Will There Soon Be a Big Earthquake in America?

Prophecy often happens in dual stages. An ancient event, recorded in Scripture, foreshadows a modern event—sometimes in tremendous detail.

One biblical event that could have a direct modern counterpart is a catastrophic earthquake that occurred in the eighth century b.c., during the time of Israel’s King Jeroboam ii.

Amos 1:1 refers to it: “The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.”

The earthquake referred to by Amos was a dramatic, milestone event in ancient Judah and Israel’s history. It was also recorded in Zechariah 14:5, as well as by secular historians including Josephus. Evidence suggests this was the largest earthquake ever to occur in the region.

There is evidence that this massive quake could have foreshadowed such a temblor in our day—perhaps even this week.

The Amos Earthquake

Based on archaeological discovery across numerous sites, this shattering earthquake is believed to have occurred around 750 b.c. This fits with the general biblical dating for Amos, Uzziah and Jeroboam ii. Some scientists and archaeologists have dated the earthquake more specifically to 760 b.c.

Zechariah 14:5 shows that this earthquake occurred during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, probably during the latter part of his reign. There is no absolute statement that it occurred during the reign of Jeroboam; it is possible it happened at the end of his reign or just after. However, comparing the general dates of Jeroboam’s reign with the rough date for the earthquake, it seems almost certain that it did happen during the reign of Israel’s Jeroboam ii.

The most convincing evidence for this is from Amos 1:1. This verse says that King Jeroboam received Amos’s message “two years before the earthquake.” The likelihood is high that he was still on Israel’s throne during this earthquake. No later kings of Israel are mentioned in verse 1 as being on the scene during the ministry of Amos (as they are by other prophets), so the event seems confined to the parallel reigns of Jeroboam (over Israel) and Uzziah (over Judah).

The Trumpet’s editor in chief, Gerald Flurry, has showed how the reign of Jeroboam ii anciently typifies America today. Mr. Flurry has explained in great detail how an end-time prophecy in Amos 7 shows a modern Jeroboam leading the most powerful nation descended from ancient Israel. I encourage you to read his April 2017 article “Who Is the Modern-Day Jeroboam? ” if you haven’t already.

This article shows us the time frame of when an end-time counterpart to the Amos 1:1 quake could occur.

It is believed that anciently, this earthquake originated in modern-day Lebanon. At the time, this area was within the territory of the ancient kingdom of Israel, which was ruled by King Jeroboam.

Most extra-biblical sources connect this earthquake with Uzziah. Matthew Henry’s commentary, for example, says, “The tradition of the Jews is that it happened just at the time when Uzziah presumptuously invaded the priest’s office and went in to burn incense, 2 Chronicles 26:16.” This could be the case. However, the Bible doesn’t specifically link the earthquake to the temple incident, only later sources do. And based on the location of its epicenter (almost certainly within the upper area of Israel’s territory), it seems the earthquake was primarily punishment for the northern kingdom and may be better connected with Jeroboam and Israel.

As Mr. Flurry’s article brings out, this would have a direct connection with America today.

A Devastating Quake

How devastating was the quake in Amos’s day? Here is some scientific perspective from geologist Steven A. Austin, Ph.D. (emphasis added):

Widely separated archaeological excavations in the countries of Israel and Jordan contain late Iron Age (Iron iib) architecture bearing damage from a great earthquake. Masonry walls best display the earthquake’s effects, especially those with broken ashlars or displaced rows of stones, walls that are still standing but are leaning or bowed, and collapsed walls with large sections still lying course-on-course. Earthquake evidence is seen prominently at Hazor, Israel’s largest ancient city. Excavations in Hazor’s Stratum vi revealed tilted walls, inclined pillars, and collapsed houses. The city of Gezer was also severely shaken. The outer wall of the city shows hewn stones weighing tons that have been cracked and displaced several inches off their foundation. The lower part of the wall was displaced outward (away from the city), whereas the upper part of the wall fell inward (toward the city) still lying course-on-course. This indicates that the wall collapsed suddenly.

Earthquake debris at six sites (Hazor, Deir ‘Alla, Gezer, Lachish, Tell Judeideh and ‘En Haseva) is tightly confined stratigraphically to the middle of the eighth century b.c., with dating errors of ~30 years. So, the evidence points to a single large regional earthquake that occurred about 750 b.c.

The epicenter was clearly north of present-day Israel, as indicated by the southward decrease in degree of damage at archaeological sites in Israel and Jordan. The epicenter was likely in [modern-day] Lebanon on the plate boundary called the Dead Sea Transform fault. A large area of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah was shaken to inflict “general damage” to well-built structures (what is called Modified Mercalli Intensity 9 or higher). The distance from the epicenter (north of Israel) to the region of “significant damage” to well-built structures (what is called Modified Mercalli Intensity 8 that is south of Israel) was at least 175 kilometers, but could have been as much as 300 kilometers.

Using the pattern and the intensity of damage through the region of the earthquake, the earthquake’s magnitude can be estimated. Through a process known as scaling, the damage areas of smaller historic earthquakes of known magnitude are used to scale upward to estimate the area of damage and magnitude of the regional earthquake. Based on this method, the earthquake in question was at least magnitude 7.8, but more likely was 8.2. This magnitude-8 event of 750 b.c. appears to be the largest yet documented on the Dead Sea Transform fault zone during the last four millennia. The Dead Sea transform fault likely ruptured along more than 400 kilometers as the ground shook violently for over 90 seconds! The urban panic created by this earthquake would have been legendary.

Amos spoke of the land being shaken (8:8), houses being smashed (6:11), altars being cracked (3:14), and even the temple at Bethel being struck and collapsing (9:1). The prophet’s repeated contemporary references to the earthquake’s effects is why it bears his name.

Earthquakes are not unusual throughout Israel, Lebanon and Syria. A large fault line (the Dead Sea Transform fault) runs from the top of the Gulf of Aqaba through the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee, continuing northward. Earthquakes happen throughout this part of the Middle East at least a handful of times every century. Several such earthquakes (from data covering roughly the past 2,000 years) have each claimed tens of thousands of lives (i.e., earthquakes of 31 b.c., a.d. 1068, 1202 and 1837). Certain quakes have claimed many more, such as two Mercalli Intensity 8 earthquakes: the Antioch quake of a.d. 526 that claimed 255,000 casualties, and the a.d. 749 Palestine quake with 100,000 casualties. Obviously, data extending back over 3,000 years to Amos’s time is far more piecemeal.

Based on the apparent regularity and occasional severity of such earthquakes, the earthquake of Amos’s day must have been especially tremendous—one of the most powerful ever to strike the region. On the Mercalli Intensity scale, Amos’s earthquake is estimated at a 9, and was thus even more powerfully felt than the above earthquakes that killed hundreds of thousands.

Two Years Later?

It is interesting to note that this historic quake struck in the days of Jeroboam, two years after Amos received his revelation from God, which includes revelation about a modern-day Jeroboam.

Those who have been closely following the Trumpet are well aware of the parallels between what happened anciently during Jeroboam’s reign and what is happening in America today. Gerald Flurry has been talking about this from the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency, which started two years ago this month.

You may also know of how the work of the Trumpet’s publisher, the Philadelphia Church of God, and our editor in chief parallels that of Amos anciently.

You may also be aware of some powerful new truth Mr. Flurry has been proclaiming over the same time frame, explained in his book, published last year, The New Throne of David. He received the understanding of that truth two years ago, right around January 16, a date the Trumpet closely watches each year. (We have a new booklet explaining why this is the case that will be released on Wednesday, titled January 16: God’s Miracle Day.)

It has been two years since that time. Is it possible that the cataclysmic earthquake that struck ancient Israel two years after Amos’s vision anciently foreshadowed a major quake, physically or spiritually, that is about to strike modern Israel? Only God knows. In the meantime, we watch. ▪