On 11 March Japan suffered its biggest ever earthquake, the 5th biggest ever recorded in the world, which physically moved Japan 8 feet eastwards and even shifted the earth's axis 10 inches. The resultant tsunami devastated the north eastern coast of Japan with its awesome power as a wall of water, up to 30 feet high in places, swept inland for as much as 6 miles wiping out whole villages and killing thousands.

The earthquake severely damaged the Fukushima nuclear power station which is still causing grave concern as to its safety and the effect the escaping radiation will have. The Japan earthquake came just 5 months after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, which caused extensive damage to the central business district where many buildings were destroyed or so badly damaged that they will have to be demolished.

These two events have clearly shown the devastating effect powerful earthquakes can have and the experts are now asking : Where next?

Seismologists are concerned that the world is 'overdue' a severe earthquake in one of its 'high-risk' areas such as California or the Jordan Rift Valley. The last major earthquake in the Jordan Rift Valley was in 1927 and as Israel have major earthquakes every 80-100 years the experts fear that one is due soon.

The Bible speaks of an earthquake in the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem of such huge proportions that the mount splits in two such that a valley is formed east to west and the whole topography of the area changed (Zechariah 14 v 4-10). An earthquake of this magnitude would make the one in Japan look small by comparison. Experts in the past have been asked what the effect would be of such an earthquake and their response was that it was unlikely that any two story building would be standing anywhere in the world!

When we look at the context of Zechariah's words the earthquake happens at the time when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth and stands on the Mount of Olives. Jesus returns at a time when the city of Jerusalem has been over-run by its enemies, when all nations are gathered together against Israel (Zechariah 14 v 1-4).

Prophecies concerning the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth are a recurring theme in the Bible and is the forerunner to God's Kingdom being established on the earth when the earth will be filled with peace and righteousness.