Disasters Quadruple in Two Decades: What Do They Portend?
A commentary by Edmond D. Macaraeg
United Church of God pastor, the Philippines
According to recent press release from Oxfam,
a British charity, the number of natural disasters which occurred
within the past two decades was more than four times that which
occurred previously. The report showed that the world suffered about
120 natural disasters per year in the early 1980s, while the current
figure is now about 500 per year.
Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam International Executive Director, noted, "This
year we have seen floods in South Asia, across the breadth of Africa
and in Mexico that have affected more than 250 million people. This
is no freak year. It follows a pattern of more frequent, more erratic,
more unpredictable and more extreme weather events that are affecting
more people."
The press release also noted that the number of people affected
by these extreme natural disasters has surged by almost 70 percent, "from
an average of 174 million a year between 1985 and 1994 to 254 million
a year between 1995 and 2004. Earlier this year the Asian floods
alone affected 248 million people." Floods and wind-storms
have increased from 60 events in 1980 to 240 last year, with flooding
up six-fold.
This Oxfam study was compiled using data from the Red Cross, the
United Nations and specialist researchers at Louvain University
in Belgium plus the London (AFP) report of November 25, 2007.
A worldwide scenario
According to The Economist (May 10, 2007) Africa is already
facing the possibility of acute food and water shortages and "the
spectre of rising mortality"—if present trends continue.
But in addition to what is happening on the African continent, our
world faces many other potential problems.
For example, about two dozen earthquakes occur every day, some
with a significant magnitude of destruction. Compounding natural
disasters are what seem to be the never ending man-made calamities
such as violence, injustice, wars and disease epidemics.
If the scientists are correct concerning the magnitude of the future
calamities that they are predicting, no human organization, government
or system will be able to rescue all of us.
Also, their predictions are very similar to what the Bible predicts
for the troublesome time that will precede the return of Jesus Christ.
And they give us cause to think seriously about what Jesus and His
apostles said about that time.
Jesus summarized those calamitous
days and their effect on the whole world: "Nation will rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines
and earthquakes in various places ... For then there will be great
distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and
never to be equaled again" (Matthew
24:7, 21, NIV). Are we approaching that prophesied time of worldwide
trouble and distress? There are many real indications that we are!
However, Jesus also cautions us, "But know this, that if
the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come,
he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an
hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:43-44).
It is how ready
we are spiritually for that day that really counts.
  May
I recommend for your reading two of our publications that address
the time of the end and our personal readiness for it? Just request
or download your free copies of: How to Understand the Bible and Are
We Living in the Time of the End?
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