Pensamientos para hoy (afterthought for today)
Earthquake causes disease
On January 17, 1994 a powerful earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale hit southern California. This quake, known today as "The Northridge earthquake", killed more than 60 people and forced over 17,000 from their homes. Then, seven days later, the first cases of Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) began to show up. People living in Ventura County began to experience fevers and other flu-like symptoms. During the next two months over two hundred people became infected and three people died as a result of this soil-borne disease. Investigators from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say that landslides caused by the earthquake created dust clouds that spread the disease-causing fungus.1 The Bible tells us about a time when great cataclysmic disasters like earthquakes and disease will hit the earth. King David says: "The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry (Psalm 18:7)."2 The prophet Isaiah predicts a great earthquake saying: "Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger. . . The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken (Isaiah 13:13; 24:19)." These judgments were also predicted by other prophets (Ezekiel 38:19-20; Joel 3:14-16; Nahum 1:5-6). Jesus predicted earthquakes would increase prior to the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:7), and the Apostle John tells us that during the Tribulation: "There was a great earthquake. . . and every mountain and island was removed from its place (Revelation 6:12, 14)." These Scriptures tell us also that with these earthquakes will be various plagues and diseases. We don't know what kind of diseases will accompany these earthquakes, but we do know that the Bible predicts that they will be widespread and deadly. The Center for Disease Control advises people living in areas where Valley Fever exists that "during and after earthquakes, individuals [should] avoid dust clouds if at all possible."3 Fortunately, it is possible to avoid even the earthquakes that are coming as part of the Great Tribulation. If we put our faith in Jesus, he promises to protect us from these judgments. The Bible says that Jesus will "send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:31)." Jesus says that "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth (Revelation 3:10)." This escape from judgment will occur whenthe 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. 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 (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)."If we put our faith in Jesus, he will protect us from the earthquakes and diseases that are coming in the judgment of the Great Tribulation. In the meantime, those of us who have believed in Jesus need to warn as many people as possible to escape the coming Judgment. Just as the CDC warns people to avoid dust clouds during and after earthquakes, so we too need to be busy warning people of a greater catastrophe. Warning people about the coming judgment, Pastor Steve February 29, 2008
Footnotes1Quake Spurs 'valley Fever' Outbreak [web page] http://www.personalmd.com/news/a1997031810.shtml. PersonalMD. Internet accessed February 29, 2008; Emerging Infectious Diseases Coccidioidomycosis Following the Northridge Earthquake -- California, 1994 [web-page] http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/00025779.htm. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Center for Disease Control, March 18, 1994. Internet accessed February 29, 2008; Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 3 [web page] available at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-144/chap1.html. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, May 2004. Internet accessed February 29, 2008. 2Psalm 18:7, NIV (New International Version). Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® NIV® . Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. All Scripture quotations taken from the NIV. 31Quake Spurs 'valley Fever' Outbreak [web page] http://www.personalmd.com/news/a1997031810.shtml. PersonalMD. Internet accessed February 29, 2008.
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