A storm that does things never before seen by this generation: a late summer hurricane meeting an early winter storm,bringing lightning, winds, floods and snow. A storm that seems to target the most populated parts of the USA, New Jersey, New York City and the coasts, including Long Island. It targets these areas just as USA goes to significant elections, when how Israel is treated is a factor.
So what does it all mean? Is it chance? Is is a judgement? At the very least it reminds us life is very fragile, and the forces unleashed on the face of the earth are more powerful than modern human invention.
The event has been described as “extremely rare clash of weather systems” with 3 unusual events together: a Hurricane meeting an Arctic fed winter storm, and a unprecedented “high pressure system off Canada's east coast that blocked Sandy's escape route”. It was this system that forced the storm onto the New Jersey coast. It was reported that there was no agreement in the experts interviewed whether if was due to Climate change or not. (www.smh.com.au/). After much time reading the IPCC reports and thinking on direct statements in the Bible, this writer with a post graduate degree, is increasingly convinced the God of the Bible controls the winds, clouds and rain, or the weather, (and therefore the climate) (see here). Some weather is routine, part of the things God does daily to bring good to the earth, sending rain on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). But might specific weather be a judgement?
Historically, there was the Flood.
For Israel rain was often withheld as judgement, but it was sent during harvest at the time of Samuel (1 Sam. 12:17).
Flood specifically is spoken of as a means of reducing pride.
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. (Isaiah 28:1-2)
In the future, among other things, such as huge hail, the judgement will include a flood,
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. (Nahum 1:6-8)
Judgement of the Flood
In all the amazing layers of co-incidence, a famous film director, Darren Aronofsky and actors Russell Crowe and Emma Watson told all the world they had to halt filming of "Noah".
In an ironic turn of events, the new Noah’s Ark film has been delayed by flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy.
The movie... was due to be filmed on Monday at locations in New York, but was postponed due to the torrential rains of the disastrous superstorm, The Los Angeles Times reported.
A 450-foot-long life-sized ark was built for the project, but because it was not designed to float, was forced to shut down in order to protect the enormous wooden set. It is currently unclear as to whether the ark sustained any damage during the hurricane.
"I take it that the irony of a massive storm holding up the production of 'Noah' is not lost (on) Darren Aronofsky (and) Russell Crowe," Watson wrote in a Twitter message. (INN
The promise after the flood of Noah was that the whole would not be destroyed again in such a manner.
I found at least 2 pictures with rainbows after the Sandy Superstorm. To the Hebrews, what we think of a 'rainbow' is a 'bow', the same word is used for 'a bow and arrow'. The bow is related to warfare. The bow in the sky is a bow without an arrow. It recalls a judgement that left every land-living breathing creature dead, but the arrow is removed.
The strong winds, rain and flood was not so much to destroy, as to bring down pride. The USA was a 'glorious beauty' as Ephraim, but the leadership became 'drunk' with pleasures, and forgot as a nation to seek humbly the Creator. The leadership began thinking they may enforce human ideals onto other nations and they began to rebuke Israel consistently for building in the land God gave them (the world operates pragmatically that land won in battle is kept by the victor nation, unless displaced by a greater force: See Judges 11:24). The USA's Administration had often since 2009 made speeches targeted Israel's building, even in Jewish Jerusalem. Israel had to agree to freeze building which lasted until the new Jewish year. It is only just after Sukkot that building permits were given for 800 houses in Jerusalem. Also the American Administration had not been helpful to Israel's efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program. In addition it was reported,
On the second night of the [Democrat] convention, roughly half the delegates in the hall, perhaps a quarter of the 6,000, voted no to what party leaders had assumed was a routine platform resolution – amendment stating that Jerusalem was Israel’s undivided capital. http://www.mepc.org/hill-forums/policy-choices-new-administration-0?transcript
Not long after, the USA is hit in its most densely populated area: New Jersey, in a path which included the American capital.
There is the possibility that the storm may have been may sent in relationship to pride, as there is to be a vote in the US states most affected by the storm on the 6th November for same-sex marriage. The discourse about this issue often features the word '..pride.' The current US president formally backed it, the contender hasn't opposed it before.
In its prosperity, the US leadership is leaving even the token 'we trust in God', and in cynically pursuing human 'ideology', has increased in pride. When afflicted with the financial crisis, few sought, with integrity and real care, to help the poor and increase the numbers who had work.
