This illustration shows the asteroid 2012DA14 flying safely
by Earth, as seen by the Gingin Observatory in Australia around the time of its
closest approach on Feb. 15, 2013. At this time, the asteroid was about 17,150
miles above Earth's surface.
When asked what should we do if we found
out today that planet Earth would be struck by a large asteroid in just three
weeks, a NASA official answered “Pray!”
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 the “Science,
Space & Technology Committee” of the House of Representatives held a
congressional hearing. The hearing was titled “Threats from Space: A
Review of US Government Efforts to track and mitigate Asteroids and
Meteors.” Prompted by the meteor that unexpectedly struck Russia on February
15, 2013 and asteroid 2012- DA14 passing very close to the Earth on the same
day, the committee
asked NASA, Air Force and White House officials our options for dealing with
the threat from meteors, asteroids and comets. Speaking of the two cosmic events of February
15, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) said these events “… serve as
evidence that we live in an active solar system with potentially hazardous
objects passing through our neighborhood with surprising frequency.”
Congressman Bill Posey (R-Florida) asked NASA Chief Charles Bolden
what NASA would do if a large asteroid headed on a collision course with Earth
was discovered today with only three weeks before impact. Space
agency Chief Bolden said, “The answer to you is ‘if it’s coming in three weeks,
pray.”’
“Pray!” Many people including the reporters from major
TV networks were surprised to hear this choice of words from the Space Agency
chief. Interestingly, the Bible also says to pray in response to
impending cosmic bombardment. In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21
Jesus speaks of the end times tribulation period and tells how “the stars shall
fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:25).” In Luke 21:36 Jesus then
says, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that
ye may … escape all these things that shall come to pass….” The
bombardment from stars (luminous bodies such as comets, asteroids or meteors)
falling from heaven that Jesus refers to in Matthew 24:29 seems to be spoken of
in Revelation 6:12-17, Revelation 8-9, and Revelation 16. The
Trumpets and Vials of Revelation give a scientifically sound description of
cometary impacts that strike land, sea and air. These impacts are
described as causing catastrophes that include great earthquakes, regional forest
fires, towering tsunamis, magma flows and even 100 pound hailstones striking
the Earth.
In my book The Comets of God – New Scientific Evidence for God: Recent Archeological,
Geological and Astronomical Discovers that shine new light on the Bible and it
Prophecies (www.thecometsofgod.com) I explain that the Bible
contains a virtual textbook of information about cosmic activity. Catastrophes
described in the Old Testament and the New Testament’s Book of Revelation are
being recognized by a growing number of astronomers and planetary scientists as
descriptions of cometary impacts. Long before scientists learned about
atmospheric roll back after cosmic impacts, comets carrying cyanide, and the
existence of the Oort Cloud of comets that surrounds the solar system, the
Bible clearly described these technical, astronomical and geological
phenomena.
Dr. John S. Lewis, Professor
Emeritus of Planetary Science at the
University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, and Chief Scientist at
Deep Space Industries in his 1997 book
(pages 11-13), "Rain of Iron and Ice: The Very Real Threat of Comet and
Asteroid Bombardment" wrote: ". . . the description of future
events in Revelation leans heavily upon the phenomenology of violent cosmic
events . . . The central theme is clear and unambiguous: the events described
in Revelation are of astronomical origin and describe real physical events, not
mere portents or symbols. Did John (the author of the Book of Revelation)
somehow know more about impact phenomena than any scientist before the present
decade?"
Explaining why he said “pray,” NASA Chief Charles Bolden said this
is because we have “put off” proper study. Clearly the surprise
Russian meteor strike and the near Earth
asteroid 2012- DA14 on the same day has let us know that we cannot put off or
delay study of the threat from space.
At the congressional hearing
John Holdren, senior advisor to President Obama on science and technology
issues told Congress, “The odds of a Near-Earth Object strike causing massive
casualties and destruction of infrastructure are very small, but the potential
consequences of such an event are so large it makes sense to take the risk
seriously.” Similarly, no matter how one feels about the odds of the Bible
being right that comets will come to
strike the Earth and end civilization as we know it; the consequences of such
events are so large that it makes sense to take the risk seriously.
The US has done a good job at tracking the larger objects from
space that could deliver a blow equivalent to tens of thousands of nuclear
bombs and cause a global problem. However,
we are not identifying the smaller
objects in the 450 foot plus range. Referring
to the Russian fly-by, Presidential advisor John Holdren said if an asteroid of
this size were to strike the land, “it could devastate the better part of a
continent.” NASA Chief Charles Bolden
said only one percent of the space rocks in the 90 to 300 foot range have been
found. The meteorite that recently
struck Russia was only about 55 feet wide.
We are years away from identifying all of the potential threats out
there and deciding how to respond to them. This is not reassuring – indeed, pray!
