Great Earthquakes are an End Time's Sign!

by Bill Salus

After his first 100 days in office Barack Obama was asked what surprised him the most as President during that period. He said, "I'm surprised by the number of critical issues that appear to be coming to a head all at the same time."

Comparatively, about 2000 years ago Jesus warned in Matthew 24:6-8 and Mark 13:7-8 that just prior to his return the world would undergo a period of cataclysmic contractions that he likened to the birth pains of a woman.

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." (Matthew 24:6-8 NIV)

In essence Christ declared that the last days would be characterized by powerful prophetic events that hit humanity with increased frequency and increased intensity, just like the birth contractions before a baby is born.

All of the above indicators Christ alluded to appear to have occurred, or are occurring. Many eschatologists believe World War I and World War II fulfilled his predictions that nations would rise against one another.

Subsequently, regional wars occurred between North and South Korea, Viet Nam, and Iran and Iraq and elsewhere also fulfilling his predictions that kingdom would come against kingdom. "Kingdom against kingdom" suggests the occurrence of regional conflicts as per Isaiah 19:2. Current saber rattling between Iran and Israel round out rumors of war, which have also abounded worldwide for quite some time now.

Notice also that Christ said there would be earthquakes in various places, and in Luke 21:11 he said “Great Earthquakes”. Earthquakes have become commonplace over the past few decades and numerous great earthquakes have already christened the 21st century.

Some relatively recent statistics suggest that Christ's earthquake predictions are coming true at an alarming rate. In the year 1970 when there were 4,139 recorded earthquakes. Then in 1980 there were 7,348 and in 1990 there were 16,612, more than double the amount in year 1980 and four times the amount in 1970. In 2000 there were 22,256 recorded quakes.

They are occurring at an accelerating pace. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that approximately 20,000 earthquakes occur each year now. They estimate about 50 quakes shake throughout the world on any given day.

Many of these quakes are considered to be significant, or “great”. The USGS considers a significant earthquake to be one that registers at 6.5 or greater on the Richter scale, or causes fatalities, injuries, or substantial damage.

Consider for instance the Asian Tsunami of December 26, 2004, which was generated by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake in the Indian Ocean killing an estimated 230,000 people in eleven countries. This was the deadliest natural disaster in recorded history.

After that on May 12, 2008 in Sichuan China an estimated 70,000 Chinese lost their lives in a 7.9 magnitude quake. Most recently the world witnessed the 7.0 Port-au-Prince Haiti quake, which occurred on 1/12/2010 and the damage and death toll is still under assessment. However, estimates of those killed in the quake may reach 500,000 according to lead Haitian Senator Youri Latortue. (Assoc. Press)

While Obama may be surprised by the critical issues coming to a head simultaneously, no one, especially Christians, should be surprised given the clear word from God. This rise in significant earthquakes is yet another indicator that the world hour glass has made its final turn, mankind is living in the end times, and Christ is soon to return.

Watch the Lord work in Haiti in the aftermath of the devestating earthquake