For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these [are] the beginnings of sorrows.“ Mark 13:8
I always wondered when I read the King James Bible what it meant when it said that there would be earthquakes in ‘divers’ places.
Was this an underwater earthquake - a place where divers go? It also says that many were brought to Jesus with ‘divers’ diseases. With my cartoon mind I could imagine that people brought ‘skin divers’ to Jesus for healing. What I have found out since, is that ‘divers’ means ‘many.’ Many sick people were brought to Jesus in those days and so there will also be many earthquakes at the end of the age. What Jesus is saying is that the earth is groaning under the weight of sin and these earthquakes are getting more frequent, like birth pangs. If there are going to be many earthquakes in our day, then the question is; “Are we prepared?”
Have you ever had a dream where you have to sit an exam and find that you haven’t prepared for it. The test is about to start and there is now no time left? That’s a really scary dream, or even worse when you have a dream and find yourself in a public place totally naked or in your underwear? Especially with a body like mine.
I heard of a minister who was invited to speak at a Church in Wellington one Sunday. He went along with his wife, little realising that his fly was down as he got up to preach. His wife noticed and managed to get the message across to him as he stood up in front of the people before preaching. On realising this embarrassing state of affairs he had a brainwave and decided to have communion first, and there he’d pull up his fly discreetly behind the table as they closed their eyes. While all heads were bowed he zipped it up quickly behind the communion table that was covered in a white lace tablecloth. “Phew, that was close, he thought.” As he stepped away with a sigh of relief.... he dragged the tablecloth with him, hanging from his fly. Now was that embarrassing or what?
A few years ago we had the Christchurch Earthquake, and it reminded us again of how vulnerable we all are and how something unexpected like this can catch us unawares. There must have been some embarrassing moments with people running outside in their underwear or even worse. No one expected this earthquake to happen when it did, let alone in this particular area of New Zealand. We always think that this should happen to ‘other’ people, especially those sinful heathens who worship other Gods in 3rd world type countries. Logically if it was going to be here in NZ, it would be in a place like Wellington or the Bay of Plenty, which have a far higher potential for earthquakes. Even the experts didn't know that there was a fault line in that part of the South Island. It’s amazing how unprepared we all are when an earthquake strikes and what the repercussions of such a major event have upon a city, and on a nation.
After an earthquake, things eventually get back to normal and we adjust, but I want to remind you that there is an ‘earthquake’ coming that is so final that there will be no chance to rebuild and things won’t ever get back to ‘normal’ again.
We have had some devastating events take place since the year 2000. From floods, to fires and even Tsunamis. Up until the year 2000 many thought that a Tsunami was a Japanese sandwich but in the space of a couple of years its a thing to be feared by all coastal dwellers around the world. Millions of people were made homeless and 1000s lost their lives as a result of those earthquakes in the Philippines and also the one in Japan
In the west we may have secretly thought that things like this happen to those ‘other’ people who worship strange gods. Maybe it was their fault for not worshiping the true God. Jesus reminds us in the Book of Luke that this type of thinking is wrong.
“Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." Luke 13:4-5
Jesus said that we shouldn’t try and blame anyone or be judgmental towards tragedy but repent of our own sinful ways for it could happen to us. What He also pointed out was, that when it all boils down there is the final judgment to come for all sinners and none will escape.
Up until now big disasters always seem to be in ‘other’ parts of the world where those ‘other’ people live.
Since the year 2000 those disasters seem to be coming closer and closer to home. It’s like the birth pangs of a pregnant woman. In the last couple of years we have seen this Pandemic lock down the whole world. Who would have thought that such a thing would happen to us? Its those ‘other’ people that it normally happens too. The Bible warns everyone in all the world of the ‘shaking’ to come before Jesus returns.
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. ! will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty.” Haggai 2:6-7
The Bible says that there is a coming ‘earthquake’ far greater than any earthquake or consequent Tsunami that the world has ever experienced before, and that is the ‘Coming of the Lord.” When it happens we will find ourselves even more vulnerable and exposed and could be very unprepared. When Jesus comes back men will run and try and hide in the clefts of the rock. This is the result of a huge earthquake that you can’t recover from.
“Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship. They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.” Isaiah 2:19-21
“I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Revelation 6:12-17.
In Matthew 25 and the parable of the 10 Virgins, Jesus tells us to get ourselves ready for we don’t know when He will return and when the end is going to be. Just make sure you are ready.
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:23
“So stay awake and be prepared, because you don’t know the day or the hour of my return.” (Living Bible)
What can we do, how shall we prepare? On a jet aircraft, just before take off, the air hostess says something like; “In the highly unlikely event of an air crash you should prepare yourself by doing a whole lot of things.” Like keep your safety belt on, look for the nearest exit, put on your oxygen masks, assume the crouching position etc, but hardly anyone listens as we all think it wont happen to us. It only happens to those ‘other’ people.
We are told now here in New Zealand to prepare for a literal earthquake by having torches handy and storing some fresh water and food somewhere close etc. If I had to get up in the night in an earthquake would I be able to find my glasses, or get into the bathroom to put my false teeth in? Would I be warm enough to run outside or would I be caught out in just my shorts and t-shirt? I’m not saying that we should put everything handy next to our beds or sleep in our work clothes, but maybe we should know where the necessary things are.
For us to be watchful and prepared is to be like a soldier on guard duty. He is alert and ready for what’s coming. The Lord says that when He comes back He will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night. Thieves don’t send out fliers or warnings of their coming and always try to catch people off guard. When it happens to us we think in hind sight that we should have done this or that, when we recall the event. ‘I wish I had.’
What can we do to Prepare for the Big Earthquake to come?
The first thing is to make sure you are ready to meet your Maker. The bible says that ‘You must be Born Again.’ Today is the day of salvation, don't leave it off. Just going to Church isn’t enough either or just believing there is a God. Jesus pointed out that the Devil believes in God but that doesn’t make Him a Christian. We need to have a change of heart, and also a change of our ways. Repent
Make sure your relationship with God is right and also be right with other people as well. Don’t leave off what you can do today. Get right with your mother and father, husband, wife and children. How can we say that we love God if we don’t love others, especially those who are our Christian brothers and sisters.
Always live to bless others – it’s a type of ‘paying it forward into the future.’ The Bible says that we can reap what we sow. Sow into your future. Invest your finances into your ‘Heavenly Bank Account.’
Develop your faith now, as it will help you in your time of need. Build your faith up by reading the word, hiding it in your heart and speaking it out of your mouth. Romans 10:8-10, 17
Often as a result of a real earthquake, you find people thinking about where their true priorities lie. Those who used to spend all their time living for themselves can change their ways and spend more time living for others from then on.
Pray before you go to sleep committing your night to the Lord. Also pray and prophesy over your day and your week, for you don’t know what lies ahead in these perilous days.
Being unprepared is like the skinny man who had the ‘Mongrel Mob’ Motor Bike Gang turn up on his door step. Pushing their way in stealing all his valuable possessions. While they were emptying his house out he rushed out the back and started to push some weights in the garage hoping to build up his muscles so as to chase them off. But it was too late. He should have done that ages ago. In the same way don’t leave off your preparation for the Lord’s Return, start doing something now so that you will be prepared for the future. The Bible says that we can be wise or unwise Virgins, so be wise.
