The death toll from the earthquake that struck Indonesia on Wednesday has continued to rise, bringing the total to 17 dead and 88 injured. The initial quake, which measured 8.4 on the Richter Scale, has been followed by around 40 large tremors within the past few days leaving residents of Sumatra panic stricken for fear that another big earthquake may occur. A similar situation occurred just prior to the earthquake that triggered the Asian tsunami on December 26th, 2004. Rather than releasing pressure between the earth's tectonic plates, earthquakes simply transfer it to another place on the map. Due to this fact, seismologists are expecting another major earthquake in the not too distant future, which will transfer pressure that has built up following the 2004 earthquake... 

Quote: "Experts have been predicting a repeat of the monster temblor that triggered the 2004 Asian tsunami, killing more than 230,000 people in a dozen nations. American Kerry Sieh, who has spent decades studying the fault along Sumatra island, said the new jolts could be leading up to the big one. "No one can say whether it will be in 30 seconds or 30 years," he said, adding the recent developments made him nervous. "But my intuition tells me it will be sooner rather than later."

The earthquake of December 2004 was one of the largest the world has ever witnessed. It measured around 9-10 on the Richter Scale and lasted for around 10 minutes. The earthquake caused the whole planet to wobble on its axis. Islands in Indonesia to move by around 20 metres. It created a 900 mile long gash in the ocean floor, altering the earth's magnetic field. A wave of water moving at around 500mph slammed into a dozen surrounding nations, killing around 250,000 people, whole villages being wiped off the map. 

Quote: "On Dec. 26, 2004 at 1:58 a.m. Central European Time, the South Asian Plate couldn't withstand the tension any longer: an edge of the plate broke off and the rest of the plate jerked upwards. With a magnitude of 9.3, it was the strongest earthquake anywhere in the world in the last 40 years. From the northern tip of Sumatra, a 1,300 kilometre long rip in the Earth's surface suddenly appeared. A deep gash raced northwards at a speed of 2.5 kilometers per second, and the ocean floor instantly raised 15 meters. The thrust created the monster tsunami -- a wave which caused terrible damage even thousands of kilometers away. The tremors shook the entire globe. Like a rug being shaken out, Sri Lanka rose and fell fully nine centimetres. A number of islands were shifted dozens of centimetres -- the entire Indian subcontinent moved east by two centimetres. Weeks after the quake, the entire Earth was still vibrating.

It's hard to comprehend the sheer scale of this event. We tend to think of the earth as fixed, unmoveable and indestructible. And while the Bible states that God created the earth to exist forever, it also states that because of man's sin, its very foundations will be shaken.

Isaiah 24:17-20
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

The book of Revelation tells us that during the tribulation period, the greatest earthquake the world has ever seen will occur. The cities of earth will fall, the planet will be moved out of its orbit, and every island will be moved out of its place. With the December 2004 earthquake, we have already witnessed this on a small scale. The Bible states that things will only get worse. Following the earthquake in Revelation, the inhabitants of earth call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. Then it will be too late to call for mercy. Call upon Christ now for salvation, while you still have the opportunity.

Revelation 6:12-14
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Source Reuters, Jerusalem Post, Spiegel

Here in America, we don't get a chance to really see that which is happening in our world. Our media has made it a point to keep any world events, especially those in the Middle East, watered down at best. And totally false at worse. However the signs of the times are becoming more and more apparent. For instance, over this past month Visa Corp. has launched a new commercial campaign promoting a cashless society. In the commercial, hundreds of people are lined up at various fast food kiosks in a mall type setting. Everyone is swiping their Visa card to pay for their purchases and everything is moving in rythme... until one person pulls out cash, at which point all movement is stalled and everyone lined up behind the cash user decides to leave and go to another fast food line where cash is not being used. It's obvious that the idea is, "if you use cash you're not only uncool, but you're behind the times and most importantly, becoming a hinderence to others". Even though this is just a commercial, it does a good job at showing what life is like here in America. Everything has to be done here and now at a moment's notice, and any kind of waiting is totally unacceptable. We are being primed to move to a cashless society, and though the mark may not be a card, it is certainly a precursor meant to condition the mind into naturally accepting it... Take the frog for example. Did you know that if you place a frog in a boiling pot of water it will jump out... and that should be a given... But if you take that same frog and place it in a pot that has luke warm water and then begin to heat it slowly.. the frog will not jump out and will boil to death. The times are at hand. Are you prepared for the coming of the King?

I'm sorry I haven't updated the site today, but apart from the Jewish Feast of Rosh HaShanah, there has been absolutely nothing happening in the world today. I scanned the news before work, during lunch and tonight, nothing... And some days there are so many things happening, it's hard to choose which article to comment on! Even some Jewish sites such as Arutz 7 have shut down over the holiday period.

