Prophecies of Daniel

Is God green? Is there any way to find the mind of God on the environment, climate change and our relationship to this earth we live on? These subjects are some of the most controversial and perhaps the most pivotal in our times. Not surprisingly, powerful forces fight for control of the dialogue and even the facts on this issue. This is seen in the media worldwide every day.

For me, long ago I escaped the “left-right” dichotomy. This has helped me to more easily recognize the agenda-driven narrative that dominates the present debate on the environment. But what saith God? The vast majority would gladly say that we should just leave God out of it, if they even gave a thought of Him in the first place. Big mistake.

But… there is a God, there is a spiritual world, God’s got a whole lot going on this issue, as well as knowledge of how it all should and will turn out. We can see this plainly if we turn briefly to His Word, the truth He’s given His prophets and messengers for thousands of years. One of the most poignant and (to me) relevant things God has spoken concerning the present boiling debate on the environment is found in the last book in the Bible, called in many languages “The Apocalypse”.

In the book of Revelation we find the angels speaking to God in the very last days of this age, saying that He should “destroy them that destroy the earth.”  (Revelation 11:18) Someone is going to be destroying the earth in the final days of this age? And God doesn’t like that?

“Mark, surely you won’t use that verse to support an idea that God is green!”

Well, there are more like that. God spoke to His disobedient people through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, “I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof. But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.” (Jeremiah 2:7) And in the laws of Moses they were commanded to not cut down all the trees in a land “for the tree of the field is a man’s life.” (Deuteronomy 20:19)

Again in the Apocalypse, we find strong references to our physical earth in the final days of this age, for example where it says of those times, “a third part of trees was burned up, and all green grass.” (Revelation 8:7) So I believe it does matter to God what we do with this earth. His original commandment from the beginning in the garden was that we were to “dress and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)

But don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean that I think God is green the way the present Green movement often turns out to be. Those on the political “right” worldwide, often called Conservatives (and where many Christians feel they should align themselves) will say that God gave us the earth and it is ours to profit from, to use for our necessities and to further the progress and wealth of mankind. There’s some truth to that and plenty in God’s Word to indicate that this is His Will, within reason.

In the Green movement, there are “techno-optimists” who believe that mankind can find solutions through technology and ingenuity to make it through the changes that are upon us, if enough effort is made. But many other Greens are not optimistic. They’re already in a thoroughly apocalyptic view that it is too late, that the Rubicon has been crossed and the die is cast. They often end up having a similar view to the millions of “Preppers” here in the States who feel it’s only a matter of time before social collapse and the end of this world as we know it happens. But the Green apocalypse people see this coming through ecological devastation.

And it’s a little ominous to note what those on the edge of the spectrum in the Green movement see as our only hope. They say that some of their fellow Greens mistakenly are “trying to save Capitalism.” Chew on that a little. You mean the only way to save the earth from ecological extinction is to overthrow Capitalism? And replace it with…? Some form of neo-Marxism or State-controlled totalitarianism?

Wonderfully, I’ve found that there is a God who is above all this, more powerful than we are, infinitely smarter and more able as well. As bad as some things are getting, as uber-polarized as things get day by day, our Father in heaven is neither asleep or even sick. I don’t doubt at all that part of the curse on this earth and its inhabitants for their sins in these last days is because of the exploitation and destruction of this earth that’s come to pass through the greed in man’s heart for centuries, which is now coming back to bite us throughout the earth in the ecological changes going on.

Most Christians will tell you that we are not to “defile the temple of God” which we now consider our own bodies. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (I Corinthians 3:17) Equally, God is not going to let us get away with defiling this earth we live on through greed, lust and lack of concern for His creation.

So I expect that in the coming final days of man’s rule on the earth, before the return of Jesus to set up God’s Millennial reign through Him, we will see the increasing collapse of our beloved earth itself as it groans under our sins of greed and thoughtless exploitation of the environment.

I think God is green, at least as far as it comes to caring for this earth He created for our benefit. Sin is at the root of the environmental crisis, and yes there is one. Is there time enough left to pull the cookies out of the fire? Like so many things, I believe it will ultimately take the coming of the Lord to save us from ourselves.

