May 15, 2019 -- Proverbs 9:9-12 -- Climate Crisis or Faith Crisis?

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Proverbs 9:9-12 English Standard Version (ESV)

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 5:4-7 ESV Words spoken by Jesus, our Savior

Once again there were headlines offered by the Canadian State-controlled Media which blared: “Fall election could be last chance to shift direction” Green Party Leader says. In this interview Elizabeth May boldly declared: “History will judge ‘reckless, even criminal’ politicians ignoring climate change crisis.” (This is on CBC’s webpage for May 14th, 2019). Adding her voice to the clamour of climate fear mongering and pompously proclaiming “at least the Prime Minister understands the climate science” while implying the Conservatives do not and by so doing Ms. May demonstrates a profound lack of confidence in God and a false confidence in science. I tremble with sadness at her boldness in scoffing against God and His providential ways.

Issues with science.

Long before human activity could be blamed for such things, our planet (supposedly) experienced ice ages and subsequence global warming which ended each these. How is this current ‘climate crisis’ any different than what has already been proposed as “fact” according to those who claim scientific proofs for such past events.

Second, one must ask: ‘what are the underlying assumptions of these models’? Remember the seventies when the rage was climate cooling? The best “science” then determined were headed for an ice age. You might argue: “Ah, but we have so much more information now”. Indeed. And in a decade or two we will likely have more, new, different knowledge that completely changes the present forecasts.

Third, the naturalistic assumptions of the majority of these ‘scientists’. Scientists who ‘scoff at God’ acknowledge neither the sustaining power nor the providence of God. He has, He will, He does uphold and sustain His creation. He cares for all His creatures. The heavens declare His glory. Sometimes His glory is seen in His terrible judgment as with Noah’s flood. Other times His glory is revealed in the splendour of the persistence of life. Each year, even after a terribly wet spring, there is a harvest. Each year even after predictions of drought there is a harvest.

What is truly at stake here? The biggest issue is this: the fear of the LORD. Jesus taught His followers that what we are to fear is the Father in heaven. Our lives are to be oriented towards Him. It is our sin which has separated us. We become afraid to open our doors or read our newspapers because of fears generated by people who refuse to acknowledge the Living God.

Yesterday I heard a sermon where the preacher proclaimed: “Yes, all roads do lead to God. but only one road—faith in Jesus Christ—leads to eternal life. All roads lead to judgment before the throne of the Divine Majesty, Ruler of the Cosmos and Rightful Judge of all Flesh—but only one road leads to Jesus and the protection of His sacrifice. Jesus HImself taught us: the Father loves us. The Father Who knows where two sparrows fall and die—seemingly worthless as these common birds are—this Father loves those who love His Son. And those who reject the Son ought to fear the Father’s wrath and judgment for they are rejecting the One Who is the apple of the Father’s eye.

True wisdom is this: believing that God rules the heavens and the earth. True wisdom is this: believing in Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. Those who believe in Jesus then bring their lives wholly into submission to Him. Consequently, believers in Jesus are concerned for how others are treated. Believers in Jesus passionately care for this creation, all the flora and fauna, because we know all things made by God declare His glory.

Father in heaven, Who knows when a little sparrow falls, thank You for Your great love for people. Thank You for the splendours of creation and the beauty of life and the terrible vastness of the far stretches of the universe—all things which are under Your guardianship and care. Thank You, most of all for Jesus Christ, in Whom we see Creation’s greatest purpose and highest goal. Thank You, Jesus, our Savior and Wisdom, for the abundant life You bring us. Thank You that in Your Name we are protected against all the wiles of the devil and the false threatenings of scoffers. Thank You, Spirit of Comfort, for the way in which You make the Bible plain and the Truth of the Bible—Jesus—precious. We pray for our political leaders that their hearts and minds will be brought into submission to You. We long for the work of meteorologists and climate scientists to be carried out in complete awareness of Your majesty and the direction of Your Word. Direct us, as believers in the Name of Jesus, to use the current times of crisis and fear to declare the glory of God and the sure promises of His Word. Amen.