The End and the Earthquak

Scripture: Revelation 11:13 March 13, 2011
Title: The End and the Earthquake Sunday Noon Service
Revelation 11:13
At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Watch KBS News Clip The Japanese Archipelago after the worst earthquake and tsunami ever recorded is a scene of complete destruction and pandemonium. According to the informal statistics collected so far, the number of casualties exceeds 1,000 and the damages to the property cannot be calculated. This earthquake began at around 2 PM on March 4th 13.5 Km under the seabed 135Km apart from the ocean near Sendai, which is in the North Eastern area of Japan in the Honshu Island. This earthquake caused tsunami that was as high as 10m which caused unprecedented damages, swept cars and buildings, and set fire on oil refineries, buildings, and residential areas.

At the Ichihara Refinery in Chiba, large scale fire started, and Shigajiwa Mountain in Miyagi was also set on mountain fire; many places are set on fire. The number of people who lost life is about 400, but because a dam in Fukushima fell, the death toll is expected to exceed 1,000 by the time the actual total is collected. I think everyone here who heard the news about the earthquake in Japan were very surprised; but what is more shocking is that the movie “Haeundae” exists not only as a movie but that it actually happened in reality. What is even sadder and shocking is that the damages by earthquake are increasing year by year like snowball. Taking into consideration of the damages by and the scales of the recent earthquakes, they are incomparably greater than past earth quakes; moreover, the frequency of earthquake has also increased. 

According to the data reported on this earthquake that occurred in the ocean near Sendai, Japan, Japan belongs to the circum-Pacific earthquake belt, unlike the Korean Peninsula which belongs to the Eurasian Plate. Japan is vulnerable to large scale earthquakes because of its geographical situation in which the circum-Pacific earthquake belt, the Eurasian plate, and the Philippine plate are interlocking. Every year at a regular rate the circum-Pacific earthquake belt burrows underneath and pushes the Eurasian plate and causes earthquake; because Japan is situated right on that spot, there is a great danger.

Now, why does this kind of earthquake occur? And especially in greater scale and frequency as the years go by? Geologists suggest scientific reasons, such as: that it is a collision between strata, or that the global warming is melting the icebergs and the decreased weight of the iceberg causes earthquake, etc.

Yes. We do need to listen to the stories of the scientists which they suggest with some scientific basis. However, today, I would like to tell you the reason for earthquakes according to the Bible. I would like to share the Biblical meaning of earthquake and its basis. I bless in the name our Lord that all the saints here who came before the Lord this morning with a shock due to the earthquake in Japan will understand the Biblical meaning of earthquake and be in peace from God. The Bible tells about the reason why earthquakes occur from a few angles. Why do earthquakes occur? The Bible mentions about earthquake 17 times. It also mentions the expression that the earth splits about 10 times. But when it mentions earthquake, most of the time it is symbolic. Earthquake is mentioned as a symbol of the judgment of God, the wrath of God, and the sign of the last time. The scripture we read today mentions earthquake as a sign that will be shown at the time of distress before Jesus returns.

The Bible tells us about the time when Jesus will return to this world. Although nobody knows the day and time of his return, but the Bible clearly mentions the signs that will show as the end of this world and return of our Lord approach. One of those signs is earthquake. The scripture today describes the condition of the earth right before the return of Jesus. The Bible tells about the time of Jesus’ return in Revelation 11:15 right after today’s scripture that the seventh angel sounds his trumpet. In other words, Jesus will return right after the seventh angel sounds his trumpet.  Let us read Revelation 11:15 together.

Revelation 11:15
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world
has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
Amen.

In Revelation 8:2, seven angels are given seven trumpets and there is no eighth. Let us read Revelation 8:2 together.
Revelation 8:2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
Amen. Therefore, the seventh trumpet means the last trumpet.  Therefore, the last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15:51 is the seventh trumpet. Let us read together.

