COGWA Members App
Feast App
ROKU AppA Warning From Paradise
Written by Joel Meeker
After many unheeded warning signs, a beautiful city was unexpectedly and completely destroyed in a few seconds. Should this teach us anything about the future?
I’m writing from Martinique in the French West Indies. My wife and I love to visit members of our church here. We enjoy the friendly people, the colorful culture, the delicious creole cuisine and the paradisiacal beaches. But Martinique also teaches a more serious, even deadly, lesson about unheeded warnings of impending catastrophe.
No danger?
To the north lies volcanic Mount Pelé, situated just above what used to be the island’s capital, Saint Pierre. In mid-1900 the volcano began emitting smoky gas clouds, but that had happened several times in the past without incident; no one took particular notice.
Then in April of 1902 the volcano clearly began to awaken. On April 23 the mountain spewed cinders into the air near Saint Pierre. On the 25th a localized rain of ash and rock followed. On the 26th the whole region received a coating of volcanic ash.
But authorities assured citizens there was no danger. Elections were scheduled and officials didn’t want to interrupt them. Most citizens took no action.
On the 27th a strong odor of sulfur permeated Saint Pierre, causing nausea. By May 4 the air was thick with ashy smoke; some citizens decided to leave town, but authorities reassured the rest that there was no danger. On May 5 a river of boiling mud rushed down the mountain, covering a sugar factory north of Saint Pierre with 90 feet of mud and burying 150 people alive. Refugees from surrounding areas rushed into Saint Pierre for safety.
On May 7 clouds of ash coming from the mountain caused volcanic lightning around the summit. Newspapers reassured everyone there was no danger. More people left Saint Pierre, but more refugees also entered. The island’s governor and his wife remained in Saint Pierre to calm the population. Many citizens trying to leave were prevented from doing so, even being threatened with arrest for sowing panic.
Suddenly …
We know what happened next from the observations of the crew of a ship that had Mount Pelé and Saint Pierre in view from offshore. Just after 8 a.m. on Thursday, May 8, 1902, the upper part of the volcano split open. A cloud of burning gas and dust rushed down the mountainside into Saint-Pierre, engulfing it in 60 seconds with temperatures, it was later calculated, of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit (1100 Celsius).
The cloud ignited everything flammable, including people. With only a handful of exceptions, the entire population of Saint Pierre, 30,000 people, died. They had not understood repeated warning signals that catastrophe was imminent. They believed experts and authorities who, in fact, knew no more than they themselves did, which is to say nothing, about their future.
Like a thief in the night
Today Saint Pierre is a colorful curiosity. There are black sand beaches, seaside restaurants and many blackened vestiges of buildings destroyed by the eruption of 1902. This town should remind us of warnings from the Bible.
If you read this News and Prophecy Blog regularly, you know that the Bible predicts a time of great calamity and destruction just before the return of Christ, which will finally usher in a wonderful period of worldwide tranquility. Many people will be deceived and swept to their deaths by the preceding catastrophes, called the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. They will be complacent from ignorance and false reassurances that all will be well.
Paul told Christians of his day: “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).
As in the days before the flood
In those fearful times soon to come, various authorities will certainly reassure the earth’s population that if people will only believe and follow them, then they will be safe. And most people will be deceived and distracted, and just trying to get on with their lives.
Jesus predicted, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37-39).
Heeding the warnings
Rather than putting confidence in leaders and experts of this age, we should be closely heeding the prophetic warnings of the Bible, the inspired Word of our Creator. As the apostle Peter said: “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19). The Bible reveals warning signs to which we must pay attention.
As you watch world events and the prophecies of the Bible, remember Saint Pierre in Martinique.
Joel Meeker is regional director for the francophone areas on behalf of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.
For more about end-time warnings and how to heed them, see:
