Matthew 24:7-8 states, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." Over the years, I have heard various reports from prophecy teachers of an increase in earthquake activity indicating the soon coming of Jesus Christ. However, I have also read rebutals to these claims from scienctific sources. A couple of the responses were 1) that the totals numbers were up simply because better equipment now detected lighter earthquakes, and 2) that periodic ups and downs being natural are not a long-term rise in earthquakes. Because I considered these responses to be valid, I have always discounted reports of increased earthquake activity. Also, I do not doctrinally believe we would have to see this activity (though we might) before the rapture.
However, today's Wall Street Journal has a most fascinating article called "How Melting Galciers Alter Earth's Surface, Spur Quakes, Volcanoes." The idea is that melting glaciers cause a redistribution of water and its corresponding weight over the surface of the earth. The glaciers get lighter and the ocean beds get heavier. This shifting weight will cause movement in the earth's crust and will trigger faults resulting in increased earthquake and volcano activity. Geoscientist Allen Glazner of the University of North Carolina concludes, "It's unavoidable that glacial retreat will induce tectonic activity." So, it looks like "earthquakes, in divers places" may very well be on their way--if they have not already arrived.
