The whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth - Romans 8:20
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Over the decade there has been a rapid and dramatic increase in weather events taking place all around the world. Then more recently we have seen devastating massive earthquakes occurring. Together with the world wide Covid and the war in Ukraine the words prophesied by Haggai 2:6-7 are truly coming to pass - ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, God is making it abundantly clear that this prophecy is actually happening, today warning and preparing the world for Jesus’s imminent intervention again on earth. God is also sending a strong message to the church to fulfil Jesus’s command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.
When Satan first deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we realise what dire effects it would have on all creation and the earth. Because of Satan’s deception with Eve eating of the tree of good and evil we read in Genesis 3:16-19 - To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labour you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
We then read in Romans 8:20 23 - For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Over the last few years we have seen a marked change in the weather patterns, they have become very unstable, increasing in intensity and ferocity. Also the earth we are living on, the volcanoes the earthquakes and tornados are more frequent and intense. The earth’s temperatures are becoming more extreme bringing with it drought, followed by very heavy rain fall which is on the increase bringing flooding and landslides. The quantities of tornadoes are increasing across the world. In 2022 we have seen marked changes in weather patterns. California as well as Europe has experienced extreme heat never recorded before leading to large unstoppable forest fires. The United Kingdom had the warmest year on record. The whole of the USA, Canada down into Mexico experience the lowest winter temperatures on record. California suffered extreme rain fall followed by flooding. Although there was a very cold snap in the UK and Europe in December 2022, January 2023 in Europe had little snow they had to shut the ski resorts.
We may not be aware, earthquake activities are greatly influenced by the alignments of planets in the solar system (See Solar System Geometry Survey - SSGEOS). This confirms what God’s word says about the last days, Jesus said in Luke 21:25-26 - There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
In February 2023 there was a massive earthquake in turkey on the border with Syria, followed by another large earthquake two weeks later. An earthquake of this magnitude had not happened for a hundred years. Around February the 14th there were three mild earthquakes in England. At the same time there were five strong earthquakes one measuring 5.7 in southwest Romania causing great fear among the people, the epicentre was just 11 kilometres, 8 miles northwest of Targu Jiu close to where Chris and I are working as missionaries. Also Israel experienced three mild earthquakes. The following day there was a large earthquake of 6.7 in the north island of New Zealand amongst the devastating rains and mudslides that they were already trying to cope with.
How true is the prophecy I mentioned earlier in Haggai 2:6-7 - “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come. This prophecy is also repeated in Hebrews 12:26 - “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” We have seen an increase in activities in the skies in the solar system, God is most certainly shaking everything both man and creatures on the earth at this time.
Let us repeat the words of the apostle in Romans 8:20- 23 which have become tangibly real - For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
Should we not take heed to the words of Jesus when He said in Matthew 24: 6-8 - You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Birth pains start mild and then increase until the child is born. Likewise the birth pains Jesus spoke of, the extreme activities on the earth will intensify, not just nature around the globe but mankind will increasingly continue to do evil as we are reminded in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 - But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Do we not see what is transpiring is in the will of God, they are His divine plans, He has everything under control the clock is ticking towards the time when Jesus will enter the clouds and we Gods church His bride will hear that load blow on the trumpet. What is happening around the world are the birth pains, these activities around us are and will continue to intensify until Jesus appears.
Very soon each of Gods children will hear Gods trumpet call and the voice of the archangel as recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 - According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. God’s people will know in an instant it is God’s final call, calling His bride, His church, in a twinkle of an eye we will be transported up into the clouds away from the torcher of a sin stricken world to be in the love, peace and joy of Jesus’s presence for evermore. What a glorious prospect we have, are we ready, are we living in the expectation of that glorious moment.
Are you prepared for when Jesus intercedes again on earth? Will you be part of that great multitude that will be taken up in the twinkling of an eye caught up from the earth into the clouds to join our Saviour Jesus? We need to heed the words in Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. You will then know the assurance that David the Psalmist said in Psalm 91: 1-11 - Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the silence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. What a wonderful promise, we just need to stay close to the Lord.
We may fear what is happening all around us. Jeremiah, a lone prophet appealing to the Israelites to turn back to God, heard God say to him in Jeremiah 33:3 - ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
There are a number of times in the bible where earthquakes have happened at significant times. For instance we read about Elijah who was exhausted after the slaughter of Ahab and Jezebel’s false prophets. Elijah wanted to die he was afraid Jezebel would chase after him and kill him, but an angel of God came to him to encourage and reassure him. God spoke to Elijah in a gentle voice while hiding in a cave, we read in Kings 19:11-12 - The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
Again we read of another earthquake while Jesus was on the cross, we read in Matthew 27:50-54 - And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
The bible does not elaborate on the earthquake, yet what happened when Jesus gave out that great cry “It is finished” (John 19:30) the earth was loudly proclaiming almost a celebration, telling the Jewish nation and the world there is no need for anymore daily sacrifices, Jesus had given himself as the final sacrifice for sin, once for all, He paid the final price.
