Important for Christians to remember is that, as a book from God, the bible cannot lie. After all, Yahweh is a God of truth (John 17:17). That means that observed science cannot and does not conflict with the bible’s message. This holds true for our observances of global climate change.

 

To Christians, the bible’s take on climate change should hold weight comparable to those of the scientific discussions surrounding this topic. For years theologists have argued with one another about what is called “ecotheology” (Horrell, 2010). While the bible does not outright mention climate change within its pages, it does talk about topics relating to the earth that would seem to imply that climate scientists are correct.

 

In the beginning, Yahweh God created the earth as a verdant paradise, loaded with plants, animals, and resources that were described as “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Raw creation as it was balanced itself; the animals ate the plants, and when the animals died, the plants absorbed the nutrients from the animals. The sun provided energy for the plants that, when eaten by the animals, gave energy to them. Every living thing had a place. Life was lived in a generous cycle that made the earth a special, beautiful place to live.

 

Adam was the first man, and his wife Eve was the first woman. Together, they were tasked with caring for the earth. As a team they were to subdue the wilds that God had created for them, the use the bountiful resources to create things of their own, to build houses and cities and towns (Genesis 1:28).

 

After the fall of man, the earth became corrupted. Balance was overthrown, and survival of the fittest took root. It took many generations, but mankind did begin to use their authority over the earth in ways that greatly displeased Yahweh God. The Genesis account of the Tower of Babel shows that it disappointed Yahweh to see what man had done, so much so that He confused the language of men so that they would be forced to disperse (Genesis 11:1-9).

 

By the time of Israel’s exile into Babylon, the corruption of the earth had increased so much that Yahweh found it to be a curse (Jeremiah 2:7). Yet this was just the beginning of the destruction of the earth. For hundreds of years, men continued in their defilement of our planet, and as a result, mankind was drawn further away from God’s beautiful creation.

 

In his time, Jesus the Messiah warned that mankind would see increasing lawlessness amongst us, and that we would see great turmoil over the earth (Luke 21:11). Again, lawlessness was predicted by Paul in his letter to the apostle Timothy. He described people, as time went on, to be selfish and vile, not caring for God’s intentions and only caring about ourselves (2 Timothy 3:1-4). When John received the revelation from God, Yahweh made it known that, in the end-times, man would completely destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).

 

What these verses show us is that as man becomes increasingly corrupted away from Yahweh God, the earth suffers more and more as a result. Eventually, we will no longer be able to save the earth from mankind’s influence. The earth will become inhabitable.