Mass animal deaths on the rise worldwide

This is interesting and worth serious consideration. I have seen the reports and claims about this and the issue of rising violence and immorality as something to really consider but not possessing enough historical knowledge to draw appropriate conclusions. There were some very real quakings in the earth and heavens in 60s and 70s that brought many to soberness of mind for a season. Things like the Kent State incident between anti war protesters and the National Guard, rioting and looting in many cities are things I've only seen in documentaries. Banks and nation states on the verge of collapse due to unserviceable debt coupled with artificial energy shortages, high unemployment and interest rates. Today conditions like this are either starting to happen again, like the MMEs of the article, or remaining undiscussed like the aftermath of the 2007 Lehman Crises. We have literally seen good classified as evil, like caring for the homeless being made a jailable offense, and reverse in more ways than you can count. We have also seen several programs considered implausible to be real when government documents were declassified and survivors were given hearings before our rulers. We have met and heard the testimony of our brethren who have suffered for the Name of Lord and of those who have not loved their lives to the death.

We have to decide whether the command to be ready for the Lord's return is a game of mental gymnastics, a topic for historical study of past awakenings, an excuse to stay in a bubble or if it is real, not in a fleshly zeal that burns itself out because it was of the flesh and to the flesh but because it is confirmed by the voice of the Holy Spirit and walking in the Spirit does not produce fear but love, power and a sound mind. Does the Lord's Prayer represent tired tradition, exciting reinterpretation or the reality of our existence? Did your concern for revival and awakenings burn out because your enthusiasm was spent or your historical curiosity was satisfied? Have you despised prophesy?

Jeremy, in your opinion is man , or God, or neither causing these events? As you know there is historical evidence of mass extinctions in the past before man was on the scene or a minor factor (other than the Flood).

Further, do you believe scripture addresses these mass mortality events in conjunction with the return of Jesus?

I don't really have a strong opinion but I am interested in what you think.

Matthew Henry's commentary relates the verses in Acts 2 to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, which I would agree with(Josephus records such phenomenon); however I am curious about these animal mass mortality events and whether they are mentioned in scripture.

TMK,
I do not put much stock into the website linked below, but I do respect the scholarship of Dr. Thomas Ice. His co-author on a book debunking dominion theology from around 1991, H. Wayne House, is a lawyer and the brother of a very sweet lady who served as registrar where I went to bible college from 1990-92.

https://www.raptureready.com/featured/ice/DateBookRevelation.html

I have not yet read a compelling case that overwhelms the late date for Revelation. In my mind, the weight of the evidence so favors a late date that preterism simply cannot withstand it. If I was so persuaded of an early date, I would be far less inclined to be as settled on a futurist view of Matthew 24 and Revelation in particular.

I do not know what to make of mass extinctions. Harbinger of something prophetic? Past finding out, I think.

Possibly so but it would seem odd that Rev does not mention the destruction of Jerusalem and particularly the temple.

I think the Olivet discourse relates to both 70 AD and the 2nd coming, but mostly about 70 AD.

Respectfully, not saying this applies to brother Greg's OP but I agree with the general sentiment about being careful not to be swept away with sensationalistic interpretations of news headlines. That kind of thing has gotten Christians in much trouble over the years. Certain types of failed predictions have caused the Lord's name to be mocked and blasphemed among the heathen. Some Christians call that kind of thing "newspaper theology". Hal Lindsey comes to mind as a prime example here. Here’s the Amazon.com description of his 1980 book titled, "The 1980s: Countdown to Armageddon”:

The premise of this book is based upon Hal Lindsey's prophecies that the anti-Christ is already here on earth and will come forth during the 1980s. In a nutshell, the author predicts that Russia will attack Iran in order to gain control of the world's oil resources. Then China is going to jump into the fray and spread the war around the world, during which every major city is leveled and more than 1/2 of the world's population dies. This scenario concludes with the re-emergence of the Roman Empire, consisting of a 10-nation confederacy. At that juncture, a world political leader (an uber-persuasive brain-child who resolves of all of the world's problems, such as hunger and oil for everyone), will rise to power within this new world government. No one can resist this guy, who ultimately reveals that he is the Anti-Christ and, along with Satan, leads humanity to utter destruction.

And this is from the Wikipedia article on Lindsey’s famous book, "The Late Great Planet Earth”:

