Joseph Herrin (09-12-2010)

Christchurch, New Zealand Earthquake

Ezekiel 38:19
“And in My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will surely be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.”

Numerous people have written to me regarding the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand at 4:35 A.M. local time. It is not hard to perceive that there is some parable in this event. The earthquake was the same magnitude as the one which struck Haiti killing approximately 230,000 people and left over two million homeless. Yet in Christchurch, with a population exceeding 350,000, not a single life was lost in the quake.

Some have attributed the absence of lives lost to New Zealand being a wealthier nation, subject to frequent earthquakes, with much stricter building standards. Undoubtedly, this made a tremendous difference in the outcome of this disaster. Yet it does not account for a complete lack of lives lost. As one resident of the area commented:

I think you also have to look at all the hundreds of individual miracles that took place in those seconds that this disaster took place in. The man who got out of bed only to turn around and see it covered in tonnes of bricks, the teenager who fell two stories when his house collapsed, only to get up with barely a scratch, the drivers who stopped inches from gaping cracks in the road either side of them. The stories of these unlikely “coincidences” have been in abundance on talk back radio and the media.

The laws of mathematics broke down here. People should have died, but nobody did.

Over the past two days we have had a massive weather front pass over the country, dumping large amounts of rain from the bottom of the South Island to the top of the North Island. But not over the quake zone. The series of rain radar images over the past two days played back as an animated series show the clouds all stopped dumping rain as they approached the area, then resumed dumping the rain afterward. It’s as though a giant invisible umbrella has been protecting the clean up operation.

Miracle? Maybe not. Then again, perhaps “acts of god” don’t involve death tolls in a city named Christchurch.
[Source: Geoff Blackmore – http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geoffreylean/100052404/mammon-more-than-god-caused-the-christchurch-earthquake-miracle/]

You may note that the article to which the above comment was attached bears the conspicuous title “Mammon, More than God, Caused the Christchurch Earthquake Miracle.” Hmm… A love of mammon may be the cause of judgment in the church, but it is not to be given the glory for no lives being lost.

Two thirds of the homes and buildings in Christ church were damaged. Some can be repaired. Many will have to be demolished.

Zechariah 13:8-9
“And it will come about in all the land,” Declares Yahweh, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.'”

As I have pondered the meaning of this earthquake, I came across a prophetic word given nine months prior to the Christchurch earthquake. This word came out shortly after the earthquake in Haiti, and it is remarkable for what it declares.

EARTHQUAKE in THE CHURCH – a Word
-by Phil Buck. 

January 27, 2010 – Prayer time for the Church, at our home.

I heard a word in my mind saying, There’s coming an earthquake of the magnitude 7.0 that was experienced in Haiti, only it is coming to the Church. I have sent many warnings down through the portals of time, that this day was coming, and now is here, even at the door. The earthquake will start from outside the Church, and then will permeate the Church from within. Prepare, prepare, there will be destruction as would never have been imagined.

The rubble of the buildings of man will crumble to the ground. The teachings of man will have come full circle. There will be people that have bought into the man system and will be destroyed in the rubble of the collapse, some spiritually and others both spiritually and physically. For they have believed a lie and will suffer the consequences of their doing.

Of those that have escaped, I see a long line extending beyond my vision to see. They are the walking wounded from all religious persuasions, that were not caught up totally in the man-centered religious system of beliefs. But being exposed to the system has left its mark in various forms on each one.

I see this line in my minds eye, people lined up at the entrance to a white tent. This is where they are coming to receive life spiritual life from inside the tent. Those inside the tent are like doctors and nurses, ministering to the wounded, hurting spirits of each one. As they help them heal, with the proper perspective and focus of the gifts they have to offer, then they are sent from the tent whole and ready to minister to others as they were ministered to.

“Now behold the ones on the inside of the tent, before they stepped inside the tent they had nothing to offer in and of themselves, but as they stepped in they received the power to work the works for which I have call them to. This is a special people that have closed themselves up with me. Yes, and some have been in preparation all their lives for this time and this mission.”

“I want you to see those in the tent, for they are those that have given everything to Me. These are they that this day I’m calling my people to come out of the religious systems of man and into the marvelous light of my Son Jesus. Will you be counted as numbered among those in the tent? Or will you be one of the many in the long line?”

