This past winter has pummeled much of the United States. Is there an important lesson we should learn from this kind of crippling weather and its effects?
It has been a bad winter for Americans, and many hope it is finally over!
For one thing, it has been cold. The month of February gave the nation its coldest temperatures in more than 20 years. Broken water lines, power outages, heating fuel shortages and steep utility bills have impacted many across the country.
For another, it has been relentless. It hasn’t just been one or two winter storms that have affected parts of the country. No, it has been a steady bombardment of ice storms, polar vortexes, bone-chilling winds and countless inches of snow that have affected much of the country.
The recent winter should once again remind us that we are vulnerable, especially if we don’t heed warnings. Just as many in Atlanta suffered because storm warnings were ignored, it is important for us to heed the warnings from Bible prophecy.
And finally, it has been crippling. Many parts of the country experienced snowstorms that paralyzed towns and cities. One storm brought traffic on the interstate highways in Atlanta, Georgia, to a complete standstill. Motorists were forced to leave their cars and walk to find shelter. Children had to spend the night in their schools since they could not get home.
Across the country, millions of dollars of damage has been done to buildings and vehicles, not to mention the lost income to businesses and workers due to not being able to operate. Estimates are that canceled flights cost airlines almost $500 million in lost revenue and expenses. Over $1.5 billion in insurance claims have been filed due to damage from the storms.
Yes, this past winter definitely got our attention. But what should we learn from this brutal and paralyzing winter?
We are all vulnerable
Even though we live in the technologically advanced 21st century, we are still vulnerable to the destructive forces of the weather. Perhaps more than many others, this winter has shown that our lives, finances and security can be turned upside down by a single storm.
Heeding the warning signs
The weather bureau had warned those in the southern United States about one of the early winter storms. Yet many in Atlanta (and other cities) ignored the warnings and did not properly prepare. As a result, the city was crippled, with drivers stranded on the highways and children snowed into school buildings.
Yet even now there is another catastrophic storm looming on the horizon. It is much worse than a winter storm and will affect the entire world if the warning is not heeded.
God is giving warning signs
Some students of Bible prophecy have come to understand that the United States and Great Britain have received national blessings that were prophesied more than 3,500 years ago (Genesis 49:22-26). Because of our moral decline and national sin, God is slowly removing those blessings (Leviticus 26:18-19). Prophecy shows that not only will God remove protection from these nations, but will directly punish them (Ezekiel 14:13, 21).
In addition to the winter storms, we are seeing other indications that these prophecies are gathering momentum. California is continuing to experience its worst drought in recorded history. This is expected to raise food prices for all Americans since nearly half of U.S. fruits and vegetables come from California. The drought is also expected to leave up to 20,000 people out of work. In Britain, many places were under floodwaters for weeks on end in one of the wettest recorded winters.
A short attention span
After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, there was an upsurge in church attendance in America, and love of country and volunteerism visibly increased. But this was only a temporary response, and within weeks and months its citizens retreated back to their unreligious and selfish ways.
In the nearly 13 years since 9/11, we have not drawn closer to God as a people. In fact, Americans and British Commonwealth nations have drifted further from His standards—embracing homosexual marriage and marijuana. These are just two of the obvious areas where these nations are openly rejecting traditional Judeo-Christian morality.
What you and I need to do now
The recent winter should once again remind us that we are vulnerable, especially if we don’t heed warnings. Just as many in Atlanta suffered because storm warnings were ignored, it is important for us to heed the warnings from Bible prophecy.
The Bible prophesies a spiritual storm on the horizon called the Great Tribulation. This time will be especially destructive to the nations descended from the patriarch Israel.
We at Life, Hope & Truth urge people in all nations to repent. But even if nations don’t repent, individuals can. Jesus Christ taught that those who are spiritually aware can be protected from this future time of trouble: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).
Now is the time to act!
To learn more about the change that is required in your life, read about “Repentance.”
Date Posted: April 30, 2014
About the Author
Tim Groves
Tim Groves attends the Jefferson, Georgia, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, where he serves as a deacon.
He has been married to his wife, Teresa, for over 30 years. Together, they have two daughters and two sons and live in South Carolina. They moved there from Ohio in 1997 to flee the cold northern winters and allow him to do the things he really enjoys, like roaming though automobile junkyards looking for hidden treasures from times long past.
by Tim Groves
