Not Global Warming but Global Warning – Week 46 / November 12th

“And men were scorched with great heat, and they
blasphemed the name of God who has power over
these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him
glory.”
Revelation 16:9

The events surrounding the “Super Storm Sandy” have captured the interest of millions of people all over the earth. It was with great horror and sadness that we witnessed the mighty power of the storm as it literally crushed homes as if they were paper and blew cars into ditches as if they were mere sticks in the wind. Hardly have we ever witnessed a super storm of this magnitude. Across the oceans a similar storm hit Port Alfred, a coastal city on the east coast of South Africa. Like Sandy, it tore apart everything in its path and left the community decimated. In both cases the devastation was unimaginable and returned the inhabitants to 19th century living conditions since they had no means of energy and support other than that of candles and fires to keep warm. How weak and puny we really are!

But, we may ask, what of these events? According to the Syrian regime Hurricane Sandy was a secret Iranian weapon; but then, why did a similar storm batter the east coast of South Africa; which, by the way, is an ally of Iran? This is all nonsense. For others; it all happened because someone in the USA said something bad about Israel! A few years ago we had the “Katrina Zionists” coming out of the “wood work like worms” and now we have the “Sandy Zionists” trying to forge a linkage between the USA, Sandy and Israel. Of course for Al Gore and his “green pals” it’s all the fault of global warming and, should they be re-elected to power, they will put it all right and save the planet. I think not and none of the above.

No, this has nothing to do with global warming and everything to do with global warning!

A Word from Heaven
Sometimes we only perceive the mighty moving of the Spirit of God by times of renewal, revival and great blessing; but this is not always true. Isaiah states that when the Spirit of God moves He sometimes brings death!! (Isaiah 40:6-8) The God of the Bible has recently moved mightily by His Spirit in judgment. The problem is; we prefer not to acknowledge this because it challenges us profoundly and calls us to change. The devastating storms that have lashed the east coast of South Africa and that of the USA are manifestations of God’s great love for His lost world because all other means of reaching this world have failed and now He is seeking to get the attention of a people who have repeatedly turned away from Him. In His great love for the two regions He has brought devastation upon them. To be sure one weeps with those who have been led through such hardship and so does all of Heaven but what else can a loving God do in order to get His world to turn to Jesus and be saved.  The eternal loss will be even more devastating! This is the context of the scripture quoted above from the Book of Revelation.

To be sure, these awful judgments are not falling on a people who are especially sinful and wicked. No, we will all perish if we do not finding the place of weeping and repentance for our personal and national sins. I fully recognize that this message is very unpopular but it is indeed the truth. Jesus made this clear to those who questioned Him about the Tower of Siloam that collapsed and killed eighteen people. (Luke 13:1-5) The truth is, God is speaking but who is listening? And then, what will God do next to get our attention?

A Word to the Pharisees
We have so demonized the Pharisees that we do not think that we are ever affected with their spiritual problems. The truth is, we are! They saw no danger coming; did not call the nation to repentance and considered the routine of religious life to be enough to ward off any prospect of God’s displeasure and judgment.  They were wrong, hopelessly out of touch with God and so just a few decades later the Romans over-threw Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. The Pharisees resisted spiritual change, made no attempt to warn the people and scorned those like Jesus who saw the danger approaching. It was Church as usual with no prophetic voice giving meaning to the danger signs that were flashing all around them. Indeed they shut these voices up for fear that the people might just respond appropriately and thereby challenge their positions of comfort and prestige.

Since the “Super Storm Sandy” devastated the east coast of America with millions left homeless and some dead I have watched with great interest the Christian channels on TV in order to find out what message the Church would give to the nation in this regard. After all “Sandy” did not take place “in a corner.” Remarkably, it was “business as usual” and listening to them one would never have known that a calamity of huge proportions had hit the nation! So, the question must be asked, “Where are the spiritual gatekeepers of the nation; and who will stand up to be God’s voice in this moment of extreme agony?”

A Word to the Listeners
You cannot pass by as if this never happened. Are we hearing God for most assuredly He is speaking? If we do not hear there will be more to come and already the USA has suffered a number of devastating, very unique, and unprecedented catastrophes. It is surely time to listen and to start humbling ourselves before Almighty God. These events are not the consequences of global warming but that of global warning! Who is taking notice and what will it take to avert a greater tragedy? The God of the Bible is most certainly speaking and we should all fear and humble ourselves with repentance before it is too late.

The following passage from the Book of Proverbs is most worthy of our attention, prayer and meditation:

Malcolm Hedding

©Malcolm Hedding Ministries