When Vesuvius Blew Its Top

Yesterday, I watched a documentary about Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. It was fascinating and, although I certainly knew how the story ended, I was interested to learn a bit about the city before it was covered with volcanic ash. I had not realized before seeing this film that the citizens of Pompeii had several warnings that something disastrous was about to happen. First, there was a giant earthquake. Houses of that time were not built to withstand a 6.something quake, and many of them tumbled. Frightened citizens fled the city. They got out of town and didn’t return–a good thing for them. Then, seemingly, for those left, life went on pretty much as usual, buying and selling, eating, enjoying the beautiful area and their (in many ways) decadent lifestyles.

Then, a pillar of smoke rose from the top of Vesuvius. Fascinating. People stared at it, mesmerized, wondering what it meant. The next frightful happening was a loss of the water supply. Still, many people stayed in the doomed city. Others, having as much as they wanted of the eerie events, fled. When the mountain began spewing ash and rocks, there was still time to flee. I hope that some did, saving their lives. Even when the mountain moved from grumbling to a full-fledged temper tantrum, there might have been time. I wonder why they didn’t all leave at once. Knowing what was to be their fate, I wanted to tell them to run, forget about what they had worked for, their lives as they knew them, and get to safety. Perhaps some were afraid that if they left, their homes and treasures would be looted, or it could be that they were afraid to face life in an unknown place. Pompeii was familiar and Vesuvius? Well, maybe things would settle down. But they didn’t. And soon it was too late. The mountain erupted, burying all in Pompeii beneath tons of ash, not to be uncovered until centuries later.

If there is a lesson for the rest of us in the fate of Pompeii, it is to be aware, to know what is going on around us. And, it is to know that even in the absence of disastrous happenings, life is fleeting. We should enjoy each day but be prepared for the future. Our trust can’t be in our belongings, our wealth, or that somehow, things will turn out all right. Our faith must be anchored in a steadfast Rock that does not move, a Person we can trust both here and in the future. Our hope must be in the Lord Jesus. Only then are we safe.