One of the most obvious signals of the end times that the Bible mentions is earthquakes. According to Scripture, these environmental catastrophes are not just geological occurrences; rather, they are divine warnings, judgments, and signs that Christ’s second coming is imminent. Earthquakes are depicted as potent instruments that God employs to tremble nations, awaken hearts, and signal the completion of His plan, from the Old Testament prophets to the apocalyptic visions in Revelation.
Jesus specifically lists earthquakes as one of the signs leading up to the end in Matthew 24:7, saying, “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” These incidents are portrayed as a part of a larger pattern of unrest that foreshadows a future turning point in God’s redemptive timetable rather than as separate incidents. In this sense, earthquakes symbolize the trembling of the material and spiritual realms, calling on believers to be vigilant and obedient.
Earthquakes are highlighted in the book of Revelation as one of the major cosmic upheavals that coincide with God’s wrath. When the sixth seal is opened in Revelation 6:12, a massive earthquake takes place, signifying the start of a worldwide reckoning. These end-of-the-world earthquakes are not arbitrary; rather, they are divinely planned events that emphasize God’s might, omnipotence, and the gravity of impending judgment.
The Bible verses about earthquakes in the last days exhorts believers to look past the confusion caused by earthquakes, even though they might cause dread and destruction. These indicators serve as reminders of God’s authority and the assurance of His promises in addition to serving as warnings for His people. As we anticipate Christ’s return, they exhort us to repentance, vigilance, and hope. By examining these verses, we can better grasp not only what is coming but also how to get our hearts ready for it.
30 Most Effective Bible Verses About Earthquakes In The Last Days in 2025
1. Matthew 24:7
“There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”
In this verse, Jesus describes key signs of the end times to His disciples. Earthquakes are listed alongside famines and wars as visible events that will signal the nearing of the last days. This prophetic warning calls believers to remain alert and grounded in faith, recognizing that natural upheavals are part of God’s unfolding plan, not random chaos.
2. Revelation 6:12
“There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red.”
This dramatic imagery comes during the breaking of the sixth seal in John’s vision of the end times. The earthquake here is not only physical but apocalyptic, paired with cosmic signs. It serves as a divine shaking of creation, marking a turning point in God’s final judgment and calling humanity to repentance before it’s too late.
3. Isaiah 24:19-20
“The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken… it sways like a hut in the wind.”
These verses prophesy a global shaking in the last days, describing the earth’s collapse under the weight of sin. The violent earthquake is not just literal but represents the unraveling of the world’s stability under divine judgment. It’s a stark reminder that nothing man-made can withstand God’s justice when the appointed time comes.
4. Hebrews 12:26-27
“At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’”
This passage contrasts the shaking at Mount Sinai with the future cosmic shaking of heaven and earth. God’s voice will again cause a great upheaval—one that strips away what is temporary, leaving only what is eternal. Earthquakes here symbolize divine purification, making room for the unshakable kingdom of God to reign.
5. Isaiah 29:6
“The LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise…”
This prophetic passage describes the coming of the Lord with visible and audible upheaval. The earthquake here symbolizes God’s power and judgment arriving in the last days, awakening nations to His sovereign authority.
6. Joel 2:10
“Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble…”
Joel portrays the day of the Lord as marked by cosmic disturbance. Earthquakes signal the breaking in of divine intervention, calling people to repent and recognize God’s supremacy.
7. Joel 3:16
“The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble.”
The imagery of roaring and shaking underscores God’s dramatic response against wickedness. Earthquakes in this context point to His active leadership in establishing justice and righteousness during the last days.
8. Amos 1:1
“…two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king…”
Amos references a major earthquake as a historical marker. This event, seen as divine warning, reminds readers that natural catastrophes often herald significant spiritual and societal shifts ordained by God.
9. Zechariah 14:5
“You will flee by my mountain valley… the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah…”
Here, the earthquake during Uzziah’s reign becomes an archetype for future geological upheaval—symbolizing God’s protection and dramatic intervention at the end of age.
10. Matthew 24:7
“…and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”
Jesus includes earthquakes in His eschatological discourse as “birth pains” signifying the nearness of His return. They are global signs, reminding believers to stay vigilant and prepared.
11. Mark 13:8
“Nation will rise against nation… and there will be earthquakes in various places.”
Mark records the same warning, emphasizing that earthquakes precede social upheaval. They serve as unmistakable indicators that we are entering the last days.
12. Luke 21:11
“…and there will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places…”
Luke adds that earthquakes will be accompanied by famines and plagues. These intensifying calamities point to both physical distress and spiritual need during the end times.
