RIO DE JANEIRO - In the height of
daytime on Monday, the sky suddenly blackened, and day became night in Sao
Paulo. Sure, smog is bad in the Western Hemisphere's largest city, where
traffic jams can stretch for dozens of miles. But not this bad. What was going
on? Was the end near? "Apocalypse!" one person cried on Twitter. "The
final judgment is coming!" another added.[1]
Apocalypse –no! The final judgment –no! –just another
indicator of man’s stupidity. A disregard for the well-being of people in the
selfish pursuit of wealth and power.
It is apparent that humans do not learn from past events.
Are things any worse now than earlier times in history? It is difficult to
imagine that people at the time of the flood were godless to a greater degree
than many today. It is debatable that Sodom was more perverted and immoral than
many societies currently. The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said, “…the love of money is a root of all
kinds of evil…”[2] his
statement rings true in the realm of politics. Russia claims to be a communist
country, that’s a farce, it is a totalitarian dictatorship. Putin is one of the
riches men, if not the richest man, on earth. The USA boasts that it is the
greatest democracy, not so! It is a republic in which money rules every aspect
of life, and the government. Money from Lobbyists dictates most of what goes on
in government. Trump promised to drain the swamp, that’s a laugh; he’s the
biggest swamp rat, in a much bigger swamp. Trudeau is as much in love with
money as he is himself, if that’s even possible. The love of wealth and power
derived from wealth is as much a scourge today as it ever was. Not just in
politics, but in every walk of life. Living in a free country is only possible
if you pay for it. Nero was a horrible leader, but was he any worse than Trump,
Putin, Xi Jinping, Trudeau, or Duterte?
The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to
show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, "When it is evening, you
say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It
will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to
interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the
times.[3]
The religious leaders had the written Law and the Prophecies
at their disposal. They were the guardians of Israel, it was their
responsibility to lead Israel. Jesus rebuked them for not recognizing the signs
of the times. Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah. His birthplace was announced in
advance, his ministry was stated, and his death foretold. Were Israel’s leaders
anymore steeped in tradition than church leaders today? Isn’t it hypocritical
to criticize Pharisees of the first century for having their own set of rules,
when every church has its own set of doctrines?
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of
the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in
marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed
all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and
drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot
left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them--it
will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.[4]
Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was
coming. He answered them, and pointed out that people facing destruction by the
flood, and those in Sodom, paid no attention to warnings. They ignored any sign;
they were too engaged in “normal life” to be bothered by any distraction. That
would be the same situation at the time of Jesus return in his kingdom, at the
end of the Jewish age. Jesus warned about the coming judgment on Israel, he
gave indicators as to when it would happen, but no date or time. Much of Jesus
teaching included the necessity of being ready, and being prepared. Many religious
leaders should be concerned right now, because according to their
misinterpretation of Jesus’ teaching concerning Jerusalem –the silly stuff
about a “rapture”, or “earthly reign”, the end might be right on their
doorstep. Were Jewish leaders any more blinded by their erroneous doctrines
than church leaders today?
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation
has come near.[5]
Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the
powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in
heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the
Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory. And he
will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his
elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Truly I tell
you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken
place.[6]
‘Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and
sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in
the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some
standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God
has come with power.’[7]
It is abundantly clear that Jesus said, and meant, that
within the lifetime of some of his audience he would return. Which, unless you
think that God is capricious, Jesus did. The event of his return, in the time
he said it would happen, shreds the various doctrines fabricated around the
thousand year reign in Revelation. It’s time the religious world woke up to the
fact, that you either believe what Jesus said, or you don’t. All the millennium
theories are man-made and built on doubt. That is, doubt that God accomplished
his purpose in Jesus. Churches have taken notions that suited them, and
discarded truths, simply because they don’t fit their fancy. The Pharisees of
Jesus time followed their own set of rules, the same way churches do, and have
done for centuries.
So, for the sake of your tradition, you
make void the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you
when he said: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far
from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.'[8]
Do you think that the passage quoted by Jesus from Isaiah
was any more of a rebuke to the Pharisees than to churches throughout time? Present
day Christian religions need to reflect upon the words of Jesus.
Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of
power had been done, because they did not repent. ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they
would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day
of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you,
Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to
Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would
have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it
will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.’[9]
Nothing in scripture is directed at the present time,
however, all principles apply. Is it possible that with all the advantages
available in the present, that churches will be held less accountable than the
cities Jesus named? If the words of Jesus are not believable now, they would
not have been believable if you lived when Jesus was on earth. To believe in
Jesus; we have more evidence, greater knowledge, greater freedom, less
opposition, and more time, than people living in the first century. Jesus
provided another principle –“…to
whom much has been given, much will be required...[10]
The fanatics pushing their climate change agenda, charge
humanity as guilty for causing the problems, (somehow, they themselves are
exempt from guilt, and free to fly in gas-emitting jets to meetings condemning
humanity). For forty years or more these climate zealots have demanded money to
prevent change from continuing. In case you are wondering, I do believe that
change is taking place. I don’t however, agree with the self-righteous disciples
of pantheistic programs. I don’t believe man causes everything going wrong with
the climate today. Has humanity been irresponsible in caring for the planet?
–of course. The pseudo-science of anthropogenic climate change is nothing more
than a façade covering greed. Climate scientists clamber for more and more
funding –they are saving the planet. Rubbish! They have not improved or
prevented anything. Were the people building the Tower of Babel any more
arrogant and self-centered than the people claiming they can fix the world’s
climate?
“More frequent and extreme heat” “Rising
seas and increased coastal flooding” “Longer and more damaging wildfire seasons”
“More destructive hurricanes” “Military bases at risk” “National landmarks at
risk” “Costly and growing health impacts” “An increase in extreme weather
events” “Heavier precipitation and flooding” “Destruction of marine ecosystems”
“More severe droughts in some areas” “Widespread forest death in the Rocky
Mountains” “Increased pressure on groundwater supplies” “Growing risks to our
electricity supply” “Changing seasons” “Melting ice” “Disruptions to food
supplies” “Plant and animal range shifts” “The potential for abrupt climate
change”
We
Need Your Support
to Make Change Happen
We can reduce global warming
emissions and ensure communities have the resources they need to withstand the
effects of climate change—but not without you. Your generous support helps
develop science-based solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.[11]
DONATE! DONATE! DONATE! …………….
The only thing left out of the list is Donald Trump’s heel
spurs. The article by “The Union of Concerned Scientists” is a heart breaker.
We are to put our trust in the same bunch of nitwits that have failed on every
count for over forty years? There is no business that would ever seek an IPO
with their dismal record, yet we are told to get on board. We are in sad shape,
if the future of the world depends on failed science. Please excuse my
cynicism, while I don’t believe any of the charlatans promoting snake oil as a
solution to the world’s woes, I do believe that many things are changing. The
changes taking place though, are beyond human control. You may as well be King
Knut demanding the waves to stop, as trust in human ability to reverse the
changes taking place. The only thing humans can control is their response to
climate change. Instead of wasting trillions of dollars on trying to stop the
world changing, the money should be to good use by making preparation for a
different future.
For atheists, climate change could indicate that man cannot
control the future. The display of nature’s power to do its own thing, could
indicate to godless people that we are all subject to powers beyond ourselves.
There should be no fear for evolutionists, since the present changes suggest
that evolution is about to require adaptation for survival. If there is no God,
and everything that exists is a result of happenstance and mistakes, this
change should be welcomed. Why if evolution is about to move to a more advanced
stage, would evolutionists not embrace the changes? People have rushed to
support climate scientists, governments have done the same. It makes no sense
to try regulate things beyond our control, but without faith in God, the next
best thing is to turn to human knowledge.
Icarus and his father attempt to escape
from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax.
Icarus' father warns him first of complacency and then of hubris, asking that
he fly neither too low nor too high, so the sea's dampness would not clog his
wings nor the sun's heat melt them. Icarus ignored his father's instructions
not to fly too close to the sun; when the wax in his wings melted he tumbled
out of the sky and fell into the sea where he drowned.[12]
For the conceited “scientists” who believe they can control
nature, the fable from Greek mythology is suitable.
Putting fancy human doctrines aside, believers need to accept
the events taking place as reinforcing human life is frail and fleeting. The
signs do not have to indicate the end of all things. They do suggest a message
to be learned, is that life is not guaranteed. Anyone of us at any moment may
step off this world into eternity. For that we must be prepared. The parables
of Jesus taught that people should be ready and waiting for his return. We
cannot go through life thinking that everything remains the same and will
continue to be that way. That was the attitude before the flood. That was the
attitude in building the Tower of Babel. That was the attitude before the
temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. Look at today’s changes, and if you realize
there is nothing you can do about them, and you feel insignicant, that’s a good
thing. Turn your eye heavenward, and like Habakkuk be comforted, that “the LORD is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth be silent before Him.”[13]
[1]
www.greenwichtime.com
[8]
Mat 15:6-9
[11]
https://www.ucsusa.org
[12]
Greek mythology
[13]
Hab 2:20
