World News and Trends: The "Ring of Fire" and the end of the age
Course Content
No one knows the precise date of the end of the age, but Jesus Christ said there would be general indicators.
No one knows the precise date of the end of the age, but Jesus Christ said there would be general indicators. Among the major events prophesied to precede Christ's second coming is an increase in the frequency and intensity of earthquakes (Matthew 24:3-8), which would likely mean an increase for the related phenomenon of volcanic eruptions. Seismologists have charted a "Ring of Fire" on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
The Pacific Ring of Fire is an enormous arc stretching from New Zealand, across the eastern edge of Asia, along Alaska's Aleutian Islands, then south along the western coastline of North and South America. The vast majority of the world's volcanoes—including many that are underwater—are located along this Ring of Fire, giving it its name.
This gigantic ring of volcanoes and earthquake activity was noticed and described before scientists accepted plate tectonics—wherein the planet's outer rock layer resembles a cracked egg shell floating atop a sticky semifluid layer beneath. Geologists now know that the Ring of Fire is located along the edges of some of the earth's major surface segments, or tectonic plates. Three recent devastating earthquakes occurred along the ring—in Chile in February 2010, in New Zealand in February 2011 and in Japan in March 2011. (It's worth noting that these represent three quadrants of the ring—only the northeast quadrant, the west coast of North America, being left out of recent major activity thus far.)
Jesus revealed that not just earthquakes but "great earthquakes in various places" would herald His soon coming (Luke 21:11). And immediately before the time of His return there will be a mighty earthquake unlike anything experienced in all of human history (Revelation 16:18). The only safety at that time will be close proximity to God and Jesus Christ.
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
