Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay!” (Revelation 10:5–6, NIV 1984).
My Musings -Saw this on the internet and had to laugh. “Large-scale computer simulations carried out by NASA have shown how much time remains for humanity to find a new planet to inhabit. The computer model has been run over 400 times, so experts can talk about accurate measurements. Solar activity will definitely lead to deoxygenation. This process will end in 1,000,002,021 years. Experts are sure: we urgently need to look for a new planet for existence, for this we have a billion years. Scientists believe that a solution will be found.”
Most assuredly this “report” from 2021 is fabricated (just look at the last four digits of the estimate (and add a billion). Doesn’t sound urgent to me. Doesn’t sound like “no more delay.” While these make believe scientists believe a solution will be found (sometime in the next billion years), Christians have known for approximately 2,000 years that a solution has been provided.
Deoxygenation, global warming, another ice-age (a popular theory when I was in my teens), mutual assured destruction from a nuclear holocaust or any other imaginable end of all life scenario will not happen. Not anytime soon, and not in an imaginary billion years from now. Says who? Says God, a pretty credible source. “Never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8:21–22, NIV 1984).
“Never cease.” Sounds like at least a billion years, right? Imminent climate change, not going to happen? WWIII, nothing to worry ourselves about? Two plus, two equals five? “As long as the earth endures.” Kind of implies it will not always endure. So the scientists (the real or imagined ones), and fear-mongers are right? Maybe, about climate change and WWIII. But not about the end of all life.
Life will get bad, for sure. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:7-8, 21–22, NIV 1984). But all life will not cease.
Climate change may be (already is?) coming. But not the seasons. Not heat and cold. Not seedtime and harvest. But if the scientists are right (remember the sun used to revolve around earth) and our time is short, then God is already winding things down and will cut it even shorter. But don’t ask NASA to calculate the date. For, “no one knows [or can know] about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:36, 42, NIV 1984).
Spoiler Alert. “Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Matthew 24:33–34, NIV 1984). Could we be that generation? Scientists unwittingly think we could be. Only God knows for sure. As it was in the days of Isaiah, so shall it be. “I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:22, NIV 1984). You might want to read the rest of Matthew 24.
My Advice – Yes, there is a sense of urgency. To be be ready for what we cannot prevent if we had a billion years. And it is no laughing matter. There is only one way to be ready. Are you ready? If not, you can be. But do not delay. We might very well be that generation. See my “The Born Again Experience” musings.
I Wish We’d All Been Ready
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we’d all been ready
There’s no time to change your mind
The son has come and you’ve been left behind
— Larry Norman
The Brew Is A Musing 