WEBVTT
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We live on a dynamic
and beautiful planet.
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Consider the majestic mountains, the sights and sounds of
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babbling brooks, and verdant valleys nestled between
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mountain peaks.
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There are beautiful
glacier-fed lakes,
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tropical islands,
prairies, and plains.
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Our planet is divided by
terrain, temperature, and
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soil type for growing
an amazing variety of
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foods--rice, wheat, and
corn; citrus fruits,
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almonds and walnut trees,
mangos, papayas, coconuts,
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and, oh, so much more.
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We're refreshed by
afternoon showers that
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clean the air and give
needed water for crops
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and flowering plants
of all kinds.
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We're intrigued, and
sometimes frightened, when
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huge thunder and lightning
storms pass over us,
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occasionally accompanied
by tornados or powerful
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straight-line winds.
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Volcanic eruptions are
beautiful and awe-inspiring,
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but they can be
destructive and deadly.
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Hurricanes rip apart homes
and disrupt lives, as do
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floods and earthquakes.
01:06.366 --> 01:09.969
How do we make sense of
such a dynamic planet?
01:10.036 --> 01:14.507
If God is a loving God how
do we explain so-called,
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natural disasters?
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Why does He allow
disruption, destruction,
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and desolation--often
resulting in sorrow?
01:24.150 --> 01:26.986
On this Tomorrow's World
program, I'll give you
01:27.053 --> 01:28.154
the answers.
01:28.221 --> 01:31.057
And I'll also be offering
our totally free resource,
01:31.124 --> 01:34.761
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
01:34.828 --> 01:37.630
This resource gives more
information than I have
01:37.697 --> 01:40.834
time to cover on today's
program, so be sure to
01:40.900 --> 01:43.603
have writing material
available to take down our
01:43.670 --> 01:47.273
contact information to
receive a free copy of,
01:47.340 --> 01:51.177
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
01:51.244 --> 01:57.684
♪
01:57.750 --> 02:01.020
A warm welcome to all of
you, from all of us here
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at Tomorrow's World, where
we bring you the good news
02:04.591 --> 02:08.928
of the coming Kingdom of God, explain end-time prophecies,
02:08.995 --> 02:11.598
and make sense of the
world in which we live.
02:11.664 --> 02:16.035
On today's program, I'm discussing natural disasters,
02:16.102 --> 02:19.639
why they occur, and what
God reveals about some
02:19.706 --> 02:21.441
in our future.
02:21.508 --> 02:24.978
As explained in the short
introduction, we live on
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an amazing planet.
02:26.980 --> 02:29.983
So much so that we could
have a thousand programs
02:30.049 --> 02:33.586
on the topography, the natural
resources, and the diversity
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of life--the flora and fauna
in the waters and on the land.
02:38.057 --> 02:41.628
But let us look at one thing
we often take for granted--
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and that is water.
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It's both the source for
life and a destructive force.
02:47.233 --> 02:49.802
Have you noticed how
scientists and science
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writers look for evidence
of water as they explore
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other planets--
primarily Mars?
02:55.441 --> 02:59.746
They know that life as we know it is impossible without it.
02:59.812 --> 03:02.849
Many have swallowed the idea that if there is water,
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there may be life.
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Of course, this fails
to take into account the
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complexity of life and
how it is mathematically
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impossible to create life
from non-living material.
03:14.661 --> 03:17.764
Michael Denton pulls the
cover off the idea of a
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"simple cell"
when he wrote:
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Although the tiniest
bacterial cells are
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incredibly small...
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each is in effect a veritable micro-miniaturized
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factory containing thousands
of exquisitely designed
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pieces of intricate
molecular machinery...
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far more complicated than
any machine built by man and
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absolutely without parallel in the non-living world....
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The complexity of the simplest known type of cell is so
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great that it is impossible to accept that such an object
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could have been thrown
together suddenly by some
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kind of freakish, vastly
improbable, event.
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Such an occurrence would
be indistinguishable from
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a miracle.
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The creation of life needs
more than water, but water
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is far more important to
life than merely quenching
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our thirst.
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Perhaps you have wondered
why so much of our planet
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is covered by oceans
composed of salt water--
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which is not fit, as it
is, for our drinking.
04:20.393 --> 04:22.595
The oceans make up
approximately seventy
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percent of our planet,
but do you realize how
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important these
bodies of water are?
04:29.102 --> 04:32.772
The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration,
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also known as NOAA, informs
us of their many benefits.
