John Ecob
A GREAT DEAL of scientific investigation has gone into the cause of earthquakes in an attempt to predict where and when they may occur.
Scientists have discovered that the crust of the earth is made up of plates and these plates are fractured and the plates apparently are moving.
Some plates slide against each other; some slide under or over other plates while some plates are moving away from each other.
When plates move apart this allows molten magma to rise and fill the gap. When plates slide or collide they release energy and shock waves pass through the surface of the earth causing foundations of buildings to move horizontally. If the shock wave is large enough it can topple tall buildings, open up wide cracks in the earth’s surface or cause a tsunami.
Geologists can identify evidence of great rifts in the crust of the earth and some promote the “continental drift theory” otherwise known as the “tectonic plate theory”.
It has been observed that the west coast of Europe and Africa has a similar profile to the east coast of the American continent and the German scientist, Afred Wegener, early in to 20th century wrote a paper suggesting that at some time in the past, all the continents were joined but over time they drifted apart.
Since the tectonic plates move only inches per year it would take millions of years for America to join with Africa and this suited the evolutionists.
But what if there was a global cataclysmic event? Could the geography of the earth be changed suddenly? The Biblical Flood could provide the explanation.
There is no doubt the earth’s crust has moved. At the time of the Flood the highest mountain was Mount Ararat and it is 16,878 feet above sea level and we can be sure that that was approximately its height before the Flood because the ice cap produced at the South Pole remained at just a bit lower at 13,411 feet which is what one would expect as the waters receded after the Flood.
Also we know the total amount of water on the earth’s surface today and it has been estimated at 342 million cu.miles.
We also know that the oceans now cover 72% of earth’s surface and that Mount Everest is about 29,000 feet high which is quite a bit higher than Mt Ararat. Geologists believe that the Himalayan Mountains have been thrust up by the Indian plate over the China plate. The deep trenches around the perimeter of the Pacific and the vast number of undersea volcanoes all speak of a very active earth crust and testify of great changes in earth’s surface in the past.
The core of the earth has been estimated to have a temperature of 6,0000C and much of the earth is molten magma. When volcanoes explode the magma rises to the surface creating new islands in the oceans or raising the level of the land.
If the earth was covered by a global Flood as described in the Bible which we believe to be true, then we would expect that vast amounts of vegetation and creatures would have been buried and this is exactly what we find in the fossil record. The coal deposits, natural gas deposits and oil are decomposed vegetation and sea creatures and this had to happen suddenly. Only a global Flood could produce this.
Once we accept that God is the Creator of the universe there is no problem with believing that He could change what He made and move the plates of the earth. He created the universe by the “word of His power” and can move the crust of the world by His spoken word also.
An evaluation of the amount of water on earth surface today and the amount that must have covered the earth at the Flood will soon show that the earth must have been smaller at some stage in the past and it has expanded at some point in time which could give credence to the continental drift theory. The difference is that it happened suddenly and not over millions of years.
Does God Cause Earthquakes?
The question then arises, Is God responsible for earthqakes? Is He controlling the movement of earth’s plates?
If we look at history we find in the Divine record of the Bible that again and again God caused physical calamities to occur as acts of judgment. Job stated that hail was “reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war” (Job 38:23). God sent hail on the land of Egypt at the time of the Exodus.
David remembered an occasion when “the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because He was wroth” (2Sam.22:8). The walls of Jericho fell when Israel blew the trumpets and when Russia comes into the land in the first half of the Tribulation there will be “a great shaking in the land of Israel…
and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall” (Ezek.38:19-20).
Josephus claims that when Uzziah went into the Temple to offer incense there was a great eathquake. He gives details and states that the Temple was damaged:
“Half the mountain broke off from the rest on the west, and rolled itself four furlongs, and stood still at the east mountain till the roads as well as the King’s gardens were spoiled by the obstruction” (Antiq.Book 9, ch.10).
But Amos prophesied in the reigns of Uzziah and Jeroboam II, “two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1:1). The fact that Amos refers to THE earthquake might indicate there was only one earthquake in the days of Uzziah and this would suggest that Josephus was wrong when he placed the earthquake at the end of Uzziah’s reign. Jeroboam II died in the 14th year of Uzziah’s 52-year reign and he was struck with leprosy at the end of his reign. Josephus was also wrong when he states that Uzziah was not buried with the kings of Israel but “by himself in his own garden”.
The Bible states: “They buried him with his fathers in the city of David” (2Kings 15:7).
Zechariah foretold that when the Lord returns there will be a great earthquake that will split the Mount of Olives and create a great valley all the way to the Dead Sea. And that’s not all:
“All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place”
(Zech.14:10).
Geba is just north of Jerusalem and Rimmon is about 15 km north of Beersheba so there will be a plateau about 65 km long raised up by the earthquake that occurs when Christ returns (Zech.14:10). The Apostle John tells us that this earthquake will be the greatest ever experienced in the history of mankind (Rev.16:18).
There is no doubt that God creates earthquakes. They are not just accidents of nature. The forces of nature are controlled by the Creator of the universe and He shows His
displeasure in acts of judgment using the laws of nature which he established and which He controls. Even floods and droughts are ordained by God.
Nothing can happen without His power.
The timing of earthquakes is proof that God controls them. When Jesus was on the cross bearing the sins of the world, there was darkness for three hours and at the end of that time Jesus cried “It is finished!” The work of redemption was complete and a full and perfect atonement had been made for our sins. At that moment “the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened” (Matt.27:51-52).
Three days later, early in the morning another earthquake, an after shock, struck Jerusalem and Jesus’ tomb was opened by an angel (Matt.28:2). Coincidence? I think not.
When Jesus was asked about signs of the end of the age and of His coming He replied:
“Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matt.24:7).
Once the Rapture has taken place this world will be plagued with earthquakes like it has never seen before and they will be sent by God upon a world that is ripe for judgment.
Surely, with these facts in mind it becomes obvious that it is a prudent thing to do to seek the Lord before the Rapture. Today God is lovingly entreating all to seek Christ and to shelter from the judgment to come by placing ones trust in Him. His coming is drawing near and we know not the day or hour. Don’t put it off. You may be too late. Jesus said:
“Be ye ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:40).