Earthquakes are increasing in frequency and intensity.  The 9.0 magnitude earthquake on December 26, 2004 that rocked the Indian Ocean and spurned tsunamis of unprecedented, catastrophic proportion captured the attention of the world.

As the death toll rose, the Indian Ocean catastrophe mounted to possibly one of the single most massive losses of human life in history linked to one natural disaster, with the number of people reported dead across the eleven affected nations at 230,000.  That particular earthquake is one of the most devastating ever recorded.

Earthquakes have been carefully monitored for decades.  But, even the increased technological advancements of seismographs and their placements does not account for the 750% increase in earthquakes of 6.0 magnitude or greater since the early 1990s compared to the century and a half prior to that.

On August 18, 2007 the U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 8.0 earthquake in Peru.  Even though the average number of earthquakes that size is one per year, that marked the third so far in 2007. 

An independent study based on information available through the U. S. Geological Survey noted that from the mid 1850s until the late 1900s there was an average of approximately twenty strong quakes of 6.0 magnitude or greater per year.

However, from 1990 through 2004 there was a marked increase in earthquakes of that same intensity.  The yearly average during those fifteen years jumped from twenty to one hundred fifty earthquakes of a 6.0 magnitude or greater per year.  That averages out to about one every two and a half days. 

Some of the most destructive known earthquakes on record in the world date back to 856 AD.  During the 937-year time frame from 856 through 1783 there are eleven  earthquakes recorded that claimed 50,000 or more lives.  A total of 1.9 million died during that nearly one thousand year time span.  From 1908 through 2004 there were also eleven catastrophic earthquakes.  That is a one thousand percent increase in frequency over the past ninety-six years compared to the previous 937.  Whatever mathematical methodology is applied, great earthquakes are increasing in frequency and intensity.  In fact, earthquakes of all magnitudes are on the rise.  Already just by mid August, 2007 the earth has experienced over 15,000 more earthquakes than it did from 1990 through 1999.

Just a few years ago scientists also predicted a doubling of major hurricanes in the next several decades.  Floridians would likely attest to the accuracy of those predictions after the summer of 2004 when four hurricanes made landfall in the Sunshine State, sending residents tired of living in shelters back north to stay with friends and relatives and wait out the season.  Being one of the deadliest hurricane seasons on record, it was still just a precursor to Katrina in 2005, which devastated New Orleans.   The Atlantic hurricane season of 2005 saw five category five hurricanes.  Only two other times have category five hurricanes, which reach sustain winds of 135 mph and up, been recorded and that was in 1960 and 1961.  A clear increase in frequency and intensity can be noted regarding hurricane activity also.  But, besides the obvious reasons, why should anyone care?

Prophetic implications are the key reason.

When Jesus' disciples asked him, "What shall be the sign or your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus had a very interesting response found in Matthew 24:4-8.  And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and great earthquakes, in divers places.

Then Jesus provided a valuable key to unlocking end time prophecy.  He said, "All these are the beginning of sorrows."  In the original Greek the word translated sorrows is actually the word odin which is defined as a pang or throe, especially of childbirth.

Birth pangs are known to increase in two ways as the awaited arrival draws near.  The labor pains increase in frequency and intensity.  So Jesus has forewarned us that as we see all these things he mentioned begin to come to pass and increase in frequency and intensity then we will know that "the kingdom of God is near at hand."

Furthermore, we see in Luke 21:25-33, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near.” And he spoke to them a parable; "Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now near at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand."  What the King James Version translates as "near at hand", is the Greek word engus, which Thayers Greek Lexicon defines as: imminent and soon to come to pass.
 
Jesus went on to say,  "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." 

Could he there be speaking of the generation that sees all the things he has just mentioned come to pass?  If so, he could very well be speaking to this generation.

So what relevance does this two thousand year old prophecy have for us today?  If, in fact, we are the generation that will see the coming of our Lord, Jesus has advice for us.  He tells us in Matthew 24:36-46 "But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord does come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house (or the head of the family) had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat (nourishment) in due season?  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing." KJV

Even though no one but God knows the day or the hour, Jesus has left us with definite direction as we see the day drawing near.  He says, "Take ye heed; watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is.”  In other words, he is saying, "Pay attention, stay awake, give strict attention and pray."  Now why would Jesus emphatically and repeatedly instruct people to watch and pray?

Remember in the garden of Gethsemane when Peter, James and John were with him and he asked them to watch and pray with him?  Jesus was agonizing over what was coming.  And the disciples kept falling asleep.  He said, "Could you not watch one hour?  Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.  The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

Jesus repeatedly told the disciples to watch and pray. He did that for their own good.  He did not want them to be caught off guard, which is exactly what ended up happening.  Mark records that they all forsook him and fled. They had to deal with that time of weakness.  Instead of overpowering and prevailing through prayer, they surrendered to the weakness of their flesh. Since Jesus tells us to watch and pray, it must be for our good, to help us, just like he tried to help the disciples with the same instruction.  He also said when he comes, he wants to find us doing what he told us to do.

If the increases of earthquakes, raging waters, wars and rumors of wars are indeed a sign of the end times, it becomes imperative to get busy doing whatever the Lord has called us to do.  People’s eternal lives are at stake.

There may be someone reading this who isn’t exactly sure what they are called to do.  Seek the Lord’s direction and you will find they way.  In the meantime, we all have people in our lives that we can lift up in prayer.  We know that according to I John 5:14, 15 that this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

So, establish that your petition is God’s will by lining it up with his Word, then watch and pray about what needs prayed about.  If you have a loved one who is hurting, lift that person up and believe that when you pray for them, God hears you and if you know he hears you, then if you have faith, you know that you have the petition you desired of him.  Notice that the petition is past tense, because you are to believe that you receive when you pray (not when you see the answer).

It is a clear commandment from the Lord and really very simple if we will just purpose to be obedient. There are so many that need our prayers in our families, our communities, our nation, our world.

To watch and pray:  a clear command of Jesus.  What a productive use of time.