For the past few years, we’ve been seeing ravaging fires across the US, in states like California especially. And each year that follows is worse than the previous one. 2020 is no stranger to this pattern.
It’s only the beginning of the fire season in California and the state has already seen 2 million acres burned! It’s gotten to the degree where many Californians went about their day with an eerie orange sky above their heads making some believe it was the “end of the world”. Oregon is also facing its deadliest fire in state history.
Why the strange weather? The world blames it on climate change, but as believers in Christ none of this catches us by surprise. We know that we’re in the last days and the bible clearly lays out what to expect in this time – things escalating in intensity and frequency until the 2nd Coming of Christ.
California fires burn record 2m acres
From the Guardian: Wildfires have burned more than 2m acres (809,000 hectares) in California this year, setting a state record even as crews battled dozens of growing blazes in sweltering temperatures Monday that strained the electrical grid and threatened power outages for millions.
The previous high was 1.96m acres (793,184 hectares) burned in 2018. the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, began tracking the numbers in 1987. Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for Cal Fire, said the most striking thing about the record was how early it was set, with the most dangerous part of the year ahead.
“It’s a little unnerving because September and October are historically our worst months for fires,” she said. “It’s usually hot, and the fuels really dry out. And we see more of our wind events.”
Firefighters struggled to corral several dangerous blazes ahead of dry, hot winds predicted to raise fire danger to critical levels in the coming days. Evacuation orders were expanded to more mountain communities as the largest blaze, the Creek Fire, churned through the Sierra National Forest.
Debra Rios wasn’t home when the order came to evacuate her hometown of Auberry, just northeast of Fresno. Sheriff’s deputies went to her ranch property to pick up her 92-year-old mother, Shirley MacLean. They reunited at an evacuation center. “I hope like heck the fire doesn’t reach my little ranch,” Rios said. “It’s not looking good right now. It’s an awfully big fire.” Read more
West Coast fires: Hundreds of homes burned to ground, Oregon governor says
From CNN: Hundreds of homes in Oregon are gone as growing wildfires, fueled in part by strong winds, “substantially destroyed” sections of several communities, Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday. “This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state’s history,” Brown said.
Officials continue to call for mass evacuations.”We are not getting any relief from the weather conditions,” Brown said. “Winds continue to feed these fires and push them into our towns and cities.”
Brown mentioned five towns that are “substantially destroyed.”The governor didn’t provide specifics on how many homes were lost, but emergency management officials said more than 470,000 acres are burning. Read More
Smoke Blots Out the Sun as Apocalyptic West Coast Fires Kill at Least 33, Environmentalist Policies Blamed
From CBN News: SUGAR PINE, California – At least 33 people are dead and half-a-million ordered to evacuate as 100 wildfires sweep across 12 western states. The landscape is truly apocalyptic. Millions of acres of forest are burning along the West Coast, the smoke blotting out the sun. In Oregon, dozens have died, and officials fear that number could go much higher.
Here in Yosemite National Park, the normally breathtaking scenery is hidden by a choking layer of smoke and falling ash. The Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest is keeping 1,600 firefighters busy day and night, but considering its size, locals say that’s not nearly enough.
Rancher Larry Kellerhals said, “The whole area for miles around burned, burned Monday I believe, so I’m worried about my stock, they haven’t gotten anything to eat for four or five days.” “I’m hoping to get back as soon as the officials will let me in,” he said.
The smoke coming from this 175,000-acre fire is almost overwhelming up here just about an hour to the east of Fresno, California. And it’s blanketing all of southern California all the way to Las Vegas, Nevada. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing according to some of the officials who say this blanket of smoke is part of what is helping to contain this fire. Read More
Prophetic Implications
As I said at the start of this article, none of this catches the believer off guard. In fact, many of us have been saying for years, and some for even decades, that as we get closer and closer to the tribulation period, natural disasters will increase in severity and intensity.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:3-8)
In Matthew 24:3-8, Jesus gives a list of things to watch out for that will indicate the end of the age, all things that will have their ultimate fulfillment during the tribulation. After giving a list of signs he says these are the “beginning of sorrows”, other translations rendering it as “birth pangs”. In essence, Jesus is likening the signs as birth pangs, or contractions.
When a woman’s in labor the contractions get closer and closer in frequency and increase in intensity the closer the time is for the baby’s arrival. Likewise, this is how Jesus likens is coming along with these signs. So if this has its ultimate fulfillment during the tribulation, it should show us the that time period is indeed drawing near.
What’s even more interesting is that the secular world that mocks the bible is cluing into this reality as well, although they don’t see the source of it as anything supernatural or caused by God. In NBC News’ article, Think 2020′s disasters are wild? Experts say the worst is yet to come, they elaborate on where they think this will lead.
Freak natural disasters — most with what scientists say likely have a climate change connection — seem to be everywhere in the crazy year 2020. But experts say we’ll probably look back and say those were the good old days, when disasters weren’t so wild. “It’s going to get A LOT worse,” Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb said Wednesday. “I say that with emphasis because it does challenge the imagination. And that’s the scary thing to know as a climate scientist in 2020.”…“I strongly believe we’re going to look back in 10 years, certainly 20 and definitely 50 and say, ‘Wow, 2020 was a crazy year, but I miss it,’” Abdalati said.
Even those who don’t believe in God’s existence and discount the bible are coming to the understanding that something is off, that things aren’t occurring as they should be.
Although the good news is that we’re currently not in the tribulation, it is rapidly approaching and everything this world is currently witnessing is going to be a walk in the park compared to that time period. The world in 2020 will look like a peaceful utopia compared to how the tribulation will look.
However, for believers, we have the assurance that Christ is coming back for his church. For unbelievers, they will be left behind and have unthinkable horrors to experience. The good news is, you don’t have to go through that time period. Placing your faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross will not only grant you eternal life, but you will also escape that horrible time period that will come upon the whole world.
Sources
- Smoke Blots Out the Sun as Apocalyptic West Coast Fires Kill at Least 33, Environmentalist Policies Blamed (September 14th, 2020) – CBN News
- California wildfires: Smoke turns skies orange (September 10th, 2020) – BBC
- Think 2020′s disasters are wild? Experts say the worst is yet to come (September 10th, 2020) – NBC News
- West Coast fires: Hundreds of homes burned to ground, Oregon governor says (September 10th, 2020) – CNN
- California fires burn record 2m acres (September 7th, 2020) – The Guardian