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(BtL) Earth

Biblically is very strongly connected with humanity. The first human, adam, is created from the dust of the ground, adamah. After his sin, Adam is told that he will return to the dust. Further, the ground was cursed because of Adam's sin and he will have to toil and work uncooperative ground, now eating the plants and bread rather than the originally offered fruit and seed.

Human actions are said to defile and corrupt the earth. The Israelites are promised that if they repeat the practices of the Canaanites whom they displaced, the land will vomit them out. When this does happen, the earth is consumed with a curse. On a related note, the earth was figuratively said to swallow Pharaoh's armies when they pursued the Israelites at the sea of reed opened up and literally swallowed Korah and those who rebelled against Moses with him, taking them down to Sheol, the grave, still alive.

Likewise, just as humanity's flesh is temporal, their garments of skin, so it is declared that the earth will wear out and be changed like a garment. There will be a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness will dwell. The earth looks forward to this renewal. Creation groans while it awaits this renewal which is linked conceptually with the renewal of human bodies. Earthquakes are listed among signs that this time is approaching.

The most prominent earthquake in Scripture happened at Sinai when Yahweh came down to the mountain and to give the law. The trembling of the mountain was used to mirror the trembling of the people as the presence of the Lord. It is possible that Matthew's mention of the earthquake when Christ was crucified and connecting it with the veil in the temple being torn was signifying the fulfilment of that same law.

There are many times that earthquakes are used when discussing God's judgement of nations or the wicked. The multiple references to earthquakes in Revelation are among these.

Other Contributing Works:
  • Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Earth, Earthquake, 1998
  • The Bible Project podcast, Tim Mackie, multiple episodes
  • The Naked Bible podcast, Michael S. Heiser, multiple episodes
  • The Lord of Spirits podcast, Fr. Stephen De Young & Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, multiple episodes
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