Daily devotion – Genesis and Climate Change?
In the Book of Genesis we are told that God created a perfect world in six days – Gen 1:31
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
On the fourth day of the creation week, we read in Genesis – Gen 1:14
¶And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
The primary reason for today’s four seasons is the earth’s tilt as it revolves around the sun. Assuming the earth has a similar tilt when created, such season changes would have occurred from the beginning.
The word for ‘seasons’ in Genesis 1 encompasses various special times, such as harvest and festivals, it can also include the periods we call seasons today – summer, autumn, winter and spring.
If the earth had remained in its perfect state, there still would have been the four seasons, but regular and in perfect harmony, with no extremes that would cause harm to life or the earth.
BUT – the situation changed when the first Adam, rebelled against God, resulting in ALL of creation suffering from the effects of sin and the curse – Gen 3:17 – Romans 8:20-22
The Bible does not tell us much about the world before Noah’s flood. We do not know to what extent the climate was affected. But change certainly did occur since God no longer upheld the world in a perfect state.
Then the Great Flood
This was the most significant climate change recorded in God’s Word during the time of Noah. For we are told the fountains of the deep burst forth, and the windows of heaven opened to pour rain on the earth – Gen 7:11
Such a cataclysmic global flood would not only revolutionise the earth’s climate along with the massive changes to the world’s topography. Resulting in changed and differing weather patterns.
But even though Noah’s flood changed our climate, at the end of the flood God made a promise to future generations – Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
I love this verse because the Bible tells us that nothing happens to the climate and nothing man can do, will change this! God’s promises will always remain true!
So regardless of what climate change occurs, day and night and season will continue until the final judgment.
The Cooling Earth
The next major climate change occurred over the next few hundred years as a result of the flood of Noah’s day – Job 38:29 Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?
The Warming Earth
After the ice age peaked, as the earth began to settle from the effects of the flood, the earth began to warm, and the ice age receded. The melting ice caused the ocean levels to rise and then the oceans eventually reached a relatively stable temperature, so climate fluctuations became less severe.
We find ourselves now living in a period of relatively minor fluctuation.
Humanity today has become ‘climate change obsessed’ and chanting the mantra that mankind has contributed significantly to climate change – Greta Thumberg!
But a proper understanding of the evidence does not favour such a suggestion.
Yes, we should be good stewards of the world we live in but we must avoid the hysteria based on rash decisions which are being based on inconclusive evidence.
But there is a final change coming that is certain!
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
After this period Christians will live in new heavens and a new earth that will remain perfect forever.
No more will climate hurt the earth and life, for the Lord will again uphold the earth in a perfect state – Rev 21:4, 22:3.
Those who reject the Bible cannot truly understand how climate change fits into the real-world history of the earth.
Climate change is normal in an abnormal world. Sin changed everything!