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.

Fire and lightning near the North Pole

Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY Published 8:03 a.m. ET Aug. 13, 2019 | Updated 9:37 a.m. ET Aug. 14, 2019

First fires for the Arctic, now rare lightning strikes?

In an unusual event Saturday evening, multiple lightning strikes were detected within 300 miles of the North Pole, the National Weather Service said.

The strikes occurred between 4 and 6 p.m. local time about 700 miles north of the Lena River Delta in Siberia, the NWS said.

“This is one of the furthest north lightning strikes in Alaska forecaster memory,” the weather service said in a statement.

According to Weather.com, while summer lightning strikes do occur in the Arctic, they are rare and often not as far north as Saturday’s weather event.

NWS meteorologist in Fairbanks, Alaska, Ryan Metzger told the Washington Post, “I wouldn’t say it’s never happened before, but it’s certainly unusual, and it piqued our attention.”

Thunderstorms form with warm, moist air moving upward. The rare event for the Arctic comes amid a particularly hot July around the globe.

Scientists predicted July 2019 would be the Earth’s hottest month ever with record-breaking heat waves sweltering the northern hemisphere.

While no single weather event can be tied directly to global warming, scientists say that human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather.

And it isn’t just rare thunderstorms hitting the Arctic. Wildfires were spotted in satellites images from eastern Siberia to Greenland to Alaska in July. Scientists expressed concern given the magnitude of those fires.

The fires appear to be further north than usual, and some appear to have ignited peat soils,” Thomas Smith, an assistant professor in environmental geography at the London School of Economics, told USA TODAY in July.