A theology of earthquakes

Every Friday morning several of us men meet for breakfast. Last Friday at 8:29 AM there was a lot of shaking going on! You’ve never seen men exit a restaurant as quickly as we did! It was my first experience with dine and dash. One man ran outside and fell to the ground. Once outside we all looked at each other and said, “I’m going to check my house!”

An earthquake has a way of focusing our attention. God often uses earthquakes to mark significant events. The moment Jesus died on the cross an earthquake occurred (Matthew 27:51). When Jesus rose from the dead a great earthquake marked the event (Matthew 28:2).

Hebrews 12:25-29 is a fascinating section of Scripture. The author focuses on two events and then makes two points of application. Verse 25 begins, “See to it that you do not refuse Him Who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him Who warns from heaven.”

Verse 25 is a contrast between Moses and Jesus. In the past God spoke through Moses. Today God is speaking through the Lord Jesus. Moses’ generation did not listen and wandered forty years in the wilderness. We must listen today to the voice of Jesus in the Bible.

Verse 26 focuses on two events. “And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.’” When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments Mount Sinai shook and burned. Exodus 20:18-19 says that the entire mountain “quaked violently.” There was fire, smoke, thunder and the sound of the trumpet.

The first event was the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law. God marked this event with a great earthquake. The people were terrified. They were so afraid they begged God to never speak that way again. In Deuteronomy 5:25-27 they asked God to speak to Moses and then for Moses to speak to the people.

Hebrews 12 mentions a second event. Verse 26 quotes Haggai 2:6. “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” In the future God is going to shake this earth through earthquakes. He will shake not only the earth but also heaven. The apostle Peter warned us that God will eventually destroy this earth through fire (2 Peter 3:7). The Book of Revelation describes one earthquake after another. God will use earthquakes to rip open the tectonic plates and volcanic eruptions will result.

The first application is that today we stand between two shakings. We stand today between the shaking at Mount Sinai and the future shaking of Revelation. Today God is whispering to us. God is merciful. God is kind. This is the day of grace. He sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus suffered in our place on the cross. He paid for our sins. Every time you read the Bible God is gently speaking.

Alaska experiences about 40,000 earthquakes every year. Alaska has more earthquakes that the rest of the 49 other states combined. Our earthquake last Friday was significant. The Good Friday earthquake of 1964 released 1,995 times more energy than our earthquake last week. God is powerful. We must repent of our sins and trust the Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 12:27 makes a final point of application. “This expression, ‘Yet once more,’ denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Everything that can be shaken is temporary. We must focus on what is eternal.

Big Lake was hit hard by the earthquake. A water pipe broke in our home. Book cases, a grandfather clock, dishes, tea cups, etc. were broken. However, everything that was shaken and broken was temporary. The eternal things in our lives- faith, heaven, God Himself, the souls of people- were not shaken. An earthquake reminds us what is temporary and not very important.

Hebrews 12:28 and 29 continues, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” We must press on to spiritual maturity. We must focus on the eternal. We need to serve God with reverence (the right way) and with awe (a godly fear). Our God is a consuming fire. He is powerful! He is merciful! He is kind! We must serve Him and love Him.