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.

Very dangerous’: Cyclone Veronica to bring 4m storm surge to northern WA. Category 4 system set to cause destructive winds for 12 hours or more while Cyclone Trevor brings floods to NT (Australia).

Australian Associated Press

Sat 23 Mar 2019 18.55 EDT

The threat to the Northern Territory from Cyclone Trevor was predicted to shift from destructive winds to flash flooding on Sunday, as residents in Western Australia’s far north braced for dangerous storm surges caused by Cyclone Veronica.

Cyclone Trevor crossed the mainland as a category 4 storm on Sunday morning, producing wind gusts of 230km/h around the NT’s border with Queensland.

Shortly after midnight, the storm was downgraded to a tropical low.

But the threat is not over for communities near Tennant Creek, 500km inland, as the Bureau of Meteorology on Sunday warned of heavy rain and destructive winds in the NT’s east.

The bureau issued a flood watch for the drought-hit Barkly region and rivers around the Carpentaria coast, warning of falls of up to 200mm.

“The black soils [in the Barkly] have been very hard-baked and so we are expecting, with those heavy falls, for rainfall to run off rather than soak in,” bureau forecaster Todd Smith said on Saturday.

“So we can see some localised flash flooding – roads being cut, communities being isolated. It’s really the next few days that’s going to pose a rainfall risk to the Barkly.”

The system is expected to come within 100km of Tennant Creek on Sunday afternoon before moving south-east towards the Queensland border in coming days.

Roads to Ngukurr opened overnight while flights on Sunday morning will begin returning Groote Eylandt residents to the island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

“We are going to do everything we can to get you home as soon as we can,” the NT police regional controller Travis Wurst told evacuees in Darwin on Saturday.

Communities evacuated to Darwin and Katherine last week were spared a direct hit. More than 2,000 people were evacuated from communities, the largest such effort in the NT since Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1974.

Meanwhile in the west, Cyclone Veronica was nearing Port Hedland late on Saturday night.

It was downgraded to a category 3 system as it began lashing the coastline of the Pilbara region between Dampier and Port Hedland about 6am on Sunday.

Authorities in the Pilbara have issued a red alert, telling residents between Pardoo and Mardie to take shelter immediately and brace for howling winds and rising tides.

A significant storm surge was predicted for parts of the Pilbara coast, with a high risk that properties in Port Hedland could be inundated, according to WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

“Tides are at the highest point this weekend, which increases the risk of large storm tides. The surge may be up to four metres on top of the existing tide level,” it warned.

Residents were urged to stay indoors in the strongest and safest part of their homes.

“We’re expecting the potential for a very dangerous storm surge as the tropical cyclone pushes water up against the low-lying coastal areas,” Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster James Ashley said.

Ashley said Veronica was a slow-moving system that would bring a prolonged period of destructive winds and heavy rain.

“We are expecting a prolonged period – 12 hours or more – of destructive winds near the core of the cyclone. We’re expecting a prolonged period of heavy rainfall so flooding is going to be an issue

Western Australia’s fire and emergency services chief superintendent, Paul Carr, praised the community for their response to the cyclone but said it was a significant event.

“We are looking down the barrel of a significant tropical cyclone impact,” Carr said.

People in the Port Hedland area were urged to check storm surge modelling maps and start preparing to relocate to a safer place if affected.

The system was expected to remain a category 4 on Sunday, weakening to a category 2 on Monday.

The last category 4 tropical cyclone to hit the WA coast was Christine in December 2013.

Veronica is the third tropical cyclone this season.