WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON!
Since Christmas of ’09 there has been a string of severe earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Indonesia, Baja California and now in western China, with several other strong ones in various places. Seismologists are saying that what they’ve seen in the past few months is the most intense and destructive round of seismic activity in recent history. Hmm …
Are these earthquakes indicators that we are nearing the End? Jesus said clearly that “No one knows the day or the hour” (Matthew 24:36), so we can’t know exactly “when” He will come back. Still, in His prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus does mention some “early warning signs” that may apply to the End of the world too (Matthew 24:3-8). These would include an increase in false teachers and false teaching (check); wars and rumors of wars (check); and, “famines and earthquakes in various places” (check). These “birth pains” would be followed by an increase in hatred and persecution against Christians; an increase in violence and wickedness in general; and the success of the church in teaching the whole world the message of Christ (Matthew 24:9-14). All these things did indeed happen leading up to Jerusalem’s destruction by the hand of the Romans. But will these events recur on a larger, more universal scale leading up to the End of time? Many prophecies suggest it and we should keep our eyes opened, but I didn’t write this piece to answer that question. I wrote to ask this more important question:
How will we conduct ourselves in this increasingly “shaky” world? Jesus Himself answers that question in Luke’s account of His end-time prophecies. (You can consider this Jesus’ “emergency disaster plan”): “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day comes upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36)
The shaking may go on and we may have to go through some serious trials. But if we follow Jesus’ “emergency disaster plan,” we will not be shaken down, but left standing when the dust settles and all is said and done.
Rich Howell
