviser (and retired lieutenant general) Michael Flynn told Alex Jones in an online interview.

Flynn called the container ship ramming the 1.6-mile-long bridge mile bridge at the Port of Baltimore a “black swan” event. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/watch-huge-bridge-baltimore-collapses-after-container-ship-strike

Whether or not this was a terrorist event, it certainly could be considered as a ‘black swan’ event.

What do black swans have to do with anything? Notice the following:

The black swan theory or theory of black swan events . . . was developed by Nassim Nicholas Taleb to explain:

The disproportionate role of high-profile, hard-to-predict, and rare events that are beyond the realm of normal expectations in history, science, finance, and technology

The non-computability of the probability of the consequential rare events using scientific methods (owing to the very nature of small probabilities)

The psychological biases that make people individually and collectively blind to uncertainty and unaware of the massive role of the rare event in historical affairs (Wikipedia, viewed 12/12/13)

Bad and deadly events happen and people are often surprised by them.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge would seem to be in that category.

Now, because people died unexpectedly, does that mean that those most affected by this were necessarily worse sinners than those less affected?

The biblical answer is no.

Notice the words of Jesus:

45…He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4-5)

But Jesus did prophesy wars, earthquakes, famines, and troubles:

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8).

We continue to see troubles in many parts of the world.

Most people do not think that catastrophic events can happen to them.

But all need to be spiritually prepared.

Jesus taught paying attentions to world events and prophecy is important:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Notice Jesus said to watch and pray ALWAYS. He was referring to prophetic matters, particularly those with deadly effects.

Jesus realized that if people did not pay attention to prophecy and pray always, they would not properly take the steps to “be counted worthy to escape all these things.” Yes, God uses prophecy as a motivator for people. Remember that God used Jonah to warn Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-4) and they repented (Jonah 3:5-9), and they did not get the punishment they were going to get then (Jonah 3:10).

Jesus specifically told the Laodiceans, in a prophecy, that they needed to repent (Revelation 3:19) or face consequences (Revelation 3:14-19, and that they would be rewarded for doing so (Revelation 3:20). The Laodiceans are Church of God Christians “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Do not be like those of Siloam or those on the Francis Scott Key Bridge who apparently did not take the proper spiritual steps and were taken unaware.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.
Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphian Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write?
Philadelphian Christian Great Tribulation Protection What will the Great Tribulation be like? Does Jesus promise physical protection to some or all Christians? Where might the place of protection be? What about fleeing to the mountains? What did Ezekiel warn? Here is a link to a related sermon: Great Tribulation Protection.
Independent/Unaffiliated: Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach about being independent of the organized Church? Should independents who claim to accept Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings support the end time Philadelphian work? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Unity. Watch also Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18? Here is a link in the French language: Est-ce que l’Église Continue de Dieu confirme les signes d’Actes 2:17-18? A related sermon in the English language is also available: 17 Last Days’ Signs of the Holy Spirit.
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather?