Shaking and trembling

We all remember where we were when we saw the devastating images of the 9.1 earthquake in Japan on the eleventh of March 2011 followed by a terrible Tsunami. After the quake there were numerous aftershocks, one even at a freighting 7.4 on the Richter scale. The when the tectonic plates move deep in the underground and the collide with each other a quake.

A lot of us still remember the quake and Tsunami that rocked Indonesia and Thailand, or that almost leveled Christchurch and parts of Chilli. Those where quakes that happened in areas where there are fault lines (areas where earthquake frequently occurs), but even in a country as Holland. Where there are no fault lines… even Holland is shocked by (low level) earthquakes.

Where and whenever a quake occurs, we all tend to think about the awesome power of nature. We see that what men can built and invent, cannot withstand what nature could do to it. House that crumble under the power. Electricity cut of, transport disrupted and worst of all lives lost.

We see how an incredible wall of water destroys everything in its path. And it looks like the intensity, force and the frequency of those natural disasters are only on the increase.

When we look at Scripture we see that earthquake takes an significant role in Scripture. On moments that those quakes happened and how man reacts at moments of shaking and trembling. What the faithful must ask it self first and foremost, if our foundation is secure in Jesus. Did we really built in the rock Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Mat. 7:24).

Just before Jesus’ second coming, everything on earth will be destroyed by a huge, large earthquake. As we read Revelation 16 starting with verse 17, “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God,

to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”
Besides the destruction that will happen, their will be utter panic by those who will be counted among the unsaved at those earthquakes, Revelation 6 from verse 12, “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; (…) 15 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; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

What is our condition, are we afraid of what will happen to this earth. Jesus told his discples what the ‘mood’ will be of the people who life in the time of the end. From Jesus sermon in the mount of Olives, Lucas 21:25, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

How people are trained how to react when earthquakes happen. Many go out on the streets, others will stand under the doorposts or hide under tables. Is is import to react directly and not hesitate. You must remember your instructions and training. Especially in the country of Japan, starting from a young age, . Remember those images of Earthquakes in the past. As soon as the Alarm sounded, when a Tsunami came you need to flee to higher ground. You need to escape to the mountains and then you will be save.

We need to keep the faith and fear the Lord, even though we feel trembling and shaking in our lives. Read phil 2:12, “12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputing: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”

Every time the Lord speaks something happens (just think about what dit occur during creation). When the Lord gathered the Israelites around mount Sinai, the following happened. Exodus 19:16, “16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And 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.”

What should our reaction be as the Lord speaks to us, Exodus 20:18, “And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. “

When the Lord speaks, at that moment we will be conscience of our sinful state, It is Gods purpose that we will not be afraid when is shakes or trembles, but that we will knowingly will think about the fact how bad sin and sinfulness is and how pure and holy Our Lord Jesus Christ is. That is why James tells us in James 1 from verse 12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. “
Where are we afraid for… Eliah was also afraid, after the miracle on Mount Carmel, whe he saw fire come down on heaven and witnessed that the God of Israel is the only true God. And still Elia was afraid of Jezebel. For whom do we shake and tremble, For whom are we afraid.

Often we look at the suffering of this world. And we forget to look at those things the Lord only can provide, true love, freedom and justice. Only God can provide a way out of the troubles that we face in our lives. Because the Lord is NOT in the quake. 1 Kings 19 from verse 11, “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: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”

After Elia saw the fear of being trembled, he noticed that he was not alone in faith and that many others stood and remain standing for the justice and mercy of the Lord.

Jesus told his disciples that a lot of earthquakes will happen in the last days, As we know form the sermon on the mount of Olives, we read from Matthew 24:7, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. “

But lucky the Lord gives us also a promise, “13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. “. Another significant earthquake.”

A lot of people (even some Christians) really doubt what Jesus actually did for us. It took a quak to help people realize that a true Saviour died on the Cross, read what Matthew wrote, Matt 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Mat 27:54, “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.”