Focusing on key passages in the books of Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation, Lindsey originally suggested the possibility that these climactic events might play out in the 1980s, which he interpreted as one generation from the foundation of modern Israel in 1948, a pivotal event in some conservative evangelical schools of eschatological thought. Cover art on the Bantam edition boldly suggested that the 1970s were the "era of the Antichristas foretold by Moses and Jesus," and called the book "a penetrating look at incredible ancient prophecies involving this generation." Descriptions of alleged "fulfilled" prophecy were offered as proof of the infallibility of God's Word, and evidence that "unfulfilled" prophecies would soon find their denouncement in God's plan for the planet.
He cited an increase in the frequency of famines, wars and earthquakes, as key events leading up to the end of the world. He also foretold a Soviet invasion of Israel (War of Gog and Magog). Lindsey also predicted that the European Economic Community, which preceded the European Union, was destined (according to Biblical prophecy) to become a "United States of Europe", which in turn he says is destined to become a "Revived Roman Empire" ruled by the Antichrist. Lindsey wrote that he had concluded, since there was no apparent mention of America in the books of Daniel or Revelation, that America would not be a major player on the geopolitical stage by the time the tribulations of the end times arrived. He found little in the Bible that could represent America, but he suggested that Ezekiel 38:13 could be speaking of America in part.
Although Lindsey did not claim to know the dates of future events with any certainty, he suggested that Matthew 24:32-34 indicated that Jesus' return might be within "one generation" of the rebirth of the state of Israel, and the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple, and Lindsey asserted that "in the Bible" one generation is forty years. Some readers took this as an indication that the Tribulation or the Rapture would occur no later than 1988. In his 1980 work The 1980s: Countdown to Armageddon, Lindsey predicted that "the decade of the 1980s could very well be the last decade of history as we know it".

After seeing such false and failed predictions from Lindsey, I don’t understand how it is that so many have still taken him seriously afterward.

I have not yet read a compelling case that overwhelms the late date for Revelation. In my mind, the weight of the evidence so favors a late date that preterism simply cannot withstand it. If I was so persuaded of an early date, I would be far less inclined to be as settled on a futurist view of Matthew 24 and Revelation in particular.

The Amil position takes a middle position between the preterist and futurist views. It holds that Revelation was indeed written after AD 70 as the evidence suggests. I’ve compared all the main end-times views and imho the Amil view best makes sense of all the pertinent end-times Scriptures. If anyone is interested feel free to email me for links to recommended resources, free and otherwise, on that topic.

I understand the OP concern. I also understand the news media given to hyper environmentalism where natural occurrence of death are being exploited to support their own New Age philosophy. Since this is the case other well-meaning people will discount their analysis of these events. But what is reality?

The honey bee die-off is real - talk to any beekeeper about this.

My brother is a hunter. He has hunted deer for many years, ever since he was a young boy. He lived on a farm, had access to hundreds of acres that dad farmed plus other friends farms where he hunted. This winter he noticed something - the deer killed were 40 pounds lighter in weight then previous years; the fawns are skinny; the evidence is that the deer are hungry.

It can be argued that there has been a loss of habitat for deer, but this will not explain all of it. A farmer told my husband that he has planted GMO grain right beside a field of like grain except it was non-GMO. Wildlife will eat the non-GMO grain and leave the GMO alone. I know of no grain crops grown here in our area that is non-GMO, or not Round-up ready. The non-agricultural community is ignorant of the politics involved in the marketing of these seeds - it would likely make people mad if they only knew, but Monsanto has bought off the lobbyists, the gov...

Matthew 24:22: "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved.." Let us take a look at this...

Consider the sexual immorality of the day. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are on the rise and they not only kill, they will render the females infertile if they survive it. With the rise of infertility among the females you will see a loss of children to populate the community. Coupled with abortion, the low view of human life one can see how mankind is on a path of self-destruction.

Then you have stupid laws...laws that limit/restrict one from collecting rain water on your own land, for example.

I find it sobering that once man discards God's laws - like the ten commandments - as being too restrictive, they will come along and write thousands of laws to replace God's and they fail, still writing and implementing more laws - vicious cycle and never succeeding in converting the soul and heart of man.

My understanding.

Sandra

I should have included this in my post above.

I am almost 68 YO. In my childhood there were fewer afflictions - all we had was the flu, the cold, some had "sinus trouble". Occasionally someone had surgery for appendicitis. Measles, whopping cough, mumps, chicken pox made their rounds - but we survived, thank-you. Diabetes was rare. Allergies were unusual, lactose intolerance was unheard of. Alzheimer's was rare but people did not live as long, either - when we had a neighbor who was over 90 YO I considered him a modern day Methuselah!

With the introduction of modern medicine people are living longer but are sicker then ever before, even the young folks. It is hard to find someone who is not on some kind of supplement, some kind of med to treat whatever ails them.

People today are sicker then ever before. I have seen it happen in my lifetime of almost 68 years. It can also be said that modern medicine enables the weak to survive thereby increasing the the production of weaker immune systems into the genetic pool.

SIGH.

Sandra

Are we sicker or has the Internet (and drug companies) simply made us more aware of being sick?

E.g. There were always hyperactive (or ornery) kids but now they are ADHD.

People have always had diabetes but they used to just die from it. Same with heart disease etc.

However I do think the excess asthma and allergies we see are due to kids not playing outside anymore and the overuse of hand sanitizers etc.

I agree with ginnyrose on the concern over GMO foods. My 7 year old daughter seems to have serious allergic reactions to such foods. She's been hospitalized and there have been serious intestinal problems. After placing her on an organic wheat and gluten free diet she stopped having those reactions.