The Increasing Number of Natural Disasters

Jesus listed the natural disasters and plagues that would devastate the earth as signs of His second coming. However, two extremes must be avoided. One is fanaticism: some are captivated by sensationalist, date-setting theories that are not found in the Bible. The other extreme is to disregard these plagues as natural phenomena unrelated to the signs of the end times.

As characteristics of the end times, Jesus mentions wars, rumors of wars, the rise of nations, and countries attacking one another (Matthew 24:7-8). Among more than twenty signs of the end times, He includes earthquakes, famines, and plagues. Today, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, 13% of the global population is undernourished, and approximately 20,000 people die each day due to malnutrition. Annually, the number of earthquakes measuring at least 3.0 on the Richter scale has exceeded 5,000. Tsunamis, landslides, avalanches, tornadoes, and volcanic eruptions have set records in their destructive power. The 2004 Sumatra earthquake and subsequent Indonesian tsunami claimed 250,000 lives. In the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, 70,000 people died, and 18,000 went missing. In Haiti in 2010, 220,000 people lost their lives in an earthquake.

Outbreaks of infectious diseases and plagues affect entire countries. This category also includes peculiar plant diseases that destroy crops, pollutants that contaminate our environment, and harmful substances that damage our air and water. Globally, agriculture uses nearly three billion tons of toxic substances each year. Serious threats arise from global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, melting polar ice, and rising ocean levels. Epidemics appear in new forms: mad cow disease, avian flu, HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, the Ebola virus, SARS, West Nile virus, and coronavirus.

Could all this be a sign of Christ's return? These events remind us that time is running out and that we stand on the threshold of eternity. The prophecies outlined in the books of Daniel and Revelation concerning final events are taking shape. Our world is ripening for God's final judgment, and God, in His love, is appealing to this wayward planet. When He withdraws His protective power, natural disasters and deadly diseases will become more frequent. He does not cause these catastrophes but uses them to draw our attention to the fragility of life, urging us to seek Him.

All of this drives humanity to its knees, compelling us to look for the only true source of security, which can be found in Christ and the promises of His Word. The Bible is filled with God's hope-filled promises. We live in a broken world, where disease, suffering, and poverty affect both the righteous and the wicked. Yet there is a difference: those who trust in God are filled with hope. Jesus will return one day, and that day is coming soon. When He does, all pain, trials, challenges, and hardships in our lives will come to an end.

Mark Finley "Remény a nehéz időkben", Advent kiadó, Budapest, 2020