04:36.943 --> 04:38.444
Here are only a few:
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Scientists estimate that
roughly half of the oxygen
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production on Earth
comes from the ocean.
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The majority of this
production is from oceanic
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plankton--drifting plants,
algae, and some bacteria
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that can photosynthesize.
04:55.161 --> 04:58.998
One particular species,
Prochlorococcus, is the
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smallest photosynthetic
organism on Earth.
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But this little bacteria
produces up to 20% of
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the oxygen in our
entire biosphere.
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That's a higher percentage
than all of the tropical
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rainforests on
land combined.
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Wow.
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Half our oxygen comes
from the oceans and 20%
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of total oxygen comes
from one tiny organism.
05:24.624 --> 05:28.294
In addition to pumping
oxygen into the atmosphere,
05:28.361 --> 05:31.431
NOAA explains that our
oceans moderate global
05:31.497 --> 05:35.134
temperatures by transporting "heat from the equator to
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the poles, regulating climate and weather patterns."
05:39.005 --> 05:42.709
The ocean's water is constantly circulated by currents.
05:42.775 --> 05:46.145
Tidal currents occur
close to shore and are
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influenced by
the sun and moon.
05:48.481 --> 05:51.384
Surface currents are
influenced by the wind.
05:51.451 --> 05:54.954
However, other, much
slower currents that occur
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from the surface to the
seafloor are driven by
05:58.224 --> 06:01.527
changes in the saltiness
and ocean temperature,
06:01.594 --> 06:05.631
a process called
thermohaline circulation.
06:05.698 --> 06:07.934
These currents are
carried in a large
06:08.000 --> 06:09.736
"global conveyer belt."
06:09.802 --> 06:12.872
This circulation brings
warmth to various parts
06:12.939 --> 06:15.842
of the globe and also
carries nutrients necessary
06:15.908 --> 06:18.311
to sustain ocean life.
06:18.377 --> 06:21.848
The circulation process
begins as warm water near
06:21.914 --> 06:25.017
the surface moves toward
the poles (such as the
06:25.084 --> 06:27.854
Gulf Stream in the North
Atlantic), where it cools
06:27.920 --> 06:30.123
and forms sea ice.
06:30.189 --> 06:35.261
As this ice forms, salt is left behind in the ocean water.
06:35.328 --> 06:37.997
Due to the large amount
of salt in the water,
06:38.064 --> 06:42.235
it becomes denser, sinks down, and is carried southwards
06:42.301 --> 06:44.370
in the depths below.
06:44.437 --> 06:47.406
Eventually, the water gets
pulled back up towards the
06:47.473 --> 06:51.778
surface and warms up in a
process called upwelling,
06:51.844 --> 06:53.613
completing the cycle.
06:53.679 --> 06:56.215
There are many more
critical life-sustaining
06:56.282 --> 06:58.718
benefits provided
by our oceans.
06:58.785 --> 07:02.255
Huge amounts of water
evaporate, forming clouds
07:02.321 --> 07:05.658
that drift over land
and provide needed rain.
07:05.725 --> 07:08.461
And consider the massive
amount of food that comes
07:08.528 --> 07:09.929
from our oceans.
07:09.996 --> 07:12.799
But our oceans are not
always so benevolent.
07:12.865 --> 07:15.535
They sometimes produce
storms that cause great
07:15.601 --> 07:19.138
destruction in the form of
hurricanes and cyclones.
07:19.205 --> 07:21.741
And when undersea
earthquakes occur,
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they can produce devastation
on a grand scale.
07:25.912 --> 07:29.882
In less than ten years, the world experienced two tsunamis.
07:29.949 --> 07:33.419
The first, in 2004, killed
more than a quarter million
07:33.486 --> 07:37.390
people along coastal
Indian Ocean areas.
07:37.456 --> 07:40.026
The second was in Japan,
which took as many as
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20,000 lives in 2011.
07:43.596 --> 07:48.067
Why, if God is a God of
love, does He allow such
07:48.134 --> 07:50.970
powerful forces
on this planet?
07:51.037 --> 07:53.072
Can He not prevent them?
07:53.139 --> 07:55.541
Or is all this a
matter of chance?
07:55.608 --> 07:58.444
Those questions are answered
in our free resource,
07:58.511 --> 08:01.714
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
08:01.781 --> 08:05.518
This resource explains
why a God of love allows
08:05.585 --> 08:10.122
natural disasters and,
yes, even causes some.
