Getting started
Lately, people have been asking me to speak a lot to the issue of End Times Bible events. There have been so many natural disasters in recent days that even non-religious people have taken an interest in the topic. With the recent earthquake and tidal wave in Japan, followed by nuclear meltdown in several power plant reactors, making their problems on par with or greater than the Three-Mile Island incident in the USA many years ago, is there any wonder people are concerned?
First, it needs to be noted that Jesus taught that one can look to various signs in nature as indicators regarding the changing of seasons, and we should also look at specific signs regarding the prophetic seasons and the coming time of redemption for ourselves and our planet.
Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
–Luke 17:29-31
When evening comes, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,” and in the morning, “Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
–Matthew 16:1-3
Elsewhere, Jesus told us that among the signs of his return would be earthquakes. But the primary analogy that Jesus used to describe the last days earthquakes were birth contractions, which we all know are universally characterized by a progressive increase in both frequency and intensity:
There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
–Matthew 24:7-8
And once more, the ultimate result of the return of Jesus will be a massive earthquake that literally transforms the topography of Jerusalem and devastates the whole earth:
On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
–Zechariah 14:4
Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.
–Revelation 16:18
With this in mind, it is fascinating to take note of some statistics that were brought to my attention recently from the U.S. Geological Survey. Analyzing records of ancient earthquakes as well as every earthquake occurring in modern times registering a 7.0 or higher on the Richter scale, the picture that emerges is very interesting.
Ø From 1 A.D. to 1800 there were 11 major earthquakes recorded in history. This results in an average of one major earthquake approximately every 100 years.
Ø From 1900 to 2000 there were 10 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. This results in an average of one major earthquake every 10 years.
This brings us to recent times. One of the most notable major earthquakes was in Bam, Iran, on Dec. 26, 2003. Exactly one year later, Dec. 26, 2004, Sumatra, Indonesia, experienced another massive earthquake and a subsequent devastating tsunami. Between these two earthquakes, more than 330,000 lives were lost.
Ø From 2003 to 2007, there were 29 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. Resulting in
an average of one major earthquake every 49 days.
Ø In 2008, there were 12 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. This results in
an average of one major earthquake every 37 days.
Ø In 2009, there were 16 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. This results in
an average of one major earthquake every 22 days.
Ø In 2010, there were 24 major earthquakes 7.0 or higher. This results in
an average of one major earthquake every 15 days.
I have no doubt that there will be scoffers, but the numbers don’t lie. In fact, based on the undeniable patterns, on March 4, six days before the earthquake in Japan, several people I am aware of began predicting the following:
The longest amount of time last year that the earth went without a major (7.0 or greater) earthquake was 57 days. We haven’t had a major earthquake since January 18th of this year. As of today, we stand at 45 days without a major quake. I am predicting a major (7.0 or greater) earthquake BEFORE Wednesday, March 17th…there will be a major earthquake sometime within the next week!
Sadly, even within the church, there will be those who claim that this information means absolutely nothing and that Christians should pay no attention. Thankfully, for the majority of believers who are paying attention, who take Jesus’ words at face value, who are watching the specific signs that Jesus spoke of, the evidence is all there. The contractions are increasing in both intensity and frequency. I believe there is a birth on the way.
Now what?
There have been several such portents in the last 40 years that have led many to conclude that we are already experiencing the events described by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation. For example, Chernobyl (meaning Wormwood or bitterness), is discussed in Revelation 8:10-11, it is a town in the Ukraine where in 1986 they experienced the greatest nuclear disaster in history. In Revelation it says that one third of the Rivers would become “wormwood” or bitter. What many may not know is that the radiation from that event has in fact contaminated all the major rivers in the area, affecting Europe to the West and Asia to the South and East. Have one third of the rivers been affected yet? Perhaps not, but there is no way to stop the creeping contamination and it won’t be long before that much of the word’s drinking water is contaminated.
The destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, NY is another example that many point toward as a fulfillment of events in Revelation, specifically chapters Revelation 14:8 and 18:2.
Some people have been writing in the days after the September 11th event about the question of whether the event fulfills Revelation 18’s pronouncement of judgment on Mystery Babylon. Others deny that the Mystery Babylon of Revelation 18 is even speaking about America (and some inexplicably deny that the USA, the greatest nation in history, is even mentioned in prophecy). While it is true that Revelation 18 is not referring merely to the destruction of the World Trade Center, it is clear to me that the final destruction of the United States of America is mainly what Revelation 18 is about—at least economically.
Revelation Tells Us Exactly When Mystery Babylon (America) As an Economic Power Will Fall
It is true that Babylon is a ruling system of commerce that has been with us since Nimrod (Genesis 10). It is the system behind every empire in history. But it also must be a nation, otherwise how can it fall before the Great Tribulation comes? Revelation 14 tells us it will:
–Revelation 14:6-9
And I saw another angel [#1]fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [this message is out now, the same I share with people, for which they label me a nut, out of touch with reality] And there followed another angel [#2], saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication[1]. And the third angel [#3] followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand
From this sequence of three angels delivering three different messages at the appropriate time we can learn the timing of the fall of Mystery Babylon. Since the second angel announces Mystery Babylon’s fall before the third angel warns everyone not to take the mark of the Beast, then logically the Babylon that the Beast represents according to Isaiah 13/Revelation 18 is not the same Babylon that falls before the mark is decreed.
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