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GREAT EARTHQUAKES

Christian Classics Ethearel Library

 Ages Library

Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in different places......

41 AD-54AD during Claudius's reign. Earthquakes recorded in Rome 51 AD , Crete 46 AD, Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, Samos.

53 AD Apameia. So severe the emperor Claudius made them tax free for the next five years so they could rebuild.

61 AD   According to Tacitus, Eusebius and others: Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were destroyed by a giant earthquake around 61 AD during Nero's' reign.  Not only did these cities have churches in them, two mentioned in the Bible. They also had large Jewish populations of  that had existed there for a century.  Laodicea was rebuilt but Colossae and Hierapolis were not. That should give the reader an idea of the magnitude of these quakes. Cities today that suffer them are always rebuilt.

62 AD Pompeii. An earthquake severely damaged Pompeii and a neighboring city.

64 AD  Neapolis, (Modern Naples.) The emperor Nero preformed gave a public acting performance in 64 AD. The theater was destroyed by an earthquake shortly afterword. 

69AD Rome. An earthquake during the time of many seeking the throne vacated by Nero. 

All of these places had Jewish populations, some very large. It can be assumed that many Christians were in these places too. They were recorded by various writers of the day.

Then of course there were the ones recorded in scripture.

Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51. And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks broke; 52. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 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.

Acts 16:26. 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.

© Daniel Martinovich 2008-2017