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.

Five (5) people killed or missing in landslides, floods weeks after typhoon hit Japan. Non-mandatory evacuation orders were issued to more than 390,000 residents in the Fukushima region and 5,000 (5) people in Chiba. Japan was hit by heavy rains just two weeks after a deadly typhoon barrelled through the country.

AFP•October 25, 2019

Tokyo (AFP) – A woman in her 60s was sent to hospital and another woman in her 40s was unaccounted for after landslides struck two houses in Chiba, southeast of Tokyo, said a local disaster management official.

“She was later confirmed dead in hospital,” the official told AFP.

A separate landslide destroyed another house in Chiba, killing a man, public broadcaster NHK said, adding he appeared to be a person who had earlier been reported missing.

Elsewhere in Chiba prefecture, two elderly men died in separate incidents, one in a submerged car, Kyodo news agency reported.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings of heavy rains, landslides and floods in a swathe of areas including eastern and central Japan.

“As risks of disasters have already increased, please be extremely vigilant about landslides, rise in river water volumes and floods as rains will continue,” the JMA warned on its Twitter account.

Non-mandatory evacuation orders were issued to more than 390,000 residents in the Fukushima region and 5,000 people in Chiba, NHK reported.

Local authorities in Minamisoma, eastern Fukushima, announced they planned to discharge water from a dam that had reached maximum capacity Friday night, raising fears of flooding in populated downstream areas.

Footage showed cars splashing through roads partly inundated with water, as several swollen rivers flooded in eastern Japan.

Some 4,700 houses in the region were without power by Friday evening, while some train services were suspended, officials said.

Japan was hit by Typhoon Hagibis about two weeks ago, with the death toll from the violent storm now standing at more than 80.

Residents still picking up the pieces after that storm expressed frustrations over reconstruction delays and their fear of another disaster.

“I’m a bit worried that if an evacuation order is issued, we will have to leave here,” a woman in Nagano in central Japan who was cleaning up mud told NHK.

Many of the river banks and levees that were breached during Hagibis have not yet been repaired.