Tuesday 9 March, 2010

World
Middle East

Orthodox icon of the Apocalypse of St. John (16th century)

By Charles Gardner

The proponents of climate change propaganda are spreading their tentacles far and wide in ever-increasing efforts to persuade the populace to part company with their brain cells.

Olympic sports ambassadors recently used a school visit in Yorkshire to pass on the politically correct message, combining gymnastic sessions with encouraging pupils of the merits of being eco-friendly.

And the latest episode in the Channel 4 TV series on the history of the Bible managed to link the Book of Revelation with the subject.

In order to do so, they wheeled in Dr Robert Beckford, a theologian with a Pentecostal background, to cast his personal light on the issue.

Having moved away from the literal interpretation of the book with which he was brought up in church, Dr Beckford went on to make the astonishing claim that the controversial literature contained in the last book of Holy Scripture is not so much a prophecy of the future as a call to action to prevent the kind of apocalyptic scenarios it describes actually coming to pass! A combination of arrogance, naivety and foolishness, I suggest.

Only an incredible move of mental and spiritual gymnastics could conclude that because the book was written at the height of the Roman Empire under which Christians were being severely persecuted, it was therefore some sort of code – a call to arms, if you will – encouraging believers in Christ to rise up against their oppressors and take matters into their own hands.

It followed therefore, so the narrator’s theme developed, that the same principle now applied in respect of climate change – for those who believe it is man-made that is – which neatly provided a biblical basis for joining the campaign to save the planet from the fate outlined in Revelation.

Actually Revelation (written towards the end of the first century AD) focuses on the rise of Satanic world powers eventually leading to what sounds from the narrative like a nuclear war in the Middle East – on the plain of Megiddo, no less, otherwise known as Armageddon.

This is clearly not an altogether unlikely scenario for anyone only half-acquainted with the current politics of the region, with Iran fast developing a nuclear warhead capability at the same time as threatening to wipe Israel off the map!

The programme suggested that the book contradicted the spirit of Jesus’ teaching. But actually it was Jesus who focused more on climatic events such as earthquakes and famines, and who said that heaven and earth would pass away, but not his words.

The point seems to have been missed that biblical prophecy is set in stone. It outlines what is going to happen, and is in no way an invitation to rise up against oppressors or take action on climate change.

It is in fact there to encourage Christians – particularly those going through hardship because of their faith – to persevere with their devotions and discipleship because good would eventually triumph over evil and Jesus, the victor, would one day return in glory at a time when it is patently obvious man alone (acting independently of God) is quite incapable of sorting out the mess we are in. Of course we should care for our environment, but we need to do so with a balanced view which also takes into account that we are not here forever, that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, and that we must keep our eyes from being distracted from the main thing – which is the proclamation and publishing of the gospel to every creature on earth.

So when events of the kind we’ve seen of late – like powerful earthquakes and tsunamis – take place before our eyes (on television for most), Jesus told us that we should look up because it would mean that “our redemption” was near.

Are your eyes on the ground looking for self-help methods to change things, or are you looking heavenwards – the only source of real and lasting help?

Photo: Public Domain