Have you noticed the sharp increase in apocalyptic language these days? Arguably the most identifiable reason for such interest is climate change. Take for instance Al Gore’s comments at the World Economic Forum summit last month:
“We’re still putting 162 million tons [of greenhouse gas] into it every single day and the accumulated amount is now trapping as much extra heat as would be released by 600,000 Hiroshima-class atomic bombs exploding every single day on the earth. That’s what’s boiling the oceans, creating these atmospheric rivers, and the rain bombs, and sucking the moisture out of the land, and creating the droughts, and melting the ice and raising the sea level, and causing these waves of climate refugees.”
He added the prediction that all of this would lead to a climate refugee crises where billions of displaced people would lead to nations being unable to self-govern, i.e., lead to anarchy.
This sounds like it comes right out of the book of Revelation! Is Al Gore and others who are ringing the alarm about climate change a modern-day (albeit unwitting) prophet?
That’s an interesting question given John’s allusion to drought in Revelation 6.6 after the third seal is broken and his reference to “hail and fire mingled with blood” being cast to the earth at the blowing of the first trumpet (Rv 8.7). John is likely drawing a parallel with the eighth plague against Egypt when God brought hail down upon the Egyptians and destroyed all of their crops as an act of judgment.
Additionally, it appears John is also referencing Ezekiel 5.2 when he speaks about the one-thirds (ibid.) He repeats it twice before strikingly stating that “all the green grass” will be destroyed by the hail and fire. Ezekiel is describing God’s judgment in siege language through a living parable. One-third of Ezekiel’s shaved off hair is burned with fire, one-third is struck by the sword, and one-third is cast to the wind. The reality refers to famine (that’s what sieges bring about), killing (famines have a tendency to bring out the worst in people) and displacement (people either fleeing from violence or seeking somewhere, anywhere, to find food). The fairly recent proliferation of apocalyptic movies produced by Hollywood graphically depict such scenes.
Maybe it’s time for Bible believing Christians to take note of such grim predictions? Is Hollywood and the likes of Al Gore sensing something that perhaps we’re not?
I will have more to say on this subject in the coming weeks.