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.
African giraffes are threatened with ‘silent extinction’
Ellen Manning. Yahoo News UK•August 16, 2019
African giraffes are in danger of “silent extinction”, experts have warned, as countries are set to meet to discuss ways regulate international wildlife trade that is threatening to wipe out certain species.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which starts on Saturday, will discuss ways to regulate trade in products from giraffes, whose numbers have plummeted.
A recent UN-based global assessment of nature warned that around a million species are at risk of extinction, partly due to hunting and trading.
Giraffe numbers have fallen by up to 40% over the last 30 years due to threats including trading, illegal hunting, civil war and habitat loss, leading to what conservationists have dubbed a “silent extinction”.
Giraffes were listed as a species of “least concern” on the 2010 International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list but by 2016 had moved to “vulnerable”.
“This is why for the giraffe we speak of the threat of a silent extinction,” said Jenna Stacy-Dawes, research coordinator at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.
Proposals at ‘Cites’ include a bid by the Central African Republic, Chad, Kenya, Mali, Niger and Senegal to regulate the trade in products from giraffes.
Matt Collis, director of international policy at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) said: “It is important that giraffes are listed by Cites because currently we can’t say for certain how much of their huge population decline is due to trade.
“We do know it is a significant factor though as the only country that currently collects data on trade in giraffes, the US, has reported almost 40,000 giraffe items traded in a decade, from 2006 to 2015.
The agenda also includes efforts to protect jaguars and Asian otters, as well as the regularly international trade in new species of sharks, under threat due to the demand for fins and meat.
Rebecca Regnery from Humane Society International, said: “The threat that sharks and rays face from the shark fin trade are now so severe that the future survival of many species hangs in the balance as nations prepare to gather at the Cites wildlife conference.”
Cites will also include discussions over elephants, with several African countries seeking changes that will allow them to sell their ivory stocks in order to support further conservation.
Mr Collis warned that previous “one-off sales” of legal ivory pushed up poaching by providing cover for illegal sales and said it was “not a viable way of dealing with the crisis”.