By: Kevin Tyus
Earthquakes in the News
By now everyone should have heard the news about the earthquakes that have devastated the small island of Haiti, New Zealand’s second largest city Christchurch, and about the one near the east coast of Honshu, Japan. Thousands of people are died, or presumed. These events are tragic and horrific in scope!
Why the Increase in Earthquakes?
People all over the world are wondering why are these large earthquakes happening more often and, will quakes of this magnitude continue? The unfortunate answer to this question is… yes they will continue, and grow in magnitude and devastation!
Jesus Foretold the Increase in Earthquakes
These earthquakes may seem random and unconnected however; they were predicted to take place nearly two-thousand years ago by Jesus Christ! The Bible faithfully details a conversation between Jesus and his disciples about the end of the world as we now know it. This is part of the conversation Jesus had with his disciples
Earthquakes in Many Places
Matthew 27:3-8
While sitting on the Mount of Olives Jesus disciples come to him and asked him; Tell us, what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Jesus begins to give a discourse of the last days or end time and the events leading up to his return. Jesus speaks about several specific world events and signs that will occur and one of them he mentions is earthquakes in many places.
Earthquakes (Biblical Definition)
seismos NT:4578, “a shaking, a shock,” from seio, “to move to and fro, to shake,” chiefly with the idea of concussion (Eng., “seismic,” “seismology,” “seismometry”), is used of “earthquakes,” Matthew 24:7
Earthquakes Will Increase Worldwide, What Can We Do?
So in Matthew 24:7 Jesus said that there will be earthquakes in “divers places” or in our English language it means different/many locals/locations. Please understand that these earthquakes will happen worldwide not just in a few isolated places. So what can we do?
Do the following:
- Pray for the safety and security of those affected by earthquakes
- Educate yourself and others on what the Bible says about the end times
- Start a community disaster preparedness plan
- Have a family disaster preparedness plan in place and practice it monthly
- Prepare emergency backpacks for your family: pack lightweight food items that don’t need to be cooked, water, two changes of clothing, rain gear, first aid kits, water proof matches, candles, flashlights non battery type, a good survival knife (Swiss Army type,) something to defend yourself with (comply with your local laws)
- Take a CPR class, learn first aid and buddy care
- Have some cash on hand (be careful don’t flash it around)
How to Help in the Relief Efforts
- First, PRAY!
- Second, give! If your church has a fund give through that, if not you can give here:
- http://www.redcross.org/
- http://www.savethechildren.org/
- http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/
- Third, for the next two months let’s not go out to eat; save that money and donate the savings to the relief effort.
If you want to track earthquakes, you can do it here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov
May the Lord Jesus keep you in his grace by his power! Peace, Ty