Extreme weather is hitting various parts of the world. Parts of Europe had record temperatures yesterday, and some believe today will be the hottest temperature ever recorded in Europe:
Europe set for its hottest day EVER with temperatures set to soar above 48C record set in 1977
4 August 2018
EUROPE is braced for its hottest day since records began today with temperatures likely to soar above the 118F high set 40 years ago. …The blistering sunshine is widely tipped to pass the 118.4F (48C) recorded in Athens, Greece, on July 10, 1977.
And the deadly scorcher — driven by an African plume carrying Saharan dust with it …
A temperature of almost 122F (50C) was recorded in Badajoz, South West Spain yesterday
The Red Cross has already sent volunteers to the areas most at risk in southern Spain and Portugal.
And their emergency services have issued a red alert, drafting in extra medical staff and firefighters to cope with the threat.
The highest temperature recorded to date in Spain is 117F (47.3C). …
Imperial, in the south of the western state, recorded the highest temperature at which rain has ever fallen anywhere in the world – 48.3 degrees Celsius.
It was just another in a long list of temperature records that have been smashed this year on four continents.
Africa recorded its highest-ever reliably measured temperature on July 5, when Ouargla, Algeria topped 51.3C.
In Asia, Japan, North and South Korea all saw new records. Japan‘s heat set a record on July 23, when Kumagaya reported a maximum of 41.1C. Meanwhile, Pyongyang and Seoul both broke their previous maximum temperatures on August 1 when they reported 37.8C and 39.4C, respectively.
Notice two reports related to Asia and other parts of the world:
29 July 2018
Japan hit 41.1 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) last Monday, its hottest temperature ever. Records fell in parts of Massachusetts, Maine, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico and Texas. And then there’s crazy heat in Europe, where normally chill Norway, Sweden and Finland all saw temperatures they have never seen before on any date, pushing past 90 degrees.
As many as 29 people have died due to heatstroke in South Korea, according to the South Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare and Disease Control.
The country is undergoing an extended heatwave, with at least 15 days of temperatures over 35˚C (95˚F) recorded, the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) reported. The agency added that Wednesday was the hottest day in Seoul in 111 years, with a temperature of 39.6˚C. https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/02/asia/south-korea-heatwave-deaths-intl/index.html
So, we are seeing some extreme weather.
Yesterday, I was speaking to someone who lives in the Phoenix, Arizona area and she was telling about the severe dust storms that area had been having. Here is a news report about that:
Storm Hits Phoenix Area for 2nd Time in 4 Days
A wall of dust has enveloped the Phoenix metro area in the second monsoon storm in a four-day span.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on a monsoon storm that hit parts of Arizona (all times local):
7 p.m.
A wall of dust has enveloped the Phoenix metro area in the second monsoon storm in a four-day span.
Officials at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport say flights are being delayed or held until visibility improves.
National Weather Service meteorologists say blowing dust in the Phoenix area brought near-zero visibility for drivers Thursday evening.
What about California? Well, massive wildfires have been happening in the north. While some have died down, there were new concerns in the news today:
August 4, 2018
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Crews battling deadly Northern California wildfires braced for a weekend of windy, hot weather that could drive the flames into new areas and threaten more homes.
The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings of critical fire weather conditions through Saturday night, saying a series of dry low-pressure systems passing through the region could bring wind gusts of up to 35 mph that could turn small fires or even sparks into racing walls of flame.
“This is a particularly dangerous situation with extremely low humidity and high winds. New fires will grow rapidly out of control, in some cases people may not be able to evacuate safely in time should a fire approach,” the weather service said in its bulletin for the Mendocino area north of San Francisco.
As a precaution, new evacuations were called Friday for an area of Mendocino and Lake counties where week-old twin fires have destroyed 41 homes and threaten about 9,000 more.
The fire has charred an area of the forested, rural area five times the size of San Francisco and is only 30 percent contained. Thousands of people remain evacuated.
God controls the weather and sometimes provides extreme weather for correction. Notice the following from the old WCG:
The Bible makes plain who is in control of the weather! “Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word” (Ps . 148:8 , RAV).
