Did Earth’s Temperature Break Records This Summer?

This globally high temperature (apparently driven partly by an unusually warm winter in Antarctica) led to some 38 million Americans being placed under a heat alert. And, of course, it’s all being blamed on man-made climate change:

“Earth’s average temperature on Wednesday remained at an unofficial record high set the day before, the latest grim milestone in a week that has seen series of climate-change-driven extremes.”

But back to our question—was last week really a record? Well, it might have been—but we don’t really know! Humans have only been recording climate data since the 1880s, and we’ve only had robust data since satellite data collection began in the 1970s. So we have no idea how warm the warmest day on earth was in all of the earth’s history! (But we do know, based on the fossil record, that the earth’s climate was much warmer before the flood!)

Not only do I believe in climate change, but I’m a climate change alarmist, and I do believe humans have caused climate change!

All this talk of climate change in the news reminded me of an exchange I had after the Bill Nye debate in 2014. Due to the publicity of the debate, I was interviewed live on CNN by Piers Morgan. The first question he asked me was, “Why don’t you believe in climate change?” I answered, “I do believe in climate change.” I remember Bill Nye then interjected to claim that I reject climate change. I said I didn’t reject climate change and that “there’s been climate change ever since the flood.” I don’t believe the interviewer knew how to proceed at that stage, and we went in a different direction.

Not only do I believe in climate change, but I’m a climate change alarmist, and I do believe humans have caused climate change! And, yes, it’s true that we need to warn people about the coming catastrophic climate changes that will affect all of humanity. We need to proclaim this from the rooftops. It’s an urgent message. In fact, the Bible prophetically refers to its coming:

“The heavens and the earth . . . are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. . . . The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:7, 10).

Okay, what am I referring to? Well, I’m not referring to a supposed slight global temperature increase allegedly caused by humans burning fossil fuels. I’m referring to the ultimate catastrophic climate change everyone should be aware of when one day in the future, Jesus will return, and the earth (and the whole universe) will be judged with fire, and God will make a new heavens and earth:

“But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

It’s important to understand that humans are the cause of this coming catastrophic climate change. Because of our sin in Adam, we recognize that the whole creation is now groaning, awaiting this massive change:

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now (Romans 8:20–22).

But even though the creation is groaning because of our sin (think of earthquakes, tidal waves, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, cyclones, death, and disease), God gave us a promise about 4,300 years ago, after the flood: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

So, man is not going to destroy the earth! We can boldly proclaim that humans aren’t going to destroy themselves or the earth because God is in complete control, and he will determine when the ultimate catastrophic climate change will occur. So, the climate change countdown clock is absurd! We need to understand and believe in climate alarmism in a biblical context.

In the meantime, it’s important to understand that we do live in a world where sin, the curse, the flood, and the ice age (which was generated by the flood) have all contributed to climate changes that have been going on during the past 6,000 years of earth’s history.

As Christians, we need to have a biblically based worldview regarding environmental issues.

As Christians, we need to have a biblically based worldview regarding environmental issues. To have this worldview, we must understand our role as having dominion over creation as everything suffers the effects of sin, the curse, and past catastrophic events (such as the flood of Noah’s day). The bottom line is that we are to live in this world and use what God has entrusted to us for humanity’s good (doing our best not to abuse it) and God’s glory.

And remember, humans are finite. Based on our limited understanding, we might not know many factors (in fact, we know nearly nothing compared to God), which can lead us to interpret past and future things incorrectly. That’s why we must ensure that we have the right foundation for our worldview, the foundation of the revelation of the one who knows all things—the foundation of the authority of the Word of God. And God’s Word never changes.

We will never sort out all the claims about climate change until we all agree to begin with the right foundation—the Word of the infinite Creator God. We need to help people understand that climate alarmism from many of our politicians is based on a religion, a religion that trusts man as his own god and a religion that worships the creation instead of the true Creator.

We are seeing Romans 1 played out before our eyes:

“But they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:21–23).

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed Monday on Answers News with cohosts Bryan Osborne, Bodie Hodge, and Rob Webb. Answers News is our weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum and broadcast on our Answers in Genesis YouTube channel and posted to Answers TV. We also covered the following topics:

• Rewriting the evolutionary story of mankind . . . yet again.
• Universities install “morning after” pill vending machines.
• Were earth’s building blocks dry and rocky?
• And more!

Be sure to join us each Monday at 2 p.m. (ET) on YouTube or later that day on Answers TV for Answers News. You won’t want to miss this unique news program that gives science and culture news from a distinctly biblical and Christian perspective.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.