WHAT SUPERLATIVE WILL THEY USE?

As Rush Limbaugh discovered this past week, if one makes objective observations about the realities of the hurricanes, observations that go against the story line of the near-hysterical, panic-inducing reporting, he is labeled an uncaring, unfeeling, ignorant denialist. Undoubtedly hurricanes Harvey and Irma are/were massive and horribly destructive. Loss of property and lives is never something to minimalize and belittle. However, I do want to venture an observation: Searching for the greatest possible superlative to describe cataclysmic storms, reporters today have begun using the word “biblical.” The hurricane was of “biblical” proportion.” The state suffered “biblical” flooding. The tornado was “biblical” in size and destruction. Biblical. Hhhhmmmm. This usage cannot be a Freudian slip that the reporters actually believe that the Bible’s apocalyptic prophesies of catastrophic events are actually taking place. No. It is an unwitting admission that, believe the Bible or not, the apocalyptic language of the Bible describes extreme, terrifying, unimaginably destructive events that so far are unprecedented. The problem with superlatives is that, when something more intense, more destructive, more massive occurs, there is no word left to describe it. The most superlative superlative has already been used. If a 9. earthquake is “biblical,” what will a 12. earthquake be called? The occurrence of recent, intensifying storms and natural catastrophes have called to mind the Bible history of the Flood and Bible prophesies of coming judgments. Yet, as horrible and destructive as the recent storms have been, they do not begin to compare to the size, fierceness, destruction, power, etc., of what the Bible foresees coming. In other words, comparatively, this earth hasn’t seen anything yet. Truly “biblical” storms are coming. Here’s a sampling: “…the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat…” (2Pe 3:12). “… a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.” (Rev 8:8-9). “The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage… and it shall fall, and not rise again.” (Isa 24:20). Whether the coming catastrophes are God’s using and intensifying cosmic events or whether they are God’s creating and introducing new destructive power, they will dwarf storms like Harvey and Irma. Ironically, though the masses readily believe the hyped and inflated, and often inaccurate predictions of news reports that use the word “biblical” as a superlative, they do not believe the preaching about the very real coming events from which the word “biblical” comes. This past week for days Irma was tracked as it tore its destructive path across the Atlantic. However, very few track the approaching storms the Bible has prophesied are on their way. Hurricane Irma at the time of this writing was traveling 14 mph, thus there have been days of warning. If an asteroid were plummeting towards earth, there would be only seconds of warning. With Jesus’ coming there will be less time than that. He is coming “suddenly.” That’s one storm that will truly be biblical. I wonder: When the biblical storms hit, what superlative will reporters use?

WHAT SUPERLATIVE WILL THEY USE?

Contact

Follow Us