Do you remember where you were on this day in 2001? What were you doing at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., 9:37 a.m., and 10:07 a.m.? America was under attack and at these times, hijacked planes crashed into the North Tower, South Tower, Pentagon, and Stoney Creek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Twenty-five years ago! It doesn’t seem possible that it’s been that long ago.
I had been studying for a while when my wife called and said, “Turn on the television.” Our world came to a grinding halt very quickly and all eyes were glued to the news the rest of the day, watching the events unfold and the death toll rise. It’s hard to forget the images that poured out of New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. The amount of information was more than the networks could handle. Such an attack on American soil was unprecedented except for Pearl Harbor, but that was during a time of war. Well, 9/11 became the start of the War on Terror.
Today, we pause for a moment and remember those who lost their lives. In an article published on June 18, 2026, Kaleena Fraga wrote, “The actual death toll is difficult to determine. While the official number stands at 2,977 — not including the 19 terrorists — that may be an underestimate. For one, the complete destruction of the World Trade Center and the potential presence of undocumented workers within casts doubt on the true tally of victims.
“What’s more, in the years since 2001, thousands of people have succumbed to cancer and other diseases caused by exposure to the toxins at Ground Zero. Today, these deaths outnumber the victim count from the actual attacks.
“For these reasons, the true 9/11 death toll may never be known, adding yet another layer of tragedy to one of the most horrific days in America’s history.”1
We cannot forget that a “total of 441 first responders, including 343 firefighters, were killed
in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.”2 “Further, a medical director of the World Trade Center Health Program at Mount Sinai Hospital reported in 2018 that out of the approximately 10,000 first responders and others who were at Ground Zero and have developed cancer as a result, more than 2,000 have died due to 9/11 related illnesses.”3
Dustin Benge, writing for Unashamed Truth, says that there are still lessons to be learned from 9/11. I couldn’t agree more with these lessons! Let me share a couple and then encourage you to go to the link found at the bottom to read the rest.
- We are reminded that evil is real. People will often say, “How could God allow something like this to happen?” The answer is simple. Evil exists. It’s everywhere and has been since the Garden of Eden. Romans 3:10-18 says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (13) Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (14) Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood: (16) Destruction and misery are in their ways: (17) And the way of peace have they not known: (18) There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Evil abounds and surrounds us.
- God is always our refuge and strength. Psalms 46:1-3 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; (3) Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”
We saw a momentary reliance on God when the worst was happening. People flocked to churches looking for answers. Politicians stood together on the steps of the capitol, praying and singing. It’s unfortunate that it took tragedy for people to turn to the Lord. It’s even more unfortunate that they didn’t stay turned to the Lord.
- We need to be ready at any moment to enter eternity. How many of those 2,977 fatalities or the 441 first responders were ready to be “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord?” (2 Corinthians 5:8)4
May we be able to say that we are ready. “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
1https://allthatsinteresting.com/how-many-people-died-on-9-11
2https://fireandsafetyjournalamericas.com/how-many-firefighters-died-911/
3“Deaths From 9/11 Illnesses Will Outnumber Those Lost”. AM 600 WMT – NewsRadio. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2018; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_September_11_attacks#cite_note-268.
4https://unashamedtruth.org/articles/911lessons
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