The Worst Drought

Australia is the driest continent in the world, and the state of South Australia is the driest state in the driest continent. It is widely acknowledged that Australia is going through the worst drought ever since records were started in the 19^th century. In November last year, the head of the Murray-Darling River Basin Commission, Mr David Dreverman, said something of concern for all Australians: "This is more typical of a one in a 1,000-year drought, or possibly even drier, than it is of a one in 100-year event." According to him, “the Murray-Darling river system, which receives 4% of Australia's water, but provides three-quarters of the water consumed nationally, was already 54% below the previous record minimum.” In October 2006, this river system recorded its lowest ever October flows! On average, inflow in 2006 was just 5%. This is astounding. The year 2007 is not much better. The winter rains did not give comfort to our farmers. On 30 August, Adelaide recorded a maximum of 30.4 deg Celcius, and that was supposed to be winter! The prediction is that we are heading for a long and hotter summer.

 

The River Murray supplies 40% of Adelaide’s domestic water, and so water is pumped to replenish the reservoirs near and around this Capital City of South Australia. Therefore the state that will suffer most with this reduced inflow is South Australia. Recently, the South Australian State Government imposed restriction on the use of water, and householders can only use water for their drying gardens with hand-held cans and buckets. This is not a problem when one is young and healthy, and lives in a unit or flat with a small garden. This restriction gives rise to difficulty when the garden is large, like the one in our church property. Last week, the South Australian Government decided to lift this restriction and permitted the use of drippers and hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle, but only for once a week, three hours at a time, between 6 am and 9 am or between 5 pm and 8 pm, on and from 1^st October. The use of hand-held cans and buckets to water gardens has caused many people to see their doctors and chiropractors with back pain!

 

 

Water is precious

Water is an important commodity. On average, 60% of our body weight is water. It is also important for the economy. Without water, we will be in dire consequences. It can be a contentious issue between nations and war may start because of the availability and supply of water. In 1967, the Syrian Government attempted to divert water from one of the tributaries of the Jordan River away from Israel. This contributed to the outbreak of the Six-Day War in June 1967 between Israel and Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. In that war, “Israel captured the Golan Heights and the site of the Banyas headwaters, which enabled Israel to prevent the diversion of the Banyas by the Syrians.” (http://www.american.edu/ted/ice/JORDAN.HTM). Imagine what would happen if water becomes scarce, and becomes more valuable than oil and gold. Such a scenario is not so far-fetched now.

 

Why is there such a drought?

Why are we in the worse drought in 1,000 years? There have been many suggestions, from global warming, carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, climate changes, over-population, to methane gas and La Nina/El Nino effect. One thing is horribly missing and that is God! No politician, scientist or water consumer has ever considered why God has allowed this worst drought to come upon us! There is never any suggestion about God’s warning on an unbelieving world, and on a world that has turned against Him. God has been patient and merciful! He has been “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). When the wicked King Ahab (874-852 BC) of the Northern Kingdom of Israel turned against God by worshipping idols, God sent him the prophet Elijah who announced “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1 Kg 17:1). A severe drought came upon the land for three and a half years (Lk 4:25). Instead of repenting for his sins and coming back to worshipping the Living and True God, King Ahab became defiant. This is the natural and foolish state of man. We, as believers, are often ridiculed when we say God is judging us! Defiance, not repentance is the way of the world! Disobedience, not obedience!

 

Many churches have appealed to their congregations to pray to God for rain, but none have appealed to their congregations and the people of this nation to repent of their sins and to turn back to Him. In the last 30 years or so, believers have declined in numbers, and with each population census we find that more and more people in this nation are classifying their religion as non-Christian, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. In Australia, 40% in 1961 claimed to attend church at least monthly, down to 24% by 1980 and 20% by 1999. Church buildings have been converted to entertainment places, shops, residential houses, apartments, temples and mosques. A once imposing and beautiful St Paul’s Cathedral in one of Adelaide’s main street, Pulteney Street, has been converted to St Paul’s Reception and Function Centre years ago! God is surely unhappy with this nation, and in The Word of God, drought is one of the means that He uses to punish His disobedient and wayward people. Lev 26:18-19 “And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:” If we do not listen to God, and obey Him, heaven will be like “iron” and our nation will be like “brass”. When heaven is “as iron” there will be no blessing or rain and the land will become as “brass” meaning sterile, leading to failed crops, and reduced food production. Deut 11:16-17 “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17 And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.” This is what The Word of God says!

 

The Last Days!

We are in “the last days”. In the last days people will scoff about God or anything to do with Him, and turn away from Him. 2 Pet 3:3 “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,” The last days are perilous times. 2 Tim 3:1-9 “1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” All these are coming true. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that it would be like Noah’s days when He comes (Matt 24:37)! His second coming must be very soon!

 

Return to God

We must confess and repent of our sins, turn away from our wicked ways and turn to God and do His will. If we turn back to God with our whole heart, mind and soul, He will forgive us and bring us precious rain and the drought will be over. Deut 33:28 “Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.” Real prosperity will return to the nation. This is a prosperity that is brought about by God’s blessing. There is supposed to be prosperity now and we are told that Australia has been prosperous for 16 years! If we are prosperous why are we still having poverty, why are there more people suffering from mental disorders and stress, and more people seeking help from psychologists and psychiatrists? Why is there so much crime and wickedness in this land? Many people think that there are more selfishness, dishonesty and greed now than at any time in the history of this nation. Is this the prosperity that we want? This is something for all of us to ponder.

 

For the sake of our nation, and our children, let us come to our knees, confess and repent of our sins, turn our ways from wickedness, and worship the Living and True God, and do His will.

 

God bless.

Elder Michael D Lee

 

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© Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
14 Bedford Square, Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia 5041