Earthquakes and Natural Disasters

Read the warning carefully; respond with wisdom, not sensationalism.

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

Matthew 24:7-8 KJV

Introduction

Jesus included earthquakes “in divers places” among the events mentioned in Matthew 24:7. He then described these events as “the beginning of sorrows” in verse 8. The image is one of distress beginning-not a licence to treat every earthquake, storm or disaster as a direct countdown to Christ’s return.

In a Pre-Tribulation framework, earthquakes and other signs of upheaval can be considered alongside prophetic descriptions of judgement and creation’s groaning. Scripture, however, does not provide a modern global earthquake threshold for identifying the start of the Tribulation.

The words of Matthew 24

Biblical text: Matthew 24:7 names earthquakes in different places, and verse 8 refers to these events as the beginning of sorrows.

The passage is part of Jesus’ answer concerning the future and the end of the age. Its context matters: He also warns about deception, conflict and famine. No single natural disaster should be detached from that wider teaching and used as an independent proof of a prophetic timetable.

Key Scriptures:
Matthew 24:7-8 Mark 13:8 Luke 21:11

Creation and human suffering

Biblical text: "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.  The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again." Isaiah 24:19-20

The Old Testament uses earthquakes and shaking as images of God’s power, judgement and intervention. Prophetic language may describe literal events, symbolic upheaval, or both, depending on the passage. Nahum, Isaiah and Zechariah each use powerful descriptions of the earth and the nations.

Readers should distinguish a historical earthquake, a poetic image and a future prophetic event rather than assume that every use of shaking means the same thing.

Key Scriptures:
Isaiah 24:17-23 Nahum 1:3-6 Zechariah 14:4-5
Prophecy Links:
Revelation 6:12-17 Revelation 16:17-18

The earthquake imagery of Revelation

Biblical text:  Revelation describes earthquakes at several points, including Revelation 6:12, 11:13, 11:19 and 16:18.

Within a futurist reading, these passages are associated with events of the end-times judgement sequence. Their exact relationship and chronology should be explained from the wider book rather than reduced to a list of present-day disasters. The language is solemn and points readers towards God’s sovereignty and the seriousness of judgement.

Key Scriptures:
Revelation 6:12-17 Revelation 11:13 Revelation 11:19 Revelation 16:17-21 

Compassion, preparedness and discernment

Disasters demand practical care: emergency preparation, support for affected families and respect for those who have lost homes or loved ones. They do not justify mocking victims or claiming to know God’s hidden reasons for an individual tragedy.

A biblical response combines spiritual watchfulness with responsible action. The Christian message is not that suffering should be celebrated, but that hope and faithful service remain possible in a broken world. ​

STRONG’S CONCORDANCE STUDY

Biblical text: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows." Matthew 24:7-8 (to view the Strong's comments, click the  button on the menu bar)

• σεισμός - seismos (G4578): earthquake, shaking or commotion. Relevant to Matthew 24:7 and Revelation 6:12.
• ὠδίν - ōdin (G5604): birth pain or labour pain. Relevant to Matthew 24:8, translated “sorrows” in the KJV.
• γῆ - gē (G1093): earth or land. Its meaning depends on context.

These words help explore the biblical imagery; they do not provide modern disaster counts. Check the exact verse forms and concordance totals in the Bible Reader app before analysing or interpreting numerical statistics.

Key Scriptures:
Matthew 24:7-8 Revelation 6:12

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY LINKS

Biblical text:

• Old Testament: Isaiah 24:17-23; Nahum 1:3-6; Zechariah 14:4-5; Haggai 2:6-7.
• New Testament: Matthew 24:7-8, Luke 21:11; Romans 8:19-22; Revelation 6:12-17; Revelation 16:17-21.