Earthquakes

Right now the eyes of the world are focused on the nation of Haiti. It's hard to ignore the devastation that's taken place to this tiny, poor island nation. While the whole world is watching, it seems like everyone's also waiting for the totals of the number of dead, as current estimates are running up towards 100,000.

Everyone right now is doing what they can to help. Right now it's relief, rescue & recovery. Soon, it will turn towards rebuilding. People are donating money, sending food, medical supplies, clean drinking water, and clothing. It's amazing to see humanity putting others needs ahead of their own.

Now, before I go any further, I know that there's going to be some who are going to look at this post and automatically label me as an oppertunist because in their mind I'm unsensetive to the deaths of possibly hundreds of thousands that took place in Haiti and that I should be ashamed of myself for using this tragic events as a platform to talk about my "religion." If that's how you feel, then please, do us both a favor and do not continue reading.

While everyone right now is talking relief, rescue, recovery, and rebuilding, as well as it should be, I think that there's another discussion that should be taking place, and that is: Rapture.

While I am concerned for the people of Haiti, my greater concern is for the millions of people out there who are either asleep or blind to what's going on in the spiritual. It's about the much bigger picture. I have no shame in using this event as a platform to share truth with those who cannot see it. If I don't take advantage of this situation, then someone who's blind or asleep, spritually speaking, may die.

So, enough with the big, dramatic build up. I'm going to get right into it. Here it is:

In Mark chapter 13 Jesus is asked for signs of His return. In verse 8 Jesus says, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains."

Jesus spoke these words roughly 2,000 years ago. These words are more than just mere predictions, but these words are prophecy spoken by the Son of God, Jesus Christ. When the Son of God speaks that something will take place, believe me, it will take place.

Jesus is speaking of the time of his return, that one of the signs of his return will be "earthquakes in various places." If it's getting close to the time of His return, then obviously we should be seeing more of these signs taking place.

So, what we're going to do is take a look at some numbers. We're going to simply look at the number of major earthquakes worldwide year by year, from the year 1901 to today, Jan. 15th, 2010. I'm simply going to list the year and the number of major earthquakes for that year. Most of the earthquakes counted will have a Richter Scale rating of 6.0 or higher. You can find this data yourself on Wikipedia by clicking here or here.

So, here we go with a simple list, which only purpose is to show the increasing frequency that these "signs" are taking place.

Year - # of Earthquakes
1901 - 1
1903 - 1
1904 - 1
1905 - 3
1906 - 3
1907 - 1
1908 - 1
1909 - 1
1911 - 1
1912 - 1
1914 - 1
1915 - 1
1918 - 2
1920 - 1
1922 - 2
1923 - 3
1924 - 1
1925 - 3
1926 - 2
1927 -3
1928 - 1
1929 - 2
1931 - 2
1932 - 2
1933 - 3
1934 - 2
1935 - 3
1937 - 1
1938 - 3
1939 - 2
1940 - 2
1942 - 2
1943 - 2
1944 - 4
1945 - 1
1946 - 4
1947 - 1
1949 - 3
1950 - 1
1951 - 2
1952 - 2
1953 - 2
1954 - 6
1955 - 2
1957 - 4
1958 - 2
1959 - 1
1960 - 2
1963 - 2
1964 - 3
1965 - 2
1966 - 3
1967 - 3
1968 - 2
1969 - 3
1970 - 4
1971 - 2
1972 - 1
1975 - 5
1976 - 3
1977 - 1
1978 - 2
1979 - 3
1980 - 7
1983 - 5
1984 - 2
1985 - 2
1986 - 3
1987 - 3
1988 - 6
1989 - 3
1990 - 2
1991 - 2
1992 - 8
1993 - 1
1994 - 3
1995 - 2
1997 - 1
1998 - 2
1999 - 5
2000 - 2
2001 - 6
2002 - 6
2003 - 8
2004 - 15
2005 - 12
2006 - 12
2007 - 29
2008 - 31
2009 - 18
2010 - 26
2011 - 26

Let the data speak for itself. It's not hard to see that in the last 100+ years that there was never a real dramatic rise in the number of earthquakes. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the dramatic rise in the number of earthquakes since the year 2000 when there was only 2.

Yet, Jesus said that these things are begining of birth pains. Why would Jesus compare His coming with child birth?

Birth pains are a sign that someone's coming. A baby's on it's way. And the closer it gets to the baby being born, the more frequent the contractions, the more painful it gets for the lady about ready to give birth.

These earthquakes are happening more frequently, and they're causing more pain. The data, itself, shows that the Earth is signaling Christ return. Isn't that what signs do? They signal?

See the signs. Know that Jesus is coming soon. Sleeper, wake up!! Blind, see!! He's coming. Don't get left behind!! Be ready!! Tell others so that they'll be ready!! Spread the word that the King is coming!!

Editor's Update: 8/12/2012
There was a total of 26 major earthquakes for the year 2011. As of today there's been 10 major earthquakes, including the ones that just took place in Tabriz, Iran. No doubt with many more on the way.

I will return periodically to update this blog as we count together the number of major earthquakes happening all around the world.