The Earth coughs and the nations are brought to a standstill

Responding to volcanic eruptions and the ensuing airline chaos in western Europe, Peter Horrobin of Ellel Ministries ponders the spiritual message of a polluted atmosphere and the people of the world flying through clouds of spiritual darkness without any thought whatsoever as to the damage it might be causing them.

Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Acts 2:18-21

"God has flicked his little finger and the world has been thrown into chaos! "

As I write these words the United Kingdom and much of Europe is entering its third day as a ‘no-fly zone’.
A minor volcano has erupted in Iceland and thrown millions of tons of fine ash into the atmosphere. This silica ash turns to liquid glass in the heat of a jet engine, seizing the engine and making it incredibly dangerous for jet aeroplanes. No airline would knowingly take a plane through such a cloud. The effects would be catastrophic.

So the world – or, at least, Northern Europe which is covered by this almost invisible cloud of fine ash – has been brought to a humiliating stand-still, costing the airlines alone over 150 million pounds per day. As the Daily Mail said, ‘Even a modest rumbling in the underworld is enough to throw a gigantic spanner into the works of modern life!’ Mount Laki, a much larger volcano in Iceland erupted in 1783. According to a recent Cambridge University study, the after effects of this eruption killed over 10,000 people in England alone. If Laki were to erupt today, flying would be banned in the whole of the Northern Hemisphere, not just for a few days, but for months, bringing the whole world to its knees.

I wonder what the Apostle Peter thought about the words of our Scripture for today, which he quoted from the prophet Joel on the Day of Pentecost? The days he was talking about, the last days, are the days we are living in.

Interpreting the signs

How do you interpret the heavenly signs and wonders, including ‘fire and billows of smoke’? The pictures of the erupting volcano can only be described with these exact words – fire and billows of smoke are throwing the ash thousands of feet into the atmosphere. Insurance companies are excusing themselves from paying out on travel policies as this is declared by them to be ‘an Act of God’!

As I read how the world is sensibly not flying through the ash cloud because of the great danger. The Lord turned me to our Scripture and then spoke to my spirit a lesson that I will never forget. This is what I sensed the Lord saying:

Because of the danger to aircraft and the life of passengers and crew, no-one would even consider flying through such a dangerous cloud. But every day the people of the world are flying through clouds of spiritual darkness, immorality and sinful lifestyles, without any thought whatsoever as to the damage it might be causing them.

Don't ignore the Heavenly signs

The volcanic ash will only seize the engine of an aeroplane, the spiritual cloud of darkness will bring down to destruction the souls of men. The eyes of the world have been blinded, by the god of this world, to the consequences of living in rebellion to the living God, and not walking in His ways.

I sensed the weeping of the Heavenly Father as He looked at a world that listens to the warning messages from the scientists and weathermen, but ignores the messages that were given to the world by His only Son and the prophets of God. I found myself praying that in these days there will be those who see what is happening and start to ask the right questions. And that when they read of the ‘fire and billows of smoke’, that have brought nations to their knees, they will turn to the God who answers the cry of our heart when, in humility, we fall to our knees in repentance.

Prayer: Lord, during these awesome days, I pray there will be many who will see the signs in the sky, turn to You in their hearts and begin to cry out to You for answers to the issues and problems of their lives. Help me, Lord, to always remember how dangerous it is to ‘fly’ through clouds of sin, knowing that to do so seizes the engine of my soul, and prevents me from fulfilling my destiny. I come to you afresh today in repentance and ask you to forgive me for all my sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Peter Horrobin and Ellel Ministries provide an online training school called Ellel 365. This is specifically designed to help people ‘get the message’ and apply the practical truths of God’s Word into their lives.
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Peter Horrobin, 10/05/2010

Feedback:

		Susan O'Loughlin (Guest)	06/06/2010 12:01
I have just this week been working through Week 17 about Honouring Your Parents... Wow!!! At the beginning of the course I took some time to recall people and incidents where I needed to forgive, to seek God's forgiveness and healing of issues in my past, to ask God to forgive those who had hurt me and to forgive myself. This included forgiving my parents, especially my father, and with God's help I was able to do so, and I have become more and more deeply aware and enfolded in His love. Last week I visited my parents for the first time since then, as they live some distance from us, and I have been nursing my husband after a significant operation just before Christmas. The time with my parents was much happier and relaxed than previous times together and on my way home last Friday I was praising and thanking God for them and for choosing them to be my parents and blessing them. I did not realise what a huge step this was for me, as the sting and pain of past hurts had just floated away. It was an amazing experience to be able to look directly into my parents eyes with love and a new compassion. Then on Sunday I was catching up with my Ellel 365 teaching and read about Honouring Your Parents!! What joy! What peace! Suddenly I knew what it really means to obey His commands, walk in His ways, follow His precepts - His blessings pour down over us. As an action I have just posted a letter to my Mum and Dad thanking them for being my parents, for everything they've done for me and saying sorry for any times I have hurt them. Thank you so much for Ellel 365. Sometimes the teaching seems hard but the more I seek God's help to apply it, and go on with it, the more I feel blessed, and the hungrier I feel for the next step. I want to thank you all and pray God's blessing on each individual and all the work you are doing. Praise His Glorious Name!