Blog note. Jesus indicated that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be identified as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these events. They would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency, size, duration, scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor the farther along she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the times’ that comes just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation period
… 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).
… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)
… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken; (Luke 21:26)
… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)
Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several 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.
‘Falling out of trees’: dozens of dead possums blamed on extreme heat stress. Rescuers found 127 ringtail possums along the shoreline and in the water on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula
Thu 7 Mar 2019 02.07 EST Last modified on Thu 7 Mar 2019 02.09 EST. The Guardian.
More than 100 dead and injured ringtail possums have been found by wildlife rescuers along a single stretch of beach in Victoria in what ecologists say is becoming an annual occurrence due to extreme heat.
Rescuers and wildlife carers discovered 127 ringtail possums along the shoreline and in the water at Somers Beach on the Mornington Peninsula on Saturday during a four-day period that saw consistent temperatures in the high 30s, warm nights and bushfires in parts of the state.
Melanie Attard, a wildlife rescuer and foster carer with Aware Wildlife in Frankston, said rescuers suspected the animals had become so dehydrated and desperate they had left an area of scrub and come down to the beach and attempted to drink salt water.
“We assume they’ve come out due to the heat stress heading for the water in desperation,” she said.
“It’s not nice seeing a possum throwing itself into the beach and drinking seawater. It’s really desperate.”
Attard said 100 of the animals had died while the remaining possums had been taken into care. Only half had survived and would be released back into the wild when they had recovered.
Veterinary staff working with Wildlife Health Victoria: Surveillance at Melbourne University are investigating the cause of the deaths.
Malcolm Legg, a Mornington Peninsula-based ecologist who has been monitoring the situation for a decade, said: “It’s pretty much an annual event now whenever we get heatwaves of two days or more.
“The possums are just collapsing, out of trees, run down by cars, taken by cats and dogs.
“Last week they were going down to the water and getting so desperate they were dying on the spot.”
He said the situation was similar to heat stress deaths that have affected other species this summer, including the spectacled flying fox in Queensland.
Scientists have also been monitoring large drops in moth species due to climate change and recent drought.
Legg said there was no comfort in the fact that the ringtail possum was a common species when the situation was occurring with such regularity as extreme weather becomes more frequent.
“This is an indication the populations are starting to crash locally. It might not be so common in the next 10 to 15 years.”
Euan Ritchie, an associate professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Deakin University, said the extreme weather that had been predicted for decades was now affecting several species.
“These recent heatwaves have been a disaster. The spectacled flying foxes. The bogong moths. This just really adds to that story,” he said.
“It’s not just we’re talking about endangered species. This is a common species and it’s falling over.
“That’s a pretty big reality check.”