08:10.189 --> 08:12.592
You need this resource,
because no matter where
08:12.658 --> 08:16.462
you live, a natural disaster
can come your way.
08:16.529 --> 08:20.433
In fact, according to the
Bible, more than one will
08:20.499 --> 08:22.435
come our way.
08:22.501 --> 08:25.404
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
08:25.471 --> 08:28.341
is like no other
resource on the subject.
08:28.407 --> 08:32.144
While science can explain
the how--the processes by
08:32.211 --> 08:34.814
which storms, earthquakes,
tsunamis, and volcanoes
08:34.881 --> 08:39.585
occur--science cannot
explain the why.
08:39.652 --> 08:42.054
For that, we must turn
to the only source that
08:42.121 --> 08:45.925
explains why the universe
exists, what man is,
08:45.992 --> 08:48.694
and what is God's
purpose for him.
08:48.761 --> 08:52.865
This free resource--Acts of God: Why Natural Disasters?
08:52.932 --> 08:56.502
points you to the answers to these important questions--
08:56.569 --> 08:59.572
straight from the pages
of the Bible.
08:59.639 --> 09:00.439
♪
09:00.506 --> 09:07.580
For today's free
offer call...
09:07.647 --> 09:12.685
Or go to...
09:12.752 --> 09:15.288
This clear and
straight-forward resource
09:15.354 --> 09:17.890
will help you understand
this vital truth--
09:17.957 --> 09:21.193
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
09:21.260 --> 09:23.763
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
09:23.829 --> 09:26.666
receive a free annual
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09:26.732 --> 09:28.067
World magazine.
09:28.134 --> 09:31.604
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
09:31.671 --> 09:34.440
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
09:34.507 --> 09:37.944
your world from a
biblical perspective.
09:38.010 --> 09:41.013
Call today and join
millions around the world
09:41.080 --> 09:43.582
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
09:43.649 --> 09:49.455
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
09:49.522 --> 09:50.890
Call now!
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Or go to...
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♪
09:59.799 --> 10:02.635
So far, we've noted that
our home here on earth
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is beautiful and diverse.
10:05.037 --> 10:08.474
How different it is from
any other celestial object
10:08.541 --> 10:10.509
we've been able to observe.
10:10.576 --> 10:14.814
Its oceans, its temperature range, its 24-hour day
10:14.880 --> 10:18.384
divided into light and
darkness, all shout the
10:18.451 --> 10:22.054
message that this planet
was made for life--not life
10:22.121 --> 10:26.492
as a result of chance,
but life by design.
10:26.559 --> 10:29.862
But, as we have also noted, there are powerful forces
10:29.929 --> 10:33.733
that bring devastation
and disaster: volcanoes,
10:33.799 --> 10:37.436
earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and cyclones,
10:37.503 --> 10:41.407
droughts and floods,
fires and tornados.
10:41.474 --> 10:46.278
The question is, if God is
a loving Creator, why do we
10:46.345 --> 10:49.882
see such a contrast on earth between the beautiful and
10:49.949 --> 10:54.086
the ugly, the beneficial
and the destructive?
10:54.153 --> 10:57.623
To answer that question, we
must go back to the beginning.
10:57.690 --> 11:00.292
The Bible tells us that
our first parents were
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placed in a beautiful
garden filled with
11:02.595 --> 11:04.764
wonderful foods
of all sorts.
11:04.830 --> 11:07.666
Man was made in God's
likeness and image for
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a grand purpose.
11:09.402 --> 11:12.738
He was given a mind to
think, to reason, to invent
11:12.805 --> 11:16.008
and innovate, to make
decisions far above what
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any animal kind can do.
11:18.244 --> 11:21.781
But these decisions go beyond how to make and construct.
11:21.847 --> 11:25.951
Mankind must make decisions
on how to relate to others--
11:26.018 --> 11:29.155
in other words, moral decisions.
11:29.221 --> 11:32.024
Adam and Eve were thus
tested to see whether they
11:32.091 --> 11:35.127
would trust God's judgment,
as to what is good and
11:35.194 --> 11:38.330
what is evil, or whether
to strike out on their own
11:38.397 --> 11:41.133
and determine good and
evil for themselves.
11:41.200 --> 11:44.970
Adam, who was not deceived
by the serpent, chose the
11:45.037 --> 11:49.642
latter and mankind has been doing the same ever since.
