Volcanoes this week

Volcanoes are completely fascinating. Of all the hits I receive on this blog, by far the highest are always earth-related. An earthquake, volcanic explosion, or unusual geo-physical event like a 'river turning to blood' will draw the most people the quickest. They are looking for answers I suppose. And why not? We feel in our human puniness that the earth is large and stable. When the earth is shook in some way, demonstrating that it is not, people scurry to find answers that will offer some kind of stability.

I hope that they find the true answer, which is Jesus. He is the stability.

"my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence." (2 Samuel 22:3)

"For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall," (Isaiah 25:4)

"To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

Paricutin in 1943, the town obliterated. Source
I'm fascinated by volcanoes. As an elementary student I remember reading about the Volcano in the Cornfield (Paricutin) that was suddenly born almost under a Mexican corn farmer's feet. Paricutin is our continent's youngest volcano. LOL, that was the first time I got a clue that the earth is not solid nor stable, and that anything could happen at any time.

They will play an important role in the UN-creation during the Tribulation. If you see the 7 days of Genesis 1 as God creating the world, then view the 7 years of the Tribulation as His orderly uncreation, a dismantling as it were. Genesis and Revelation are bookends of God's human and heavenly creation and the story of our capacity to sin and His response.

I've mentioned before that the sun becoming black as sackcloth in Rev. 6:12 is from the ash spewed into the atmosphere from one or many volcano eruptions.

This week there has been a lot of interesting volcano news.

China's Changbaishan volcano showing signs of increased activity
"The authors suggest that though Changbaishan is likely not gearing up for an imminent eruption, one could be expected in the next couple of decades."

Volcanic activity on Spain's El Hierro island resumes

Two volcanoes erupt in Indonesia
North Sulawesi, Lokon, and last week, Gamalama & Anak Krakatau also offered us some activity

UK Telegraph caption- "An image taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) of a large plume of smoke, steam and ash erupting from the Sarychev volcano on the Kuril Islands, Russia. It is thought that the eruption has caused a hole to form in the cloud layer above it."

Tim Challies and others have remarked on a video making the rounds, with Challies commenting "The Lake of Fire - This is an nearly unbelievable video (more information here). “Photographer Geoff Mackley and his crew descended 1,300 feet to the ‘lava lake’ in Marum Volcano on Vanuatu’s Ambrym Island.” I can’t help but think of Revelation 20:15."




Mike Leake at Borrowed Light had some eloquent thoughts on the volcano video. HT to Challies for pointing us to it. I'll excerpt a few of Mike's thoughts.

"In response to that video Tony Reinke shared this quote from Jonathan Edwards, “"The torrents of liquid fire that are vomited from the belly of hell, by the mouths of volcanoes, shadow forth what is in hell. ... If the Almighty can create something this fierce who can stand when he is bent on destruction?   Only those who find refuge in the strong tower that El Shaddai has hoisted, namely the all-powerful Jesus, will find safety on that day. "

Once again, refuge is ONLY in Jesus.

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