Earthquakes and The End Times
Pastor Dale Morgan
October 9, 2:31 PM
Jesse Sellers
Mt:24:7: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes,
in divers places.
The last few days have seen numerous reports of earthquake activity in
the world, in Samoa, Indonesia, and, most recently, Vanuatu. According
the the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been 267 earthquakes
worldwide in the past 7 days.
Whenever there are earthquakes in the news, the conversation among some
Christians inevitably turns to discussion of the end times, the return
of Christ, and the end of the world as we know it. The average Christian
seems to believe that an increase in the frequency of these
seismological phenomena point to Christ's soon return.
But what exactly did Jesus say about the things to come? The relevant
text is found in Mark 13 and its parallel in Matthew 24. Jesus and His
disciples were leaving the Temple in Jerusalem when one of the disciples
remarked about the wonder of the Temple and its construction.
Jesus's response absolutely shocked His disciples: “Not one stone will
be left upon another which will not be torn down.” (Mark 13:2)
To a first-century Jew, the destruction of the Temple would have been
such a catastrophic event that it could only signify the end of the age
(which the Jews thought of in terms of the overthrow of Roman rule and
re-establishing a free Jewish state in Palestine).
Matthew gives us the best account of the disciples' confusion,
encapsulated by a three-part question: “Tell us, when will these things
happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the
age?” (Mt. 24:3)
The disciples thought the destruction of the Temple would signify the
return of Jesus and the ending of the age –all one event at one time.
However, a close examination of Jesus' response reveals that He is
referring to two separate events: the destruction of the Temple and the
end of the age would not occur at the same time.
For example, In Mark 13:14, Jesus says that those who are in Judea
should “flee to the mountains” in the wake of what He refers to as the
“abomination of desolation.” If He were talking about His return at the
end of the age, there would be no admonition to flee, since His return
will be universal and there will be no hiding or escaping from Him.
The Temple was destroyed in A.D.70, when the Romans besieged Jerusalem
and literally tore the Temple apart stone-by-stone, just as Jesus had said.
Beginning in Verse 24, Jesus turns to the s subject of His return at the
end of the age. Note especially Verses 32-33:
“But of that day or hour no one knows; not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you
do not know when the appointed time will come.”
Despite what most Christians believe, there will be no warning signs
indicating Jesus's return; there will only be an announcement.
Wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, famines, and
earthquakes are not signs that Jesus is about to return. They are merely
occurrences in the course of human history. Jesus specifically says,
“that is not yet the end” (Mk.13:7; Mt. 24:6) and “These things are
merely the beginning of birth pangs” (Mk. 13:8; Mt. 24:8).
So, when we turn on the nightly news and see there has been another
earthquake, or when we open the daily news and read of another war
breaking out, and when we tune in to our radios and hear appeals for us
to send relief for another famine, we should not think that these events
mean Jesus's return is imminent. Instead, we should live every day in
the confidence that He is going to return, according to the Scriptures.
That return might be today, or it might be a thousand years from now.
There will be no warning signs.
Rather than being concerned with when He will return, Christians would
do well to live every day as if it were THE day.
Churches and organizations are doing a brisk business holding seminars
and prophecy conferences,er with “experts” giving their opinions on when
and why the signs indicate Jesus is about to return. Rather than
equipping believers to share the Gospel more faithfully and serve the
Lord more diligently, these events only create divisions, arguments, and
disagreements.
When the Bible speaks of end time events, it's never so that we can
decipher when they will happen and what kind of signs to look for in
anticipation of them. The purpose of the Biblical teaching on the end
times is to encourage believers in the here and now. No matter what
adversity you are facing, no matter what trials and problems you are
experiencing, and no matter what suffering you are currently undergoing,
the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to know that, in the end, He will make
all things new. He will wipe away every tear, comfort every broken
heart, restore every shattered spirit, and heal every wound.
Christians do not need to debate when and how these things will occur.
Christians should be about the task of sharing His truth with others, so
that when He does return, the believer will be found to be a good and
faithful servant who has been about the Father's business, having done
his part to change the size of Heaven.