We all know the story of Passover. In response to Pharaoh’s refusal to free the Jews from slavery, God unleashed ten plagues upon the Egyptians to entice their leader’s acquiescence. These punishments were ecological disasters, which had devastating effects on the Egyptians; even the Jews were impacted by some of them, namely blood, frogs and lice. The key to the story is the great suffering that had to be endured until the Egyptian’s leader finally agreed to free the slaves.
What would happen if we faced these same disasters today? Perhaps modern conveniences like water filters, insect repellent and genetically engineered plants and antibiotics might help us through similar disasters, but our ability to adapt is limited considering the delicate balance that must be maintained in our ecosystem in order to survive.
What plagues will we face if our climate continues to change at its current rate? We are already seeing or expect to see heat waves, droughts, famine, hurricanes, diseases, desertification, rising sea levels, extinctions, acid rain, and floods. What we have seen thus far is only the beginning. These plagues will get worse if we do not heed God’s call to take care of our planet.
Image courtesy of Kol Aleph.
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