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.

Toxic Air in India Declared Public Health Emergency. Construction ban in effect for six (6) cities.

Pratik Parija and Rajesh Kumar Singh Bloomberg•November 2, 2019

(Bloomberg) — A federal government mandated panel said air pollution in India’s capital and its suburbs over the last week has worsened to levels that should be treated as a public health emergency.

The air quality index, or AQI, hit as high as 744 at some areas in the Indian capital at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, according to website AirVisual, which monitors air pollution around the world. Readings above 300 are considered hazardous and 50 is the safe level.

The toxic air quality — the result of a combination of factors from construction dust to vehicular emissions and farm stubble burning in areas around Delhi to wind conditions — prompted the state government to order schools shut until Nov. 5.

That lethal cocktail was made worse by the bursting of firecrackers to celebrate the Hindu festival of Diwali on Oct. 27, Bhure Lal, chairman of the Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority for the national capital region, said in a letter to administrations in the national capital and the states surrounding it.

The air quality dipped sharply on Diwali day as many people flouted a Supreme Court order to curb burning of firecrackers. The police have arrested some people who violated the court directive but that had a limited impact.

The smoke from stubble fires from fields across north India is an annual air quality disaster as efforts to provide cultivators with a viable alternative have faltered.

After rice, wheat or other grain is harvested, the stubble that remains must be removed before the next planting cycle. This was once removed manually and used as cattle feed, or to make cardboard. But over the last decade or so farmers have switched to using a machine called a combine harvester that leaves 80% of the residue in the field as loose straw that ends up being burned. Disposal by means other than burning — such as plowing it into a fine layer of field cover — costs time and money, two things that farmers say they can’t afford.

Farmers need alternatives to stop stubble burning as it’s expensive for them to remove rice straw from the field after harvesting, according to V.M. Singh, convener of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, a farmers’ group.

“Give us some alternatives as we are forced to do this,” Singh said on Thursday in New Delhi. Farmers should be paid 200 rupees per 100 kilograms to store the stubble in one place instead of burning it.

The government panel monitoring air quality has asked states to do the following:

Ban construction activity in Delhi, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida until the morning of Nov. 5. Hot mix plants and stone crushers operating in these areas to also remain shut until that time. Coal and other fuel-based industries, except those using natural gas or agro-residue, to remain closed in major industrial cities in the region until the morning of Nov. 5 Power plants have been exempted from this restriction. Bursting of fire crackers is completely banned during winter