Why are natural calamities striking this world with ever-increasing intensity?
Read the astonishing facts!
DROUGHT, floods, typhoons, hurricanes are devastating every inhabited continent.
The unexpected, sudden earthquake and accompanying tidal wave, the violent flood, the unpredictable path of a devastating tornado — and the strange behavior of a massive hurricane — spasmodically wreak havoc. Each year these abnormal, erratic upheavals of nature claim an ever-increasing number of lives. Against these "killers," man is helpless.
But Why Get Alarmed?
Haven't there always been earthquakes? Hasn't the world always experienced adverse weather? Haven't we always been plagued by these catastrophes?
True enough. But not like they are today! The earth has never experienced these natural catastrophes with such ever-increasing intensity. Today we are having more earthquakes than ever before! Today we are witnessing worse weather than in any past generation. Today we are threatened by more floods, more tidal waves, more hurricanes than in any preceding time.
Take a look at the major earthquakes of the last few decades! Notice these staggering facts, compiled from a variety of reliable sources.
Since the start of this century, accurate records have been kept of all the major and important earthquakes. These recordings show that an ever-increasing number of upheavals are devastating wide areas of the world.
The 1960 edition of the Encyclopedia Americana lists eleven important earthquakes from 1900 to 1950. That is about one for each five years. Since 1950, however, the number of massive earth upheavals has risen sharply. The Encyclopedia Americana and its Annuals 1961-1964 record ten of these major catastrophes during the last 13 years. That is almost one per year — an increase of over 400 per cent.
This same source also mentions that in the 18th Century — 200 years ago — only one noticeable earthquake took place. The next century recorded three. But only since 1900 has the increase in these forces of destruction been so staggering — and particularly during the last decade.
Yes, the undeniable fact is that the earth has shown its anger more often during the last decade than it has during the preceding 50 years prior to 1951. (For a more thorough coverage on earthquakes, write for our booklet: The Plain Truth about Earthquakes)
Tornadoes
But earthquakes are only one of many natural calamities befalling our peoples, bringing death and destruction to untold thousands. The United States is constantly plagued with a vicious series of tornadoes. They have been known to strike in any month of the year and in any area, although the summer is their most likely striking time and the central part of the United States their most likely target. The thought of a vicious tornado developing during a heavy thunderstorm, resulting in possible death and widespread destruction, is ever with us. These vicious "killers" are also on the increase. Note carefully the following facts, compiled from page 159 of the 1964 edition of The World Almanac. These figures show the number of tornadoes that struck the United States during the past four decades.
1921-1930 1430 tornadoes
1931-1940 1617 tornadoes
1941-1950 1629 tornadoes
1951-1960 5255 tornadoes
As can clearly be seen from these figures, the last decade — from 1951 to 1960 — has seen three and a half times as many tornadoes as any preceding decade since records were kept. The weather has literally gone wild! But that isn't all! Take a look at these other agents of destruction — hurricanes and typhoons. They, too, have increased in intensity and violence.
Hurricanes and Typhoons
Although these storms can strike anywhere in the world, they usually deliver their devastating blows in the Americas and in the Far East. Hurricanes — called Typhoons in the Eastern Hemisphere — are massive storms which can last from a day to several weeks. Here, again, we notice an alarming increase in number and in intensity. Widespread flooding, sometimes accompanied by tidal waves, is often a by-product of a hurricane.
From the beginning to the middle of the 20th Century, only eight major hurricanes and typhoons are recorded. From 1951 to 1960, however, a period of only 10 years, nineteen major storms of this type struck this world. Or, if we want to go a little further into the record, that is through 1962, the total comes to twenty-four. A staggering number of 24 major hurricanes and typhoons brought havoc to different parts of the world in the brief span of twelve years — exactly two per year! Whereas, during the preceding 50 years, only eight such storms are recorded.
Since the year 1951, natural cataclysms have literally increased at such a fantastic rate, that seismologists and meteorologists are dumbfounded. They know conditions aren't normal. To them, some unseen force seems to be at work, but they don't know what. All they know is that earthquakes are on the increase; tornadoes are occurring more often; and hurricanes strike the world more frequently.
Drastic increase in natural catastrophes since mid-20th century.
Bible prophecy reveals this is only the beginning!
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Floods and Tidal Waves
With major floods and tidal waves it is the same story. They, too, are rapidly increasing. For example, during the first half of this century, only seven major catastrophes of this nature are recorded to have struck the earth. About one every seven years occurred. In the last twelve years, however, a total of fifteen major floods and tidal waves hit the earth. Again we see the same upward trend! More than twice as many floods and tidal waves were recorded during the last twelve years as during the preceding 50 years.
Can there be any doubt that nature has "gone on a rampage"? Can anyone deny the fact that something is drastically wrong with the weather? That earthquakes are increasing in number and intensity? That natural catastrophes are striking us more and more as each year passes?
What is the reason behind this revolution in the weather? Behind all this rapid intensifying of natural catastrophes? Is it just one of those things for which there is no explanation? Or is there a significance behind it all?
The Answer
To find the right answer to these perplexing questions we must go to the source of all true and essential knowledge — the divinely inspired Word of Almighty God. In the Holy Bible the Eternal GOD foretells future events, almost all of which are finding their fulfillment right now.
One of the many important prophetic events now having their culminating fulfillment is this series of natural calamities now taking place.
Notice Luke 21:11, where natural catastrophes are prophesied as a definite sign of the end of this age: "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilence, and fearful sights and great signs shall be from heaven." Amidst these signs, Luke was further inspired to write in verse 25: ". . . and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves thereof roaring."
This ever-increasing intensity of major climatic disturbances is a further sign that God is angry with mankind. Notice God's wrath with today's society as recorded in Psalm 18:7. Here, David, under inspiration, describes the very time we are living in: "Then the earth shook and trembled — (earthquakes); the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because He was wroth."
Yes, God is wroth with this world, because man has turned everything upside down, even rejecting Him as his very Creator.
We are all familiar with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As the Son of GOD was hanging on the stake, ridiculed, despised, rejected, a sudden darkness fell upon the entire land, followed by a tremendous earthquake (Matthew 27:54). When the Apostles Paul and Silas were imprisoned in a Roman prison in Philippi, God's intervention on their behalf was likewise accompanied by a great earthquake (Acts 16:26).
Yes, it is God who sends earthquakes. He controls the weather (Jer. 5:24; Job 5:10; I Sam. 13:17-18). It's God Almighty who has prophesied great cataclysmic events to strike this earth. And He is bringing them all to pass, in this very generation.
The prophet Isaiah portrays this age we are living in as a frightful time — a time when God "ariseth to shake terribly the earth" (Isa. 2:21).
God help you to heed His warning and come under His Divine protection, because already "the foundations of the earth are shaking" (Isa. 24:18).