Coronvirus, Global Warming and Asteroids
These
are three popular current concerns, even obsessions, and their impact (no pun intended) is far
reaching. People everywhere wonder if they will die, or if all life on
earth will be snuffed out by these things. The news media obsess and
stir up great clouds of worry, even panic, which keeps people tuned in,
but provides no solution. Instead of letting the media tell you what to
be concerned about, consider what God, the Creator, has to say.
Coronavirus
We indeed sympathize with all who are suffering from Coronavirus, pray
for them, and encourage everyone to take prudent and timely precautions.
It is a difficult time, that should remind all humanity of its
fragility and the shortness of life. Through the tireless efforts of
science and medicine they cure one disease, and we applaud them, but
then another pops up, more difficult to treat. There are two things you
should know.
First, science and medicine cannot rid the earth of sickness and plagues nor bring perfect health and eternal life. We should know that by now! But life on earth will not be ended by some awful virus.
Second, know this, that no matter how bad the current virus or affliction is, it’s nothing compared to what’s coming. In the book of Revelation we are warned. Revelation 6:7-8 says, “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” The fourth horseman of the Apocalypse brings the scourge of massive death to humanity: famine, disease, plagues, and wild beasts. Why? We’ll come to that shortly.
Global Warming
Yes, it’s getting warmer. Has it ever done this before? We frankly
don’t know because our weather records are insufficient to allow us to
say if this could be part of a longer cycle. Maybe not. Maybe it’s just
our poor administration of the planet. But there are two things you
should know.
First, life on Earth is not going to be extinguished by pollution and slowly rising temperatures. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms how the end will come, and climate change is not it.
Second, no matter how bad the current warming is, it’s nothing compared to what’s coming. Again, Revelation tells us – not a prediction but a fact. Revelation 16:8-9 warns, “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.” The fourth bowl of wrath from Heaven will bring a scourge of heat from the sun such as humanity has never seen. This is not caused by our mismanaging the environment, but by something else far more serious that science and ecology cannot solve. What is that?
Asteroids & Meteors
Many people worry about a possible asteroid or meteor impact that could
extinguish life or cause such massive damage to the Earth and
environment that it sends us back to the Stone Age. Astronomers are
worriedly watching space, calculating trajectories and trying to provide
an early warning. There are research projects trying to devise methods
to destroy a meteor or alter its path so as to avoid a fatal impact.
Certainly a valid concern. But again, there are two things you should
know.
First, not to worry, because life on Earth is not going to end by any such collision. That’s not to say there’s no possibility of an impact. But it won’t be doomsday.
Second, the Bible tells us that terrible asteroid or meteor impacts are coming, but they will be sent by God. Again God warns us, in Revelation 8:10-11, “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” Like the others, this also is a divinely sent judgment from Heaven. There’s nothing science can do to stop it. It is just as sure as if it had already happened, in fact, in the mind of God it has!
These are only three of the many judgments about to be sent from the throne of God. Who will send them? Who is to blame, and why?
The Root Cause
Also important is this fact. There is something far worse than meteors, global warming and viruses like the Coronavirus. This terrible thing threatens us all. It’s not a virus or sickness, but let’s use the analogy of a pandemic to help you understand, because the truth is, every human being already has this fatal condition. If not cured, there is only one prognosis. Certain death. This is no theory. Death is a fact, and wherever there are humans, there are graves. The rich, educated and famous die as well as the poor, ignorant and unknown. We’re talking about the root cause, the source of all these troubles, past, present and future. What is this fatal thing that every person already has that causes death and brings these terrible judgments?
Sin. I’m serious. Don’t laugh or roll your eyes. Keep an open mind and hear me out. The Bible traces all the problems of the human race back to this one simple fact. We are sinners, and sin causes death. God revealed Himself to man, made generous, benevolent provision for him, gave a simple law and warned of death as the consequence for disobedience (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve disobeyed – which is sin– their nature was altered, and death entered just as He had warned.
Everyone who descends from the first progenitors – that’s all of us – is born with their selfish and disobedient nature. Is the Genesis record important? Believe it! Jesus Christ did! He said, “...from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6). That’s not legend but an eyewitness account. Millenniums later, the Apostle Paul wrote, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. It’s irrelevant whether you think it’s fair or not. Is it true? Are we all sinful, and more to the point, are you a sinner? If you really have any doubt, read what Jesus Christ said comes out of the heart of man and contaminates him, in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 7:20-23). You’ll see your condition described there, just like the rest of us. The Apostle Paul also declared, “in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22). He’s right, we all die, and the reason is not found in biology or other sciences, but in the Bible. Humanity cannot cure death, because the root cause is sin, and we have no cure for that. Philosophy, psychology, sociology, medicine, science and religion are impotent before this terrible scourge of humanity.
The Divine Cure
The solution is spiritual, but that doesn’t mean religion. God has the
cure. But here’s the trouble, if you’re like many people you’ll believe
nearly anything or anyone before God. Yet the Bible, His Word, is the
only record of human history and explanation of our problems that’s
accurate. Deliverance from sin and its consequences comes only by believing God. Not believing “in” God, although that’s a start, but by believing God – believe what He says.
God says the problem is sin. Sin brings death and we have all sinned – we do it because it’s in our twisted nature and we can’t stop. Some dress it up, others don’t bother, but it’s in us, and it’s us. We are sinners. Do you believe God? He says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That’s a fact. He also says, “the soul that sinneth, it shall surely die” (Ezekiel 18:4) and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This is WHY Jesus Christ came into the world, “to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). But the cure, salvation, is not in waving a magic wand or saying a few words. The only thing that pays for sin is death, not religion, good works, personal reform, etc. Death. And “Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). He is called, “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He did not come just to teach or do good works or even to set an example, but to DIE. That’s the only way we can be forgiven and changed, if death has taken place to pay the penalty for our sins. He died so that we might be forgiven, saved, without having to die for our sins. The Apostle Peter wrote this about Christ, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree...” (1 Peter 2:24).
