Gary Stearman
The Big Freeze
Sat Mar 6 15:13:03 2004
64.140.159.10

The Big Freeze

http://www.prophecyinthenews.com/articledetail.asp?Article_ID=123
by Gary Stearman


The following words were published on January 25, 2004, in the UK Independent: "Britain is likely to be plunged into an ice age within our lifetime by global warming, new research suggests.

"A study, which is being taken seriously by top government scientists, has uncovered a change ‘of remarkable amplitude’ in the circulation of the waters of the North Atlantic."

An "ice age?" "Global warming?" How can warming cause ice? It’s a long story, with many interesting twists. Because of its possible connection with Bible prophecy, it may be well worth our while to stay on top of this story.

It begins back in the 1960’s, when climate experts preached the dire warning that a new ice age was approaching. They said that within two or three decades, it might be impossible to grow crops in the arable grain and pasture lands of Canada, the northern Unites States and much of Europe. They had concluded that perhaps ten to fifteen thousand years ago, the climate had turned radically cooler, for reasons unknown. After that, it had slowly begun to warm up.

In their scenario, glaciers receded, the wooly mammoths died, civilization spread from Africa and Mesopotamia through Europe and Asia, then to the Americas. Through the centuries and into the modern era, the climate remained remarkably stable.

The twentieth century, and its two World Wars brought the science of meteorology to new heights of accuracy. For the first time in recorded history, global weather data were accumulated. Trends were analyzed, and … voila! Scientists began to notice a drop in earth’s mean temperature.

From this, came the "Ice Age" prediction. But in the decades that followed, monitoring equipment became more sophisticated. Real-time satellite data alerted the watchful to the growing threat of "greenhouse gasses." Carbon dioxide and methane levels were rising. Though it was hotly debated, most scientists came to believe that as a result of this, the mean temperature of the ocean was rising.

In the 1980’s and 90’s, we began to hear the term, "global warming." The strident language of the environmentalists marked the concluding decade of the twentieth century. They urged international transport and manufacturing to reduce the use of hydrocarbon fuels – coal and oil. They warned that polluting gasses would destroy the world. It was the age of automotive catalytic converters and sharp restrictions on freon for air conditioning.

Many nations signed the 1992 Kyoto Protocol, demanding planet-wide stringent controls on the production of greenhouse gasses. Some, like the United States, did not sign. In fact, many scientists felt that there was insufficient data to force such radical changes. But they were completely unaware of a new and alarming development in the Atlantic Ocean.

What If the "Ocean Conveyor" Stops?

For over a century, it has been well known that the Gulf Stream warms Europe. At the equator, the tropical sun heats it up. At the same time, fresh water evaporates from its surface, entering the atmosphere, and concentrating its salt content. This heat-laden, dense, salty water then flows northward, along the East Coast of the United States. From there, it turns northeast toward Europe.

There, the water gives up its heat, modifying the weather of England, Scandinavia, Europe and Russia. Their rains and productive growing seasons are the direct result of the warming waters of the Gulf Stream.

Having done its work, the cooled, salty water sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Its higher density causes it to flow downward and back toward the south. Soon, it returns to the equatorial zone, where it begins to rise. Once again, it is heated and loops back to the north to repeat the cycle.

Scientists call this huge circulatory system the "Ocean Conveyor." If it were to stop, Europe would be deprived of half its heat. It is a startling fact that the continent receives as much heat from the Gulf Stream as it does from the Sun.

The Independent puts it this way: "If that happens, Britain and northern Europe are expected to switch abruptly to the climate of Labrador – which is on the same latitude – bringing a nightmare scenario where farmland turns to tundra and winter temperatures drop below – 20°C [- 5°F] …

"A report by the international Geosphere-Biosphere Program in Sweden – launched by Nobel prize-winner Professor Paul Crutzen and other top scientists – warned … that pollution threatened to ‘trigger changes with catastrophic consequences’ like these."

On January 27, 2004, the highly respected Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution prepared a paper for the World Economic Forum. It is entitled, "Abrupt Climate Change: Should We Be Worried?" by Robert B. Gagosian, president and director. Its basic thesis states that geophysicists may have been mistakenly concentrating their attention on the threat of gradual global warming. It points out that, "Fossil evidence clearly demonstrates that the Earth’s climate can shift gears within a decade, establishing new and different patterns that can persist for decades to centuries. In addition, these climate shifts do not necessarily have universal, global effects. They can generate a counterintuitive scenario: Even as the earth as a whole continues to warm gradually, large regions may experience a precipitous and disruptive shift into colder climates."

They say, "It is important to clarify that we are not contemplating a situation of either abrupt cooling or global warming. Rather, abrupt regional cooling and gradual global warming can unfold simultaneously. Indeed greenhouse warming is a destabilizing factor that makes abrupt climate change more probable."

Here’s the bottom line: Melting glaciers in the north are releasing fresh water. The influx of fresh water into the North Atlantic, reduces its salinity, and prevents the Gulf Stream water from sinking for its return trip to the equator. This action would stop the Conveyor.

