Are earthquakes in various places increasing?

[seanD]

Interesting video. Cool software.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B5xCTqVvdw

[St Croix]

Interesting video. Cool software.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B5xCTqVvdw

They're happening in all the wrong places. By rights they should be happening in places like London, New York, Paris, Hollywood, being the centres of human wickedmess, and not in economic backwaters like Christchurch New Zealand, rural China, rural Japan and the Indian ocean.

[Pilgrim]

From the United States Geographical Survey:

"earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant throughout this century and, according to our records, have actually seemed to decrease in recent years. "

FWIW.

[seanD]

From the United States Geographical Survey:

"earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant throughout this century and, according to our records, have actually seemed to decrease in recent years. "

FWIW.

Assuming this is recent (you left no date or link), and it's accuracy, the question I've often wondered is: did Jesus specifically mean increase of earthquakes or increase in awareness of earthquakes? If it is increase of quakes, then this is debatable and probably impossible to ever prove (did he mean total of all quakes in every place of the world, certain quake sizes, quakes in populated areas only?), notwithstanding the fact that this would be totally inapplicable to both the ancients and us moderns, as we are both unable to acquire accurate data from that time for confirmation.

But if it is increase in awareness of quakes, other than actual quantity of quakes overall, then this correlates with our situation today much more so because of the communication technology we have for this. And the fact that the quakes happen in “various places” further supports this view. There have been about a dozen quakes that have gotten international attention since the Haiti quake, which has brought such an awareness of quakes that people around the world are engaged in discussions about it with at least the perception that it is unusual, and guessing as to the possible reasons behind the quakes. Guess we'll just have to wait and see, especially how other prophetic variables line up with this.

[seanD]

They're happening in all the wrong places. By rights they should be happening in places like London, New York, Paris, Hollywood, being the centres of human wickedmess, and not in economic backwaters like Christchurch New Zealand, rural China, rural Japan and the Indian ocean.

There's is no scripture that I know of that states the quakes are divine judgments for sin, so that's sort of irrelevant whether it's a sign or not

[St Croix]

There's is no scripture that I know of that states the quakes are divine judgments for sin, so that's sort of irrelevant whether it's a sign or not

Num 16:30-34

But if the LORD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, [fn] then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt."
As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions.
They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.
At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!"

[seanD]

There may be earthquakes based on divine judgment according to Rev (conditional of one's interpretation of course). But Jesus himself made no reference to any a particular scripture, nor any specific correlation with earthquakes to divine judgment, so irrelevant.

[St Croix]

There may be earthquakes based on divine judgment according to Rev (conditional of one's interpretation of course). But Jesus himself made no reference to any a particular scripture, nor any specific correlation with earthquakes to divine judgment, so irrelevant.

It seems to me that you are letting your preconceived theories interfere with what is manifestly obvious. Earthquakes are always associated with wrath and judgement. Rev 8:5 preceded the trumpets of wrath.

Rev 11:18

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Rev 11:19
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

[seanD]

It seems to me that you are letting your preconceived theories interfere with what is manifestly obvious. Earthquakes are always associated with wrath and judgement. Rev 8:5 preceded the trumpets of wrath.

Rev 11:18

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Rev 11:19
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

I just got through saying there are indications of judgments via earthquakes in Rev, didn't I?

Jesus doesn't indicate judgment, just earthquakes, and uses them as specific signs (and btw, makes it plain that these occur BEFORE the tribulation). What "theories" are talking about?

[St Croix]

I just got through saying there are indications of judgments via earthquakes in Rev, didn't I?

Jesus doesn't indicate judgment, just earthquakes, and uses them as specific signs (and btw, makes it plain that these occur BEFORE the tribulation). What "theories" are talking about?

There is a large lacuna in the conception that earthquakes do not involve tribulation. Does not $200billion worth of damage + 20.000 dead indicate tribulation? If it does not, then pleas explain why.

[Hamster]

So are the earthquakes that happen under the ocean a testament to God's condemnation of jellyfish or what?

[St Croix]

So are the earthquakes that happen under the ocean a testament to God's condemnation of jellyfish or what?

The animal world suffers collateral damage from God's condemnation of men cf. Sodom and the commandment of Moses that when bestiality is committed, the animal also must be put to death.

[seanD]

According to USGS estimates, earthquakes of 5.0 or greater capacity did in fact increase measured from 2007-2010, and earthquakes with a capacity of 7.0 or greater increased from 2008-2010 (source).

But looking passed any actual increase, the USGS says that our awareness of global earthquakes have increased just recently because of our rapid technological increase to track these earthquakes. My question is: did Jesus mean the actual increase of global earthquakes or did he mean our awareness of global earthquakes will increase. If he meant the former, how were his followers supposed to know this without being aware of this increase?

[KingsGambit]

Just assuming for the point of argument that this refers specifically to the end times and not events in the first century (I honestly am not sure where I stand but let's go with the end-times view here), I honestly don't see how an interpretation relating to an increase in the awareness of earthquakes really fits the prophecy. These are the beginnings of birth pains, meant to be inconvenient; it's not as inconvenient for us personally when we read about an earthquake halfway around the world. It's inconvenient when we're in an earthquake.

Also, I think Sean was right to be rather skeptical of earthquakes being examples of concrete judgment today (i.e. Hurricane Katrina punishing New Orleans for lewd behavior at Mardi Gras). I think Jesus addressed a similar line of thinking in Luke 13:2-5 when he talks about the tower that fell at Siloam. It almost seems prideful, the way people think "we haven't gotten hit by any natural disasters lately, at least we're not like the _____ living in ______". The fact is we're all sinners who deserve to die.