1/27/10

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

16 comments:

Spudnuts said...

So Bill, when you say "soon", what are you intuiting? Soon, as in, within our lifetime? As in within a year or so? Let me ask it another way.

Do you foresee a major war in the Middle East this spring or summer?

Bill Salus said...

The potential for a major Middle East war in 2010 is great. It is hard to know for sure, but the geopolitical circumstances are very volatile in the region presently. I'm 56 years old and believe that either my generation, my childrens's generation, or my grandchildren's generation will be the last generation on this present earth's timeline. The signs, like great earthquakes, are abounding.

Mike Powell said...

The Bibles does say that the generation that sees Israel reborn will see the coming of the Son of Man. May 1948 + 70 = 2011? It has to be very very soon.

Anonymous said...

Bill I generally agree with you and support your view on things. I thought I would check on the number of quakes issue. I went to the USGS web site and got figures for years 2000 to 2009 on world wide numbers of quakes for various magnitude (1-8). I multiplied the number of quakes times the magnitude and sumed the totals. The results do show a gentle increase over that short time period, except 2009. Sums for the years 2000 to 2009 are the following: 83259(2000) 87181 98742 108175 114273 119753 116153 117047 123697 59200(2009). Year 2009 seems to be an error. I wish I had a longer time period, but this short period does seem to support your statement. This is really interesting. I am a geophysicist by training and am interested in this topic. Thank you for your work, I follow it with interest.

flyer515 said...

Mike Powell wrote "The Bibles does say that the generation that sees Israel reborn will see the coming of the Son of Man. May 1948 + 70 = 2011? It has to be very very soon."

We have to be very careful here. Generation is a translation from a word that that can also mean people. Remember God said the maximum live span after the flood would be 120 years. If the interpretation is correct in referring to Israel when it is established again then the people that saw Israel established as a nation could still be alive up to 2068. You also might want to check out Chuck Misslers’ take on this passage.

Jerry

Anonymous said...

I have done a lot of research on the earthquake side of end time signs. However, time and time again I find those who state these "increase" figures have overlooked one major fact: During the span of time that man has used mechanical devices to measure and track quakes, the number of increase is proportional to the number of increase in devices and their ability to detect even smaller quakes. I believe if you discount the small quakes and only examine the large 7 and higher you will find there has not been much of any increase. I also believe that these large quakes will be what will occur much closer to the end. They may be part of the reasons for the blood moon (filling the atmosphere with dust) and the "roaring" of the seas and not just a tsunami.

I sight the following as my evidence:

From the USGS: Although it may seem that we are having more earthquakes, earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant throughout this century and, according to our records, have actually seemed to decrease in recent years. In 1931, there were about 350 stations operating in the world; today, there are more that 4,000 stations and the data now comes in rapidly from these stations by telex, computer and satellite. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us and other seismological centers to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years, and we are able to locate earthquakes more rapidly. More about this can be found here:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?categoryID=6&faqID=110

Melvin said...

In Matthew chapter 24 the Lord Jesus Christ gave a prophecy of the event that would begin the last generation and the event that would end the last generation. The birth of Israel in 1948 was the event that began the last generation, the destruction of America as a world power is the event that will end the last generation. The Russians will be brought from the north against Israel in Jeremiah 4:6 etc. and America in Jeremiah 50:3. The next prophetic event to signal this is the destruction of Damascus.

Anonymous said...

If Sir Isaac Newton's interpretation of Daniel 9 is correct, we will see our Lord's return in 2016:

"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' (= 49 yrs) and sixty-two 'sevens.' (= 434 yrs)

According to Newton, the time between the rebuilding of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's time to Jesus' birth in 2 BC was 434 yrs. The period between Jesus' second coming and the 2nd rebuilding of Jerusalem will be 49 yrs. The Jews started rebuilding Jerusalem after they captured it in the "6 days war" in 1967. So:

1967 + 49 = 2016

joyful said...

Jerry wrote, "God said the maximum [life] span after the flood would be 120 years." Scripture, however, states, "My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be 120 years." After the flood, however, Terah lived 205years. (Gen. 11:32). The 120 years more likely refers to the span if time God would continue to strive with compromised flesh, the period of time before the coming flood of judgment, the amount of time Noah and his 3 sons had to build the ark. Today, the increasing signs of the endtimes are warnings to be ready to meet the Lord today but plan and work for tomorrow.

kevin said...

can some one tell me how 1948+70=2011 if my maths is correct it should = 2018 unless i am missing something.

Anonymous said...

Kevin,
They are backing into a pre-trib rapture date in 2011 by taking 2018 minus the 7 years of tribulation...1948+70=2018-7=2011
kt

Anonymous said...

In the name of Jesus Lord we ask you to protect the people in chile and japan and allow them to know your face Lord. We know that the end is surely here and we ask for your protection and your wise guidance through this tribulation. Lord we thank you for all that you have done for us in our lifetime and we pray for those who do not know your name or face. We ask these things humbly in the name of Jesus,. AMEN

Anonymous said...

What is a GENERATION? According to the bible…
Genesis Chapter 6 – a generation is 120 years
Then we have 40 years in the wilderness – a generation
Psalm 90 - generation 70 to 80 years
So, based on this – once Israel became a nation again in 1948 – that generation will see Christ return. So, we have up to 59 years….. Israel just had its 61 year celebration.

Anonymous said...

Just thought I'd point something out. in Luke, when Jesus is talking about the end times, he says that this generation will not have passed until these things come to pass. Obviously he wasn't talking about a literal generation, but more like an age, or a race (humanity). Generation is clearly a sketchy word.

skullee said...

Hosea 6:1-2 is also interesting. It talks about two days (2000 years) and then he would come to restore us. 2000 + 33 = 2033

tanktop4158 said...

It actually stated in motion, when Isreal became a nation, about 60 years ago (only a generation to go till the end of the age of grace)
Re-read Matt:Ch 24.....we are missing only one last sign.......world wide persecution of christians.

We are guarded in the US that such persecution will probably not get too physically dangerous, but already our Satanic controled CBS,CNN,NBC, and ABC are deciding that right wing christian groups are all lunatics and need to be CIA or FBI investigated.

Whether this current administration knows it or not ( I doubt they belive in end times prophechies).....they are certainly tools of Satan and part of Gods end times like it or not..... a case of the wrong place at the wrong time I suspect