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, duration and
scope.
North Texas tornado outbreak caused $2 billion in losses, the costliest in state history. 10 (5+5) tornadoes. 150 (5+5+5) mph winds. 100,000 (5+5) customers without power. Five (5) years since ‘last most expensive tornado outbreak.’
By Madeline Holcombe and Christina Maxouris, CNN. Updated 9:29 AM ET, Thu October 24, 2019
The tornadoes that tore through northern Texas on Sunday will be the costliest tornado outbreak in Texas history, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. That historic bill is expected to be about $2 billion for the damage caused by the outbreak of an estimated ten tornadoes in northern Texas, council spokeswoman Camille Garcia told CNN Thursday.
One tornado touched down in Dallas around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service confirmed. It was rated Monday as an EF-3 storm with winds of almost 150 mph. Three people were taken to hospitals with storm-related injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the Dallas Office of Emergency Management. The tornadoes also damaged buildings, uprooted trees and snapped utility poles in half, CNN affiliate KTVT reported. Monday morning, more than 100,000 customers were without power in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area, power company Oncor said.
“Considering the path that the storm took — it went across a pretty densely populated part of our city — I think we should consider ourselves very fortunate that we did not lose any lives, no fatalities and no serious injuries in last night’s storm,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said at a news conference. Garcia said the previous most-expensive tornado outbreak in Texas came in 2015, when twisters struck the towns of Garland and Rowlett, causing $1.2 billion in losses.
The weekend tornado outbreak was part of a line of storms that killed two people in the Great Plains. One man was killed in northwestern Arkansas after a tree fell on his home, said Robert McGowen, a spokesman for Benton County Emergency Management. Another person was killed in Valliant, Oklahoma, after a tree fell on their home during the storms Sunday night, Oklahoma Emergency Management spokeswoman Keli Cain said.