Beginning of Sorrows

In the wake of the massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Chile so close to the devastating one in Haiti, it is natural to wonder if these major events are happening with greater frequency. If this is the case, we should expect the Rapture soon because Jesus said that signs indicating His imminent return would be, "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" (Matthew 24:7-8, NKJ). The NIV translates verse 8 as, "all these are the beginning of birth pains" (NIV). Since we have always had wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, the increase in intensity and frequency like birth pangs is what makes them a sign.

People seem to be divided on whether intense earthquakes are increasing in frequency. A MSNBC article cited one expert dismissing the idea that major earthquakes are increasing in frequency saying it only appears this way due to our short human memories and better world-wide communications. But the article went on to quote another expert who disagreed:

"Relative to the 20-year period from the mid-1970s to the mid 1990s, the Earth has been more active over the past 15 or so years," said Stephen S. Gao, a geophysicist at Missouri University of Science and Technology. "We still do not know the reason for this yet."

So we are left to choose which expert we most believe. People who don't know all that the Bible has to say about "The End Of The World As We Know It" would be in a quandary and thus likely to dismiss earthquakes as a sign until more agreement exists in the scientific community. That is why they will be caught by surprise when the Lord returns. There is a lot more than the increasing frequency of earthquakes indicating that the return of Jesus is growing closer every day. When you look at all the trends indicating that the return of Jesus is near, it is no surprise that earthquakes would be increasing in frequency. Is that self-fulfilling prophecy, or accurately discerning the times? Everyone must decide for themselves which it is.

"It is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed" (Romans 13:11).