On September 25, 1978, a 727-Pacific Southwest Airliner "ran over" a small plane killing all 135 people aboard the 727, the pilot and flight instructor of the small plane, and others living in the residential area where the flaming wreckage crashed. A total dead came to more than 150 people. It was considered one of the worst air disasters in U.S. history. What had happened? A private small plane collided with a Pacific Southwest Airlines jetliner over San Diego. The light plane, was being flown by a FAA commercially licensed "student pilot" and accompanied by a certified flight instructor. They were executing an instrument landing approach under the control and supervision of air traffic control. The collision occurred after the tower had warned both pilots that other aircraft were dangerously close. The tower had advised Pacific Southwest Airliner 182 of the position of the smaller airplane and that it was overtaking it and instructed the 727 to maintain separation. PSA 182 acknowledged visual contact and, moments later, literally "ran over" the smaller plane. The crash again caused renewed demands for installation of collision warning equipment on all aircraft.

God's prophets had continually confronted the wicked kings of Israel. The words "confrontation," and "changelessness" marked their ministries. After years of confrontational ministry, and in spite of all of the extraordinary works of the prophets, the spiritual decline did not end, subside, or even level off. The nation was still on a collision course with God.

The Lord warned the nation of Israel repeatedly. The "Control Tower" had advised Israel that she was on a collision course with Him, heading for a fatal crash that would ultimately leave the nation in pieces. God had called upon His people to "maintain separation" from the wicked and worldly system that God had slated for judgement. God's people had seen what pagan idolatry had done and was doing to the other nations.

Hundreds of lives, families, children were ultimately lost in the coming disaster that was due to Israel's failure to heed God's warnings. Unfortunately, it is only after such disasters that renewed calls for installing the "equipment" are heard. Unfortunately, as long as God's people have the ability to tune out God's truth, there is no fail-safe collision warning equipment that can assure safe travel in this fallen world. As long as God's people chose to flirt with the world, spiritual disasters cannot be avoided and will be reported regularly. Even after all that the prophets said and did, the nation refused to make a significant course correction that would keep them from colliding with the Lord!

The nation of Israel was no different from people who live in the world today. God still warns His people about potential coming crashes. The Lord points out the imminent dangers that also occupy the "not-so-friendly skies" of life, which can collide with our lives and take us down. The book of Proverbs states, "Where there is no counsel, the people fail; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." There is a spiritual control tower that wants to guide and warn us about life and living. God's Word warns about collisions and directs us around potential disasters. We need to tune into its frequency so we are not "run over" in life.