Edition 232. November 5th^th 2014

The cry of the wild:

The cry of the wild:

Introduction:

Can you hear the cry of the wild? Can you hear what it is saying? Can you hear the sobbing, howling and groaning? I can...and it’s getting loud!

Nature, environment, wildlife and even landscapes can speak volumes to us about our Lord and even about His soon coming.

Romans 8:22-23 “The whole of creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now, and not only they, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

In this edition I want to look at what the environment is saying now about the soon coming of our great King and Saviour. What is the environment telling us about the soon-coming antichrist and do we get any ideas on timing from the cry of the wild? I’ll also share some personal experiences with you.

Nature reveals God’s infinite knowledge and wisdom and His perfect holiness. God uses nature as instruments of reward and punishment.

Our Lord teaches and instructs us through the environment as well:

Job 12:7-10 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you...who among you does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing.”

God owns the environment and nature:

Psalm 50:10 “Every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills, I know all the birds of the mountains, and wild beasts of the field are mine.”

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.”

God created the beautiful environment for Himself and His people. He owns it all and has only given us stewardship over His creation – not complete ownership.

Genesis 1:26 “...Let them (man) have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and the beasts and every creeping thing.”

The verse above is a mistranslation and a cause of much environmental degradation and destruction. It should say, “Let them have stewardship” over it all. There is a big difference. “Dominion” has connotations of dominance and ownership. The verse below is another frequently misused. The idea of stewardship implies correct management, protection and preservation.

Genesis 9:2 “The fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.”

Personal testimony:

I was extremely fortunate to grow up surrounded by incredible nature. I spent my very early days loving and spending time in the wilds. All my adult life I’ve had a passion for environment and all things wild. I used some of my time as a journalist, photographer and artist to participate in endangered species programmes and spend much time living like a wild-man in the bush.

Since becoming a believer in 1976, my passion for the wilds only intensified. I can’t tell you how many joint mission and environmental trips I’ve done all over Southern Africa.

This is yours truly (above right) on one of my expeditions. This was a five week, 15,000 km trip through the wilds of Botswana and Namibia, living like a half-hippie, bushman sometimes, not seeing another human for days on end.

Many of these areas are so large and remote there is no infrastructure, sometimes not even a trusty dirt road. One needs to plan properly and take everything one needs including jerry cans of fuel.

Many of the villages out in the sticks have no protection against wildlife, so they’re always fighting to keep elephants out of their fields. Then when it comes to mission work, one normally has to get permission from the local witchdoctor to preach and teach against him. (He doesn’t know that of course.)

One thing about these areas is that they’re so open to the gospel. I’ll spare you, but I can tell you so many incredible stories of real adventures, working in the mission fields and wildlife fields – many times together.

Throughout the Bible we see nature itself “praising” God. I’ve always appreciated that and participated in it with nature. You may think this is crazy, but spending time in God’s creation is very healthy for your mind. Of course it helps to be a bit mad to start with...

Here’s one of my favourite verses which was a travelling prayer as well. That’s my tent below, my own bit of luxury in the bush, on the banks of the Chobe River in Botswana, always in “peace”. (If that tent could talk!)

Job 5:22-24 “You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. You shall know that your tent is in peace.”

My call:

The two verses below (and a few others) really defined God’s call on my life from way back in the 70s. I used my position in the media world to get out into the wilds as often as possible, but always with a purpose, which was to stand for the environment. I’ve worked on various endangered species and spent much time living alongside animals, like an animal in the wilds of Africa.

Proverbs 31:8 “Open your mouth for the speechless, those unable to speak for themselves and for the rights of the defenceless.” (Amp.)

Jeremiah 9:10 “I will take up a weeping and a wailing for the mountains, and for the inhabitants of the wilderness a lamentation...both the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field have fled. They are gone.”

The images below are a collection of some happy conflicts I’ve had with elephants. I’ve been charged so many times I can’t remember. The bottom few pictures are of my camp being destroyed by an angry elephant, with my friend, Lloyd Wilmot charging the elephant out of the camp. (The title image right at the top shows another ele-charge and a lion- charge. Both were very close calls, but did liven up my pictures.)

