ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries

by Shawn Brasseaux

We hear about it constantly in politics and in the media: the dreaded words “global warming.” (dun-dun-dun-DUN!) Some people, including scientists and United Nations officials, get so bent out of shape when they think of a prospective collapse of the delicately balanced systems of our planet. The increase in greenhouse gases, which they attribute to our burning of fossil fuels (coal, gas, et cetera) and deforestation, is making the average global temperature rise! It sells newspapers and gives politicians an opportunity to get elected, but is there a reason to be concerned, or is it blown out of proportion? Let us see what the Bible says!

It is my understanding that prior to the Great Flood of Noah’s day, there was a global tropical climate that was maintained by a thick water vapor belt somewhere in the atmosphere or above the atmosphere of Earth (Genesis 1:7). From Adam’s time in the Garden of Eden to Noah’s day, there was perfect weather due to that water vapor belt. Once the Great Flood came, a large portion of that water vapor belt was dumped onto the planet, in addition to groundwater coming up from beneath the earth’s surface: “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened” (Genesis 7:11).

By the way, it seems to me like most of those floodwaters receded and were frozen away in the present-day ice caps and glaciers: “The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen” (Job 38:30). After the Great Flood, with most of that water vapor belt gone, the seasons and extreme weather-related phenomena began. Consider Genesis 8:20-22 KJV:

“20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

About two percent of Earth’s water is found in glaciers and the polar ice caps. If the global temperature of Earth would rise, then yes, the glaciers would melt and the sea levels would rise worldwide as much as 300 feet (91 meters). Indeed, it would be something to fret over. However, this does not worry me at all, for I know that God has promised never to flood the entire world again.

Notice God’s promise to Noah in Genesis 9:13-17:

“13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.”

The rainbow is the sign of God’s promise never to flood the world again. There will always be localized flooding, but never again will God destroy the entire world by means of a global flood. You can rest assured!

I recall a television series that speculated what our planet would be like after the human race was gone. The animals would once again rule the planet because the “mean old humans” would no longer be here to encroach on their habitats, to kill them for food and clothing, and to consume the resources that they need. I smile. As long as man can invent a fantasy and place his faith in it, he does not have to be concerned with placing his faith in God’s Word. The Bible says they: “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:25b). How foolish and vain, to place your faith in your own notions and intellect, and ignore God’s Word!

According to the Bible, Israel’s earthly kingdom is still future. If the rapture happened today, there would still at least 1,007 years left of the human experience. Those believers who survive the seven years of Tribulation will be allowed to enter into the 1,000-year kingdom of Christ on earth. If the human race ever went extinct any time soon, the Bible would fall apart, and that would make God a liar. There will always be people on this planet; we do not have to speculate otherwise. Even during the New Heaven New Earth there will be people on Earth (Revelation 21:24)!

When God had Noah preach to the then-known world to turn to God, or face impending judgment of a global flood, mankind said, “No, God, we do not care what You say!” Still, for 120 years, plus an additional seven days, God gave man the opportunity to repent, to change their mind and obey Noah’s message. But mankind persisted in his ignorance and arrogance and the continued response was, “No thanks, God, and Noah, you are crazy! We do not need to board that ark, and because it has never rained, we doubt a flood will even come.” Mankind was not at all worried about a catastrophic, climate-altering flood then, so why are they worried about a global sea-level rise now, nearly 4500 years later? It makes no sense.

Today, when you share the plan of salvation with someone, they look at you strangely (as if dazed). You show them the Bible verses that speak of the coming judgment of God during the seven-year Tribulation and wrath, and they scoff: “A period of God’s wrath? I doubt it—God is not pouring out His wrath today, so why would He do it in the future?” They chuckle and call you a “fanatic” or “nut.”

But suppose you post a line graph exhibiting a trend of a major increase in global temperatures in recent years, and they would eagerly agree that this “global warming” and this increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is definitely worth our attention. Imagine how vain and silly that position appears to God! They fret about “global warming” because their fellow man speaks of it, but disregard the Bible because a righteous God speaks of “righteous indignation” and “eternal hellfire.” Believe me, our planet has far, far, far more to worry about that adapting to more violent weather and great climate change—man is ignoring things of eternal importance….

For 6,000 years now, sin has reigned over our planet. It has destroyed families and lives. It brought about disease and death, heartache and grief, pain and misery. Ultimately, it will one day bring about God’s wrath. The Lord Jesus said in regards to the Tribulation, especially the last three-and-a-half years of it: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

Pandemics, large-scale famines, wars, armies of devilish creatures tormenting mankind, the sun turning black, the moon turning blood red—those left behind after the rapture are going to want to die, and death will not come! In fact, look at the “global warming” still to come in Revelation 16:8,9 KJV: “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” And look, everyone still disobeys God!

We often hear of the fear that, in the coming years, Earth may not be able to support the human race. In Christ’s time, there were between 200 million and 250 million people on the planet. Earth reached a population of one billion people in 1800; two billion (1930); three billion (1960); four billion (1975); five billion (1990); and six billion (2000). This year, 2010, we are likely to reach seven billion! The “doubling time,” or the time it takes a population to double, seems to be grower shorter for us. It took 130 years for us to double to two billion, 45 years to double to four billion, and it will take us less than four decades to double to eight billion. The question is being asked: can our planet carry us, as well as support other life forms?

Again, I am not worried, and you as a Christian should not be worried either. Although scientists will never admit it, our world is a very complex creation. Only an intelligent Creator God could manage such complicated systems, and everything is still highly organized, 6,000 years after creation—despite man’s rebellion and sin that has marred it. If there was no God, then yes we should be worried; nonetheless, I know God exists, and He can manage the world without losing sleep (unlike us)! There will still be animals on Earth in the kingdom, as Isaiah 11:6-9 prophesies. One-third of Israel will survive the Tribulation, and there will still be believing Gentiles who go into the kingdom too. We never have to worry about humans going completely extinct.

As ambassadors for the risen Christ, our main concern is not population explosion, global warming, and saving endangered species. This planet will one day be destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:10-12). Earth will not last forever, no matter what we do. We should be living responsibly (such as not littering, and not misusing resources), but we have a mission laid out by God that bears far more responsibility. We cannot be sidetracked with minor issues.

Our mission involves us getting God’s Word out to a lost and dying world, which is caught up in everything but the important issues. Focus your time and energy on spreading the Gospel of Grace, how that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and that He was raised again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Spend your time studying God’s Word dispensationally, and sharing it with other Christians. After all, only God’s Word lasts forever…

Our Lord Jesus Christ declared: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 22:33).

Isaiah 40:8 KJV says: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

1 Peter 1:23-25 KJV affirms: “…the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”