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Man-Made Earthquakes and the Rapture
by Tom Stewart
July 20, 2002
As a Baby Boomer, this writer vaguely recalls a science teacher
speaking in jest to our class about the possibility of the Communist government of
the People's Republic of China (PRC) using its vast populace to jump up and down
in unison to cause an earthquake that would trigger a tidal wave (tsunami) that would
devastate the Pacific Coast of the United States of America. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,
I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1Corinthians 13:11). On September 7th 2001, one
million British school children were recruited by their teachers to participate in
an experiment on their playgrounds at 11:00 AM (London time), where they jumped up
and down for one full minute without stopping. The organizers of "The Giant
Jump Event" were attempting to create a "measurable
earthquake" in order to stimulate the imagination of their
students about science and technology. This event marked the launch of the government's
Science Year. Seismographs around the United Kingdom (UK) measured "something like a hundredth of a serious Earthquake." Earlier, it was projected that 75,000 tons of energy would be released
during that minute of jumping. Devastating, if it was directed on one spot, but completely
tolerable, if spread across the UK. Scientists had calculated that a "million children with an average weight of 110 pounds
jumping 20 times in a minute would release two billion joules of energy and trigger
the equivalent of an Earthquake measuring three on the Richter scale." 3.0 on the Richter Scale would be unnoticeable to most humans. The combined
energy released from the jumping was dissipated before combining to form a national
earthquake. Though it was difficult to scientifically conclude that a "measurable earthquake"
was produced, micro-tremors were recorded across the country. Thus, the fanciful
notion of man-made earthquakes was not proved, but neither was it completely removed
from the realm of possibility. And, it should be noted that nuclear testing is recorded
by seismographs worldwide, indicating that the idea of man-made earthquakes is not
ridiculous. "I have seen all the works
that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
But, how does this relate to the prophetic discussion of the Rapture? Significant
man-made events do not necessarily force the Hand of God to cause the event
known by Christians as the Rapture. "And
all the inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to
His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the Earth: and none
can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?"
(Daniel 4:35). If significant man-made events were necessary
to trigger the Rapture, then the September 11th 2001 destruction of the World Trade
Center would have been a good opportunity to do so. Or, what about the wildly fluctuating
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), the Enron bankruptcy, the Kmart bankruptcy,
and the WorldCom earnings coverup and expectation of imminent collapse? "By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath
of His nostrils are they consumed" (Job 4:9). However, God-inspired faith is God's prescribed means to influence
Him concerning the Rapture. "Therefore
I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24). God expects His people to pray to Him about the fulfilling of prophecy.
"Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of
Israel, and his Maker, Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and concerning
the work of My hands command ye Me" (Isaiah 45:11). In particular, He expects His Saints to pray that the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ and the attendant Rapture would occur soon, as it is recorded in the
second to the last verse in the Bible. "He
which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come,
LORD Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
This has been part of the Christian program for Young Believers since the inception
of Christianity. "Thy Kingdom come. Thy
Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
What little we understand of prophecy, we do know that we have been told to earnestly
pray that we would be raptured. "Watch
ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these
things [i.e., all the events of the Tribulation Week] that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
Man" (Luke 21:36).
Man may speak facetiously of man-made earthquakes, but we are to be as serious as
we know how, when we say that all thoughtful Saints should be praying, "Come [quickly] LORD Jesus." "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive" (Matthew 21:22). This is
not to say that we should cease to labour for the support of ourselves and our families.
"For even when we were with you, this
we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" (2Thessalonians 3:10). Neither should we cease to
labour for the salvation of souls and the sanctification of the Body of Christ, for
we know that the End will not come without first the Gospel being preached in all
the world. "And this Gospel of the Kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall
The End come" (Matthew 24:14). Our
continual and earnest prayer for a soon Rapture is actively solicited by the Almighty.
"Thus saith the LORD GOD; I will yet for
this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them"
(Ezekiel 36:37). In fact, any activity engaged in by faith
in the LORD-- but especially with the understanding that faith influences the soonness
of His Return and our Rapture-- promotes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the
Rapture of His Saints. "But without faith
it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him"
(Hebrews 11:6).
"Even so, come, LORD Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
Maranatha!
[Now would be a good time to review our article, "Must
There Be a Pre-Tribulational Rapture?" ---New Window.]
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