Hotter than Hell
By Dean Honeycutt
Mitchell County
My dad grew up in Burnsville and he told me the winters were a lot colder when he was a child. And he had to walk to school barefooted in three feet of snow. Well, that may have been an exaggeration. This is what our parents tell us when we complain about how difficult life is. We listen carefully to those stories that start, “when I was a kid.” All jokes aside dad did say the creek in front of his home would freeze over during the winter and stay frozen. They were able to take a team of horses and sled across the creek and the ice did not break and they never had an air conditioner because they did not need one. Needless to say, a lot has changed since then
I live at nearly 3500 feet and most of the time it does not get very hot at our home. However, this summer has been hot. We did not have an air conditioner until a few years ago and we recently bought one for our son’s room because of the heat. I also did not burn as much wood this past winter. Across the Midwest, record-breaking temperatures have caused fires and warned people to avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day. People can have heatstroke when they are not hydrated and are exposed to extreme heat. Older folks around here say the rain does not soak into the ground like it used to. A lot of this seems to indicate that the weather patterns have changed.
We hear a lot about global warming causing the earth’s temperature to heat up. Global warming has been blamed for extreme heat, catastrophic storms, fires all over the world, and the ice caps melting in the Arctic. Whether we agree or disagree with global warming we can see a change in the weather.
I do not worry about global warming because God has promised us there will be seasons on earth until the end of time. Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Global warming could be a cycle the earth goes through over a period. We can only measure the earth’s temperature as far back as we have the instruments to do so and the recordings of that information. However, according to the Bible diseases and catastrophic weather (the birth pains of Matthew 24:8) will be a part of end time events. So, could this extreme heat and global warming be connected to end-time events?
Absolutely, end-time events connected to the return of Christ, the rapture of the Church, and the end of time will include extreme heat and fire. God is a consuming fire. Every day we live we are one day closer to end time events. We certainly do not know the day or the hour Christ will return to earth, but we do know He is coming soon. Jesus said, “Surely, I come quickly.” Peter said the Lord promised His return but is patiently waiting for people to repent and be saved. And then the Lord will come in a day as a thief in the night.
It is interesting to me in this same passage in Second Peter chapter three that Peter describes how the elements (earth, air, water) will melt with fervent heat, and the present earth will be burned up. This is describing the final conflagration that will usher in the new heaven and new earth. This earth is cursed with sin and the Bible teaches it awaits its final judgment.
Yes, it is hot! But this is nothing compared to the judgment God will bring upon this earth. One day the unrepentant will stand at the great white throne if their names are not found in the Book of Life and they are cast into the Lake of Fire experiencing a second death and forever separated from God. Man desires to preserve this earth, but that will never happen. The only way to avoid God’s judgment is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Repent of your sin and trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross that paid the penalty for your sin. Follow Him as your Lord and Savior. I thank God for the new heaven and earth, and I look forward to living there one day soon.
I love you. In His name the amazing, wonderful name of Jesus.
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Pastor Dean Honeycutt shepherds Snow Hill Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. He may be reached at 828-385-0213, snowhillbaptist@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.snowhillbaptist.com.
You can read more good Christian news from Dean HERE.
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