The Window is a thinking place in cyberspace.  Some material here relates to biblical prophecy (a prediction).  Some information here relates to changes in our environment.  We do not prophesy (that is make predictions), nor do we care for sensational claims.  There is enough stern faced Bible thumping and irate environmentalism to have us want to move on … but if there is pertinent information regarding things biblical, even in environmental terms, then it might be worth a look at dimensions of information put before us long ago.  Let’s just look at what evidence is there already.

A BIG BURN:  ALL GREEN GRASS and ONE THIRD of TREES

Some number of years ago I, Director of WindowView, attended professional scientific meetings and heard what might be the early descriptions of global climate change.  Scientists from around the US and the world, attended the annual meeting for the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS).  The latter part of the same year, now two decades ago, came with another scientific symposium on global change and the prospects for humanity in the face of coming change.  Scientists were beginning to grasp the fullness of changes that were just beginning to reveal themselves.  Yet, change itself had not just begun, it was humanity’s consciousness of change that was beginning.  There is a difference here.  Some consequences were obvious, others to come.

Because of a biblical and scientific awareness, it seems important if not simply interesting to wonder if there are links between what we see currently in nature and what the Bible tells us about the future.  The sensational approach might be a screaming claim and you need to get down on your knees to pray for salvation or otherwise escape to the hills to save yourself.  Actually, at this point, it’s all a bit more subtle than that. This brief article simply points to something rather interesting.  You can form a personal conclusion if you like.

SCIENCE

The AAAS meeting presented an opportunity to hear scientists who follow the weather, those who explore ice core evidence for past climate, modelers who try to predict consequences to desert or rain forest–should patterns persist and change have greater effect.  But a while back, the models used to predict complex systems, like what might happen to the Amazon rain forest, were too simple.  More computer strength, more computation power, more variables, more of a lot of sophisticated approaches needed to be brought online.  Modeling was a growing field.  But could I ask a question about models, change and a Bible prediction?

BIBLE

Let’s just start with a few briefly stated points.  Many people are aware that the Bible contains prophecies.  Some have been declared and fulfilled, others declared and await fulfillment.

One ‘waiting prophecy’ concerns a time when all green grass and one third of all trees burn.  Let’s just consider something interesting about consequences in relation to this prediction.  We equate this prediction to an environmental change and thus label this an ‘environmental type.’ We say ‘type‘ because it relates to circumstances in the present, yet this looks to the future.

First, if you are alive on the only known habitable planet in the solar system, or perhaps in the galaxy, or even perhaps the only habitable place in the universe, if you saw a huge fire consuming the Earth’s vegetation, would you not be concerned?!

Second, if that burn appears in order of a lager sequence of events, other pre-recorded prophetic predictions, might that garner further attention?  You have to admit, if someone pointed out the parallel occurrence, you’d give it some thought–wouldn’t you?

Third, green grass only grows in one of the Earth’s hemispheres at a time.  That is, it is only summer in the northern or southern hemisphere, but not both at the same time.   The Bible is predicting a rather large prophetic event for all green grass in one hemisphere.  If the northern hemisphere, it’s a lot of green that burns.

FOURTH, major point, 80 PERCENT of the foodstuffs we eat as humans (from plant sources) come from species of crops in the grass family!  Wheat, barley, corn, and other related crops are grasses.  And many domestic animals depend on the grasses for the food and thus all green grasses going away in rapid fashion also impacts farming.  Totally, a big impact.

Do we have your attention at this point?

From an economic point of view, the result on obtaining foodstuffs means what food remains after this event is a matter of possession–the cost to buy food will be out of sight.  And if you have some food, you’re not likely to give any out, at any price.

Survival?  Material existence and the meaning of life, will be keenly accentuated by an incredible predicament.

SCIENCE AGAIN

So I called up a scientist at NASA and asked: “What would be the consequences to the Earth’s environment if all green grass (in one hemisphere) and all trees burned at one time?”  He asked why I asked!  I was forthcoming about the concept based on the Bible’s prediction.  He told me I was crazy and had no interest in answering my question.

I then wrote a letter to Dr. James Lovelock, the author of the GAIA Hypothesis.  You can explore this hypothesis on your own (just use an Internet search engine).  This time I was careful to explain that I was not seeking to be sensational, but was scientifically curious.  I explained the scenario and its source. [also see a write up on this correspondence in relation to environmental types at WindowView (book outline here, plus you can click on the title to download Chapter 22 to read further about environmental types)]

Interesting and surprisingly, I got a reply.  Now, to be clear, the answer was to a hypothetical and by someone who is not concerning himself with the Bible or its predictions.  But the answer is remarkable.

SURVIVAL and THINKING

The answer I got described consequences to the biomass burn (grass and trees) in terms of loss of sunlight reaching the earth surface, boost in carbon dioxide level, and negligible change in oxygen level.  Temperature would also change over time.  BUT remarkably, humans alive throughout this event would survive.  At least they would live to see the end of the fires.

Humans would have to think about what happened.  What you you think about in such a time as that?

CONCLUSION (one of many)

Today we are in possession of data of a much greater degree concerning global changes.  We know that some rather dramatic shifts can or are taking place.  Science gives us better models and better data sets to understand that we, humans, on the only habitable planet we know of, are living on a thread of life support.

If Bible be true and science information helpful, then the concept of all green grasses burring along with one third of all the trees (at one particular time), then this event will stare humanity in the face not only as prophetic, but with a question!  So many will yell: “Oh my God!”  So, do they believe?  Is there a God?  How do people in that moment respond?  Knowing ahead of time, how do you respond?

The idea behind WindowView is to tease out thoughts and to get you to think.

The Bible’s prophecy is for a time yet to come, but it begs a question.  When faced with the evidence in the material realm, how do we respond to something that goes to the spiritual realm?  And what if that provides an opportunity to walk through an open door from here to hereafter?

It’s that, or starve, because food will be in very short supply on that day.

Think about that!  Each day we live is a gift dangling from a thread of life support.

Director, WindowView.org

[See Revelation 8:7: The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.]