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, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.
UN chief: Data shows July equaled or surpassed hottest month in recorded history. The world is on track for the period from 2015 to 2019 “to be the five hottest years on record.” What do we know about the number ‘5’?
EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press•August 1, 2019
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The latest data from the World Meteorological Organization shows the month of July “at least equaled if not surpassed the hottest month in recorded history” — and it followed the hottest June ever, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday.
The U.N. chief told reporters that “this is even more significant because the previous hottest month, July 2016, occurred during one of the strongest El Nino’s ever,” which was not the case this year.
An El Nino is a natural warming of the ocean that once it interacts with the atmosphere often warms up the globe and changes rainfall and temperature patterns, making some places wetter and some places drier.
Guterres said the latest weather data, including temperature-shattering records from New Delhi and Anchorage to Paris, Santiago, Adelaide, Australia and the Arctic Circle, means the world is on track for the period from 2015 to 2019 “to be the five hottest years on record.”
He warned that if all nations don’t take immediate action to tackle climate change, extreme weather events happening now “are just the tip of the iceberg.”
“And the iceberg is also rapidly melting,” Guterres said.
Arctic Sea ice is already near record low levels, he said, and the European heat wave last month has raised temperatures in the Arctic and Greenland by 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.
“Preventing irreversible climate disruption is the race of our lives and for our lives,” Guterres said. “It is a race we can — and must — win.”
In his efforts to keep climate change at the top of the global agenda, the secretary-general has organized a Youth Climate Summit for Sept. 21, to be followed by a Climate Action Summit for world leaders on Sept. 23, the day before their annual gathering at the U.N. General Assembly.
Guterres said he looks forward to welcoming young leaders, including 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
He said he has told leaders from governments, business and civil society “that the ticket to entry is bold action and much greater ambition,” not “beautiful speeches.”
The 2015 Paris climate agreement aims to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, compared with pre-industrial times, to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Guterres said that target must be met.
He said greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming, must be cut by 45 percent by 2030 and “we need carbon neutrality by 2050.” The secretary-general said that will require rapid and deep change “in how we do business, generate power, build cities and feed the world.”
He pointed to some good news, including solar and onshore wind now the cheapest sources of new power in virtually all major economies.
“Many countries — from Chile to Finland and from the United Kingdom to the Marshall Islands — have concrete and credible plans to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century,” Guterres said. “And many others — from Ethiopia to New Zealand to Fiji to Pakistan — are planting hundreds of millions of trees to reverse deforestation … and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”
He also praised businesses with a combined value of more than $1.3 trillion that have signed on to a campaign by the U.N. Global Compact to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.