God may have given us a clock to watch that will let us know when the return of Christ draws near. Recent scientific research argues that a 2 degree centigrade rise in global average temperature will result in cataclysmic environmental damage. It was previously thought that degree of temperature rise was the upper limit of an acceptable increase. Since that benchmark was established, temperatures have already risen about 0.7 degree centigrade. As global temperatures continue to rise, we can expect to see worsening of droughts in some areas and more severe floods in others — both of which will negatively impact global food production.
The rise of the price of grains in the commodity futures markets will serve as a constant reminder to Believers of the nearness of Christ’s return. Should the current drought in the heartland of America continue, the price of grains will explode to the upside. People in America will still be able to eat, but it will cost so much more — those in poorer nations will not be as lucky as they will be priced out of the markets and will go hungry. Over the next 10 to 20 years, as temperatures continue to rise, we can expect food production to suffer more. High prices will give way to absolute shortages. Within the Book of Revelation, there are several separate references to famine, which leads me to think that the predicted food shortages will be global in scale.
The literature on the factors that contribute to global warming — the warming of the permafrost, the melting of the polar ice, destruction of forests — indicate a possible positive feed loop which means a quickening of the pace of warming with time. This natural process (that is being driven by man made pollution) could become one of the main forces that will instigate many of the prophecies in Revelation. The timeline in Revelation is that before the Beast rises to power, a series of great catastrophe will engulf the world. Death of both man and beast will occur, from famine, disease, and war. Looking at the predicted outcomes from a further rise of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and the resulting continued rise in global temperatures, we can see similarities with those predictions and the prophecies of Revelation.
The timing of the dire predictions from scientists coincide also with this sites own rough estimation for the outer boundary of when Christ will return (i.e. 100 years from the founding of Israel — 2047).
No man knows the day when Christ will return, but God has given us signs to watch for — and maybe God has even given us a clock to watch as well. As global temperatures rise closer to the 2 degree centigrade mark, we may begin to see the unfolding of the calamities that both Revelation and climate change scientists predict. Make good use of the remaining time that God has given us.
(see the link for a recent summary: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719)