This is the divine cure. We did the sinning, but Jesus Christ did the dying, as our Substitute. The death penalty has been paid, and even though we didn’t pay it, we are forgiven when we believe God and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
When you think about all the terrible things that happen in the world, and all that Revelation says is going to happen, remember, the cause is sin, and God calls upon every person to believe Him, repent and trust in Jesus Christ. Now you know, but what are you going to do about it?
Coronavirus
First, science and medicine cannot rid the earth of sickness and plagues nor bring perfect health and eternal life. We should know that by now! But life on earth will not be ended by some awful virus.
Second, know this, that no matter how bad the current virus or affliction is, it’s nothing compared to what’s coming. In the book of Revelation we are warned. Revelation 6:7-8 says, “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” The fourth horseman of the Apocalypse brings the scourge of massive death to humanity: famine, disease, plagues, and wild beasts. Why? We’ll come to that shortly.
Global Warming
First, life on Earth is not going to be extinguished by pollution and slowly rising temperatures. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms how the end will come, and climate change is not it.
Second, no matter how bad the current warming is, it’s nothing compared to what’s coming. Again, Revelation tells us – not a prediction but a fact. Revelation 16:8-9 warns, “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.” The fourth bowl of wrath from Heaven will bring a scourge of heat from the sun such as humanity has never seen. This is not caused by our mismanaging the environment, but by something else far more serious that science and ecology cannot solve. What is that?
Asteroids & Meteors
First, not to worry, because life on Earth is not going to end by any such collision. That’s not to say there’s no possibility of an impact. But it won’t be doomsday.
Second, the Bible tells us that terrible asteroid or meteor impacts are coming, but they will be sent by God. Again God warns us, in Revelation 8:10-11, “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” Like the others, this also is a divinely sent judgment from Heaven. There’s nothing science can do to stop it. It is just as sure as if it had already happened, in fact, in the mind of God it has!
These are only three of the many judgments about to be sent from the throne of God. Who will send them? Who is to blame, and why?
The Root Cause
Also important is this fact. There is something far worse than meteors, global warming and viruses like the Coronavirus. This terrible thing threatens us all. It’s not a virus or sickness, but let’s use the analogy of a pandemic to help you understand, because the truth is, every human being already has this fatal condition. If not cured, there is only one prognosis. Certain death. This is no theory. Death is a fact, and wherever there are humans, there are graves. The rich, educated and famous die as well as the poor, ignorant and unknown. We’re talking about the root cause, the source of all these troubles, past, present and future. What is this fatal thing that every person already has that causes death and brings these terrible judgments?
Sin. I’m serious. Don’t laugh or roll your eyes. Keep an open mind and hear me out. The Bible traces all the problems of the human race back to this one simple fact. We are sinners, and sin causes death. God revealed Himself to man, made generous, benevolent provision for him, gave a simple law and warned of death as the consequence for disobedience (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve disobeyed – which is sin– their nature was altered, and death entered just as He had warned.
Everyone who descends from the first progenitors – that’s all of us – is born with their selfish and disobedient nature. Is the Genesis record important? Believe it! Jesus Christ did! He said, “...from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6). That’s not legend but an eyewitness account. Millenniums later, the Apostle Paul wrote, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. It’s irrelevant whether you think it’s fair or not. Is it true? Are we all sinful, and more to the point, are you a sinner? If you really have any doubt, read what Jesus Christ said comes out of the heart of man and contaminates him, in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 7:20-23). You’ll see your condition described there, just like the rest of us. The Apostle Paul also declared, “in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22). He’s right, we all die, and the reason is not found in biology or other sciences, but in the Bible. Humanity cannot cure death, because the root cause is sin, and we have no cure for that. Philosophy, psychology, sociology, medicine, science and religion are impotent before this terrible scourge of humanity.
The Divine Cure
God says the problem is sin. Sin brings death and we have all sinned – we do it because it’s in our twisted nature and we can’t stop. Some dress it up, others don’t bother, but it’s in us, and it’s us. We are sinners. Do you believe God? He says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That’s a fact. He also says, “the soul that sinneth, it shall surely die” (Ezekiel 18:4) and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This is WHY Jesus Christ came into the world, “to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). But the cure, salvation, is not in waving a magic wand or saying a few words. The only thing that pays for sin is death, not religion, good works, personal reform, etc. Death. And “Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). He is called, “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He did not come just to teach or do good works or even to set an example, but to DIE. That’s the only way we can be forgiven and changed, if death has taken place to pay the penalty for our sins. He died so that we might be forgiven, saved, without having to die for our sins. The Apostle Peter wrote this about Christ, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree...” (1 Peter 2:24).
This is the divine cure. We did the sinning, but Jesus Christ did the dying, as our Substitute. The death penalty has been paid, and even though we didn’t pay it, we are forgiven when we believe God and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
When you think about all the terrible things that happen in the world, and all that Revelation says is going to happen, remember, the cause is sin, and God calls upon every person to believe Him, repent and trust in Jesus Christ. Now you know, but what are you going to do about it?
Someone wrote a little poem that sums it up.
LIFE IS SHORT, DEATH IS SURE.
SIN THE CAUSE, CHRIST THE CURE.
SIN THE CAUSE, CHRIST THE CURE.
Carl Knott, March 10th, 2020
