May 1
Calamity Strikes Again, Again, and Again
It appears that Australia is having the same type of historic tropical storm season North America experienced last year. Once again, that nation has been struck by a powerful cyclone. This time around, the northern region of the country was the
target of nature's wrath.
With peak winds of 190 mph, Monica may be the most intense cyclone ever to impact Australia. At one point, the storm had central pressure of 879 mb. For reference, average sea-level pressure is 1013.25 mb, and the lowest pressure ever recorded in the Pacific Ocean was 870 mb in Typhoon Tip.
The threat to life and property was limited by the low population and desert condition of Australia’s northern coast. Because of the dryness of the region, Monica quickly lost its strength upon making landfall. Still, several small communities suffered heavy damage from the storm.
Just a month ago, in my March 27 update, I was talking about how Australia had just been struck by the strongest cyclone in 30 years: "Larry was the most powerful tropical system to hit Australia since Christmas Eve 1974, when Cyclone Tracy made a direct impact on the northern city of Darwin, killing 65 people."
I'm surprised that the frequency of these tropical storms failed to spark debate over their rapid occurrences. The knowledge that these storms should be 30-year events makes me wonder if I've fallen into some time wormhole and entered the year 2040 A.D. The fact that we are seeing disasters pass by like a string of railroad cars demands some sort of explanation.
I had planned to only cite Monica in this week's update. As events would have it, Cyclone Mala suddenly appeared in the Indian Ocean and grew into a Category 4 storm. On Saturday, Mala made landfall on the nation of Burma.
I'd hate to think that the recent rash of deadly tropical storms is connected to global warming. If the burning of fossil fuels is to blame, we are all in very big trouble. The earth has only warmed by an average temperature of one degree. Any further warming
would imply that Category 5 storms would become regular occurrences.
I doubt that global warming is the root cause for the destructive weather events of the past few years. Tropical storms are the result of a number of ingredients working together. The addition of carbon dioxide over several decade fails to explain why we've seen an abrupt shift to storms of Katrina's magnitude.
I am persuaded that Bible prophecy is the essential factor for understanding why we are seeing so many hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones. The Word of God warns us that the calling card of the tribulation will be an increase in "birth pangs," and this seems to be the case.
The thing I find the most interesting about the birth pangs is how they imply finality. Once we reach a point where the indicators become a common occurrence, we can trust that the final end-time hour is very near. As believers in Christ, the only unknown factor is how bad things will get before our Lord calls us home.
"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth" (Luke 21:25-26).
-- Todd
Israel: The World’s Greatest Burden
The tiny nation, Israel, continues to be front and center in the building storm termed “Armageddon.” We read the prophecy that points directly to the fact:
“The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zech. 12:1-3).
While the sands of history continue to shift, one thing remains constant. Israel is the greatest single potential ignition point for world war –Armageddon. This is observable in many ways, but the breaking news involving Israel, the so-called Palestinian government, and funding to bankroll the thugs of Hamas shine the light of prophetic truth from God’s Word. The headlines are bringing stage-setting for Zechariah’s prediction into sharper focus by the day.
Armageddon, as most all things of the seven-year tribulation era, will have economics at the core. Love of money (mammon) after all, is said by God’s Word to be the root of all evil. So, it should come as no surprise that economic factors are at the core of Israel’s increasingly becoming marginalized—i.e., isolated as the culprit that is fanning the flames of conflict in the Middle East.
Conflict in the Middle East, of course, means trouble for the whole world –economically. We all know what is the commodity that most drives world economy today…Oil! Every time we turn on our radio for news, or watch TV, or read the newspaper, or go to the Net, we see oil price per barrel is up. That translates to our gasoline prices –and all associated with oil being on the rise. There are those who are working hard to make Israel look to be the national entity most responsible for this troubling trend.
We can almost sense history’s repeating, the rise of anti-Semitism, the closer we get to the tribulation hour –Daniel’s seventieth week. This report shows the trend toward the prophesied marginalization of Israel that will eventuate in Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7).
“Israel, and not the European Union, holds the key to avoiding an economic disaster in the Palestinian territories," the bloc's external relations Commissioner told EU lawmakers on Wednesday.
The Palestinian government has warned of economic collapse within months, after Israel froze tax revenues and Western nations cut direct aid to the Palestinian authority following the victory of Islamist militant Hamas in elections in January…(Reuters AlertNet, "EU says Israel key to avoiding Palestinian crisis," 26 Apr 2006).
The article further pointed the finger of responsibility at Israel:
"Israel has also increased the closure of territory in the West Bank and into and out of Gaza. Addressing these problems will do more to help the Palestinian people than any measure the EU can take," Ferrero-Waldner [an EU official] said.…(Reuters AlertNet, "EU says Israel key to avoiding Palestinian crisis," 26 Apr 2006).
It is more than merely interesting that the EU has its tentacles so tightly wrapped around the situation as it develops between Israel and its neighbors –most of whom are blood-vowed to completely eradicate all Jews. The EU is a major contributor to the welfare state called “Palestine.” Despite the fact that it has tentatively cut support for Hamas so long as the terrorist organization that now rules the Palestinian government officially declares death to Israel, the Europeans continue to give more than 500 million euros ($620.6 million) to “humanitarian assistance" for the Palestinian people. But, who administrates the distribution to “the people” is the question.
Remember Yasser Arafat and his distribution of such funding? Arafat, his relatives, and cronies, somehow ended up with billions by the time of his death.
We have looked many times at the prophesies involving the ancient Roman Empire and its revival at the end of human history. Also, we’ve looked many times at the prophetic truth that Israel will be at the center of the great trouble that will pervade that era. Seems like this generation is alive at a most exciting time on God’s prophetic timeline!
--Terry