I’ve had numerous lion encounters and happy clashes with many other species as well. I was only ever injured once in the bush and that was after being run over by a buffalo, while working on a translocation program.

My passion for the environment, wildlife and nature in general, has always been an active driving force in my life although now I’m pretty much home bound.

The images below are from one of many trips into the Okavango Delta. We spent seven days in a dug-out to get to the islands where the illusive, secretive river-bushmen live, to bring them the gospel on little wind-up record players with messages in their language. We slept on islands, on the ground with mosquito nets to keep the mozzies and hippos away. (It worked; we never got eaten by either!)

This was also a cheetah -collaring expedition. They were darted and we fitted them with radio tracking collars.

If you want to see some more pictures of the Okavango Delta – the biggest inland river delta in the world, click Here.

A reflection of you:

The way you see and treat God’s creation is a reflection of your real knowledge of God Himself and your closeness to Him.

I have a particular intense hatred for hunters and poachers. I believe they are psychopaths and savages resptively. As David said "I have hated them with perfect hatred."

Proverbs 12:10 “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”

When some people look in the mirror what they see is pure scum looking back at them. If you despise and mistreat God’s creation – you are scum! (Don’t send me emails, that’s what I think and it’s not going to change.)

Romans 1:20 “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

I took the picture above early in the morning as the mist rolls in over the giant Etosha Pan, Namibia – one of the most breathtaking and inspiring places in the world!

Nature as God’s weapon:

Isaiah 13:9-13 “Behold, the day of the Lord (tribulation period in this context) comes, cruel with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it. The stars will not give their light and the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shine. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible...I will shake the heavens and the earth will move out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of His fierce anger.”

The seven-year tribulation period is coming soon, “cruel with fury and burning anger”. The world will be rocked like never before. God will use the environment, animals, and celestial objects, combined with supernatural events.

Here is the amazing thing that few are aware of. During the tribulation, right up to the last day, every single unbeliever will be exterminated from the earth. At the Second Coming our Lord will finally destroy the last of them, leaving a world of believers only (tribulation saints). This great extermination will be caused primarily by nature and environment used by our Lord as a weapon of note.

Job 38:22-23 “Have you entered the treasury of the snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble for the day of battle and war?”

Not one person will be left out! Tragically this is only the beginning of an eternity of suffering. The only way of escape will be “calling on the Lord” for salvation. (Joel 2:30-32) Those interested may want to get hold of David Bay’s book, ‘Hell is Real, cancel your reservation.”

After this terrible time of magnified disaster, nature calms down instantly and is suddenly transformed. The final remnants of the Adamic curse on nature will be lifted and all that the prophets foretold about coming glory will be upon the earth.

Isaiah 65:24-25 “It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like an ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says the Lord.”

Hosea 2:18 “In that day I will make a covenant for them, with the birds of the air and beasts of the field and with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, to make them lie down safely.”

The Bible is full of eco-friendly laws and commands. As with all laws of God, you don’t break them, they break you when you reject them.

God has used nature as judgement on the enemies of Israel and will do so again in a most severe and demonstrable way in the soon-coming tribulation period.

Deuteronomy 32:20-26 “...They are a perverse generation, children in whom there is no faith. They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; they have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols...I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows upon them. They shall be wasted with hunger, devoured by pestilence and bitter destruction; I will also send against them the teeth of the beasts, with the poison of the serpents of the dust. The sword shall destroy them outside; and there shall be terror inside...I will dash them in pieces.”

The interjection of evil:

God’s creation is perfection interrupted by Satan. It is the effects and fruits of Satan that will be forever destroyed. We will be left with a universe of sin-free perfection. It is the cross of our Messiah that purified and cleansed the world of sin.

There was no aspect of the work of the cross of Calvary that didn’t have a purpose. Don’t you think it’s interesting that the Bible talks in Genesis of the earth springing forth with thorns and thistles as a result of the curse placed on the earth after Adam’s sin?

On the cross our Lord had a crown of thorns pushed down onto His head. It was this that paid the price for the curse on nature. Yes, it still has to have its final outworking, just like our salvation, but positionally, it’s done!

But all is not well in the wilds of the world. The creation is groaning. It’s sending numerous messages that it is about to undergo major transformation.

Hosea 4:1-3 “...There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land...therefore they break all restraint with killing and bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn and everyone who lives there will waste away, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea will be taken away.”

Like everything else in creation, nature is finely balanced and this balance is now being upset on many fronts by pure greed and selfishness.

The environment is awaiting and expecting our Messiah of Glory and his enemy, Satan. Judgement is coming upon Satan his demons and his people. The earth itself is already reacting. We are seeing a massive increase in volcanic and earthquake activity. Diseases and pestilence are sweeping various parts of the world.

Revelation 12:11-12 “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Rejoice O heavens and those who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

The “wrath” of Satan in this verse occurs at the same time as the “wrath of God” upon the earth. The wrath of man will also be running simultaneously! What a time!

The profoundly arrogant:

Revelation 16:9 -10 “Men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of their pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and sores and did not repent of their deeds.”

These people know that these judgements are coming from God, yet they curse and blaspheme Him!

I recall being shocked the first time I read these verses above, many years ago. I was and still am amazed at the pride of this excessive arrogance. How can people be so dumb? But then that’s the sorry state of modern man.

This is only one of the numerous judgements of the tribulation period in which God uses nature to bring judgement on the world.

Man has disrespected and abused God’s creation. Now, that very same creation is about to turn on man with a vengeance.

The judgements of the tribulation period will be supernatural and natural simultaneously.

In the seven-year tribulation we will see huge monumental environmental catastrophes, massive famines, pestilences and associated diseases. They will be so severe as to make everything we have seen in the last 2000 years look like a party.

They will only occur once the restrainer of evil has been removed and not before.

The extinction of species:

We don’t know how many species we are losing because we don’t know what we had to start with. But we do have well researched scientific data giving us estimates. Some put the number as high as 50,000 species a year.

What we do know is that extinction is happening 1000 times faster than initially believed!

Now, I’m no fan of Al Gore or the rest of the mother-earth brigade. I think he is a liar, deceiver and fraud. But I most certainly am a lover of nature and the wilds of the world. The reasons for the decline in species, habitat loss and environmental degradation are first and foremost spiritual.

On top of the fast escalating extinction of species we see environmental records being broken worldwide on a regular basis. It’s too hot, too cold, too much rain, too little rain, storms of monumental proportion and the like.

Psalm 33:8 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”  

Job 36:24 “Remember to magnify His work, of which men have sung.”

God’s creation teaches us about God and many wonderful things about His character, but beware it is also a tool of judgement!

Those who think they can get away with the misuse of God’s creation have another think coming!

Genesis 1 reveals the state of creation before the fall. This first state of nature will be eclipsed by its final state as revealed in Revelation 21 & 22. The cross of our Messiah is about to have its full and complete out-working!

The coming new-creation:

Look ahead my friends! Look to the future. Look to the new universe of spectacular, maginificent glory, all coming soon. As you look to this future, you will find rest and peace for your soul,and implant hope and faith in your heart.

Isaiah 51:3 “For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and voice of melody.”

Isaiah 35:1 “The wilderness and the wastelands shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom like a rose.”

Isaiah 32:16-17 “Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.”

Revelation 21:4 “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”

Final thoughts:

Job 39:8 “The range of the mountains is His pasture and He searches after every green thing.”

We have a most amazing and wonderful future before us. On a personal level all I can say to my Lord is “thank you, thank you!”

Psalm 65:8 “They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.”

Isaiah 4:2 “In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing to those of Israel who have escaped.”

Isaiah 32:15 “The Spirit will be poured out from on high and the wilderness shall become a fruitful field which shall be counted as a forest.”

I took this picture (and the one above) while drifting down the Chobe River, Botswana at sunset. The river begins in Angola and flows through wildlife areas of Botswana in which about 45,000 elephants are found, and then it flows into the mighty Zambezi and over the great Victoria Falls. This spot is at the confluence of the two rivers, just before Vic Falls.

 If you want to see some more pictures of this beautiful river, click Here.

Shalom and grow in grace!