The Canadian Province of
Alberta has suffered the biggest recorded wildfire disaster in the Nation’s
history. Fort McMurray has borne the brunt of the inferno with 20% of all
property destroyed (4500 structures) with an estimated multi-billion dollars of insurance claims. The city has been evacuated saving hundreds of lives; the
residents heeded the warnings and responded sensibly to the emergency services
instructions to safety.
Many horrendous stories are
being related, one woman told a TV crew, “It was just like Hell” The ferocity
of the flames caused her to equate what she was witnessing with the
unquenchable flames of Hell. Such scenes focus the mind on eternal damnation!
According to Alberta Provincial Active Fire Reports there are 176,060.20 ha that have been burned and some fires are
still burning, with new outbreaks each day. Some welcome rain has fallen easing
the fire fighters task a little but a complete ban on fires still exists. The Alberta Government website has an enormous amount of information, such as a
list of Helicopters available that are used to scoop up water and drop it on
strategic places to contain and extinguish fires. This work requires
intelligent planning, affecting soil condition protection and many other
factors, a very costly work to protect life and property
The wildfire has travelled to within thirty kilometers of the neighbouring Province of Saskatchiwan
causing folk to take evasive action such as clearing woodlands of trees to make
a firebreak and stop the onward path of destruction.
Alberta has a vast oil reserve, the third largest in
the world, two producing plants have been forced to halt production losing a
million barrels of oil a day which will globally push up the price of oil.
Flood and flame have been an ongoing fear for people all over the world.
The first mention of a flood in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 6 verse 17 when God brought a flood
of water over all the earth, it was a universal judgement by God against the
wickedness of man. Only Noah and his family were saved in the Ark, together
with all the animals, birds and creatures, an amazing plan of deliverance. The magnificent reliable Ark for the people of that day is a picture of our
great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ for people today.
The first mention of fire in the bible is in Genesis chapter 19 verse 24 “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and
upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” This
was a localised judgement against the immoral behaviour of men in two cities.
Some say that those two cities are at the bottom of the Dead Sea, some
archaeologists place them north east of the Dead Sea, but wherever they were
they were removed from the face of the earth. Men at their peril make light of
sin but God will judge sin!
In Second Kings chapter 1 we read that King Ahaziah, Israel’s king, was sick and Elijah (a prophet) told him that because he consulted a false god and not Jehovah, that he
would die. Elijah then withdrew to the top of a hill. The king sent fifty soldiers
to take him. “And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I
be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy
fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.”
This happened a second time with fifty more soldiers killed by fire from
Heaven. A third fifty were spared when the captain appealed for their lives.
A Universal judgement, a Localised judgement and
Individuals who experienced judgement by fire.
The lady in Fort McMurray who likened their wildfire
to Hell should read the closing chapters of the Book of Revelation which tells us
of the Lake of Fire. Revelation chapter 19 verse 20 reads, “And the beast was
taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that
had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These
both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Verse 9 continues “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and
compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came
down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived
them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the
false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Verses 14 and 15 say “And death and hell were cast into the lake of
fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book
of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation chapter 21 verse 8 concludes, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.”
These are solemn statements about an eternal state which will involve millions
of unbelieving souls. To escape this horrific experience God has provided a
Saviour for sinners. First John chapter 4 verse 14 confirms, “And
we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of
the world.” To accomplish this it necessitated not only Christ’s
incarnation at Bethlehem but also His death at Calvary. His death was
expiatory, He died on account of our sins in order that we might be forgiven
and become a child of God who will live in Heaven, never exposed to the
wildfire of Hell.
Everyone who puts their faith in Christ receives the gift of eternal life
and is saved from perishing in Hell. God
bless.
Written for FTMP by a Guest Blogger
For more blogs, videos, podcasts and contact details visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk
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