Blog note: And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. (Luke 21:11). Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for as the age of grace comes to a close. This verse from Luke is one of many such prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This list can go on. Most studied eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like a woman having labor pains that occur in greater severity, frequency, size and duration prior to giving birth. End of note.

Mangkhut was bigger, stronger and scarier than Florence!

CNN. September 14, 2018.

Mangkhut — stronger than Hurricane Florence, had wind speeds up to 285 kilometers per hour (180 mph). The massive storm was the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane.

Here are some more details on Mangkhut’s incredible strength:

Wind speeds are up to 165 mph, or 270 kilometers per hour.

Gusts are as high as 200 mph, or 325 kilometers per hour.

The typhoon force winds, or those above 74 mph, stretch from its center for about 168 miles.

The tropical storm force winds extend 550 miles across in Super Typhoon Mangkhut. Compare that to Hurricane Florence, where tropical storm force winds extend 350 miles.

More than 30 million people are expected to receive the Tropical Storm force winds on the island of Luzon.

A total of 15,328 people were evacuated in three regions of northern Luzon, according to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s spokesperson Edgar Posada.

Side-by-side images of Hurricane Florence and Super Typhoon Mangkhut show the difference in their sizes.