11:49.708 --> 11:53.712
As a result, God said, in
effect, "You wanna do it
11:53.779 --> 11:56.715
your own way, have at
it, but don't expect me to
11:56.782 --> 12:00.019
bail you out of every jam
you get yourself into."
12:00.086 --> 12:04.023
However, despite our
rebellion, God does care
12:04.090 --> 12:06.559
for all of His
potential children.
12:06.625 --> 12:09.628
Note what Jesus said
as recorded by Matthew,
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in the fifth chapter
beginning verse 44:
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"But I say to you, love
your enemies, bless those
12:16.102 --> 12:19.071
who curse you, do good to
those who hate you,
12:19.138 --> 12:22.141
and pray for those who
spitefully use you and
12:22.208 --> 12:25.544
persecute you, that you
may be sons of your Father
12:25.611 --> 12:30.216
in heaven; for He [that is
God] makes His sun rise on
12:30.282 --> 12:34.053
the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just
12:34.120 --> 12:36.055
and on the unjust."
12:36.122 --> 12:38.924
Yes, God even gives
rain to the unjust.
12:38.991 --> 12:42.728
He has not left our environment totally to chance.
12:42.795 --> 12:45.831
But notice also that
God does manipulate our
12:45.898 --> 12:49.235
weather from time to time
based on our behavior.
12:49.301 --> 12:53.372
To Israel He said in
Leviticus the 26th chapter,
12:53.439 --> 12:56.642
"If you walk in My statutes
and keep My commandments,
12:56.709 --> 12:59.945
and perform them, then I
will give you rain in its
13:00.012 --> 13:03.782
season, the land shall
yield its produce, and
13:03.849 --> 13:06.452
the trees of the field
shall yield their fruit.
13:06.519 --> 13:09.788
Your threshing shall last
till the time of vintage,
13:09.855 --> 13:13.325
and the vintage shall last
till the time of sowing;
13:13.392 --> 13:16.729
you shall eat your bread
to the full, and dwell
13:16.795 --> 13:18.397
in your land safely."
13:18.464 --> 13:22.301
Can we not see, that the God who created the entire universe,
13:22.368 --> 13:25.771
can change weather patterns
for the good, that is, if we
13:25.838 --> 13:30.576
obey Him, but also withhold
the good if we despise Him?
13:30.643 --> 13:34.346
Here's the result of the
latter, in verse 14:
13:34.413 --> 13:37.416
"But if you do not obey Me,
and do not observe all
13:37.483 --> 13:40.619
these commandments, and if
you despise My statutes,
13:40.686 --> 13:44.123
or if your soul abhors My
judgments, so that you do not
13:44.190 --> 13:47.693
perform all My commandments,
but break My covenant,
13:47.760 --> 13:50.462
I also will do this to you...."
13:50.529 --> 13:54.233
Now the first thing He said would happen is that He would
13:54.300 --> 13:58.404
give His people over to terrorism and disease epidemics.
13:58.470 --> 14:01.106
But also notice verse 19:
14:01.173 --> 14:05.711
"I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.
14:05.778 --> 14:08.647
And your strength shall be
spent in vain; for your land
14:08.714 --> 14:12.384
shall not yield its produce,
nor shall the trees of the
14:12.451 --> 14:14.386
land yield their fruit."
14:14.453 --> 14:18.791
Or, as we read in
Deuteronomy 28:24,
14:18.857 --> 14:21.694
"The LORD will change
the rain of your land to
14:21.760 --> 14:24.897
powder and dust; from the
heaven it shall come down
14:24.964 --> 14:27.933
on you until you
are destroyed."
14:28.000 --> 14:30.669
We see that God makes it
possible for the righteous
14:30.736 --> 14:34.206
and the unrighteous to
survive on earth--giving
14:34.273 --> 14:38.811
sun and rain to produce food
for man and beast alike.
14:38.877 --> 14:42.615
Yet, as we are beginning
to see, He does manipulate
14:42.681 --> 14:45.084
weather for His purposes.
14:45.150 --> 14:47.419
In the next portion of
this program, we'll see
14:47.486 --> 14:50.322
that so-called "natural
disasters," according to
14:50.389 --> 14:53.892
the Bible, are indeed,
in our future.
14:53.959 --> 14:57.062
But first, let me take a
short break to remind you
14:57.129 --> 14:58.764
of today's free offer:
14:58.831 --> 15:02.735
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
15:02.801 --> 15:05.504
The scriptures given in this program, and many more,
15:05.571 --> 15:09.808
will point you to mankind's destiny in the very near future.
