Nothing New Under the Sun for Global Warming

Reading: Ecclesiastes 1: verses 1-18

Consider the words of King Solomon in verse 9 of Ecclesiastes chapter 1.

9    The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

There is nothing new under the sun. And I want to show here that Global Warming is nothing new under the sun.

In the last few years, Global Warming has become probably the most talked about, most reported, most politicized and most marketed topic in today’s world. A global phenomenon, a climate that is out of control, a problem that must be solved. The cause? You and me. The solution? Apparently that’s you too, at least according to the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Countries that sign up to the protocol agree to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. So far over 170 countries have signed up to this agreement, the objective of which, and I quote, is...

“...to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system"

…dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate. The word anthropogenic describes an effect, process, object, or material derived from human activities. In effect, the objective of the protocol reads…to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous human interference with the climate.

Man is an interference. Man must change the natural climate system in order to stop himself from being an interference. I want you to think about that. As those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and who have even the most simple grasp of Scripture, we believe in the God of creation. The God who spoke Creation into existence. A simple study of the generations from Adam unto Christ shows that the 6 days of Creation occurred a mere 6,000 years ago. The climate system was created. It didn’t evolve, it didn’t happen. It was created. It was created by God.

Ecclesiastes chapter 1 reminds us of that.

5     The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6     The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
7     All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

That’s the climate system.

In 350 BC, Greek philosopher, Aristotle, released a text entitled Meteorology in which he explains much of the climate system, a text regarded as some of the earliest work on the subject. Solomon released his text, the book of Ecclesiastes, around 700 years earlier. Without doubt it was the earliest, and remains the most accurate. Solomon was the first, but how did he know? The one who spoke the very climate system into existence, revealed His creation to Solomon.

If we were to believe in a climate system that evolved over millions of years, and if we believe in a species that evolved over millions of years, then yes, why not? One could quite conceivably interfere with the other. It’s a game of chance. But we don’t believe in chance. The Bible plainly teaches that the Eternal God of heaven created, within a universe, a world, its systems and its inhabitants. He created them perfect, and despite the fall of man, Colossians 1, verse 17 says:

17    He is before all things, and by him all things consist.

By Him all things are held together. Man is not an interference, the climate, despite the views of Al Gore, is not an inconvenience, because both are the product of a holy God. The God of the Bible.

So why the concern? Why is everybody, including the vast majority of Christians, of the opinion that there is a real issue when it comes to Global Warming. Is the globe really warming?

A man walks into a shop. The shopkeeper says to him “Ah, John. Good to see you. How’s your wife?” John replies…”Compared to what?” And the true answer to the question is the globe really warming?, must be…compared to what?