End Times. Alarm and Hope

 We see so many natural disasters today. Our survival on this troubled planet is precarious. So many conservative people, even Christians, refuse to recognise climate change. They condemn environmental activists. They call them left wing alarmists.

But why don’t these conservative Christians seriously read bible prophecies about increasing natural disasters in the last days before the return of Jesus?

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Mt 24:7 NKJV

There have always been wars, famines, epidemics and earthquakes, so why does Jesus emphasise these things in His prophecy about the End Times? Clearly, Jesus is speaking of an alarming increase of disasters, including natural disasters.

I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. Acts 2:19–20 NIV

Nevertheless, in spite of alarming droughts, heatwaves, hurricanes, floods, terrible wars, horrible hi-tech weapons and genocides, God warns that the return of Jesus will come as a surprise to most people.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Mt 24:42 NIV

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night … 2 Pet 3:10 NKJV

But God has a plan to restore everything, to make everything healthy and beautiful again.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Rev 21:1 NKJV

Your life in this world is also temporary. We will not remain here forever. I am now 75 years old and I do not want to remain in this body forever. It is not nice to become old and frail.

But Jesus rose from the dead and promises us a completely new life if we trust in him.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Jn 11:25–26 NKJV

An Australian was waiting to die. He heard the terrible sound of the massive bush fire that was inevitably advancing. He was an atheist, but in the panic of despair, he pleaded for God's help.

Suddenly, the wind shifted direction. The man and all those with him were saved from death.

But the man was not only alive, he was no longer an atheist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Acts 2:20–21 NRSV

God's Way Out of the Chaos

Without God in our life, we are ruled by our faulty human nature. God is all around us, controlling every atom and every molecule, but we are blind and deaf to the reality of our almighty loving creator.

We are like a ship at sea without reliable maps or compass, navigating by guesswork.
We have made such a mess of this planet. If we were not so bad, we would not need police or armies.

We have brought the planet to the brink of ruin with pollution and climate change. Political disputes are making it impossible to repair the damage.

But if God is really in control, why does he allow us to mess everything up?
When God created the first man and woman, he authorised them to rule the planet. 

 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” Gen 1:27–28 NRSV

The man and woman were supposed to rule the world under the loving guidance of God, but when they mistrusted and disobeyed God, they embarked on a disastrous course of stubborn independence.

We know the popular song, “I did it my way.” It never worked without God. Some people have achieved great things this way, but in the end we all die, and what happens after that?

God loves you and he wants you to live with him for ever in his heavenly home.

The prospects for this planet without God are looking worse and worse every year, but God still loves every man, woman and child.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Jn 3:16–17 NRSV

If you give up your independence and put your life in God’s hands, Jesus will be your guide and your loving friend.

Expect Surprises from God

 Everything is changing around us. Not since the last world war have we experienced such a traumatic acceleration of change.

For two hundred years, our culture has been characterised by an optimistic view of the world. The philosophers and intellectual writers of the Enlightenment and scientists for over a hundred years have taught us a view where progress is supposed to solve our problems.

But now everything is coming apart at the seams.

A few years ago, I was a guest preacher in a small church. I heard an unusual word from the Holy Spirit. It was a song, not a hymn and not in German.

Everyday, it's a gettin' closer
Goin' faster than a roller coaster
Love like yours will surely come my way

I shared this message in the congregation. The pastor confirmed the word from God. A guest preacher a few years ago had shared a similar prophecy, speaking of a roller coaster.

The song is about a romantic love affair with a woman. The singer falls in love and is enraptured by the acceleration in the new relationship. In the Bible, we see that God loves his people like a faithful man loves his fiancée.

The amazing acceleration of change around us is like a roller-coaster.

In these chaotic times, many shocked people are looking for a return to the old days. Many want to hold on to old traditions.

Some want to avoid the international crisis by restoring the nationalism of the past.

We are overwhelmed by climate change, terrorism and pandemics. In a world where all sorts of storms are raging, many are looking for a safe cosy corner in a religion where everything is well known and no changes are allowed.

We see this in conservative Christian communities, which are strongly characterised by conformism and dogmatism. We see these religious tendencies everywhere and in different denominations, and also in fundamentalism in other religions.

We also see exactly the opposite tendency. There are also churches that want to be modern and tolerant, where everything in the Bible is questioned.

 Everything is like a roller-coaster where we strive to hold on somehow.

The Bible is our anchor and foundation. Only in God's Word do we find eternal, unchanging truth. 

The Bible speaks of a flawless, unchanging God who never deviates from unchanging principles. We need that like never before.

But the Bible is not just a law book or a theological textbook. In the Bible, we find amazing stories where God surprises us again and again with totally unexpected supernatural acts.

God only once allowed the Hebrews to cross the Red Sea on dry seabed.

God only once let a giant be killed by a boy.

We can expect unprecedented global revival in this crisis. We see this in biblical prophecies.

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Hab 2:14 NIV

Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Is 43:18–19 NRSV

We must expect huge surprises and pray for them.

‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jer 33:3 NASB95

New Hope in the Darkness

This planet is sick. Nations are in fear of sickness, in fear of poverty, in fear of violence. There's a huge pile of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. Young people are desperate about climate change.

But God still speaks as he did in the beginning.
 
 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Gen 1:1-3 NKJ

God sees the darkness all around you, and he wants to give you His light to see by.

 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Gen 1:4 NKJ

God wants to take you out of your darkness into His light.

God spoke this world into being. God still speaks and he has not retired.
God was the creator, and he is still the creator.
He created. He creates and he will create.

Everything that man has ruined, God will do away with.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Rev 21:1 NKJ

The Greens warn that this planet is going to perish because of pollution and climate change, but God will make everything new again in the end.

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." Rev 21:5 NKJ

And who will enjoy this New World? The very same people who ruined God's creation.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16 NKJ

You may have hope in spite of everything, because God loves you in spite of everything.

 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:3-4 NKJ

That's nice, you might think, but I'm scared I’ll lose my job. What if I get sick? What will happen to my family? Right here, right now, I'm scared and struggling. How am I going to get through this crisis?

Unfortunately, I'm familiar with these problems, as are we all. Stress in the family, mega-stress at work, even rejection from other Christians.

But Jesus has never abandoned me and he is faithful. He will never abandon you.
“God will make a way, where there seems to be no way ... “ Don Moen.

Every morning you can say, "God has a good plan for me.”
“Something good is going to happen to me today.”

“God will bless me and I will be a blessing to others.”

Then get up, be blessed and be a blessing. God is with you wherever you go.

God and Climate Change

“Being compassionate means providing a fence at the top of the cliff, not just an ambulance at the bottom.” Fred Nile, Australian Christian politician.
 
I think Fred Nile is speaking about upholding God's ordained social order and moral law to protect us. If you believe in the Bible, it is hard to disagree. 

However, in the current crisis, we should apply this principle also to management of land and water resources. Massive amounts of water have been sacrificed to maximise export dollars, for example in coal mining. We need that water to produce food and fight fires.

Government priorities have been wrong in moral policy but also in land management policy. I avoid the word 'environment' because I am not a Green. We on the conservative Christian side need to do some serious rethinking.

The black and white climate debate obscures inescapable problems. 

Environmentalists focus on overuse of fossil fuels causing global warming. Conservatives say this is a pseudo-scientific hoax designed to undermine capitalism and bring in socialist world government.

But doesn’t the Bible predict environmental disasters in the last days?

And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Luke 21:11 (NKJV)

If greenhouse gas levels are a problem, why is the focus almost exclusively on use of fossil fuels?

• What about the intensive use of agricultural chemicals?

• What about the progressive degradation of agricultural soils and the dramatic decline in the nutritional content of food produced by modern methods?

Why is there so little discussion of the worldwide decimation of bees and other insects? We need bees to pollinate the plants we must have to survive.

The use of glyphosate-based herbicides worldwide dominates farming in many countries but this chemical is toxic to bees.

• In California, intensive production of almonds is sustained by using these herbicides and also by orchardists hiring bee swarms from beekeepers. Untold millions of these bees are dying but the practice continues.

What about the systematic poisoning of marine life with plastic waste and other chemical pollutants? 

Our current industrial and agricultural systems are not sustainable.

Look at the Middle East, mostly desert. Why? God’s judgement on the enemies of God’s people?
 
Maybe so. But God has also blessed the Persians and Arabs with untold wealth from oil. I am not God. We need to understand that we don't understand so many things.

But what about unsustainable agricultural practices over many centuries? Hard to deny.

However, the Jews in Israel have reversed this process. This is undoubtedly due in part to the blessing of God sending more rain. 

However, the Jews have also pioneered drip feed irrigation and strategic tree planting and no doubt other wise land and water management practices. Why are we just admiring them and not learning from them? Is that biblical?

Perhaps the environmentalists are right. We may be on a one way road to destruction.

Why should Christian conservatives resist this narrative? Why should we be committed to the status quo?

Does Bible prophecy encourage this mind set? Does Bible prophecy encourage us to expect never ending economic growth through deregulated capitalism?
I don’t think so.

Bible prophecy tells us that Jesus will return and set up the Kingdom of God in a time of horror.
On the other hand, there are Christian spiritual leaders with apparently genuine prophetic credentials who say God has raised up President Trump.

Maybe this is true. But that does not make all his policies right.

This world is on the road to destruction, how quickly or how soon, we cannot tell. Bible prophecy clearly teaches this.

If we are on the road to destruction, environmentalism, however sensible, will not save us.

Does this mean we should do nothing to improve environmental management?

The positive example of Israel is a good answer to this question.

The Green lobby focuses on a global approach to climate change. However, innovative land management practices in Israel and parts of Africa have shown that rainfall and climate can be positively influenced at a local or regional level.

This approach does not seem to be central to the agenda of either the Right or the Left in Australia and many other countries.

What we often see instead is a polarised debate which is leading us nowhere.