15:09.875 --> 15:13.779
This resource explains
why a God of love allows
15:13.846 --> 15:18.384
natural disasters and,
yes, even causes some.
15:18.450 --> 15:22.154
It's one thing to know what is coming, but more importantly,
15:22.221 --> 15:26.425
to know why these disasters
are coming, so order your
15:26.492 --> 15:30.629
free copy of Acts of God:
Why Natural Disasters?
15:30.696 --> 15:33.699
All you have to do is pick
up the phone, or go to our
15:33.766 --> 15:40.306
website TWTV.org/Disasters to receive your free copy of
15:40.372 --> 15:44.109
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
15:44.176 --> 15:47.379
And do it today, and when I
return, I'll show you from
15:47.446 --> 15:51.083
the pages of the Bible
what God foretold about
15:51.150 --> 15:55.321
catastrophic events that
will soon strike our planet.
15:55.387 --> 15:56.388
♪
15:56.455 --> 15:58.223
This clear and
straight-forward resource
15:58.290 --> 16:00.693
will help you understand
this vital truth--
16:00.759 --> 16:03.762
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
16:03.829 --> 16:04.697
Call now!
16:04.763 --> 16:08.701
Or go to...
16:08.767 --> 16:10.769
♪
16:10.836 --> 16:13.639
Our Creator has given
mankind a home on
16:13.706 --> 16:17.443
planet Earth that is
beautiful and dynamic.
16:17.509 --> 16:20.813
Our home is teeming with
life forms of every sort--
16:20.879 --> 16:24.650
soaring birds, fleet-footed animals, and creatures that
16:24.717 --> 16:26.418
live in our waters.
16:26.485 --> 16:30.723
Then there is plant life coming in all colors and sizes.
16:30.789 --> 16:33.592
We're overwhelmed by the
natural process of mountains
16:33.659 --> 16:37.096
and islands being formed
by volcanic activity.
16:37.162 --> 16:40.232
We're awed by lightning
and thunderstorms.
16:40.299 --> 16:44.169
But volcanoes, severe storms, earthquakes, floods,
16:44.236 --> 16:48.107
and droughts can be
frightening and devastating.
16:48.173 --> 16:51.877
So, I have asked the question, if God is a god of love,
16:51.944 --> 16:55.381
why does He allow such destructive forces to
16:55.447 --> 16:57.116
plague mankind?
16:57.182 --> 17:00.986
As we've already seen, it's
man that has rejected God,
17:01.053 --> 17:03.822
and essentially said,
"God leave us alone.
17:03.889 --> 17:07.760
Don't tell us what to do."
And so, He has.
17:07.826 --> 17:11.797
But we've also seen that He hasn't left us entirely alone.
17:11.864 --> 17:14.767
He makes the sun shine and
the rain to come upon both
17:14.833 --> 17:16.969
the just and the unjust.
17:17.035 --> 17:19.705
We've also seen that He
blesses those who strive
17:19.772 --> 17:23.375
to obey Him with rain in
due season, but He directs
17:23.442 --> 17:26.612
unfavorable weather
patterns upon those who
17:26.678 --> 17:28.781
despise His commandments.
17:28.847 --> 17:32.017
In this portion of today's
program, we'll see that
17:32.084 --> 17:35.821
God will use disasters of
unimaginable proportions
17:35.888 --> 17:39.358
in the very near future
to get our attention.
17:39.425 --> 17:41.960
The book of Revelation
describes a number of
17:42.027 --> 17:44.730
so-called natural disasters.
17:44.797 --> 17:48.700
Revelation describes a scroll sealed with seven seals.
17:48.767 --> 17:52.070
And when the seventh seal
is opened, seven angels are
17:52.137 --> 17:55.541
given seven trumpet plagues
to blow upon the earth.
17:55.607 --> 17:57.709
Now let's look at
three of them.
17:57.776 --> 18:02.014
We read of the first disaster
in chapter 8, and in verse 7:
18:02.080 --> 18:05.984
"The first angel sounded:
And hail and fire followed,
18:06.051 --> 18:09.321
mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth.
18:09.388 --> 18:12.090
And a third of the trees
were burned up, and all
18:12.157 --> 18:14.460
green grass was burned up."
18:14.526 --> 18:17.729
Now it's difficult for us to
know the precise means of
18:17.796 --> 18:21.633
this disaster, but it will
be of God, and will be
18:21.700 --> 18:25.003
devastating beyond what
the world has ever known.
18:25.070 --> 18:28.841
The second disaster may
be more easily defined.
18:28.907 --> 18:31.376
"Then the second angel
sounded: And something
18:31.443 --> 18:34.046
like a great mountain
burning with fire was
18:34.112 --> 18:37.983
thrown into the sea, and a
third of the sea became blood.
18:38.050 --> 18:41.220
And a third of the living
creatures in the sea died,
18:41.286 --> 18:44.323
and a third of the
ships were destroyed."
18:44.389 --> 18:48.260
This would appear to be a
super-volcano, a mountain
18:48.327 --> 18:50.829
exploding and tossed
into the sea.
18:50.896 --> 18:54.266
We may even speculate, that
it will be one of the known,
18:54.333 --> 18:57.769
or currently unrecognized, super-volcanoes in or
18:57.836 --> 19:01.373
around the geologically
volatile South China Sea,
19:01.440 --> 19:04.510
as it would have to be
near busy shipping lanes.
19:04.576 --> 19:05.811
Now note this:
19:05.878 --> 19:09.548
The United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development
19:09.615 --> 19:12.851
estimates that roughly 80 percent of global trade
19:12.918 --> 19:18.524
by volume and 70 percent by value is transported by sea.
19:18.590 --> 19:22.861
Of that volume, 60 percent
of maritime trade passes
19:22.928 --> 19:26.198
through Asia, with the
South China Sea carrying
19:26.265 --> 19:30.402
an estimated one-third
of global shipping.
19:30.469 --> 19:34.039
Its waters are particularly critical for China, Taiwan,
19:34.106 --> 19:38.143
Japan, and South Korea,
all of which rely on the
19:38.210 --> 19:41.780
Strait of Malacca, which connects the South China Sea
19:41.847 --> 19:46.919
and, by extension, the Pacific Ocean with the Indian Ocean.
19:46.985 --> 19:50.722
The next natural disaster
is described in verse 10:
19:50.789 --> 19:54.493
"Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from
19:54.560 --> 19:58.130
heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of
19:58.196 --> 20:00.766
the rivers and on the
springs of water."
20:00.832 --> 20:04.403
We often refer to a meteor
as a "shooting star."
20:04.469 --> 20:07.739
Scientists know that
many large meteors and
20:07.806 --> 20:11.543
asteroids cross Earth's
path on a regular basis.
20:11.610 --> 20:15.781
A few have struck the earth with devastating effect in the past,
20:15.847 --> 20:19.451
but God has protected
our planet for our sake.
20:19.518 --> 20:22.821
However, according to this
passage of scripture, a large
20:22.888 --> 20:26.892
asteroid striking the earth appears to be in our future.
20:26.959 --> 20:31.229
The Bible has much more to contribute to our understanding
20:31.296 --> 20:34.132
of natural disasters, and that is the reason that we are
20:34.199 --> 20:38.170
offering a free resource that explains why a loving God
20:38.236 --> 20:43.041
allows, and at times even causes, terrible disasters
20:43.108 --> 20:45.010
to occur on Earth.
20:45.077 --> 20:48.981
Yes, there are powerful forces that affect our planet,
20:49.047 --> 20:52.384
but there is a God who
controls whether and when
20:52.451 --> 20:54.419
they strike mankind.
20:54.486 --> 20:57.356
They remind us that we
are not nearly as much
20:57.422 --> 21:01.059
in control of our lives as
we sometimes think we are.
21:01.126 --> 21:04.930
People who pay little
attention to God, cry out
21:04.997 --> 21:07.432
to Him for help when they
are knocked off their feet
21:07.499 --> 21:08.967
in an earthquake.
21:09.034 --> 21:12.638
Our resource, Acts of God:
Why Natural Disasters?
21:12.704 --> 21:16.642
explains why God allows these forces to afflict mankind.
21:16.708 --> 21:19.011
And it can be yours
free of charge.
21:19.077 --> 21:21.446
All you have to do is pick
up the phone and call the
21:21.513 --> 21:24.883
toll free number shown on
your screen, or go to our
21:24.950 --> 21:31.256
website TWTV.org/Disasters to receive your free copy of
21:31.323 --> 21:34.826
Acts of God: Why
Natural Disasters?
21:34.893 --> 21:36.662
It's just that simple.
21:36.728 --> 21:39.865
After this short break,
I'll show you that the Bible
21:39.931 --> 21:43.835
also gives good news on this subject for our future.
