God and Global Warming

In an online discussion about global warming, one of the guys there is trying to convince me that man can effect the climate and warm the planet. My view is that while there are short term effects from environmental mishaps, in the long term, God cleanses the environment.

So he sent me an article with pictures from Chernobyl in Russia. Twenty years ago, there was a radioactive explosion at a nuclear plant in Chernobyl. So the town, which used to inhabit approximately 50,000 people, is now deserted. Here's the link - what do you see?

Chernobyl Today: A Creepy Story told in Pictures

The pictures show a bunch of deserted buildings and schools, giving the city a creepy feel. It's easy to be swayed by the pictures. But these pictures serve only to highlight the results of the deserted buildings.

There is something else there - life. There are trees and plant life. There is a fish in one of the pictures. If the fish is there, it must be eating something that is alive. There are clear blue skies in a couple of pictures. So from one of the worst environmental disasters, the environment was able to recover.

If God can submerge the earth under water for 40 days and revive it so that life flourishes, God can handle man-caused environmental mishaps.

I am reminded of some of God's promises that He made with regards to the environment...

Gen. 8:22 - While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.

Gen. 9:11 - I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.

We don't have to worry about the ice melting and water submerging the land because there will be no worldwide floods. God is in control of the environment - and when He is ready at the prescribed time, he will destroy the earth as we know it.

2 Pet. 3:7 - But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Those in the family of God will not go through this. The point is, until that time comes, God will continue to clean the environment. While I am all for recycling and using our resources wisely, we should not make policy or order our lives in fear based on long term global warming.