Then in the next chapter Matthew 28:1-8 we read - After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Once again we see the earthquake proclaiming the triumphant victory that Jesus had overcome the power of death, Satan had been defeated, Praise the Lord. If we thank God for giving his life for us, ask his forgiveness for our past sins, and invite Him into our life we become one of His children. The same message as the angel said to the women “Go and tell” should also be our desire and duty to the world. As the song writer J. E. Seddon has so aptly written – (To listen to the Hymn/Song – Click HERE) -
Go Forth And Tell! O Church Of God, Awake! God’s Saving News To All The Nations Take:
Proclaim Christ Jesus, Saviour, Lord And King, That All The World His Worthy Praise May Sing.
Go Forth And Tell! Men Still In Darkness Lie; In Wealth Or Want, In Sin They Live And Die:
Give Us, O Lord, Concern Of Heart And Mind, A Love Like Yours Which Cares For All Mankind.
Go Forth And Tell! The Doors Are Open Wide: Share God’s Good Gifts – Let No One Be Denied;
Live Out Your Life As Christ Your Lord Shall Choose, Your Ransomed Powers For His Sole Glory Use.
Go Forth And Tell! O Church Of God, Arise! Go In The Strength Which Christ Your Lord Supplies;
Go Till All Nations His Great Name Adore And Serve Him, Lord And King For Evermore
We have Gods full protection as we read in Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
After Gods people the Church has been taken from the earth there will be a time of great torment, a time of tribulation (as recorded in Mark 14) . At the peak of that time of tribulation we read that there will be another earthquake of all earthquakes. We read what is prophesied in Zechariah 14:3-11 - Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. 9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. 10 The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place. 11 It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.
God revealed to John in a vision in Revelation 6:12-16 - I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
We who are Gods people can feel secure by what Jesus said in John 14:1-4 - “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Are we really ready for Jesus to take us home at any time soon? As well as telling the world about the Saviour we should be longing and waiting for Jesus to take us home. Whenever a young man and woman fall in love, they just want to spend as much time as possible with one another getting to know one another, but they also will be telling everyone about their loving new found relationship. Then the time comes when they get engaged, it will be a joyous happy time as they plan their wedding, sending out invitations. Much preparation goes into the wedding plans; the bridegroom needs to buy a new suit and the bride search for the ideal wedding dress, embracing family members to help.
We read in Titus 2:11-14 - For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
There is a wedding for God’s people that will shortly take place in Heaven spoken about in the last book of the bible Revelations when we, the church, Jesus’s bride will celebrate a great wedding feast as told by John. We read what John saw in a vision in Revelations 19:7-9 - Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
So like our earthly wedding preparations which bring us joy and much anticipation, should not we as Gods children be looking forwards to the great marriage supper of the lamb which requires us to make preparations also? We should want to spend as much time with our bridegroom our Saviour Jesus, getting to know Him, making ourselves ready. We will want to tell everyone about our new found relationship. Tell them all about the imminent wedding, inviting them to become part of God’s great family enabling them to join in with the great celebration. We should be seeking to attire ourselves of the very best, as the apostle says in Romans 13:14 - clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. - While we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13)
In closing let us listen/read to a joyful hymn reminding us of that Glorious day we are looking forwards to – I would like to read the first and last verses, before we listen to it. (To listen to the Hymn/Song – Click HERE)
It May Be At Morn, When The Day Is Awaking, When Sunlight Through Darkness And Shadow Is Breaking, That Jesus Will Come In The Fullness Of Glory, To Receive From The World ‘His Own.’
O Lord Jesus, How Long? How Long Ere We Shout The Glad Song?
Christ Returneth! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen! Hallelujah! Amen!
It May Be At Midday, It May Be At Twilight, It May Be, Perchance, That The Blackness Of Midnight
Will Burst Into Light In The Blaze Of His Glory,When Jesus Receives ‘His Own.’
While Hosts Cry ‘Hosanna!’ From Heaven Descending, With Glorified Saints And The Angels Attending, With Grace On His Brow, Like A Halo Of Glory, Will Jesus Receive ‘His Own.’
Oh, Joy! Oh, Delight! Should We Go Without Dying! No Sickness, No Sadness, No Dread, And No Crying; Caught Up Through The Clouds With Our Lord Into Glory, When Jesus Receives ‘His Own.’
Reference – Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGEOS) - https://ssgeos.org/
Seismic Forecast – 6th February 2023
https://greekreporter.com/2023/02/06/researcher-predict-turkey-syria-earthquake/
Seismic activities 2nd Feb 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZL-pJh3QaU
Seismic activities 7th Feb 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqIrvFNltc0
