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Weimar University

Don Mackintosh

The Sabbath and End Time Climate Change

It's a blessing to be able to study together today.

And we're going to talk about a subject that many people talk about, climate change.

But we're going to talk about it from the perspective of the Sabbath and climate change today.

So let's ask the Lord to bless us as we talk about this subject.

Father in heaven, Lord, thank you today that, as we just heard in the anthem, that you experienced severe climate change to save us.

In fact, the wrath of God was poured out by design upon you for us.

Not that you and your father don't have equal love because God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, but you took the plagues for us.

And there's nothing more extreme than that climate change.

So we start in thanking you and asking you to be with us as we open your word.

Yesterday, the Pope made a presentation to the United Nations and he said that the COVID-19 crisis, as well as climate change, call us to, quote, seize this time of trial as a time of choosing, a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not.

Some things, he said, need to die, in essence, and some things need to live.

He said paths that emphasize, quote self-sufficiency, protectionism, individualism, and isolation.

Also along with that the economic models that go with such symptoms, which are leading to economic injustice.

Paths that lead to the consolidation of multilateralism as an expression of renewed sense of global co-responsibility and solidarity grounded in justice and the attainment of peace and unity within the human family, which is God's plan for our world.

Multilateralism, that's a big word for everybody working together.

This is because of COVID-19 and climate change.

Well who is it that defines what's necessary and what's just?

The Holy See desires, that's the name for the papacy, the Holy See, that the United Nations, quote, increasingly serve as a sign of unity between states.

Of course, Quote, the Holy See will continue to play its part.

Well, quote, we already possess the necessary cultural and technological resources and social awareness.

We want the UN to follow through in helping the world see that these answers are for the world.

We need, quote, joint intention, quote, international efforts, quote, the necessary political support.

Then he talked about the climate legislation specifically mentioned several of the last accords.

We need, quote, political will to fight against, quote, the erosion of multilateralism.

In other words, everyone has to come in line.

Well, The Holy See will continue to play its part because it already has had this necessary and cultural social awareness.

But the UN specifically, quote, the members of the Security Council must, especially the permanent members, That would be the United States, that would be China, that would be Russia.

I don't go off into UN meetings, maybe I'm missing 1.

Especially the permanent members must act with greater unity and determination.

Of course for this to happen he said in another homily quote the citizens must insist that this happen and indeed advocate for even more ambitious goals.

So COVID-19 and climate change must be dealt with as we work together to, using our expression, heal a hurting world.

And once we do that, we have even more ambitious goals.

We listened to our president here the other day talk about ambitious goals, healing a hurting world.

The Pope had a similar lecture yesterday.

Are concerns about climate change, global warming, and the environment valid?

Does the Bible say anything about ecology?

Does it say anything about climate change?

Are these things connected at all to the Sabbath in any way?

Has the Adventist Church officially said anything about these matters?

3 statements saying that climate change is real, that there is global warming, that the science is compelling.

This is the Adventist Church's position since the 90s.

Turn with you and your Bible to Genesis and we're going to look at a number of texts.

God in the midst of the creation week is creating various things and in verse 22 he says something interesting.

He blesses the creatures and he implores them to be fruitful and multiply.

Last night we heard a sermon where someone actually pointed that out.

You see God has this connection with animals.

He goes direct, as we heard in our call to worship.

Okay, so Genesis chapter 3, going over the page.

The curse for man's sin fell on the earth and the animals, Genesis 3, 14 14 through 19.

And so, the creatures and humanity are spoken of in the creation narrative and in the fall.

Genesis 6 and 7, because man's thoughts, except for Noah's, were exceedingly evil, continually God intervened and cleaned things up.

He did a fluid challenge, he cleaned it all up.

But in this process, notice his care for the animals.

He desires to keep this kind alive upon the face of all the earth.

He looks at the animals and says, I want them alive.

And then as they come out of the ark, Genesis chapter 8 verse 1, God remembered Noah and what?

All the animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark.

Genesis 9, 8-10, God established His covenant, He says to Moses, He's establishing His covenant with you and with every living creature that's with you.

The birds, the cattle, and every beast on the earth.

And then, Genesis chapter 1, verse 20 and 24, both humans and animals have the nephesh, the breath of life in them.

You know, animals are smarter than you think.

In fact, that donkey was actually smarter than Balaam.

It took him a while to even notice he was talking to him.

And yet the average American consumes 15, 958 animals over a 79 79-year lifespan.

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The Sabbath and End Time Climate Change

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