A 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami ravaged Japan on March 11th. Just last month a disastrous quake in New Zealand delivered up to $11 billion worth of damage, according to the New York Times, killing at least 166. In fact, over the last 10 years there have been over 150 major earthquakes around the globe, most of which of a magnitude of 7.0 or higher. 20,000 people were killed in Gujarat, India in 2001. 31,000 in southeastern Iran in 2003. As a result of the tsunami that followed the quake in Indonesia in 2004, 230,000 people lost their lives. 80,000 in Kashmir, Pakistan in 2005. Nearly 6,000 in Indonesia in 2006. In 2008, 70,000 perished in Sichuan Province, China in a 7.9 magnitude quake. An unimaginable 316,000 were killed in Haiti last year, in 2010. And the 8.8 magnitude quake in Chile last year caused the earth’s axis to tilt slightly.
Seismologists estimate that the earthquake was so powerful that it may have shortened the length of the day by 1.26 microseconds and moved the Earth's figure axis by 8 cm or 2.7 milliarcseconds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Chile_earthquake#Geophysical_impact
The recent quake in Japan had a similar effect.
Japan was actually moved closer to the United States by about 13 feet, the earth’s axis shifted by 6.5 feet, the day was shortened by 1.6 microseconds and Japan sank downward by about two feet. The quake caused a rift 15 miles below the sea floor that stretched 186 miles long and 93 miles wide. http://www.timesleader.net/articles/stories/public/201103/16/055B_news.html
Something else especially distinctive has been happening around the world over the last ten years or so. The world, the entire world on a global scale, seems to be unraveling! Today, the entire Middle East is in unrest and every major nation of the earth is vying for control or partial control of its resources. There is a global sex and servant slave trade numbering over 30,000,000 children. Worldwide hunger, ecological peril and war are also bringing the planet to the brink of disaster. What does this all mean?
All of these things are the signs of the times we live in and should point us to the soon return of Jesus Christ for His church at the Rapture. We are told in the Bible of a time called "The Day of the Lord" when God will judge the world for its sin. This is a seven year period that takes place between the Rapture and the Second Coming. God's word tells us that Jesus will return and establish God’s just and righteous Kingdom on the earth to bring the Tribulation period to an end. Jesus said about this period of God's judgment,
"
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened (
Mt. 24:21-22)."
God has made a way for people to be right with Him through faith in Jesus Christ and has given the world nearly 2,000 years to receive Him as King. We are told in the Old and New Testament, especially detailed in Revelation chapters 6-18, of this seven-year period of judgment to come upon the earth. It will be the wrath and indignation of God poured out on a rebellious and evil world living for itself and in opposition to God. The Bible describes this time as a time of war, famine, disease and almost unimaginable natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, volcanic activity, meteorites, poisonous air and water pollution, scorching heat and much more. It is a time of demonic activity and tyrannical leadership in the spiritual and earthly realms.
This worldwide, turbulent phenomena we are witness to, that has unfolded especially since 9/11/2001; the global war on terror, financial melt down worldwide, globalization, disastrous earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and the like, are forerunners or foreshadows, if you will, of the Great Tribulation coming during God’s judgment. These events now are signs of the times in which we live. In Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of the signs that will come to pass in the Tribulation period, the signs of the time of judgment for the inhabitants of the earth and His soon return at the Second Coming. For us now, these trying times are signs of the soon return of Jesus for His church at the Rapture and the beginning of that very Tribulation period.
Who can deny that the world is currently shattered, damaged more severely on a global scale than anyone could have ever imagined? It is time to yield to God if you have not already turned from your sin and given your life to His Son Jesus Christ, who died for your sin and rose from the dead three days later. He is risen in Glory and is coming very soon to establish His Kingdom on earth. No one knows the date or hour of His return for His church. But, the foreshadowing events of the Tribulation period to come, that we are witnessing today, have gone from muddy to transparent throughout the world over the last 60 years or so. Some of these indicators include developments like the return of Israel to their homeland in 1948, the unifying of Europe, the power and position of China, the alliance of Russia and Iran, globalization, and even natural disasters. These all foreshadow what is detailed throughout the Bible as culminating in the Tribulation period. By foreshadow I mean, they are not the events of the Bible themselves, but are precursory to them.
If you are a Christian already, we need to be getting very close to Jesus in our walk with Him and seeking to live our lives fully for Him in these last days that we have on earth. We are about to go home to our Jesus, church, so let us be doing His good and pleasing will in the time we have left. Lord, help us to know your will in these last days and to act on your leading. Help us, each of your children, to be changed by you from the inside out more and more each day and to be doing your will more and more every minute. God, pour out Your Spirit on Your people.
To read an article on the Rapture and End Time events, go to:
