Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Badminton Birdies

Earthquakes On The Rise?

I wonder, … Are there any NikonSniper followers out there that felt the 1989 San Francisco earthquake? For you sport fans out there, you may remember watching it live on TV because it occurred during the famous Bay World Series between the Oakland A’s vs. San Francisco Giants. I’ll never forget watching live news reports carrying the stories of the rescue teams as they were trying to cut into the collapsed stacked highways to rescue people. The world stood still for a few days captured by the breaking news coverage reports of finding trapped souls in the debris.

That earthquake was a 6.6 on the Richter Magnitude Scale. I want to give you a web link so you can read what I am following here so that you don’t think I am giving you a snow job on this data. After reading this post you can look at this U.S. Geological Survey Data for verification. I want you to notice a few things that you are looking in this data at so bear with me a bit for an explanation.

This is a print out of all earthquake data with a 6.6 magnitude and greater worldwide as far back as they record on this website. First, let me say, I know this doesn’t include every earthquake that has occurred but, … Can we agree that bigger earthquakes are easier to detect than smaller ones? This data is for 6.6 and stronger so they are all very significant and hard to miss. Now, … At the time I typed this post (10/4/11) the data recorded a total of 226 events that were of this magnitude and greater. If you want to investigate the numbers of 4.0 and greater just change the search data. Of course the number of events will jump significantly but what I am about to tell you is true at no matter what magnitude you wish to examine.

You have all the data before you. You can check these observations for yourself.
a. Notice that these roughly 226 events (as of 10/4/11) span back to February 9, 1971.
b. Notice that there were several calendar years since 1971 that did not record any events that were 6.6 or greater.
c. Notice that from 1971 to 2003 there were only 11 events this significant during 33 calendar years. Average of 1 every 3 years
d. Notice that from 2004 to 2011 there have been 215 events (as of 10/4/11) this significant during the last 8 calendar year period. Average of about 27 per year with the two most recent years averaging 40 per year.
e. The current pace as of today (10/4/11) for the remainder of 2011 would place us around 51 events for the year, smashing the new record of 40 set in 2010. See any trends?

When Jesus spoke of the signs of the Second Coming, Matthew 24:3-8 records the following:
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”
And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

The event data I am speaking about in this post is not referring to mini-quakes. These are major events. Of course it is true that we can detect earthquakes better today than yesterday. We can spot those 2.0’s a lot better and pinpoint epicenters more precisely.

Jesus made this declaration some two thousand years ago. Many will still say this is simply our ability to detect earthquakes better. Really? That’s what you’re going to bet on? I am not saying Jesus is coming back tomorrow. The Bible is clear that only God knows the hour in Matthew 24:36: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

However, I am saying that today we are a day closer than yesterday! I mean … It’s going to happen! Anyone walking around making predictions and calculations as to exactly when these events occur simply doesn’t believe what the Bible says. I am just making note of this data that seems to be suggesting the earthquake events are on the rise as are the other signs given for Christ’s return. Do you know Him today?

NikonSniper Steve

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