Reuters reported that the U.S. Air Force successfully used a high-powered laser to actually shoot down a ballistic missile in flight (see first link below). As the article notes, this brings the “ray gun” of science fiction movies and tales into the world of reality. Mankind has imagined to do such a thing for a long time, and now he has done it. It reminds me of Genesis 11:5-9 where God observed that soon after the Flood, mankind had reached a technological “tipping point” that mankind would do whatever “they have imagined to do.” Mankind is again doing in our modern era “whatever we have imagined to do.” Matthew 24:37 prophesied such a thing would occur again in the latter days, and it is happening.
As remarkable as this successful test was, it is still a far cry from the “ray gun” warfare of Star Trek or Star Wars movies. This test did demonstrate the ability to shoot down a ballistic missile in flight from a distance of “hundreds of kilometers,” but it was done against a “boosting ballistic missile.” This means the test was against an ICBM in its boost phase where it is gaining altitude. It is not likely that any U.S. aircraft would be allowed anywhere near a Russian or Chinese ICBM when it is in its boost phase over Russia or China heading for targets in the USA or other western nations. It also does not demonstrate the ability to shoot down a low-flying, supersonic cruise missile like the Russian-made “sizzler” missile deployed by both Russia and China as primary weapons to sink U.S. aircraft carriers in a future war. However, nations rarely admit their full capabilities in announced test results, so it is possible that the U.S. Air Force has achieved a greater ability than it has publicly admitted in the use of laser weaponry to defend against incoming missiles. Let us hope that is the case.
The link cites Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) as saying this kind of project “should be made ready to protect our homeland at a moment’s notice.” I doubt that he realizes just how correct he is. Ezekiel 38’s prophecy reveals that it is not only the American homeland, but also the homelands of all nations in NATO and their global allies which will be targeted by Russia, China, Iran and their allies in a coordinated, future attack. Ezekiel 39:3 prophesies that when this attack occurs in the latter days, many of the “bows” and “arrows” (i.e. missile launchers and missiles in modern terms) launched by Russia, China and Iran will not reach their targets. They will be disabled or shot down. God could do that by Divine fiat, of course, but this prophecy may also indicate that the anti-missile defenses of the western nations will be better than the Gog-Magog nations ever dreamed. The fact that the USAF can now shoot down a ballistic missile with laser weaponry implies that may be the case.
