Climate Change is one of the big controversies of our day. That our climate changes from time to time is very true. What is in dispute is whether or not mankind’s use of fossil fuels is the real cause and whether we can prevent or mitigate detrimental changes to our climate.
Christians should realize that that idea is not based on true science but on the false theory of evolution and upon the denial that God created this earth, as recorded in the first chapters of Genesis.
Those who espouse intervention by human governments act as though our weather has always been beautiful and that recent changes are because of modern industrialization and the use of fossil fuels. That is simply not so. Because of sin, this earth came under a curse, and vagaries of climate are the result. God overrules, and only He can effect change.
our use of fossil fuels only began in recent times.
The massive exploitation of fossil fuels has only taken place within the last 200 + years since the invention of the steam engine and the internal combustion engine and jet engines for aircraft.
Below are some Scripture references that will help our understanding
3,800 YEARS AGO. 1,800 —1,600 BC
- Gen 12:10 “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.”
- Gen 26:1-3 “Now there was a famine in the land–besides the earlier famine of Abraham’s time–and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. . . .”
- Gen 41:28-31 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe.”
- Gen 47:13 “There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.” (all the above from 3,800 to 3,600 years ago.)
About 3,100 years ago — 1,100 BC
Ruth 1:1 “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.”
3,000 years ago — 1,000 BC
- 2Sam 21:1 “During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.” (
- 2Sam 24:13 “So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come upon you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
about 2,900 years ago — 900 to 800 BC
1Kings 18:2-4 “Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3 and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of his palace. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD).”
2Kings 4:38 “Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region . . .”
2Kings 6:25 “There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a cab of seed pods for five shekels.”
2Kings 8:1 “Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years.” (All the above about 2,900 years ago.)
About 2,500 years ago — 500 to 400 BC
Neh 5:3 “Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
It is God Who Controls the Climate.
2Sam 24:13 God’s message to David, “Shall there come upon you three years of famine in your land?
Deut 32:24 “I will send wasting famine against them consuming pestilence and deadly plague;”
Ps 105:16-17 “He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; 17 and he sent a man before them—Joseph, sold as a slave.”
Jer 24:10 “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers.'”
Jer 44:26-27 “For I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed.
NEW TESTAMENT
over 1,900 years ago — 40 to 60 AD
Acts 11:27-30 “One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)
29 The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.”
THE END TIME
In Matt 24:7, in answer to the disciples question concerning the signs of His coming and the end of the age, Jesus said, “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”
The events below belong to the Great Tribulation, which is still Future.
Rev 6:7-8 “I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
Rev 16:8-9 “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.”
Rev 18:7-8 “Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
Compiled by R.L. Garrett January 30, 2019
All Scriptures from the NIV
Addendum : Dec. 23,2021. Way back when I was in school they taught me that 2 + 2 = 4. The “Green New Deal” people do not seem to understand simple math.
Proposition : Consider the following:
- Let X = Our present-day Total electric energy
- Now, Total up the entire number of cars and trucks there are here in the USA that are powered by fossil fuels. Let Y = Total amount of energy required to operate them.
- X would not equal Y. It would be only a small fraction of Y. Today’s production capacity is a very, very, very, small fraction of what would be needed.
- Further complicate that by eliminating all generation of electricity by fossil fuels. ALL generation to be done by Wind and Solar, so called “renewable.” ALL? Utterly impossible!
- What about the thousands of enormous ships “sailing” the oceans? They consume fantastic amounts of energy from fossil fuels.
- Further complicate the matter by considering the many thousands of aircraft that are totally dependent on enormous quantities of fossil fuels.
- Solar can never operate commercial and military aircraft !
- OOPS! I forgot the trains that traverse our land!
Trains are dependent entirely on enormous quantities of fossil fuels!
Modern life today is simply not possible without enormous quantities of Fossil Fuel!
Robert Garrett is a missionary to Zimbabwe and is currently at home in Louisville, KY and attends Portland Church of Christ..