Climate Change: What Does the Bible Say about Global Climate Concerns?

The Scriptures also say, “In the beginning, Lord, you were the one who laid the foundation of the earth and created the heavens. They will all disappear and wear out like clothes, but you will last forever. You will roll them up like a robe and change them like a garment. But you are always the same, and you will live forever” (Hebrews 1:10-12 CEV).

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease (Genesis 8:22 ESV).

A great controversy that has arisen in modern times is the fear by some that the lifestyle of humans living on the earth will change the climate and cause the earth to eventually become uninhabitable.

There is an entire generation that has been taught to believe that the destruction of the earth by mankind is progressing at such a rapid rate that this generation will be the last generation that will experience trees and green grass. They sincerely believe this!

This fear has been so radically preached that even things not connected to energy production or atmospheric pollution are being targeted as a cause of climate change. This has been carried to such an extreme that even bovine flatulence made national news claiming it causes as much as 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions each year. It has also been reported that coffee, due to the growing of the coffee beans, as well as the transporting, roasting, grinding, and brewing, is a major contributor to climate change every year!

This mindset appears to be driven by fear and is used politically to manipulate the public. Fear is a spiritual force that, by its very nature, will bring destruction and the inability to think rationally.

When I was young, I was taught that climate change was inevitable. The difference is back then our professors were teaching that the earth was getting ready to go through another ice age. There was great concern because everything scientific seemed to be pointing that way. It’s so interesting to see that professors in the same universities are still teaching that there will be climate change; however, they are now teaching that the earth is warming, and could become a desert.

Throughout the planet’s history, earth’s climate has changed dramatically, with the climate of ancient earth being either much warmer, or much colder than it is today. The study of ancient climate is called paleoclimatology, which predates the invention of modern meteorological instruments.

The change of climate evolved in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia because these areas experienced prolonged periods of droughts or floods. In the 17th century, Robert Hooke theorized that the fossils of giant turtles found in southwest England were a result of the climate once being much warmer. He thought this could be a result of the earth shifting on its axis. Others believed these fossils occurred because of Noah’s flood that is recorded in the Bible.

Heinrich Schwabe, an astronomer in the early 19th century, became very concerned about how the sun affected the earth’s climate. With discoveries of natural changes in the earth’s past relating to the greenhouse effect, the scientific field of paleoclimatology began to have greater influence.

Just a few short decades ago, a radical movement took place as protestors threw paint on SUV automobiles because they heard someone state that SUVs use more fuel than a regular automobile.

During this same time, there were animal activists who tossed paint onto fur coats, with the idea they were protecting animals from having their skin used as clothing. Many of the “fur coats” were not fur, but synthetics, while the activists throwing the paint had leather wallets and leather shoes made from animal skins.

The weirdness of humanity seems to go through cycles. In a short time, these protests fade away and then looking back, they are ridiculous.

Presidential candidate Al Gore stated on December 14, 2009, that there was a 75 percent chance that the entire Arctic polar ice cap could be completely ice-free within the next five to seven years. At the time, it sounded very reasonable to some, but it never happened. Looking back, it’s humorous. Likewise, that will be the fate of climate change.

What Does the Bible Say about Climate Change?

Here is what the Bible says about the condition of the earth in the future: When Jesus returns, people will be eating and drinking and giving in marriage (Matthew 24:37-39). The implication is that daily life will be going on as normal on the earth. Genesis 8:22 confirms that the earth will have continuous winters and summers without ceasing. Seedtime and harvest will continue, and there will be a balance between cold and heat while the earth remains. This tells us there should be no panic over the earth being destroyed by mankind before the return of Jesus.

On another note, after Jesus does return to set up His kingdom, we know that the earth will continue on for another thousand years (during the millennial reign of Jesus) with seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night. After the millennial reign has ended, there will be a judgment (great white throne judgment), and God will eradicate all evil from the earth forever.

In Revelation 21:1, John had a vision of a new heaven and earth. The Greek word for new is kainos, which does not mean a different heaven and earth but refurbished. The heaven in this scripture is referring to is the first heaven, which is the atmosphere of the earth. Peter said that the earth would be reserved for fire.

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (2 Peter 3:7).

What does this mean? It means there will be a cleansing of the earth by God Himself, with a refurbished, renewed earth and atmosphere. This will happen in God’s timing after the great white throne judgment at the end of the millennium. Because death will no longer be a factor for those living in flesh-and-blood bodies (Revelation 21:4), and because God will tabernacle (live) with mankind (Revelation 21:3), the new earth will be inhabited by mankind for eternity.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10-13).

Should we be concerned about the condition of the earth? Of course! We should restrict the use of pollutants in the air, water, and ground that are dangerous. Yes, we have a responsibility to tend and keep the earth (Genesis 2:15). Although we know the earth is aging (Hebrews 1:10-12), we should not allow fear to cause us to make foolish and bizarre decisions that affect our lifestyle and restrict us from living the abundant life promised to us in the Word of God (John 10:10).

Once again, according to the Bible, there will be continuous winter and summer, cold and heat, until God refurbishes the earth at least 1,007 years from now (after the millennium). So why do people choose to worry about something God has completely under His control? In the words of Jesus, “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34).

Remember…

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22).