21:43.902 --> 21:44.703
♪
21:44.770 --> 21:52.144
For today's free
offer call...
21:52.210 --> 21:56.815
Or go to...
21:56.882 --> 21:59.785
This clear and
straight-forward resource
21:59.851 --> 22:02.487
will help you understand
this vital truth--
22:02.554 --> 22:05.524
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
22:05.590 --> 22:08.160
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
22:08.226 --> 22:11.029
receive a free annual
subscription to Tomorrow's
22:11.096 --> 22:12.431
World magazine.
22:12.497 --> 22:15.967
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
22:16.034 --> 22:18.770
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
22:18.837 --> 22:22.674
your world from a
biblical perspective.
22:22.741 --> 22:25.410
Call today and join
millions around the world
22:25.477 --> 22:27.946
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
22:28.013 --> 22:33.485
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
22:33.552 --> 22:35.187
Call now!
22:35.253 --> 22:39.491
Or go to...
22:39.558 --> 22:44.496
♪
22:44.563 --> 22:47.866
So-called natural disasters
have been a part of mankind's
22:47.933 --> 22:50.135
experience from the beginning.
22:50.202 --> 22:54.639
Some of these are the result of a dynamically changing planet.
22:54.706 --> 22:58.710
Some are the result of time
and chance upon humanity--
22:58.777 --> 23:01.546
the result of our
rejection of God.
23:01.613 --> 23:04.683
But, as shown in the previous segment of this program,
23:04.750 --> 23:07.753
there are great calamities
in our future,
23:07.819 --> 23:11.923
and those disasters will
not be so "natural."
23:11.990 --> 23:15.327
However, there is good news regarding the future.
23:15.393 --> 23:18.663
There is coming a time when
rain will come in due season,
23:18.730 --> 23:22.000
when God will protect His creation from devastating
23:22.067 --> 23:25.637
floods, hurricanes,
earthquakes, and tornados.
23:25.704 --> 23:29.508
Quoting from Acts of God:
Why Natural Disasters?
23:29.574 --> 23:33.145
Could God stop
natural disasters?
23:33.211 --> 23:35.814
Could He give adequate
warnings so people could
23:35.881 --> 23:39.684
get out of the way while He builds a new island or mountain?
23:39.751 --> 23:44.189
Could He direct the wind to take a course away from His children?
23:44.256 --> 23:47.759
The obvious answer to anyone
who truly knows God is,
23:47.826 --> 23:49.694
Of course He could!
23:49.761 --> 23:52.664
Who created the dirt
under our feet?
23:52.731 --> 23:55.400
Who created the law of
gravity, the strong force
23:55.467 --> 23:56.968
and the weak force?
23:57.035 --> 24:00.172
Cannot the God who created
the universe and life on
24:00.238 --> 24:02.240
this planet protect us?
24:02.307 --> 24:05.177
So why do these
things happen now?
24:05.243 --> 24:07.479
Our resource continues:
24:07.546 --> 24:12.050
Scientists understand that our universe did not always exist.
24:12.117 --> 24:14.286
So how did it come to be?
24:14.352 --> 24:18.690
We are so arrogant we conclude that it all happened by chance--
24:18.757 --> 24:23.428
so God is allowing us to
live in a world of chance.
24:23.495 --> 24:26.665
The disasters that "time
and chance" throw at us
24:26.731 --> 24:28.533
should get our attention.
24:28.600 --> 24:31.636
But sadly, our attention
span is short.
24:31.703 --> 24:34.573
But God will get
our attention.
24:34.639 --> 24:37.442
When we come to the end
of our rope, Jesus Christ
24:37.509 --> 24:40.779
will return to save us from ourselves, as explained in
24:40.846 --> 24:44.883
Zechariah the 14th chapter, beginning in verse 4.
24:44.950 --> 24:48.220
"And in that day His feet
[the Messiah, that is,
24:48.286 --> 24:51.456
Jesus Christ] will stand on
the Mount of Olives, which
24:51.523 --> 24:53.325
faces Jerusalem on the east.
24:53.391 --> 24:56.228
And the Mount of Olives
shall be split in two,
24:56.294 --> 24:59.698
from east to west, making
a very large valley;
24:59.764 --> 25:03.468
half of the mountain shall
move toward the north and
25:03.535 --> 25:05.470
half of it toward the south."
