A World on Fire

Forest fires are burning around the globe. In the Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada, thousands of acres are on fire. In Portugal, more than 100 fires are blazing (Associated Press, September 18, 2024). And in the South American nation of Bolivia, fires have given the city of Santa Cruz some of the worst air quality in the world (Reuters, September 11, 2024)! City-dwellers are encouraged to wear masks to protect against smoke so dense that the sun “looks just like the moon at night.” The conditions are causing flight cancellations and school closings, while breathing and eye problems are dramatically increasing. The dense smoke is causing significant health issues for the population. Fires in Bolivia have caused nearly 20 million hectares of deforestation in the last 20 years. A recent study in the journal Science Advances reported that exposure to forest fire smoke can significantly increase the risk of premature death, which does not bode well for Bolivians in the future.

In Brazil, the Amazon is also ablaze. The AP reports that the nation “is enduring its worst drought since nationwide measurements began over seven decades ago, with 59% of the country under stress—an area roughly half the size of the U.S.” (September 10, 2024). Like many drought-stricken areas of the globe, Brazil’s dry season began earlier than usual this year after a rainy season that ended early.

As bad as things may be for so many, Scripture speaks of a coming time of fires and devastation far beyond today’s wildfires, when a third of all the earth's trees and all of its green grass will be burned up (Revelation 8:7). This will occur at the beginning of the prophesied year-long period called the Day of the Lord. Yet, after Christ’s return, those who obey their Creator are assured they will receive the rain they need (Joel 2:23; Ezekiel 34:25–26). To learn more about what the earth will face in the future, be sure to read or listen to Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled.