Global Warming and the Word of God

Ron Mack goes on. His take on global warming. I blogged on his first part here.


My search for references to climate change and global warming brought me to Revelation 7:1-3.

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

The images in this passage were probably familiar to John’s listeners, but they are not part of our modern language. The “corners of the earth” is an expression describing the entire earth. The modern equivalent of the four corners is the word “global”

The four winds are a description of the “weather system”. Therefore the four winds from the corners of the earth represent the “global weather system”. John was describing changes in the global weather system. The actions of the four angels will bring about change that harms the land, the sea and the trees. A change in global weather patterns would bring about such far reaching effect.

The four angels have evil intent, but they are not fullly free. They cannot act until they are released by another angel, the one carrying the seal of God. This is important. Four evil angels are no match for one of God’s angels. Although these evil angels will eventually accomplish the harm they have been sent to do, they cannot act until God allows them to move. God is still in control and he will use what they intended for harm to accomplish his purposes. We should not fear these four angels, because God will turn their harm into good for his people.

John’s vision describes global climate change that will harm the earth, the trees and the sea.

The four angels are described more fully in Revelation 8:2-6.

And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

This passage also contrasts the enormous difference in power between the angel of God and the angels of evil. John saw seven angels that would bring terrible troubles to the earth. The first four of these angels are those with power to bring the global climate change described in the previous chapter. However, none of these angels can act until they are released by the angel with the golden censor. God is always in control. Even evil angels cannot act without his permission.

We also see the authority of the saints. God’s angel contains a bowl of incense that represents the prayers of the saints. This angel can only act when the prayers of God’s people are complete. It is like all our prayers for the coming Kingdom of God are poured into a large bowl. They do not get presented to God until this bowl is full.

When the prayers of the saints are complete, the angel fills the censor with fire from the altar and throws fire down upon the earth. Fire is a symbol of judgment. The prayers of the saints release the angel who releases judgement upon the earth. Fire also symbolises heat. The fire being released on the earth is a warning that excessive heat will be released on the earth. God’s angel releases the angels that bring global warming.

Here's the Source for the Two links I just republished.
Four Angels
Prayer and the Angels