25:05.537 --> 25:08.840
Following that earthquake,
a river of living waters
25:08.907 --> 25:12.310
will flow both east and
west from Jerusalem and
25:12.377 --> 25:15.580
bring healing to today's
polluted seas and rivers.
25:15.647 --> 25:19.751
Ezekiel describes this river, obviously also a type of
25:19.818 --> 25:24.656
God's healing spirit, flowing out to heal our damaged planet.
25:24.723 --> 25:28.693
Ezekiel the 47th chapter,
and in verse 8:
25:28.760 --> 25:31.897
"Then he said to me: "This
water flows toward the eastern
25:31.963 --> 25:36.468
region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea.
25:36.534 --> 25:39.571
When it reaches the sea,
its waters are healed.
25:39.638 --> 25:42.440
And it shall be that every
living thing that moves,
25:42.507 --> 25:45.911
wherever the rivers
go, will live.
25:45.977 --> 25:49.247
There will be a very great
multitude of fish, because
25:49.314 --> 25:52.717
these waters go there;
for they will be healed,
25:52.784 --> 25:55.887
and everything will live
wherever the river goes."
25:55.954 --> 26:00.525
Isaiah describes a future time of climate change when today's
26:00.592 --> 26:04.262
deserts and wildernesses
will be transformed.
26:04.329 --> 26:08.300
Notice it in Isaiah 35:6,
26:08.366 --> 26:10.802
"For waters shall burst
forth in the wilderness,
26:10.869 --> 26:12.771
and streams in the desert.
26:12.837 --> 26:15.640
The parched ground shall
become a pool, and the
26:15.707 --> 26:19.344
thirsty land springs of
water; In the habitation
26:19.411 --> 26:22.414
of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass
26:22.480 --> 26:24.549
with reeds and rushes."
26:24.616 --> 26:30.355
Isaiah continues a few
chapters later, Isaiah 41:18,
26:30.422 --> 26:33.458
"I will open rivers in
desolate heights, and
26:33.525 --> 26:36.328
fountains in the midst of
the valleys; I will make
26:36.394 --> 26:39.597
the wilderness a pool of
water, and the dry land
26:39.664 --> 26:41.366
springs of water.
26:41.433 --> 26:43.601
I will plant in the
wilderness the cedar
26:43.668 --> 26:47.706
and the acacia tree, the
myrtle and the oil tree;
26:47.772 --> 26:50.809
I will set in the desert the
cypress tree and the pine
26:50.875 --> 26:55.413
And the box tree together,
That they may see and know,
26:55.480 --> 26:59.184
and consider and understand together, That the hand of
26:59.250 --> 27:02.454
the Lord has done this,
and the Holy One of Israel
27:02.520 --> 27:04.122
has created it."
27:04.189 --> 27:07.525
The God who created the universe and our tiny planet in it,
27:07.592 --> 27:10.862
is more than capable of controlling the forces that
27:10.929 --> 27:12.464
shape this earth.
27:12.530 --> 27:15.667
He's given us time to
prove to ourselves that
27:15.734 --> 27:17.268
our ways do not work.
27:17.335 --> 27:21.673
He's allowed us to live by
time and chance to remind
27:21.740 --> 27:25.276
us that we are not as high
and mighty as we think,
27:25.343 --> 27:29.447
but once He gets our attention, He will show us how things
27:29.514 --> 27:32.517
could have been from the beginning if we had chosen
27:32.584 --> 27:34.285
to trust in Him.
27:34.352 --> 27:38.123
Be sure to order your free
copy of Acts of God:
27:38.189 --> 27:40.158
Why Natural Disasters?
27:40.225 --> 27:42.794
and be sure to come back next week, when Richard Ames,
27:42.861 --> 27:46.664
Wallace Smith, Rod McNair,
and I explain the prophecies
27:46.731 --> 27:50.502
of the Bible, proclaim the
good news of Christ's coming
27:50.568 --> 27:53.471
Kingdom, and help you
understand the world
27:53.538 --> 27:55.106
in which we live today.
27:55.173 --> 27:57.008
See you next time.
27:57.075 --> 27:57.876
♪
27:57.942 --> 28:04.582
For today's free
offer call...
28:04.649 --> 28:09.320
Or go to...
28:09.387 --> 28:11.623
Call today and join
millions around the world
28:11.689 --> 28:14.192
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
28:14.259 --> 28:18.830
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
28:18.897 --> 28:20.999
The preceding program
is produced by the
28:21.066 --> 28:22.167
Living Church of God.
28:22.233 --> 28:25.470
♪