NEW UPDATE 08 February 2023: Jesus' Olivet Discourse was in response to His Apostles wanting to know the signs that would herald His return. Earthquakes in diverse places was one of key signs He gave. Yet how many are aware that the prophet Ezekiel was explicit in the seismic prophecy he passed on to us living in this day?
At the same time also when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, my wrath shall arise in mine anger. For in mine indignation, and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken it: surely at that time there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel, So that the fishes of the Sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all that move and creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the earth, shall tremble at my presence, and the mountains shall be overthrown, and the stairs shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. - Ezekiel 38:18-20 (Bold lettering mine for emphasis) 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV).
As most have noticed of late, all of the earth's tectonic plates as well as the major and minor faults around the entire globe have been extremely active. This activity will continue, progressively increasing in severity and frequency. The recent massive back-to-back earthquakes in Turkey and along the Syrian border momentarily caught global media and our attention. Even in Israel there is much news about just three earthquakes occurring from the Golan in the north to Eilat in the south in the past two days. Three earthquakes.
Three earthquakes in Israel is nothing when one looks at the details found on the Geological Survey of Israel webpage. Over the past two days there have been ten times that number of quakes throughout Israel. 30 earthquakes in just the past two days (7 and 8 February). Tomorrow's tally will certainly increase. But the important fact is that all of these quakes are preparatory or leading up to the really "big one" that will occur at the time when Gog comes against Israel.
And folks, some still wonder having read this same passage in Ezekiel umpteen times, how it is that the muslim sites on the Temple Mount would come to their end so that the third Temple could be built? It seems to Eschatology Today that God has has had something else in mind in that regard, even in far more ancient times (Ezekiel 38:17). If you'll use the above geological survey link, you can clearly see the north-south axis or bearing of the Levant quakes from Israel and northward through Lebanon. That line of axis points directly at the Turkish-Syrian quakes of the past week. They're all related as the illustration below the latest update attests.
NEW UPDATE - 13 February 2023: The earthquakes and recent rains in Israel have caused new damage to Muslim structures on the Temple Mount. An article appeared this morning at https://www.israel365News.com/366818/more-damage-reported-at-the-muslim-structures-on-the-temple-mount/ which contains considerable historical detail in this regard. The bottom line is this: "Muslim structures standing on Judaism's holiest site have a long history of collapse due to the earthquakes that are common to the region." This gets to the point made in the last paragraph above. The article is worth your time to read from an educational standpoint.
However, it is the historical data that has the most relevant interest to add as an update to this SITREP:
The Dome of the Rock was constructed in 692 A.D. 117 years later (808 AD) the structure was severely damaged by an earthquake. This was repeated by a second quake 38 years later (846 AD). 187 years later a third earthquake collapsed the Dome (1033 AD). In July 1927 a quake resulted in severe cracking of the walls and other parts of the structure to collapse. The Al-Aqsa mosque was built circa 700 AD but destroyed by an earthquake 46 years later. It was destroyed in the same 1033 AD quake that collapsed to Dome. An 1847 quake caused additional damage, and 90 years hence the July 1927 quake also caused severe damage to the mosque. More recently there was the 2004 quake which resulted in new cracks in the Dome of the Rock and the nearby Marwani mosque. The Waqf refused Israeli experts to repair the damage.
To sum up the seismic situation on the Temple Mount in early 2023, as noted by Israeli archeologist Eilat Mazar, "It is just a matter of time... It is pure stupidity to think if we do nothing that nothing will happen." Eschatology Today's bottom line: Unquestionably, the Islamic structures on Temple Mount will be coming down. It is far less likely such destruction will occur due to human warfare than seismic forces mankind has no control over. This puts due emphasis on the quake described by Ezekiel and the timing factor entirely within an appointed time ordained by the LORD God.
09 February 2023: The time when Ezekiel 38/39 takes place is prior to Israel's 70th Week of Years. This has always been the position of Eschatology Today. Ezekiel in receipt of the prophecy from God in ancient times make no mention of either Jerusalem or Temple Mount or of a standing 3rd Temple on the Mount. These details speak to a time that is immediately prior to the 70th Week of years, as does the deliberate past tense of Ezekiel 39:29.
Another key aspect to this is found in the narrative given by God, to Jesus to John on Patmos that we read in The Apocalypse (Revelation) of Jesus Christ, Chapter 11. This chapter opens to a view of the Third Temple standing on the mount at the very beginning of the 70th Week of years. The measured Temple itself is where Israel worships God, performed daily sacrifices and oblations are occurring there, and the unmeasured outer court and the city itself is an international city (i.e. given to the gentiles) for the first 42 months or exactly 1,260 days of the Tribulation (Thlipsis).
And there we have the Two Witnesses of God performing their ministry and prophesying for that exact period of time in the first half of the Thlipsis. At the termination of their ministry they are overcome and killed by Antichrist who is indwelt by the beast from the pit (Abaddon/Apollyon). They lie dead on the street in Jerusalem for three and one-half days when the Spirit of God resurrects both of the Two Witnesses and they are harpazoed into heaven with the command "Come up hither" just as the bride of Christ was harpazoed approximately 42 months previously.
And in that same hour, as the world beholds this harpazo with their own eyes, a great earthquake (megas seismos) occurs in Jerusalem destroying ten percent of the city and killing seven thousand residents. Witnesses to this incredible scene in Jerusalem, despite the destruction and death around them will give glory to God.
These two prophetic earthquakes, the first in Ezekiel 38:18-20 virtually marking the start of the 70th Week of years, and the second of Revelation 11 marking the ascension of the Two Witnesses and the start of the Great Tribulation (Megas Thlipsis) are distinct signposts on the prophetic Road to the Revelation of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of Lords and the establishment of the Kingdom on God on this earth.
Marana'tha!
