As I write this article two earthquakes have occurred, one in Italy and another in Burma. The death and destruction from such events is hard to imagine. Recently in the state of Louisiana flooding has caused tremendous damage with people losing their homes and property. Tornados ripping across our country often leave behind death, destruction and doubts about life itself. What becomes sad is that some people take advantage of the situation and bring in the Bible. I do not question the sincerity of everyone but there are some who continue to make money off of what they call the “end times” or “rapture”.
Earthquakes occur when there is a trembling of the crust of the earth, caused by underground volcanic forces or by breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface. Have we always had earthquakes? The simple answer is “yes”. The book of Amos opens up by telling us that his work began two years before the earthquake (Amos 1:1). Numbers 16 records the earth opening up and swallowing those who led rebellion against Moses. This was not a typical earthquake but rather a divine judgment on those who were rebelling. Elijah was fleeing from Jezebel and was told by God where to stand. There was a great wind followed by an earthquake (I Kings 19:11). In both cases the Word makes it clear that God was not in the wind or the earthquake but that He used both to deal with Elijah.
A key passage used by those who teach the Rapture is found in Matthew 24. As we come to verse 7 of the chapter one of the signs cited by Jesus was, “…earthquakes, in divers places.” Anytime when there is an upheaval in nature, the books, tapes and lessons start pouring out. The return of Christ is almost here they argue because of the earthquakes and other signs. They want their audiences to keep sending in money so they can keep their television programs on the air and warn the world. The great call for today is for men to sit down and “reason” with the scriptures. Paul taught people about Jesus and he did so by reasoning with his audience from the scriptures (Acts 17:2).
Why can we not use the same wisdom today? God’s purpose to save man was an eternal purpose brought about through Jesus the Christ (Eph. 3:11; Titus 1:2). Was the issue of salvation through Christ settled in the first century? Paul spoke about a coming into the “unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13). There could be no unity until God ceased to send man direct knowledge. We read then that “…knowledge will vanish away” (I Cor. 13:8). The Word of God was finished before the end of the first century. Miracles were used to confirm the Word of God (Mark 16:20). Once the Word was confirmed the purpose of miracles ceased. Likewise once the eternal purpose of God was fulfilled then there is no need to take the scriptures and make
them apply to our times. We indeed learn from the scriptures by constant study and application of the Word
to our lives. In order to move prophecies from the Bible to this the 21stcentury one must reason from the scriptures that there is a need. Why would Jesus come back to the earth and set up His kingdom in the 21st century? The only conclusion from that is that He failed to do it the first time He came. One admits that God failed and now they are using the scriptures to teach that for a thousand years He will reign over all the earth.
There can be no private interpretation of the scriptures (2 Peter 1:20). The meaning here is not about someone interpreting the scripture but rather interpreting it in the wrong way. For example, the Bible teaches that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The only city this would occur in was Bethlehem. The Book of Mormon says that the Messiah was born in Jerusalem (Alma 7:10). Who do you believe, Micah or Joseph Smith? In our next study we will devote our attention to Matthew 24.