The Signs of the Times (9): Creation

“…For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him…”
Romans 1:20-21 NIV

Animal species and plant species are going extinct at an ever increasing rate. Commodities are starting to run out. By the middle of the twenty-first century, the most important energy supplies will be mostly gone.

Our economy is geared towards growth: more, more, more – producing and consuming at an ever increasing rate. Two and a half acres of rainforest are cut down every minute. This means per annum an area the size of Austria. At this rate, there will be no rainforest left in another fifty years.

There is climate change and ozone depletion. Acidification of air, surface water and groundwater caused by the emission of sulphur dioxide (chimneys of homes, factories and plants), nitrogen dioxide (traffic) and ammonia (manure). Some want to reduce livestock, but how will that affect the economy? There’s waste, there are poisonous chemicals, and so on.

The world population is growing exponentially. Many people live with the dread of impending doom, and just take whatever they can, while they still can. Science, technology and good willed people will save us, or so many people hope against their better knowledge. The earth has been exploited and Creation polluted.

Planet earth looks like a spaceship where food supplies are running out, the air is no longer fresh, the fuel for the vital engines is running out, and where the crew is turning on each other to get whatever is still left.

And then the voice is heard: Fear God and give Him Glory you sinful human race, because the hour of His judgement has come. The great Creator of all things, He who made the heavens, the earth and all that’s within it, will settle the accounts. The Day of reckoning is coming. The great judgement for mankind has finally come: weighed, numbered and found wanting. Daniel reads this on the wall during the feast of the Babylonian king.

In the midst of the commotion of an enormous party, of laughter and drunkenness, in which even the stolen silver utensils from the Temple of Jerusalem were used to toast to the idols, the fingers of a man’s hand appear and write these words. The Dutch painter Rembrandt beautifully painted how King Belshazzar suddenly was struck with fear. Daniel reads the words and says: “…you did not honour the God who holds in His hands your life and all your ways…”(Daniel 5:23 NIV). And in verse 30 it says: “…That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain…”

He who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water, His creation, will be the Judge of all. Is repentance still possible? We hope and pray and wish that that could be the case. That God’s patience will linger on a little bit more. But if that really will happen, that’s the question.

Repentance does happen after the earthquake in Jerusalem, of which John says in Revelation 11:13: “…At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven…” But in Revelation 16:8-9 we read: “…The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the Name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him…”

One-day the Eternal Creator and Judge will come into action. One-day only the Creator Himself is due to divine glory. One-day that will be the case, after fallen man, the dragon and the beasts in the book of Revelation have claimed such divine glory for themselves, but perish. Soli Deo Gloria! To God be the Glory.