1 Corinthians 15:51
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--
Amen. That is right. When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, that trumpet is the last trumpet; and when the last trumpet sounds, Jesus will return. Jesus is coming back. Therefore we must listen to the sound of the trumpet.

 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says that when the last trumpet, the seventh trumpet sounds, Jesus will come back and we will meet Jesus. Let us read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 together.

1 Thessalonians  4:16
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the
trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians  4:17
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Amen.

When the last trumpet sounds – when the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet, Jesus will return and the saints on this eartly will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Hallelujah!
The author of the Gospel of Matthew describes this scene as follows:


Matthew 24:40
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 24:41
Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 24:42
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.


That is right. When Jesus returns and we are caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus, something amazing will happen. When two people are working together in a company, only one person will be caught up. When two people are studying together, one will remain seated on the desk while the other is caught up to the clouds.  Dear everyone! We must remember. The return of Jesus is near. We must prepare for his return. Let us read again today’s scripture 11:13 together.

Revelation 11:13
At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.


The scene here, according to today’s scripture, is right before the seventh angel sounds his trumpet. Thus, when the seventh angel sounds the trumpet, which is the last trumpet, Jesus will return; and as the prelude to that, an earthquake will occur. What kind of earthquake is it? It says “severe earthquake”. The word “severe” refers to an extreme condition, such as an extremely strong typhoon. It also refers to a serious condition, such as a serious disease. The magnitude of the earthquake which shook the Japanese archipelago is probably about 8.8. The earthquake of this magnitude is of a level which is one of the top five strongest earthquakes that took place on earth. What is even more amazing is that in the New International Version, today’s scripture is written as “At that very hour there was a severe earthquake.”

The word “hour” can be interpreted as the duration of one hour. The severe and heavy earthquake takes place for one hour. Dear everyone! Please imagine. Imagine yourself holding onto a fruit tree, such as a persimmon tree, apple tree, or a jujube tree, and shake it for an hour. “At that very hour” can be understood in such context. Dear everyone, the earthquake which shook the Japanese archipelago last Friday lasted only a few minutes. This earthquake of just a few minutes put the whole of the Japanese archipelago into a great shock. But today’s scripture says the earthquake will shake for an hour, strongly like a storm.

 It is an amazing thing. What is more amazing is that level radioactivity at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima is detected to be a thousand times higher than usual. Right now, all residents within 10 Km radius of Fukushima nuclear power plant are evacuated and are prohibited from going near the plant. Please look at Revelation 16:18-20.

Revelation 16:18
Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.
Revelation 16:19
The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.
Revelation 16:20
Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.
A greater, more severe earthquake is waiting in the future. There will be an earthquake that goes beyond our imagination in which even islands and mountains will disappear. 

Let us look at the damages that appear in today’s scripture. Today’s scripture says one tenth of the city collapsed. Also, the casualties due to the earthquake were seven thousands. Dear everyone, one tenth of the city is a scene of destruction beyond our imagination. It is a complete, total desctruction.  Not only that, but the number of the casualties in Japan is increasing rapidly. When I was writing the sermon, the official total was 1100. But we don’t know to which limit this number will increase. In today’s scripture, the number of deaths is 7000. This number does not simply mean 7000 in its literal meaning.  The Bible gives symbolic meanings to numbers. 7 means perfect number, and 1000 means full. Please read Revelation 9:18 again.

Revelation 9:18
A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths.

Amen. 7000 people could mean one third of all people. Dear everyone, how, then, should we live this generation? The Bible gives us the answer.
Let us read the scripture together.
Revelation 3:10
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.


Amen. That is right. When these signs appear, we must believe that the day when the Lord will return is near. And we must stay awake. We must be good and faithful servants. We must be those who share food at every chance. We must abide by the Word of God.


We must abide by the Word of endurance. Hallelujah! When we see these signs, we must lift our heads. We must lift our heads and agree that the day the Lord will return is near. We must prepare ourselves as the brides of our Lord. I pray in the name of our Lord that such blessing will be with you.