The Bible Says Global Warming IS Coming! Part II
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Is God's Day of Global warming "just preaching?" Back in the 1940's a pastor was really pouring it on, expounding a Bible story when suddenly, without missing a beat he said: "Ladies, I must warn you that somebody back there in the vestibule is going through your coats and purses." He told them one time and kept on preaching. Nobody moved or looked around. After the benediction as the congregation was filing out through the back doors, suddenly one of the ladies exclaimed: "Pastor, our coats and purses are gone!" He said, "Ladies, I told you plain as day that somebody was going through your coats and purses." To which one of them replied, "Yes, I know you did. But we thought you were just preaching."
One of our biggest challenges is sorting through all of today's information to find the things that matter (Proverbs 14:12). So far, at every funeral we've attended the corpse was somebody else. Conclusion: dying is for other people. The world knows about Noah's flood and the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah but that was all those people back there in the distant past. We do not want to deal with God's coming judgment upon the earth. Lucy in Peanuts said: "I don't want any downs. I just want ups!" Let's face it my friends…judgment on the earth is coming.
Sometimes when I read a verse of scripture to somebody, they say: "Well…that's your opinion but I've got my own ideas on that." Straight out of the Bible and he thinks it's my opinion! When a generation of people has been taught—bone deep—that the earth came out of a big bang and everything of order came out of the chaos on its own, we have lost our compass and North Star. We are in more danger than the Titanic the night it sank in 1912. It's hard to think things through when our corrupt self is the greatest authority we know.
It's a stretch to believe that God would actually judge the world (Psalm 75:8) and send a global burning (Rev.14:9-11) and boils(Rev. 16:28)and earthquakes (Rev. 16:18) and armies gathering for Armageddon (Rev.14:17-20) and other catastrophes (Rev.6:8) that will kill over half the world's population in 42 months. It would help to slowly read Revelation chapters 8-18 and take it all in. Mark your Bible.
We are moving rapidly toward a one-world government—a revival of the old Roman Empire, which never really died (see the European Union). It will eventually be made up of ten effective political regions (there are currently 27). Out of the ten will arise a leader who will mold them into a powerful world government. It does not appear that the United States will be a part of the ten nations but we may assume that the United States will remain the sole support of Israel which will be there and enter into a treaty with these nations. We are going to see more American power and might shift to the European Union. We have lost our will to be "American." We have quit making things and are willingly shipping those jobs overseas.
During the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation period, the powerful leader who rises out of the ten nations of the revived Roman Empire will be a deal maker and assume his exalted place as the wonderful ruler of the world. Hitler was cheered and accepted in his early days. When we speak of a world government, we do not mean that every village on earth will be included. But the main arteries of political power that really count will be part of that structure. If you look at the map of the old Roman Empire, you will see that it covered the territory around the Mediterranean Sea but not the whole world. Yet, it is conceded that the Roman Empire ruled the world.
In the coming seven years of tribulation, everything will be geared toward a world of peace and prosperity—without God. I repeat: It will be a revived Roman Empire which never really died but became dormant. For good background I recommend the two DVD's Rome: Power and Glory. Three TV Documentary episodes on each disc. (See Netflix)
The best picture of what is coming is to study Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the huge image in Daniel 2:19-45. The Bible only speaks of four great world kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the Roman Empire. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar's big image stands upon two iron legs, which are the Roman Empire—a thousand years of strong, ruthless power. Its power controlled the nations around the Mediterranean Sea. The feet of the image in Daniel 2 are a mixture of iron and clay. The great power of Rome (iron) is mixed with the fickle will of the masses and it is therefore weak in its feet.
It is at this point that a great stone is hurled onto the feet of the image and smashes the feet and the whole image into fine powder and the powder is blown away by the wind. Then the stone that smote the image on the feet of iron and clay will become a great mountain that will fill the whole earth. That stone is Christ. He will destroy and replace the last great world kingdom and impose a kingdom of righteousness upon the earth for one thousand years. That's the summary.
Young Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar: …there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days (Daniel 2:28). The Book of Revelation picks up the threads of Daniel and expands them. If we want to understand the future for our day, we will have to study Daniel and Revelation together, plus other prophetic writings, but Daniel and Revelation are the two main books. The Bible does not stop with a bare-bones summary in Daniel. We go to the Book of Revelation and the summary in Daniel is blown up like a mini-map that fills the page. From Revelation we learn that during the last 3 ½ years the political deals will sour and the judgments of God will be so severe that the anti-Christ's hold on political power will fail. Some believe that the greatest number of conversions to Christ the world has ever seen will occur during this time but it will take place among those who have never been convicted of sin and defiantly rejected the gospel of Christ. We have this stern warning:
…because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2Thessalonians 2:10-12)
During that seven-year period will be the fulfillment of the prophecies of Daniel, Job, Isaiah, Haggai, Joel, Jesus, Paul, Peter, Enoch, Jude, Revelation and others. Revelation speaks of an enormous global "warming" coming in the end time, but it will be God-made and not man-made. Ω
My Shepherd—Barbara Carr
In his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller begins by saying, "The Lord! But who is the Lord? What is His character? Does He have adequate credentials to be my Shepherd—my manager—my owner? And if He does—how do I come under His control? In what way do I become the object of His concern and diligent care?" Jesus said, as if to answer his question:
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:14-18)
Jesus tell us He is the Good Shepherd and that He knows His people. "The word 'know' here is used in the sense of affectionate regard or love. It implies such a knowledge of their wants, their dangers, and their characters, as to result in a deep interest in their welfare." (Barnes)
We really are like sheep. Sheep are naughty, disobedient and show little intelligence. Does that describe you? It surely does describe me. Knowing this He still loves us. He is interested in us—in our wellbeing. As a shepherd He is there to protect and help us.
We sheep often wander off in disobedience. Sometimes we become entangled in the world, but the shepherd does not give up on us.
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:4-7)
For years I struggled with guilt over past sins. Sins I knew God had forgiven, but I had a hard time forgiving myself. I would lose confidence in my witness for the Lord. With much counseling by Dan, prayer and Bible study I am beating this problem. Like Paul I haven't arrived, but I'm reaching for the goal. He is my Shepherd.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. (Psa 37:24)
Am known of mine (John 10:14). Just like the sheep depend on the shepherd, we must accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and love Him. We must know His voice and follow His leading. We must be friends with Him. You know, when we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes along side us. We can talk to Him. Our grandson was once asked why he wasn't singing. He answered, "I'm singing in my head." We can talk inside or we can talk aloud, but we do need to talk to Him. It doesn't have to be a big problem. It can be something that the two of us can laugh about. We need to know Jesus intimately.
Sheep love the shepherd enough to follow His set of guidelines. Sheep obey their loving shepherd and He leads them. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:1-6). Ω
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