What does the Bible say about climate change?

What Does the Bible Say About Climate Change?

1. God’s Sovereignty Over Creation

Scripture repeatedly highlights divine sovereignty over the natural world. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This foundational verse reflects that the entire cosmos — including climate, weather patterns, and natural processes — operates under God’s ongoing authority and sustaining power. Scripture portrays the Creator not merely at creation’s start, but also as the One who maintains and superintends it: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

From geological features (such as the Grand Canyon’s immense rock layers) to celestial phenomena (like the patterns of constellations mentioned in Job 9:9), discoveries consistently point to both the orderliness and complexity of the natural world. Archaeological findings of flood strata in regions around the globe, for instance, align with the biblical narrative of a catastrophic global Flood (Genesis 7:11–24). These provide glimpses into the extraordinary involvement of God in shaping the earth’s conditions, including climate events of the past.

2. Humanity’s Role in Stewardship

Humans received the mandate to care for creation from the outset. “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:28). Subduing the earth does not imply reckless exploitation but responsible stewardship and management. The Hebrew wording of caring for creation underscores a protective and nurturing role aimed at preserving and governing wisely.

Several passages in the Old Testament reinforce this thoughtful care. For example, God gave Israel specific instructions on how to let the land rest every seventh year (Leviticus 25:4). This Sabbath principle for the land helped maintain the soil’s fertility and prevented overuse. By extension, such practices reflect that we should be mindful in our use of resources, employing balanced approaches that strive to maintain the earth’s well-being for future generations.

3. The Effects of the Fall on the Natural World

According to Scripture, the entry of sin into the world (Genesis 3:1–19) introduced more than moral and spiritual estrangement; it also profoundly affected creation itself. The Apostle Paul reflects on this: “The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God… For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time” (Romans 8:19, 22). This “groaning” implies that environmental instability and disruptions — which can include extreme weather and broader climatic shifts — are bound to a fallen order awaiting restoration.

Historical observations, such as ice core samples sometimes interpreted to show abrupt shifts or a short glacial period following the Flood, and cases where large-scale volcanism impacted weather patterns (for instance, the global climatic repercussions of volcanic eruptions documented after the Flood era) further illustrate that the natural world has been subject to tumult. These phenomena are not considered outside God’s purview but fit within a broader biblical record of a creation longing for redemption.

4. The Global Flood and Post-Flood Climate Changes

The Flood described in Genesis 6–9 stands as one of the most significant climatic events recorded in Scripture. According to the biblical account, a deluge covered the earth, reshaping it in profound ways. “All the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened” (Genesis 7:11). This cataclysmic event resulted in a radically reconfigured earth, geological upheaval, and a new climate regime.

Post-Flood remains, such as sedimentary rock layers containing marine fossils atop mountain ranges, demonstrate remarkable geological consistency with the biblical depiction. After the waters receded, God promised that life on earth would continue under a predictable cycle of seasons: “While the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease” (Genesis 8:22). This promise assures the regularity of climate patterns, suggesting that despite localized environmental fluctuations, God’s overarching framework persists.

5. Balance Between Trust and Responsibility

Christians are called to rest in God’s sovereignty while also embracing their responsibility to steward creation. Attempting to pinpoint every cause or effect of specific weather events or climate anomalies should not lead to neglect. Rather, believers trust the One who set boundaries for the seas (Job 38:8–11) and laid the foundations of the earth (Isaiah 48:13), engaging in faithful caretaking of resources, habitats, and ecosystems.

Practically speaking, this may involve adopting prudent measures for cultivation, land management, and industrial processes that reflect the character of God. Historical examples of responsible environmental practice — from carefully rotated farming systems in the ancient Near East to modern conservation methods — mirror the biblical call to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), since an abused environment often impacts the most vulnerable communities.

6. Future Restoration and Hope

Prophetic portions of the Bible envision a grand restoration of all creation. The Book of Isaiah 65:17 speaks of new heavens and a new earth, pointing to a future in which the effects of the Fall are fully reversed. Similarly, Revelation 21:1 proclaims, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away…” This final restoration addresses not only human redemption but also the renewal of the entire cosmos.

In the meantime, humanity dwells in an era marked by environmental changes and uncertainties. Yet the Scriptures continually encourage trust in God’s plan while promoting wise, careful involvement in tending this world. Writers spanning from the Old to the New Testament echo that while the creation groans, Christians anticipate the day of its liberation (Romans 8:21), living in a manner that honors life on earth and demonstrates compassion toward all creatures.

7. Practical Wisdom for Today

Biblical texts remain relevant for contemporary questions about climate and environmental stewardship. They speak to moral and ethical principles as well as spiritual realities. The relationship between our actions and the environment is viewed through a lens of covenant responsibility: we are to care for what God has entrusted to us.

• Personal Stewardship: Small, personal decisions — recycling, conservation, land management — reflect that we value God’s world.

• Corporate Responsibility: Collective efforts from communities, churches, and societies can demonstrate obedience to the biblical ethic of caring for creation and loving our neighbors.

• Faith and Prudence: A balance of trust in God’s sovereignty with prudent environmental choices aligns with the biblical witness. For instance, when Joseph was entrusted with seven years of plenty to prepare for seven years of famine (Genesis 41:34–36), he exercised foresight and managed resources responsibly.

8. Conclusion

The Bible presents a God who made and sustains the environment. It calls humankind to act as faithful stewards, mindful of the broader story of a good creation marred by sin, subject to climate shifts and ecological disturbances, yet providentially upheld by its Maker. Historical and scientific evidence — including geological strata indicating global cataclysm and archaeological corroborations of key biblical events — reinforces the reliability of the scriptural record.

At the heart of this teaching is confidence that God maintains ultimate oversight. This hope invites every generation to cultivate, protect, and responsibly use the earth’s resources in anticipation of the ultimate renewal of all things. As Psalm 24:1 declares, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.” Our biblical responsibility involves conscientious care for creation as an act of worship, coupled with the expectation of its ultimate restoration under the sovereignty of God.