Woods Hole scientists say, "Computer models simulating ocean-atmosphere climate dynamics indicate that the north Atlantic region would cool 3 to 5 [degrees] Celsius if Conveyor circulation were totally disrupted. It would produce winters twice as cold as the worst winters on record in the eastern United States in the past century. In addition, previous Conveyor shutdowns have been linked with widespread droughts throughout the globe."

Scientists say that if the "climatic flip" happens, its effects will last for decades, at least. European agriculture would cease. Energy and food shortages would plague once-temperate lands. To save themselves, perhaps millions of people would flock southward.

The geopolitics of such a calamity would be devastating.

What Does the Bible Say?

If this abrupt climatic shift were destined to impact the civilized world of the latter days, surely we would see some clue of it in Scripture.

And in fact, there are some remarkable Scriptures that suggest such an event. In the Lord’s proclamation to Job, He mentions the natural phenomena of the sea’s depths:

In Job 38:16, He asks, "Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?"

In the amazing dissertation of Job 38, the Lord informs Job that the systems of wind, water and weather are under His complete control. In the verse above, the Lord sets the stage by declaring His understanding of sea currents, and underwater fountains or springs.

A little later, He questions Job again:

"Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

"Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war" (Job 38:22,23).

Here, we have a clear and definite prophetic suggestion that the Day of the Lord will be accompanied by abrupt and dramatic meteorological changes. There is no other way to interpret this pronouncement than to say that the Tribulation will certainly involve catastrophic weather. Moreover, it will be dramatically colder. In verse 30 of the same context, the Lord reminds Job, "The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen" (Job 38:30).

Bible scholars generally agree that the "day of battle and war" will be initiated by the massive invasion of Israel from the north. In other words, some unknown compulsion will cause "Gog, the land of Magog," to launch the assault that is chronicled in Ezekiel 38.

But the amazing feature of the offensive is the broad coalition of nations that accompany Gog, thought to be modern Russia. They include Persia (Iran), Ethiopia (northeast Africa), Libya (north Africa), Gomer (northern Europe) and Togarmah (the peoples of Eastern Europe).

Is it possible that a frozen Europe could force new alliances between NATO nations and the countries of the former Warsaw Pact? Hunger and fear could easily overcome centuries of bad blood. Desperate men perform desperate actions.

Imagine for a moment that the infrastructures of Europe were paralyzed. Farms lie abandoned. Frozen water systems, overtaxed gas and electric systems and the emergency importation of food would force the exploitation of other available resources. Perhaps millions would be forced to seek refuge in the south, where even today, subsistence living is already the rule of life. The countries of Asia Minor and the Mediterranean might feel invaded. Indeed, they might be invaded! The cold could be the mechanism that drives the Russian coalition to the south.

A final note: Today’s oceanographers believe that a natural climatic change produced the extinctions seen in the myriad of existing fossil records. They deny the plain truth of the Bible, that the Flood of Noah was divinely ordained, "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished" (II Peter 3:6).

The disruption of the ancient climate came when the waters of the firmament above and the depths below were released in one, cataclysmic moment. The so-called "Ice Age" was the remnant of this disaster.

If the North Atlantic Conveyer comes to a sudden halt, it too, will be by divine ordination. Perhaps this time, the Lord will alter the climate to propel the final chain of prophetic events that have for so long puzzled believers.
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1 Corinthians 14:8 And also if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,
who
shall prepare himself to battle?

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Thanks Spartacus for bringing this to us.

What this "scientific study" may be telling us in a way that was designed
not to reveal the real "cause" of the expected new "mini ice-age", is that
Planet X may become the real catalyst for all of this. What our researchers
are anticipating, is that Planet X will be causing a "polar shift" when it
comes whizzing by, with all of its accompanying asteroids, comets, and
smaller planetary bodies. As these bodies start affecting our Earth, be
they by some of them actually striking the earth or merely affecting our
Earth by virtue of the Earth's core actually "locking" to the magnetic field
of the passing Planet X, the Earth's crust (and oceans) will continue to
move while the core lockes up. This will cause tremendous Earthquakes,
Tsaumi Waves along all of the world's coastlines, and Volcanic Activity
everywhere. I am of the opinion, that in the beginning stages of the "polar
shift" we will experiance very large earth damaging high temperatures;
HOWEVER, because of the hugh amount of volcanic ash that will be thrown up
into our atmosphere, that the Sun's rays will be blocked and reflected back
into space. This will create a drastic temperature drop, that will bring
about a new "mini ice-age". Not only will there be tremendous damage to our
entire world infrastructure (along with literally millions of lives lost
throughout the world), but, our ability to raise food crops will be severely
distroyed for a period that could last for many years. The survivors of
this apocalyptic event must have the capability of not only "going
underground" during the actual passage of Planet X, but they must also have
the "supplys" (such as non-hybrid seeds, water purification filters, and
food supplys) by which they can come out of their "hidey holes" and then
start planting their crops. Bear in mind, that this will also require that
they have the "tools, equipment, and fuel" to do what will need to be done.
If these supplys are not available to the survivors, then, our society will
revert back to a very primitive lifestyle! Stay tuned for further up-dates
on the Planet X problem as we receive them.

Regards,

Cal