Are the desert wastelands of biblical lands due to man or a curse?

by EndofMysteries 28 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  EndofMysteries

  I was looking on google earth the other day, take a look at it, the entire world. Notice how all of the countries and lands which were involved in all the biblical events are desert wastelands. I thought to myself, did they destroy the soil and nothing will grow, well lets see how much rain they get a year. They get almost nothing! Seems many may get 1 to 4 inches a year. Now it wasn't always like that. Those lands had much vegetation at one point. Why did it stop raining?

  I also found it very interesting how Zech 14:16-17 - said if each year those countries that warred against jerusalem did not come for the festival of booths and to bow to the King, YHWH of armies, they would get no rain.

  Now some have said it's because they are close to the equator. But other countries close to the equator are lush and green. And again if it was always that that way, why would man have settled in desert wastelands when just north or south they had lush green landscapes.

  So it has me wonder, is the lack of rain in those countries really a natural cause or supernatural curse?
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  Nambo

  Like a lot of things really, cannot be proved one way or another, leaves you free to reveal your hearts true desire by whichever option you chose to want to belive.

  Another one I like is the warning to the Jews they would be cast amongst the nations, and sure enough they were!, (though Iam sure there will be a rational and scientific explaination available).
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  EndofMysteries

  Well if you want to go on more what the bible really teaches, it's of note how Jesus said the temple in Jerusalem while HE was alive would be destroyed and trampled on for the appointed time of the nations. As for the rain though.....that is something that can be closer to being proven. WHY do they not get rain now? How did those lands go from getting adequate rain to none? And for those who live in the USA, look what just one season of no rain or little rain can do. Imagine if rain stopped or got messed up real bad for parts of the world where most of the food production is done.
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  Christ Alone

  I'm going to say it's based on geology and climate. With some desert culture thrown in.
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  designs

  To many Camels peeing, totally kills the lawn.
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  perfect1

  The American Southwest is also a large desert. Native American tradition says they chose it that way so they would keep their spiritual knowledge alive- they have to do rituals for the rain.

  EOM, you seem to do a lot of magical thinking. I dont mind- I do it to. All it means is you attribute magical (or supernatural whatever) causes to regular phenomena.

  Now and then you might like to argue with yourself to find the most logical answer, just for fun.
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  EndofMysteries

  I say supernatural curse because many may believe in God or higher power but not the God of the bible, or one of the gods of the bible. I see it mentioned in the bible and I see it has happened, so that is my leaning. If it is natural what a coincidence. Just look on google maps or earth. I can understand destroying the land from wars and overfarming, but should it not get normal rain still if that was the cause?

  All of my thoughts and posts are based on what is recorded in the bible. They may appear to be magical thinking, but if that is true, then that's just the part of the bible I read it from. I am not really thinking these things up on my own, I am reading them. I have found almost everything linked though, like a family tree, all beliefs and religions, mythology, even ones which seem unrelated, appear to all link together.
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  Leolaia

  Google "desertification" and "Holocene". It's a cyclic pattern drawing on global climate trends.
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  perfect1

  I have found almost everything linked though, like a family tree, all beliefs and religions, mythology, even ones which seem unrelated, appear to all link together

  Any exceptions at all- just curious
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  Christ Alone

  Certain ancient cultures did destroy alot of things with their warfare. But if you study the geology of the area, it was designed to be a desert.