In late March, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar. The shaking reached as far as Bangkok, about 800 miles away. Many thousands died. Cities crumbled. For one family, it will be forever etched in their memories.

A viral video released by Sky News showed two teenage sisters and their grandmother trapped beneath the collapsed concrete of an apartment building. While blood trickled down the elderly woman’s forehead, the two girls recorded goodbye messages—hoping their family would find them after they died.

The girls’ father, who initially believed they were dead, later posted on Facebook, “They called out to each other from above and below, but there was no sound from the outside. As hours passed, they became disheartened and held hands with grandma, crying.”

The news outlet reported, “Left alone for some time, the girls took matters into their own hands and used the hammer to make a gap for them to escape.” It added that “rescuers returned and managed to pull the girls out. Their 75-year-old grandmother was ‘gasping for breath’ and could not fit through—but was also later rescued.”

Earthquakes have a way of bringing everything to a standstill to command our attention. In Myanmar, it paused the nation’s long-standing civil war. And they live on forever in the memories of those who experienced them or witnessed them in the news.

You may recall other major quakes over the years, such as the ones in Haiti in 2010 and 2021 that killed hundreds of thousands, or the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit southern Turkey in 2023.

The violent shaking of the ground is sudden and unpredictable. Earthquakes leave death, homelessness, disease and destruction in their wake.

Yet why do they occur?

Science explains the mechanics: Tectonic plates grind and snap. But the Bible goes further by revealing that earthquakes are sometimes more than random events—they are instruments God uses to speak. This is seen in both history and prophecy.

Amos 1:1 references an earthquake that took place during the reign of King Uzziah as a historical marker. Over 200 years later, in Zechariah 14:5, the same quake is mentioned.

The book of Haggai shows the prophetic side: “For thus says the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations [Jesus Christ] shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts” (2:6-7).

God uses earthquakes to get people’s attention and turn their focus to Him.

Is Every Earthquake from God?

If the Bible shows God causes earthquakes, does that mean every tremor in the modern world comes from Him? The simple answer is no.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 teaches an important principle that helps explain events like the quake that hit Myanmar. It says that “time and chance happens to them all.”

Not every earthquake in today’s headlines is a divine act. When a quake strikes, it is usually “time and chance” working in conjunction with natural factors. This is part of living in our broken, unpredictable world—conditions that God allows for now.

In the coming Kingdom of God, Revelation 21 explains that “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (vs. 4).

This means that, until God’s Kingdom is here, there will continue to be suffering, from natural disasters and various other tragedies.

However, you do not need to live in fear of the next big earthquake. God promises protection to those who seek Him.

Psalm 46 says: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof” (vs. 1-3).

This describes a mindset of someone who calmly trusts in God, even in the face of chaos.

Expressions of God’s Presence

Sometimes, when God shows up, the earth literally moves.

Exodus 19 tells the story of the children of Israel assembling at Mount Sinai. Just before God gave the Ten Commandments, “Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly” (vs. 18).

Picture yourself at the foot of Mount Sinai, waiting for God to appear. You feel yourself tremble, not just from the earthquake, but from knowing that the Creator is about to speak.

This display prepared the Israelites to receive His Commandments, recognizing that the One giving them was a Being of divine authority.

I Kings 19 also uses an earthquake to teach us about God’s power, yet there is an interesting contrast to the previous account. It says: “And he [the prophet Elijah] came there unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him…And He said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (vs. 9, 11-12).

At Sinai, God’s presence was overwhelming. But in Elijah’s story, it is almost the opposite. The prophet watched as wind shattered rocks, the earth shook and fire blazed. Instead, God spoke in the “still small voice” of His Holy Spirit.

The power of God can be mighty and vast, but it can also be subtle and delicate. It all depends on how He chooses to use it.

God did not just shake the earth in the Old Testament. At the moment of Jesus Christ’s death, the ground trembled once more: “Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God” (Matt. 27:50-54).

This supernatural earthquake helped those who witnessed it realize Jesus really was the Messiah.

When Christ was resurrected, God used yet another temblor to underscore what had happened: “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it” (28:2).

In each account, there is no evidence that anyone died or that mass destruction took place. These tremors were carefully engineered by God to show His power and presence.

Divine Judgment

Earthquakes can do more than just warn or announce God’s presence—they can also bring punishment.

