One of the major news headlines recently concerns a solar storm heading towards Earth. The solar storm has not wreaked havoc so far on Earth, but has enable some people in the Northern Hemisphere to see aurora displays in the nighttime sky.
Recently, scientists have suggested that the Earth may not be so fortunate in the future when there is a major solar storm. Scientists warn that a major solar flare storm could “result in the loss of power, water and communications on a global scale”.[1]
I mention this information because I believe the Book of Revelation indicates that Earth will be adversely impacted by a major solar flare in the future.
The seven bowl judgments represent the final element of the Wrath of God. The fourth bowl judgment mentions that the sun will scorch men with fire.
- Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
- Rev 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
The sun is the aggressor when it uses the power it is given to scorch men with fire, so perhaps the sun will send a massive amount of solar energy towards Earth during this time, a solar flare.
- The fact that men will be scorched with great heat suggests this is not an ordinary solar flare. Something extraordinary has happened. Perhaps the solar flare is extraordinary because it is given power by a divine source to punish people on Earth or perhaps something has happened to Earth’s atmosphere leading up to this event, which has weakened the atmosphere’s ability to shield the earth from the solar energy (it could even be a combination of the two).
The description of the fifth bowl further strengthens the idea that Earth is going to be scorched by a major solar flare during the bowl judgments. The Antichrist’s kingdom is going to fall into complete darkness in the aftermath of the sun’s attack, which is consistent with the idea of the electrical grid being knocked out after a major solar flare.
- Rev 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
- Rev 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and
- repented not of their deeds.
The sun’s activities run in an eleven year cycle on average. Sometimes the cycles are shorter (nine years) and sometimes the cycles run longer (fourteen years). This new solar cycle that we are now in took a few years longer than what scientists expected. In addition, the sun can send solar flares towards Earth before its solar maximum (like we have now). Therefore, it is difficult to use scientists’ projections of future solar cycle maximums to pinpoint when the bowl judgments will take place in the future.
Reference
[1] Mazzocchi, Sherry. “Dire Warning: U.S. Unprepared for Massive Solar Flare Storm; Could Lose Power, Communications”. 25 Jun. 2010. Last Accessed 4 Aug 2010. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/06/24/2010-06-24_dire_warning_us_unprepared_for_massive_solar_flare_storm_could_lose_power_commun.html
