In the time of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation there were earthquakes. In my first Earthquake post I have more listed; this post is more on the “apocalyptic” quakes. However, 1 Kings 19:11 is the quake and story that shook this second look into being written.

These first three quakes have several things in common. The major one is that God came down to meet His people (or person) and things started. Wind, fire, and loud noise also happened when God came down on the mountains.

• Exodus 19:18 – Moses on Mount Sinai with the Children watching in awe. The Law was given.
• 1 Kings 19:11 – Elijah went to Mount Horeb (Sinai) to hide from Jezebel. This was a fresh start for Elijah and the beginning of the end for the Northern Kingdom.
• Acts 2:2-3 – Okay, the earthquake here happened when Jesus died and the stone was rolled away. But the Holy Spirit came with fire and a loud noise to start the Church on Mount Zion.

The last one was a little shaky, so I will slide another one in that may challenge your thinking. The quake in Genesis could be when the “fountains of the deep were opened”. Many people might say this was just water, but the fractures that are the tectonic faultlines and volcanoes are also a type of fountain and should fit into your Creation Theory.

These first three quakes have plenty of symbolism and other actions going on at the same time as the earth shakes. The types and shadows of Old Testament quakes form the base for the ones that Jesus talked about in Matthew and will be seen before He comes again.

The seals, trumpets, plagues, and bowls in Revelation are first shown in the plagues God used to get Israel out of Egypt. But there was no quake in the plagues on Egypt. All of the other earthquakes before Jesus are the pre-tremors for the big ones to come. The shaking of the adam we come from is saved for the end.

I believe these apocalyptic pre-quakes served their purpose in their time and spoke to things to come. These quakes do not show up by themselves and have plenty of action to go with them.

Isaiah 29:6 has thunder, an earthquake, great noise, windstorm and tempest, and flames of devouring fire coming against those who attack Jerusalem. In Isaiah 36 Sennacherib does attack Jerusalem. I know this also carries past the attack by Assyria, but you have to wonder if there was more than just a “plague” killing those 185,000 men.

Ezekiel 38:19 has the Lord’s zeal, fiery wrath, a great earthquake, torrents of rain, hailstones, and burning sulfur on Gog and the nations with him.

Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, and Luke 21:11 are references to the “birth pains” Jesus talks about on the Mount of Olives, this is the second sermon for the day. Luke has the most things listed, but all have earthquakes and famines.

Matthew 27:51 and 28:2 happened after Jesus proclaimed “it was finished”, but they accomplished several things.

• Matthew 27:51 – This caused the Roman guards to believe, set people free from the grave, and tore the Temple curtain, which opened the way for Jesus to carry His Blood offering into the presence of the Father.
• Matthew 28:2 – (See Earthquake) This rock-roller got everyone in Jerusalem awake to make unleavened bread for the day and opened the tomb so the women could see a “Mercy Seat” picture on Easter morning.

Revelation 8:5, 11:13 + 19, 16:18 – I am going to list what is in the Bible about these quakes, because the opinions have produced a magnitude 10 quake and a 300-foot-high tsunami.  

• Revelation 8:5 – This is with the seventh seal and the golden censer is the cause. It comes with the smoke of the incense, peals of thunder, rumblings, and flashes of lightening.
• Revelation 11:13 + 19 – The quake in verse 13 is with the sixth trumpet and after the two witnesses are brought back to life; a tenth of Jerusalem collapses and 7,000 people die. The quake in verse 19 is after the seventh trumpet when God’s heaven was opened and the Ark was seen. It came with lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great hailstorm.
• Revelation 16:18 – The seventh bowl has been poured out and a loud cry of “It is done” is heard. Lightening, rumblings, and peals of thunder come with this quake. It tears Jerusalem into three sections, cities collapse, Babylon the Great gets wrath, mountains and islands are gone, and huge hailstones start falling.

Come Lord Jesus!

Latest Earthquakes from the USGS.