“Come away with me this day and give your all to me for the line is long and is now just beginning to form. They need your gifts, your love & your sacrifice of service. Will you be there for them? Or will you be among them?”
Phil Buck,
Indiana, USA

Although many media outlets are reporting the quake as a magnitude 7.1, the U.S. Geologic Survey data reports it as a 7.0 quake, fitting the above prophecy perfectly.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010atbj.php

The number seven in Scriptures is a number relating to the church, and the end of the age. In the book of Revelation we read of Christ speaking to the seven churches. The last, and seventh, is the church of Laodicea who equated worldly prosperity with spiritual maturity. Christ had quite a different perspective of the state of this church than did its members.

Revelation 3:15-17, 19
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked… Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent.”

The love Christ has for His church leads Him to reprove and discipline His people. The appropriate response is a New Zeal that has been lacking among Christ’s church (Note the location: Christchurch, New Zealand).

A brother in Christ with whom I have corresponded for some years lives in Christchurch, NZ. He wrote to me and shared an account from a firsthand perspective.

Dear Brother Joseph,

I thought you might like to hear from someone in the ‘gun’ in Christchurch! I’m sure that this is a significant sign for you to speak on, especially with the name of Christchurch.

At 4.35 am on Saturday, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck our city at a now revised depth of 10 kms. The epicenter was 40 kms from the city centre. It revealed a previously unknown fault that the experts say has been hidden for 16,000 years under the alluvial clay and gravel plain that has built up in that time. It consisted of three jolts a few seconds apart, the first a lesser one, followed by two more or less simultaneously. This seemed to confuse the analysis for a time.

It has caused a tremendous amount of damage, especially to the iconic older buildings, which most likely will have to be demolished due to their dangerous state. Building facades crashed onto the street frontages, paving cracked and was lifted up, about a third of the homes in the city will have to be repaired or in some cases replaced, to list just a few things.   Altogether an incredible event.

Miraculously not a soul was lost, due to the timing of the event, which I have to say was a very horrible experience, even to one not wearing hearing aids at the time. There were many miraculous escapes from injury and death. The authorities have done a wonderful job of getting into action and dealing with something that is hard to describe. Not having to look for bodies under rubble has enabled clearing and demolition of unsafe buildings to go ahead without those concerns.

Since the ‘big one’ on Saturday, up to this am, Thursday, there have been 350 after shocks, 150 of them strong enough to be felt, with 10 over 5.0 magnitude. Yesterday there was one of 5.1 magnitude at a depth of 6 kms, only 10 kms from the city centre, which the experts tell us is another unknown fault. It was only of short duration but packed a punch that was too much for many people with shattered nerves. That one four days after the initial one seems to have been the last straw for many, and they are now getting away from the city. Lack of sleep for most families is having its effect.

The new fault was 22 kms long originally and now with the aftershocks has grown to 60 kms. A fence line straddling the fault, moved sideways 4.6 metres, as well as a road, and is astounding geologists and seismologists, who are working round the clock, one of whom is from the U S A, and can hardly hide his glee. [ I don’t say that maliciously, but with a sense of humour!]

Because of the type of ground that the city is generally built on, a former swamp, the earthquake produced an unusual effect known as liquefaction. The shaking caused sand and water to be squeezed up through cracks and holes producing mini sand volcanoes as the media call them. That has caused a tremendous mess, which has to be dealt with.

If you have any questions for me just let me know.

Often thinking and praying for you,

Blessings,
Peter Boag Christchurch New Zealand

Some of the details that stood out prominently to me in this description are:

•    The earthquake began outside Christchurch, but greatly impacted the city. This was predicted in the prophecy cited above.

•    Most people in Christchurch were sleeping at the time, but some, like Peter and his wife, were awake.

•    The earthquake occurred along previously unknown faults, and new faults continue to be revealed.

•    The facade of many buildings crumbled, exposing what was inside.

Facades Removed by Christchurch Earthquake

I sent Peter a few questions and asked for further details and he provided the following.

Dear Brother Joseph,

At the moment there have been no mention of upgrading building codes. The authorities have been too busy examining buildings to evaluate anything like that. What has happened is that with all the after shocks, previously inspected buildings have had to be re inspected, not just once but three times or more. So many buildings have deteriorated over the last five days since the original quake, due to the aftershocks.

The City Councils of the past, have been blamed for allowing developers to develop areas that should never have been approved for housing, even though the experts warned of the possible consequences. The worst hit area in Christchurch, Kaiapoi, has suffered terrible damage in some areas, with about 100 houses having to be to be written off. Kaiapoi is close to the sea coast with a river close by and has been built on a delta, being sandy in nature. That will certainly bring a change in the planning and obtaining of resource consent.

A building inspector who I talked to yesterday, was doing ‘cold calling’ in our street, and said that the building codes in New Zealand were proven that they were very robust, viewed by how the majority of houses stood such a terrific battering in the first shock as well as the later ones.