Rosh HaShanah, the civil New Year, commences a 10 day period of reflection and repentance for Jews. The Jewish people believe that during this period three books are opened in heaven, and that God judges every man according to his works.  If repentance is forthcoming before Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement, a person's name is written in the book of the living. If a person's deeds are evil, their name is written in the book of the dead. A third book contains the names of the people who's deeds are neither righteous nor wicked. They are given 10 days to repent, and if repentance is not forthcoming, their names are written in the book of the dead.

The Scriptures teach us that there are at least three books in heaven. One contains the deeds of all those who haven't trusted in Christ for salvation. Another, called the Book of Life, contains the names of every living person on earth. As far as I know, it was this book that Moses requested the Lord blot his name out of, for the sake of the children of Israel. A third book, a Book of Remembrance, is also mentioned in the Bible (Malachi 3:16).

Exodus 32:31-33
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

The Psalmist David also prayed that the names of the wicked would be blotted out of the Book of Life (Psalm 69:28). And according to Revelation, those who have trusted in Christ for salvation have a special promise from God, that their names will not be blotted out of the Book of Life...

Revelation 3:5
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Jesus Christ told His disciples to rejoice that their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:2). There is another book in heaven, which contains a record of every sin ever committed by every person that has ever lived. For those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, their sins are blotted out of this book forever, never to be remembered again. As a result of Christ's work on the cross, God is just and able to forgive those who believe in Him and accept His offer of salvation.

Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

But for those who have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, they will be judged according to the contents of this book. Many people believe that after they die, God will weigh up their good deeds and their bad deeds, and if the good outweigh the bad then He will let them into heaven. I always bring this false teaching up in my Sunday School class, for sadly it is so prevalent in my country today. The Bible states that "by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God", Ephesians 2:8. But in a way, there is some truth in this false teaching, for the wicked will be judged "according to their works"... but they won't be justified by them (Galatians 2:16). Those that have spurned God's offer of salvation will be left completely without excuse. Everything they have ever done will be read out before them, and will show them to be utterly condemned. As the Lord said, in the day of judgement men shall give an account for every idle word (Matthew 12:36). A final search will be made to see if their names are recorded in the Book of Life. Those whose names have been blotted out will be cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So as we can see, Rosh HaShanah, the Days of Awe and Yom Kippur all foreshadow a coming day, when Christ shall return to judge this world in righteousness. Have you trusted in Him for salvation? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Source Bible Prophecy Research

The state Agriculture Commissioner of New Orleans has announced that of Africanized honeybees appear to have established themselves in the city. A hive of the aggressive bees was discovered by demolition workers in the city last January, but another swarm has been captured five miles away from the first reported find. The Agriculture Commissioner has warned citizens to be careful when outdoors. The bees swarm when they feel threatened, and can kill.

Quote: ""Because Africanized bees have been labeled 'killer bees' for years, there's an idea around that they are bigger than European honeybees," Odom said. "The truth is they're actually smaller but a lot fiercer." They have the same venom as honeybees, but attack in groups. Experts recommend that anyone confronted with Africanized bees find cover quickly. Africanized bees are the result of an experiment to increase honey production in Brazil. A swarm escaped a lab in 1957 and headed north. When they mated with native strains, the offspring were as aggressive as the African parents.

My own country has been suffering from a plague of wasps. It seems the unusually wet weather has suited them. We discovered a nest of wasps in a cavity wall of our house a few months ago. When we called the council to have the nest destroyed, they said it would be over a week before they could remove it, because there was now a waiting list due to so many people reporting nests in their properties. I created a special mixture of honey, jam, sugar, orange juice and water in a box, hoping to sweetly lure them to their deaths, but the only thing I attracted were two big magpies. They ate the oranges, and spilled my mixture all over the ground! My niece Amy prayed that the wasps would go away, and when the lady came the next week to remove the nest, they had vacated! Only a few stragglers were sitting on the wall. 

I didn't know that Africanized bees were a result of an experiment to increase honey production. That is extremely interesting. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, mankind will be plagued by a swarm of locust that have human and scorpion characteristics. Swarms of locust can strip crops bare, but for some reason these creatures will not touch any plant. Instead hey will torment those who have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Revelation 9:3-7
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 

Exodus 10:13 
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

The plagues of Revelation do seem to parallel some of the 10 judgements upon Egypt... 

Water turned to blood - Exodus 7:17 - Revelation 16:4
Boils - Exodus 9:10 - Revelation 16:2
Hail mingled with fire - Exodus 9:23 - Revelation 8:7
Locusts - Exodus 10:4 - Revelation 9:3
Darkness - Exodus 10:21 - Revelation 16:10

With news that Britain has given the green light for scientists to create genetic hybrids, along with news that the United States is seriously considering using animals as remotely controlled robots, nothing surprises me any more. Although the book of Revelation is largely symbolic, and John was describing things that he could not explain in every day terms, I believe mankind has the technology to fulfill these Scriptures.

Source Las Vegas Sun, National Geographic