God intervenes in weather to work out his purposes among nations…
Plagues of disastrous weather are a warning to humanity. Weather for the most part operates according to natural laws. Damaging weather patterns sometimes develop. God simply may not choose to intervene to stop them because of nations’ various sins and idolatry.
The Bible reveals God also directly intervenes to cause weather plagues to warn certain nations. “I have smitten you with blasting and mildew . .. yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord” (Amos 4:9). He, in his great purpose, may also allow Satan-the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4)-to have a role in producing calamitous weather, for man’s ultimate learning (see Job, chapter 1). (Schroeder D. CHAOTIC WEATHER Return of the dust bowl? Plain Truth. 1984, pp. 19-20)
The Bible repeatedly warns, especially in the Hebrew scriptures, that various sins will result in destructive weather. Notice some from Deuteronomy:
13 ‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’ 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 17 lest the Lord’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you. (Deuteronomy 11:13-17)
15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. … 22 The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. 24 The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:15-16, 22-24)
Yes, extreme weather can be the result of human sin.
As far as heat goes, the following is expected in either the next decade or the one following it:
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9)
People should repent of their sins.
Yes, the temperature will one day be even higher than the records being set this Summer. For many more weather scriptures, see the article Weather Blessings and Sorrows. Weather is not as random as most seem to want to believe.
Back in 2009, in a book that accurately laid out what would and would NOT happen in 2012, I mentioned the following was about to happen:
Considering all of the natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, food shortages, and economic problems in the past few years, perhaps this would be a good time to explain that the Bible shows that these problems were expected to occur prior to the great tribulation. Those outside the Bible have sometimes referred to a time such as this as a time of transition or chaos. …
There will be a generation that will experience end-time events, beginning with “sorrows,” including the Great Tribulation, heavenly signs, and finally the return of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:5-34). …
Mark recorded the same account of this time from his perspective:
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” 5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit…” (Mark 13:3–11).
Thus, in both Matthew and Mark it is clear that a time called “the beginning of sorrows” precedes the Great Tribulation.
Notice that in Mark’s account he uses the term troubles. Troubles would seem to include economic and political problems, in addition to those specifically mentioned, such as wars, famines, natural disasters, and pestilences. …
Odd weather patterns result in food shortages and natural disasters.
Matthew 24:7
The world is actually in a berserk transition, as the real age of peace is not yet here. It may be a period of chaos. It is the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:8
(Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Nazarene Books, 2009)
The above was published because it was consistent with Bible prophecy. We have been seeing odd weather patterns and the United Nations and others are concerned about related food shortages.
As far as “troubles” go, notice something related to Europe and the heat:
In Hamburg, authorities collected almost five tons of dead fish from ponds over the weekend, German press agency dpa reported. Firefighters have started pumping fresh water into some ponds and lakes to try to raise oxygen levels.
Meanwhile, the UK’s Environment Agency said more than 6,000 fish had died in several regions in the country. …
Authorities in Sweden, Poland and Lithuania have warned against swimming due to a huge bloom of toxic algae spreading because of hot temperatures.
The blooming of blue-green algae is primarily caused by the excess of nutrients in the water. Scientists say exceptionally hot weather and a lack of wind has exacerbated the effect. …
The heatwave has triggered pollution warnings across parts of Europe.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan last week said the heat combined with the capital’s “toxic air, a lack of cloud cover and emissions travelling from the continent” had led him to trigger a “high” air pollution alert.
Meanwhile, several areas of France were placed on alert for pollution as a result of the rising mercury levels. …
The soaring temperatures and drought have devastated crops, with more than half of the harvest expected to be lost in some areas of Europe.
Some arable farmers are facing bankruptcy; states of emergency have been declared in Latvia and Lithuania; and some Swedish fields have received only 12% of their normal rainfall.
The heat is exacerbating another problem that European countries have long dealt with: Still-potent weaponry left over from World War II.
At the end of July, firefighters grappling with a forest fire southwest of Berlin were further challenged by unexploded World War II ammunition still buried there.
High heat is more than just uncomfortable for most and deadly to some people.
Extreme weather should be a wake-up call to repent. But also to support the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
The United Nations set out to deal with the climate officially a few years ago (I bolded Goals 13 & 15):
Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Preamble This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. …
Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development …
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard …
