"This was the hottest
July in the history of the world since modern records have been kept." These
are the somber words of no less a personage than American Vice-President
Al Gore. Clearly this record heat wave has impacted many parts of the world.
In the United States, Dallas, with temperatures right at or in excess of
100 degrees Fahrenheit for some 20 or more consecutive days, was the center
of a very unusual nation-wide heatwave, with many devastating spin-off
effects.
In tiny Israel the southern portion
experienced 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Italy's heatwave has brought forest
fires and dangerous increases in smog levels. Even the Russian Arctic
has been affected by the heat, although welcome in this case.
Some observers blame global warming
for the unusually hot weather around the Northern Hemisphere. Among
those are Vice-President Gore who stated: "The data from the U.S. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration means world temperature records
have been shattered every month since the beginning of the year. When
you break the record seven months in a row it is really hard to ignore
the fact that something is going on-and that something is global
warming" (emphasis ours).
But some scientists are not so sure
and have blown hot and cold on the threat of global warming, citing
conflicting evidence from weather satellites. Whatever the truth of
the matter, scorching heat from the sun will be one of the seven vials
of punishment poured out on the earth in the future (Revelation 16:8-9). The
Daily Mail,
August 11 (quotes by Al Gore); The Times August 3 and 13; Daily
Telegraph July 31; Newsweek August 3; Jewish Chronicle August
14.