This storm targeted the prosperity of America. The storm before it even made landfall sank the 'HMS Bounty'. When many people in a population seek God, then often bounty, or prosperity is given. But the Storm sank the “Bounty.” Then the storm sank the financial capital of the USA ,
Sandy after it smashed into the eastern United States, cutting power to swathes of the nation's most densely populated region, swamping New York's subway system and submerging streets in Manhattan's financial district.... brought a record storm surge of almost 4.2 meters to downtown Manhattan
One disaster-forecasting company predicted economic losses could ultimately reach $20 billion, only half insured. JPost
Symbolically, the sinking of Bounty paralleled the sinking of Wall street, as some may think disaster may stimulate an economy, but an economy already with problems, will be adversely affected, by further stress. It has a social and economic impact and also a deeply symbolic meaning, that so much of America's population, over 8 million, lost 'Power' for so long.
Will the super storm have an effect in changing the direction of America?
With Obama and Republican presidential rival Mitt Romney keeping campaigning on hold for a second day instead of launching their final push for votes ahead of the Nov. 6 election, the storm's onslaught added a new level of uncertainty to an already tense, tight race for the White House. JPost
Every severe weather event on earth is a warning of the frailty of life, to remind all that they may wish to fear and seek their Creator, to remind us we may not have a tomorrow. Many complained of their travel plans being upset. They forget the pragmatic observation,
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. (James 4:13-14)
In communities with little, such as in the Philippines or Haiti, they may lose all, weep and struggle to rebuild without much world media attention. But when the place with the most advanced civilization is crippled for over two days, the world takes notice. Even while destroying itself from within Syria took note and in an astounding arrogance and lie gave the power and credit of the storm to Iran (see honestreporting.com). It is a Biblical principle that we are to fear, and not rejoice when people of the earth are judged. The arrogance of this Syrian lie might divert the Divine wrath to their heads.
A reason for thinking there is an element of Divine wrath in the storm is that due to its scale of devastation, like the Tsunami did in Japan, it will profoundly affect the whole financial world in many small ways. The Tsunami in Japan also reduced pride. Japan had begun taking an active role in the Middle East "peace process" issuing official government statements against Israel and giving aid to the 'Palestinian' cause. (see Japan Ministry Of Foreign Affairs ). The Tsunami and the rise of China reduced Japan's ability to intervene against Israel. The nuclear meltdown reduced their ability help to Iran's nucler program (see Isarel Matzav). But in an overlay of effects the Tsunami also had small ongoing impacts on the fragile world economy. This storm is a added severe impact in an area which, like Japan, is highly developed and a key player in the world economy. Each blow to the fragile world economy is to show the thoughtful that they cannot trust in riches,
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.(Psa 62:10)
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (1Timothy 6:17)
If thoughtful people suffer loss of riches, they may instead find eternal life,
Jesus answers again, and said unto them, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! (Mark 10:24)
Another overlaying of what seem to be Divinely directed impacts is that apart from the storm's unusual nature and that it severely affected the second financial capital of the world, it also affected the United Nations. This same UN to which the modern day Filistines, are pushing to create a Jew-free state in Israel's historical Biblical heartland, the same land promised to the Fathers of Israel. It was reported,
The UN Security Council will meet later on Wednesday to discuss Somalia and other issues, but it has been forced to relocate because of water damage to parts of the United Nations complex from the storm Sandy,..Reporters accredited to the United Nations have so far not been allowed back into the world body's headquarters. (JPost
The impact in New Jersey and New York, shows that technology does not save, rather it is more fragile than life itself, and the whole can grind to a halt. It shows us that human invention cannot be relied on. The people who trusted in their 'things', and placed high value in their material possession (often run by electricity), found they could lose much, and many were deeply upset. The images of the destruction featured a lot of houses built on sand. The storm exposed that the increasingly godless population, has in more ways than one, at both the physical and the spiritual level, built on sand.
Whosoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Luke 6:47-48)
For more on climate, Lightning
For more on weather and what it might mean Finger of God tornadoes
The Bible uses powerful word pictures, and the one of the prisoner waiting for release is of great importance for our lives. At the time of Passover it is worthwhile considering the prisoner with the idea of the joy of freedom.
The following is utterly speculative, and investigates based on known facts how and why God might have brought about the removal of JFK in the light of what has been said in the Bible about who rules in the nations.
It was written that,
For I will lay the land most desolate.. and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. (Ezekiel 33:28)
How do true Christians relate to the state? We follow the scriptures and see where our place might be.
There are some that may argue learnedly about whether things, including themselves, exist or not. If they are pinched, however they hurt just like you and I. Pragmatically we coud not do anything much at all, unless we accept enough evidence can lead to proof.
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