Warnings From Heaven

Devastation from Typhoon Haiyan

The total carnage from Typhoon Haiyan, the monster storm that recently slammed into the Philippines probably won't be known for several months.

In the city of Tacloban, a town located in the Leyte province of the central Philippines, the death toll is currently estimated at 10,000. Many more residents remain unaccounted for. If and when they're finally found, the death toll is sure to rise.

Since the Philippines is a long way from North America, many folks in this part of the world aren't as shocked by the devastation as they would have been had the killer storm struck closer to home.

How bad was Typhoon Haiyan? Do you remember Hurricane Katrina that devastated the city of New Orleans, La. in 2005? Then consider Typhoon Haiyan as Katrina on steroids. That's how bad this monster storm was.

Haiyan was listed as a Category Five storm which is as bad as a storm such as this one gets. The storm featured unheard of 195 mph winds that destroyed almost everything in its path. It's a miracle that anyone survived.

Those who were fortunate to survive are describing scenes that sound similar to a nuclear holocaust. Mila Ward, who was on her way to catch a flight to Manila, said this: "On the way to the airport we saw many bodies along the street. They were covered with just anything - tarpaulin, roofing sheets, cardboards." Ward claims that she counted about 100 corpses in the street.
http://weather.aol.com/2013/11/10/philippine-typhoon-deaths-climb-into-thousands

Certainly, this storm will be exploited by some for propaganda purposes to promote Climate Change-Global Warming. Though devastating storms have been occurring throughout history, the Climate Change promoters will use Typhoon Haiyan as "proof" that too much greenhouse gas such as carbon dioxide is being emitted into the earth's atmosphere that is causing these storms.

The storm will also be exploited by some sanctimonious religious groups that will claim that God unleashed the typhoon upon the Philippines because of the prevalence of Islam, witchcraft and voodoo in that nation. They made similar claims after Katrina struck New Orleans.

If their argument is true, then the entire planet should be suffering from killer storms since false religion and occultism are practiced everywhere.

Why then, did God allow such a killer storm to devastate the Philippines? The answer is easy but painful: Because sin prevails in that nation as it does everywhere on earth.

Did I just contradict myself? No, because there isn't a place on earth where sin doesn't prevail. The next Haiyan or Katrina or killer earthquake could be coming to a place near you.

God uses such tragedies to warn the world of His impending judgment. Only His grace holds back His complete judgment of a world that has rejected Him and mocked His laws.

Shortly before he went to the cross, Jesus Christ revealed this ominous prophecy of what would take place in the last days on earth directly preceding His return: "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken." (Luke 21:25-26)

Was Christ alluding to storms such as Katrina and Haiyan? I believe He was. Unless the world repents of its sin and returns to God, even worse events are sure to come.