Sometimes something needs to be shaken, to help us understand what Christ did for us in our lives. There are things happening in our lives , but if we keep our attention to the Lord of hosts, then we know we must not be afraid when things shake and tremble in our lives.
Read what is written in Psalm 121 verse 2, “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.”

And we must not remain desperate when things go bad in our lives, Just as the people were desperate and depressed when the saw Jesus die on the cross, for He lives, and again it took an earthquake, the shaking and trembeling in of the ground the get people noticed that indeed a miracle happened. Mat 28:2, “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. (…)And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Sometimes, things in our lives needs to be shaken, so that we can see what the Lord has done for us. So that we do not life defeated lives like Paul has written to the church in Corinthe, 1 Cor 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” For at the time things start to be shaken in our lives, in the famlily or even in the Church. Be steadfast and unmoveable.

Not only shaking occur in our families or in our lives. Even Christians among themselves have to deal with shaking and trembling within their community. Because we all know what Jesus said, Not all who say Lord, Lord is really and truelly a humble follower of Christ’s will, love and law. In the Parable of Matthew 13 we read about grain that grew up with de weeds. And Jesus told in that story that the weed and the grain needs to grow together, and that first the weeds needs to be shaken en cut out before the Harvest of the grain can start. The question we should ask ourselves, should Christians themselves start to shake the ‘bad’ apples our of our mists.. l;isten what Christ told his hearers about the parable, “But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn (mat 13:29-30)

We clearly see that is the Lord who shakes and trembles the bad among the Christians. We should not be warriors of the Lord who ‘kill’ of the bad followers within the Church. It is a task that clearly belongs to the Lord. What we must do is stand for God, and is Law. In our own lives, and live the lives Christ wants us to life. We must thoroughly realize that shaking comes from the Lord. It seems these days that we are captured in a hotile world, hostitle against God and His Commandments. We feel suppression of those who mock our faith in Christ. We know from schriputs that we live in the endtime and it the time before Jesus return, people are being persecuted for their faith on a manner, that is never happened before in our lives. You could be truly afraid for the things that are about the happen.
Remember just when the Lord shook and trembled the earth, so that the followers of the Lord their eyes would be opened.

At mount Sinai – Where the Law was given (again) on stone tablets. There was a shaking, but Moses said. Fear not, Fear God and sin no more.
At mount Carmel – Where God showed the miracle against people who think they are alone in faith. The Lord showed he is not in the quake but in the cool breeze.
At the Cross – The Lord when to His utmost to be the slain Lam for us. The Lam that takes away the sins of the world.
At the resurrection – The Lord showed us that He is alive and that we should not be afraid.
When it shakes in our churches of even our families. Wait on the Lord, for He will give us the right solutions.

In Acts 16, we read about Paul and Silas they were spreading the Gospel message and brought healing to the people the met and filled the with the true hope of Christ coming. They healed a true teller and the people and markets man were upset about that fact, because their profit was taken away and they people threw Paul and Silas into prison.

You could say, Where is God. They did good work. They where doing a good work. Why are they captured?
It seems like a complicated situation, As we read in Acts 16, verse 24, “Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.” But both men were not dispeared, they trusted God, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard the”

We must remember that it is the Lord who Shakes, trembles and frees, “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here”
What we must do is simply trust.. when the Lords shakes… don’t be said, but be thankful for victory will be given. “Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

The earthquakes we read about in Revelation, is not frightening for those who trust in the Lord. We don’t need to be afraid when is shakes and trembles in our lives, if it is right ow.. of just before Jesus retruns. Because when we see all these things happen, we know that the return of Christ is soon at hand. WE don’t need to shake others. Because Christ fights our battles for us. We only need to built our house on the right foundation, namely the Rock, namely Christ Himself.
What should our attitude be, again Acts 16 verse 31, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

That is what we need to do, when everything around us start to shake and tremble.
Amen
(Riley Jack 7-4-2011)