Did God speak and foretell the condition of modern northern Europe to an ancient prophet over 2400 years ago? “Impossible!”, you say? But Zachariah was told by God that “the black horses …go forth to the north country” and that “These that go toward the north country have quieted My Spirit in the north country”. (Zachariah 6:6 & 8)

Admittedly this is pretty advanced, esoteric Scripture. But it doesn’t stand alone and some will recognize “the black horse” which is not seen again until Revelation 6. It says there, “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, ‘Come and see’. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, ‘A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see you hurt not the oil and the wine.’” (Revelation 6:5 & 6)

Still with me? If so, hang on; it’ll be worth it. And you’re wondering “What in the world is he talking about?! What in the world is the Bible talking about?!” Some of the more debated, mysterious figures in the whole Bible are these “4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse” , seen first in Zachariah chapter 6 about 400 BC and seen again in Revelation chapter 6 around 90 AD.

I’ll add one more verse that may shed some light on this Black Horse. The only other place in the Bible which references someone with “a pair of balances in his hand” is Hosea 12:7 which says, “He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loves to oppress.”

I and many others believe this glimpse into heaven in the Old and New Testament pictures four of the most vast, fundamental forces which work in our world, shown as four horses and horsemen. And this black horse encompasses the whole materialist, mercantile enterprise that has dominated such an immense portion of the lives of mankind for millennia.

Jesus said that “You cannot serve God and Mammon” (Matthew 6:24), Mammon being an ancient word for money and material wealth. Thus the Black Horse and rider symbolize the pursuit of wealth and material gain that dominates the heart of the substantial majority of people and has since the beginning.

What does this have to do with northern Europe? Those obscure, almost cryptic verses in Zachariah 6 have held my interest for many years. Because much of my adult life has been spent in Europe, mostly northern and eastern Europe as a missionary, or at least trying to be one. And I can say from firsthand experience that I’m even now seeing in my recent few weeks in northern Europe how “the Black horse” has “stilled” the Spirit of God in these northern countries.

It is said of Jesus, “He could do no mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:58) And from my many travels almost all over the world in the last few years, I know of no place on earth comparable to modern northern, western Europe for the level and extent of unbelief.

And yet in many human ways it’s seen by so many as almost Utopian here. In Scandinavia, where I am now, unemployment is almost eliminated. Crime by international standards is very low. Inequality of most kinds, by international standards is very low. Lawns are impeccably kept, everything runs on time, economies are humming and the whole Scandinavian neo-socialist model of society seems to continue to work as it has mostly since back in the 60’s and 70’s.

Of course some will vehemently debate me on this but that’s not what I’m focusing on here. It is that despite such material success in these countries, such tranquility and even a large degree of individual and national benevolence, the “Black Horse” has successfully stilled (for the most part) the Spirit of the Lord in these countries.

There are still some Christians around, there always will be. But they are few, far between and usually not bold about their faith, if they say anything at all. It’s extremely out of vogue. And if there’s anywhere in the world that the so-called “Progressive”, “identity politics” have fully taken the high ground and rule almost unopposed culturally as well as politically, it’s in places like here in Sweden.

If there was no God, no Jesus, no death and afterlife, if we didn’t have a soul and our whole existence was just in the affairs and pleasures of this earthly existence, then this would be one heck of a place. Sweden hasn’t gone to war in 200 years so they’ve had time to get their act together. And they have. But in the process the great majority has essentially abandoned their faith in God and any respect for the spirituality given us through the Word of God. It reminds me very much of what it says in Psalm 10:4, “God is not in all their thoughts.” I know and recognize it because this was totally the way I was from around 12 to nearly 21.

So as much as this is like a heaven on earth from one view, from another there’s an ominous sadness here for me as well. It’s like Jesus said about the man who’d gained much wealth and built bigger barns, “You fool. This night your soul will be required of you. Then whose shall those things be that you have stored up?” (Luke 12:20)

I think unbelief is one of the most difficult of all sins to overcome. Especially if you are also pretty much “a good person” as well. But conversely, “With God, nothing is impossible.” (Luke 1:37) The mindset so prevalent here is very similar to how I was and how so many people in the general northern and western part of the world are now.

Is there any way to end this on a happy note? I guess the thing is that, if the Lord can do it for me, He can do it for others. Zachariah 6:6 even amazingly says, after it says that the black horses go into the north countries, that “the white go forth after them”. And in history this part of the world has had centuries in the past where faith in God and Jesus was paramount. But it may take the fiercest rigors of the final days before the return of Jesus to shake some people here out of their atheist stupor. All we can do is pray, hope and continue to be a witness, as best we can.