In the city over the years, strengthening of old buildings has been going on. Fortunately those done have stood the test well. But that is expensive, and is slow work on historic buildings. There is no doubt that Christchurch will have a very different face when rebuilding is done. Our ‘old English’ character has taken a big hit.

The city centre is still closed off, as buildings are being demolished, but will open tomorrow. A few parts are still without power, water and sewer services. Businesses are suffering because of this situation, and the central government are having to promise immense financial help to a wide field.  One supermarket in Kaiapoi is having to be demolished with the loss of over 80 jobs, and a retirement home with 60 residents is also beyond repair. The damage to farms and the country around the epicentre is also immense. A river has altered its course and now meanders across farmland!  Viewing the TV news makes one have very sad and sobering emotions. People helping each other and coming together are the good things emerging from this time. And of course the opposite happens as other people endeavour to take advantage of the situation.

Personally, Rosemary and I initially were quite calm at the time of the ‘big one’. The noise and the shaking lasted about 30 to 40 seconds. We were in bed and had awoken just prior to it happening. We stayed in bed fortunately, as a free standing mirror at the foot of the bed, crashed over and would have caused  injury if contact had been made. When the shaking had ceased I took a reconnoitre with a torch around the inside of the house to find chaos reigned in most rooms. Because we had no power we just cuddled up in bed till daylight, with Rosemary endeavouring, with ultimate success, to contact members of our family, via telephone and text. Her hands were then shaking so much, difficulty was encountered! Since that time, tiredness from disturbed sleep and the shock of seeing the distress and the calamities of other people, have taken a toll on us, as it has on all people. I find it hard to concentrate on normal things and have motivation to such things as Bible reading and even prayer. Constant shocks have worn many people down, particularly those living by themselves. Our house has a few plaster cracks inside and some very visible ones across the car park outside our house, with the asphalt paving lifted up in one place. Others in our street have more paving damage and three houses just down from us have major damage to repair, if they can do so. The randomness of the earthquake’s power is unusual, in that some areas are badly hit, while others appear to have sustained little or no damage.

The Anglican Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Cathedral both came through unscathed. Both are impressive buildings and dominate the city’s skyline.

The Salvation Army are doing a tremendous job fortifying the workers who are ‘manning the barricades’ so to speak, and University students who are off studies because of the quake are helping with the city clean up.

My Brother in Law, a Christian, due to have his house bus given a warrant the next morning, parked it on the street ready for a quick get off in the morning. The earthquake dislodged the chimney stack of the house right where it would normally have been parked! And in the mail, after the earthquake had happened, on the same day, he had a reminder that the insurance on the bus was overdue! It probably would have been a write-off!

I am interested in what local Christian and Church comment will ensue from this tremendous display of God’s awesome power. He destroyed much, and in all of that destruction, He saved. Halleluiah!

Since starting this email we have had three shocks of 4.0 magnitude! I think that that is enough words from me!

Blessings to you my brother,
Peter Boag, Christchurch, New Zealand

Some details that stood out from this e-mail were the following:

•    Continued shaking is leading to structures having to be re-examined multiple times.

•    The greatest damage occurred in Kaiapoi, a Maori word meaning “fortified city.” It was the greatest stronghold in the region. Those areas of Christchurch that are the greatest strongholds of man will suffer the greatest collapse.
•    [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiapoi]

•    Kaiapoi was built on sand, and its collapse was therefore great.

•    Matthew 7:26
•    “And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.”

•    Christchurch is being given a new face as a result of the damage.

•    The shaking has brought out the best and the worst in people in Christchurch.

•    Peter and Rosemary were awake, yet in a resting posture when the quake hit, which is spiritually significant. We are told to “fear lest any fall short of entering God’s rest” (Hebrews 4:1) and “to not sleep as others sleep, but to be alert and sober” (I Thessalonians 5:6).

•    People in Christchurch are finding it difficult to sleep after all the shaking. This is spiritually a good thing. Christ has awakened His church from slumber.

•    Peter’s brother-in-law had an RV, and had moved it the evening before to a position to be ready for a quick get-off. Due to this it was saved from destruction, which would have been a total loss. Many saints are also being led to make ready to depart quickly. I am reminded of Moses’ instruction to the Israelites on the eve of the first Passover.

•    Exodus 12:11
•    “Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste – it is the Lord’s Passover.”

There is a great shaking coming. That which was hidden will be revealed? Previously hidden faults will be exposed. All will then see whose lives were founded upon the Rock, and whose lives were founded upon the sand. They will know who were the doers of the Word, and who were hearers only.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws  

Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com  

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063