2010—A deadly year.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that “Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, super typhoons, blizzards, landslides and droughts killed at least a quarter million people in 2010—the deadliest year in more than a generation. More people were killed worldwide by natural disasters this year than have been killed in terrorism attacks in the past 40 years combined.”

FEMA head Craig Fugate said, “It just seemed like it was back-to-back and it came in waves” (www.apnews.myway.com, December 19, 2010). This year FEMA handled a record number of disasters. Many of the disasters of 2010 were natural, while others occurred because of poor construction and building homes in flood plains.

Experts anticipate the scale of disasters in 2010 may continue in the years ahead.  What many today do not realize is that Jesus Christ prophesied that increasing worldwide catastrophes would precede His second coming and are referred to as “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:3-8).

In the years just ahead, we will see more deadly disasters. However, the Bible also indicates that when Christ returns, He will bring peace to the earth and end the suffering caused by such catastrophes (Isaiah 35:1-6; Amos 9:13-15).  For more information on what lies ahead, review our free booklet, Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return.