13. Acts 16:26
“Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken…”
Although not a last‑days prophecy, this impactful earthquake frees Paul and Silas—demonstrating God’s power to change circumstances and hearts. It hints at similar supernatural interventions in the last days.
14. Revelation 6:12
“I watched as he opened the sixth seal… There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black…”
John portrays the opening of the sixth seal with cosmic darkness and a powerful earthquake. It heralds God’s judgment on earth and the fall of the old order.
15. Revelation 8:5
“Then the angel took the censer… and hurled it on the earth, and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.”
The seventh trumpet judgment is accompanied by an earthquake, symbolizing God’s power and the shaking off of evil influences as judgment unfolds.
16. Revelation 11:13
“…And at that moment there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed…”
After the martyrdom of the two witnesses, an earthquake strikes Jerusalem. It serves as a divine affirmation and declaration of God’s sovereignty during apocalyptic events.
17. Revelation 11:19
“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake…”
This cosmic earthquake accompanies the unveiling of heaven’s temple—signifying that God’s covenant faithfulness and judgment are now fully on display.
18. Revelation 16:18
“Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake… such massive quake has never occurred since man has been on earth.”
During the final bowl judgments, a worldwide earthquake shatters the cosmic order. This cataclysmic event underscores the totality of God’s end-time intervention and the judgment of rebellious humanity.
19. Revelation 16:19
“The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed…”
Right after the great earthquake, cities fall and Babylon is judged. This marks the decisive dismantling of worldly power structures in the last days.
20. Revelation 18:21
“Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder… and threw it into the sea… ‘With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down.’”
While not an earthquake per se, the imagery echoes seismic destruction. It signals the end of commercial Babylon and the completion of God’s judgment.
21. Psalm 18:7
“The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook…”
This psalm recounts God’s intervention on behalf of David. While historical, it connects thematically to last‑days earthquakes as expressions of divine power confronting evil.
22. Psalm 114:7
“Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord…”
When God delivers His people, the earth responds. This poetic image echoes the shaking we anticipate in the last days—God’s presence demanding cosmic alignment.
23. Haggai 2:6
“…once more I shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.”
God declares He will shake all things. This promise holds immediate relevance and future prophetic significance, foreshadowing the end‑time shaking of both physical and spiritual realms.
24. Habakkuk 3:6
“He stood, and shook the earth; he looked and made the nations tremble…”
The prophet describes God’s judgment as a shaking. This anticipates end‑time upheaval where nations and the planet bow under His righteous authority.
25. Nahum 1:5
“The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away.”
God’s coming judgment prompts natural phenomena. This dramatic shaking points to His supremacy over creation—a motif that crescendos in the last days.
26. Matthew 27:51
“The earth shook and the rocks split…”
At Jesus’ death, the temple curtain is torn and an earthquake occurs. This seismic sign signals the cosmic significance of Christ’s crucifixion—a foreshadowing of the ultimate last‑days quake.
27. Luke 8:25
“Who is this?… Even the wind and the waves obey him.”
Jesus’ calming of the storm follows after the natural world is shaken. It showcases His authority over all creation—teasing greater seismic events at the end of the age.
28. John 12:28
“Father, glorify your name!… Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it…’”
While no quake happens here, the response from heaven echoes the cosmic thunder that accompanies divine revelation—paralleling last‑days shaking.
29. Acts 4:31
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
While this earthquake is spiritual in nature, it shows important principle: shaking = spiritual empowerment. It mirrors how last‑days quakes will mark divine action.
30. 1 Corinthians 14:24
“But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying… the secrets of their heart are laid bare…”
Though not a literal quake, this verse depicts the shaking of hearts—the spiritual tremors that will accompany divine revelation in the last days. It reminds us that seismic events are also spiritual.
Conclusion
Earthquakes are portrayed in the Bible as potent symbols that frequently coincide with divine activity, judgment, or the occurrence of end-time events. These tremors function as both cautions and wake-up calls, as shown in the visions of Revelation and the predictions of Isaiah. They serve as a reminder that God’s hand is sovereign over the planet and that nothing that God puts in motion can be stopped by human strength.
For believers, the recent surge in earthquakes is a reminder to be ready rather than a reason for fear. Knowing that God is in charge, Jesus instructed His disciples to wait for such signs with confidence rather than fear. We are urged by these prophetic warnings to continue being obedient in our walk with Christ, spiritually aware, and rooted in the Word.
The message of the Bible on earthquakes in the end days ultimately leads us to hope rather than despair. Those who have faith in the Lord stand on an unshakeable foundation, even though the world may tremble. We are admonished to look up when we notice indications that the end is close since our salvation is imminent (Luke 21:28). God’s promises hold true even in the midst of earthquakes.