Numbers 16 records a rebellion so brazen that God answered by splitting the earth open. Korah and 250 men challenged Moses’ God-given authority—and paid the ultimate price.

When the conflict reached a breaking point, Moses said: “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of my own mind. If these men die the common death of all men…then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then you shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord” (vs. 28-30).

God was ready to punish those who rose up against His chosen leader. The divine method of judgment would provide undeniable proof to all Israel that God had selected Moses.

Verses 31-33 show Korah and his group’s fate: “And it came to pass, as he [Moses] had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them [Korah, Dathan, Abiram and all their families]: and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.”

God has power over His Creation and uses earthquakes to punish when needed. Yet He also carefully controlled what happened. Only those selected by God for death were swallowed up.

Prophetic Events

Some of the most powerful earthquakes in the Bible have not happened yet.

In Luke 21, the disciples asked Jesus, “Master, but when shall these things be? And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?” (vs. 7). His response listed global trends that would mark the last days—false religion, unrest, wars. Then in verse 11, Christ added this: “Great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.”

Earthquakes are not random tremors in this context. They are part of a pattern—clear signals that significant events are unfolding in God’s prophetic Plan. Matthew 24:7 and Mark 13:8 echo this, showing that seismic activity is one of the recurring signs tied to major world change.

Revelation 6 contains another massive earthquake. The chapter describes the opening of the “seven seals.” As each is opened by Christ, climactic events take place.

Verse 12 states, “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.”

The following verses make clear just how “great” this earthquake will be. It is not confined to just the ground here on the planet: “And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts 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. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (vs. 13-17).

Later in the book, God again uses an earthquake as prophecy advances. It accompanies a pivotal event—the death and resurrection of the “two witnesses”—and the punishment of God’s enemies.

It says, “And they [the resurrected two witnesses] heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up here. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven” (11:12-13).

Revelation 16 describes the most powerful earthquake the world will ever experience. When the seventh vial is poured out, it unleashes thunder, lightning—and a quake like no other: “There was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great” (vs. 18).

The result is staggering: “Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found” (vs. 20).

These verses serve as a sobering reminder. As devastating as modern earthquakes are, they are nothing compared to what God has foretold.

Reshaping the Earth for the Kingdom

Beyond destruction, God will use earthquakes to help mankind during His Kingdom. Billions of people will be resurrected and given opportunity to seek Him and receive eternal life. The Earth must be reshaped to provide habitable places for them to live.

Isaiah foretold this change: “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together…” (Isa. 40:4-5).

Chapter 35 expands the picture: “The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose… for in the wilderness shall waters break out” (vs. 1, 6). Dead, dry places will become fertile and full of life.

This reshaping of the earth will help create the conditions for peace, safety and stability for everyone: “They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid…” (Mic. 4:4).

Even ruined cities will be rebuilt. Ezekiel records: “The desolate land shall be tilled…and the waste cities shall be fenced, and inhabited” (36:34-35).

Such earthquakes show our Creator’s love and care for mankind. God will make sure that everyone has the land they need for a happy and abundant life. To learn more about what this time will be like, read our free book Tomorrow’s Wonderful World – An Inside View!

Becoming Unshakable

For some readers of this magazine, earthquakes are a constant in life. Nations located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, such as Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and others, regularly see seismic activity. So do places in the United States like California and Alaska. Many other people live in locations where earthquakes are rarely or never felt.

Yet God says there is a shaking coming that everyone will feel.

Hebrews 12 says: “Whose voice [God’s] then shook the earth: but now He has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word…signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (vs. 26-27).

The New Living Translation renders verse 27 more clearly: “This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.”

Being unshakable here does not mean we selected a location to live that is not near a fault line or that we built our homes with impervious construction materials. It means being unshakable spiritually.

Can you hear God’s voice through His Word? Are you spiritually unshakable? When God brings His Kingdom and advances other prophetic events we examined, will you be ready?

Jesus explained how to become unshakable in Matthew 7:24-27.

Those who hear His words and do them are like a man who built his house on a solid foundation: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock” (vs. 25).

Others built on sand. They heard the words—but did not act: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (vs. 27).

Your foundation is your future. Earthquakes will come—literal and spiritual. But those who build on God’s truth will never fall.

To learn more about Jesus’ sayings and how they can give you a strong spiritual foundation, read our free book The True Jesus Christ – Unknown to Christianity.

This article contains information from The Associated Press.