Ominous Weather Ahead

Scientists have been debating for some time about the potential impact of our global environment heating up. The vast majority of scientists believe that the warming trend will have serious consequences for humanity. But until recently, politicians were pretty much divided on this subject.

As reported in a Reuters news article in early June of this year, "the Bush administration acknowledged for the first time in a new report that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will increase significantly over the next two decades.

When fossil fuels such as gasoline, oil and coal are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Of course, this is the same gas that we human beings give off when we exhale. All the plants of the earth absorb this same gas and release oxygen as a byproduct. Throughout the entirety of human history, this cycle was in apparent balance—until the past century. Over the last 100 years, vast tracts of land, such as tropical rain forests, have had their timber cut, which in turn has released tremendous quantities of carbon dioxide. Compounding this build-up has been the burning of huge quantities of fossil fuels, which has released enormous amounts of this gas that required hundreds of millions of years to be accumulated in the fossil fuels in the first place.

The net effect is what is called the "greenhouse effect". Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere traps heat more effectively than oxygen, and this allows the earth's temperature to climb.

As the human population continues to expand, more fossil fuel release of carbon dioxide is inevitable. It wasn't until 1800 that the earth reached one billion inhabitants. In the past century, the earth's population has mushroomed from 1.5 billion to more than 6 billion, and demographers today say that if current trends continue, in the next 50 years the population should reach an incredible 9 billion.

According to the Reuters article, the Bush administration forecasts the following:

"The total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will increase 43 percent between 2000 and 2020. Average temperatures in the U.S. will rise 5 degrees to 9 degrees during this century. Average sea levels, rising 19 inches from global warming, could threaten building, roads, power lines and other infrastructure. With a higher sea level, coastal regions could be subject to increased wind and flood damage."

These are startling admissions from a White House that, until this report came out, had never acknowledged that these possible effects were directly caused by mankind. The weather is made so complex, by forces beyond our control, that there are other factors that may increase the rise in temperature. The sun, for example, has regular cycles of sunspot activity occurring over many years. These fluctuations of the sun's intensity affect the temperature on earth, since the sun is the sole energy source of this planet.

There is one other factor that scientists do not take into consideration. The Supreme Creator, Who created this planet and its weather systems, also claims that He reserves the right to affect weather patterns. The Word of God clearly indicates that God will use the weather patterns to bring us to Him, for our own good. It is the Great God who designed the vast system around the earth that controls the weather—such as sun spots, ocean currents and jet streams.

For those nations that obey their Creator, God says in Leviticus 26:4: "I will give you rain in its season and the land will yield its produce."

God also indicates, in verse 19, that for the nations that turn their back on Him: "I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze." God will get the attention of mankind with weather patterns that produce drought and famine.

When Jesus Christ was asked by His disciples what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age, He replied (in Mathew 24:7): "There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places."

Individually, we cannot affect the weather patterns that will affect our nation as God begins to withdraw His blessings. But we can truly seek God in our own lives—and God promises protection to those who truly seek Him.

Psalm 91 tells of God's promise to protect those who trust in Him. In verses 7-8 we read: "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

If you would like to know more about what God has said about future weather patterns and how it will affect your life, please request our free booklet Who Controls the Weather?

This is Jeffrey Fall, with commentary for the Living Church of God.