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.
New Zealand’s glaciers are turning red – and it’s because of Australia’s bushfires
By Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Updated 7:17 AM ET, Thu December 5, 2019
One of the most startling consequences of the bushfires that are still raging across Australia, is that they have turned some of New Zealand‘s famed glaciers red and pink.
Travel photographer and blogger Liz Carlson snapped the pictures of the discolored snow-capped glaciers on November 28 while on a helicopter flight around Mount Aspiring National Park, in New Zealand’s South Island.
“After we flew deep into the park around the Kitchener Glacier, I could really see how red it was, and it was shocking, I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Carlson told CNN.
“Often at the end of summer the glaciers can appear dirty, even gray with all of the snowmelt and bits of black rock on them, but this was the height of spring so it was really bizarre.
“The ice was coated in a way that gave it a pinkish-red tinge,” she added.
Australia has been experiencing one of its worst bushfire seasons on record. As of Thursday, there were more than 117 bush and grass fires with more than 60 not yet contained, according to the New South Wales Fire Service.
Westerly winds blew the smoke from the Australian fires toward New Zealand.
The heavier particles in the smoke fall out and, in this case, discolored the snow in New Zealand, according to CNN meteorologist Monica Garrett.
Until the material on the glaciers is tested, it is not possible to know for sure what material it is, Garrett said
Given the conditions of the past few months, it is safe to assume that it is from the Australia fires, she added.
Satellite pictures on Wednesday show smoke from the fires in eastern New South Wales crossing the Tasman Sea and the North Island of New Zealand. New South Wales and Mount Aspiring National Park are more than 1,000 miles apart.
The smoke and dust from the fires also turned the skies red and orange in New Zealand.
Carlson, who lives in Wanaka, said she was saddened by the sight of the red glaciers. “The wildfires in Australia are immense and unprecedented (and) are definitely exacerbated by climate change,” she said.
“On top of that I know that our poor struggling glaciers don’t need this. They’re already melting too fast and… this coating of red dust on them means they won’t be able to reflect light off them and will melt all the faster. It’s deeply upsetting.”
While it’s too early to say exactly how the particles will affect the glaciers photographed by Carlson, scientists have found that forest fires in the Amazon have caused glaciers in the Andes mountains to melt faster, with pollutants such as black carbon and dust lodged in the ice, reducing the glacier’s ability to reflect sunlight.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said on Monday that spring 2019 was the country’s driest on record.