What are the earthquakes, famines, and plagues in the Last Days?

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Sun Myung Moon · Accepted Answer

Understanding what earthquakes, famines, and plagues mean in Last Days prophecy reveals God's providential activity in human history and helps believers interpret the signs of their times without succumbing to apocalyptic panic. While these phenomena can manifest literally, their primary prophetic significance is symbolic, pointing to a period of intense transition and judgment, ultimately preparing the world for a new era. The Biblical Foundation: Signs of the End Jesus explicitly described these signs as indicators of the Last Days. In Matthew 24:7, he states, "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places." This imagery is reinforced in Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:11, where Luke adds, "and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven." The term "pestilences" directly translates to plagues or epidemics, indicating widespread disease. The book of Revelation amplifies these depictions, showing catastrophic events such as the great earthquake that levels cities (Revelation 11:13, 16:18), famines where "a quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius" signifies scarcity and high prices (Revelation 6:6), and plagues poured out upon the earth (Revelation 16). These biblical accounts have historically led many to anticipate an increase in literal natural disasters as harbingers of the end. However, the Principle clarifies that the "destruction of Heaven and Earth" is metaphorical (2 Peter 3:12, Genesis 6:13, Revelation 21:1). The Earth is eternal, as Ecclesiastes 1:4 and Psalm 69:35-36 indicate. Literal natural catastrophes are not the primary meaning of the Last Days. Rather, the Divine Principle provides a deeper theological interpretation that broadens our understanding beyond purely physical phenomena. Divine Principle's Clarification: Social and Spiritual Upheaval The Divine Principle clarifies that while the Bible prophesies these events, it uses metaphor and symbol. The Last Days are not a time to fear literal natural catastrophes, but rather a time of joy and happiness because the original ideal of creation will be realized. It is the end of the old era and the beginning of a new one. The primary prophetic significance of earthquakes, famines, and plagues lies in their symbolic meaning, particularly concerning spiritual and social phenomena. Earthquakes symbolize the shaking and collapse of established societal foundations. These are not merely geological shifts but revolutionary transformations of political, economic, and religious systems. Where once stability reigned, upheaval and radical change become the norm. This signifies the dissolution of old forms that have become corrupt, paving the way for a new order. Luke 21:26 notes, "people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken," which signifies the destabilization of humanity's perceived cosmic and social order. Famines symbolize a spiritual hunger and a desperate longing for fundamental truth and meaning that conventional systems can no longer provide. This goes beyond a lack of physical sustenance, pointing to a profound emptiness in the human spirit. Amos 8:11-12 prophesies, "‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.’" This biblical passage perfectly encapsulates the spiritual famine described in Divine Principle, representing a global quest for ultimate answers amid a spiritual void. Plagues symbolize the spread of destructive ideologies and spiritual diseases that corrupt human hearts and minds. Just as physical plagues sweep through populations, these spiritual plagues manifest as moral decay, ideological conflicts, and widespread confusion that infect societies. The "pestilences" mentioned in Luke 21:11 symbolically refer to these pervasive errors and falsehoods, akin to spiritual viruses. Revelation 16, with its descriptions of painful sores and universal judgment, further illustrates widespread spiritual affliction. These destructive doctrines cause division, hatred, and the degradation of human values, spreading rapidly through global communication. The judgment by "fire" in Malachi 4:1 and Luke 12:49, like the "tongue" as fire in James 3:6 or God's "Word" as fire in Jeremiah 23:29, refers to judgment by God's Word (John 12:48), not literal burning. Understanding the Deeper Meaning: Crisis as Opportunity This comprehensive understanding reveals the Last Days not merely as a period of impending doom, but as a critical juncture in God's providence—a time of intense testing and purification. The "destruction

What are the earthquakes, famines, and plagues in the Last Days?

The Biblical Foundation: Signs of the End

Divine Principle's Clarification: Social and Spiritual Upheaval

Understanding the Deeper Meaning: Crisis as Opportunity

Living the Principle

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