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.

S.Africa wildfires kill 7 including baby, pregnant woman

AFP. October 29, 2018

Johannesburg (AFP) – Raging wildfires have killed seven people including a baby and a pregnant woman in a farming settlement along South Africa’s famed Garden Route, disaster management services said Monday. Firefighters have been battling to quell the blazes that started last week along the southern tourist trail.

“So far we have confirmed that there are seven fatalities of which one is a woman who was eight months pregnant,” Colin Deiner, head of Western Cape provincial disaster management services, told AFP. He added that a baby was among the dead. “They were trapped in Farleigh, it’s a small settlement in the mountains between George and Knysna,” he said. “That’s where we found the bodies today.”

Deiner said the fires have burnt around 16,600 hectares and had forced a precautionary evacuation of three suburbs, housing more than 1,500 people. Local media reported that students from one campus of the Nelson Mandela University, situated on the foot of Outeniqua Mountains in the town of George were also evacuated.

At least 400 firefighters have been deployed to try and contain the blaze in raging in the area which is around 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Cape Town. “The strong winds are our biggest problem at the moment and lightning is also causing more problems,” said Deiner.