Two days ago, I wrote about Joel 2:28-29 and Joel 2:32, Israel’s coming baptism and redemption – the Bible prophecy that before the day of the LORD, God will pour out his spirit upon all of the elect of Israel.
Soon afterwards, Indonesia’s Semeru volcano erupted, sending a tremendous amount of volcanic ash into the sky (ref. 1), creating “a pillar of smoke”.
Of course, in between 28-29 and 32 are verses 30-31, which speak of pillars of smoke, and the sun turned into darkness.
And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Joel 2:30
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
Joel 2:31
Yesterday, it was reported that the ash that burst out of Semeru was so much that the sky over several villages on the island of Java darkened and even turned black (ref. 1, 2): the sun was completely blocked out by the ash.
The Bible prophesies that in the last days the sky over a considerable part of the entire earth will be darkened by volcanic ash. This will happen at the time of the first and second trumpets and vials, and further at the time of the fifth trumpet and vial.
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.
Zephaniah 1:14-15
The darkness is purposeful, to the disadvantage of the beast.
And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.
Revelation 16:10
But the darkness of the earth in the last days also signifies the fact that Satan has blinded the world, including Israel.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Isaiah 60:1-2
Jesus Christ is “the light of the world”.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
John 12:46
And Christians, the servants of the LORD, are “the children of light” (ref. 1 Thessalonians 5:5).
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
John 1:5-8
Now, the column of ash from Semeru’s eruption was so tremendous that when the ash settled down, some houses and vehicles on the island of Java were almost buried. There was also lava and burning mud (ref. 3). Again, as the Bible reads, there shall be pillars of smoke, and fire, and blood.
Today, Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.
My guess is, at the time of the second trumpet and vial, Indonesia, which is said to have the largest number of active volcanoes in the world, and being on the Pacific Ring of Fire, will never be the same again. Entire islands of Indonesia might even go into the sea.
And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Revelation 8:8
76 of Indonesia’s 147 volcanoes are on Java, Sumatra, Lesser Sunda and Celebes. Sumatra is the island of Aceh, the most Islamic part of Indonesia. And Java is the island of Jakarta, which apparently is already sinking into the sea.
Two years ago, Indonesia announced that it would build a new capital city in Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, because Jakarta was sinking 10 to 20 cm per year (ref. 4).
Besides Revelation’s second trumpet and vial about a mountain burning with fire being cast into the sea, there is Psalms 46, which says the earth will be removed and the mountains will be carried into the midst of the sea.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
Psalms 46:6
… God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Psalms 46:1-3
Furthermore, there is Revelation 6:12-14, the opening of the sixth seal and the great earthquake that will cause islands to move out of their places.
And I beheld, when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood… and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Revelation 6:12-14
So, in the last days, quite likely some islands will go into the sea.
I used to think that some part of Japan would be that which would go into the sea, because of the movie “Nippon Chinbotsu” (“Japan sinks”), and because there were reports of soil liquefaction in Japan some years ago.
However, ever since 2019 and the news that Jakarta is sinking, I am inclined to think that it will be Indonesia’s Java and Sumatra that will sink.
Maybe the prophecy applies to both Indonesia and Japan, because both are nations with land literally on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Maybe there will be other islands as well.
Whatever happens, when the LORD repays the islands with recompence per Isaiah 59, they which are near the Pacific Ring of Fire, who are arrogant and among “the children of pride”, shall come to fear the name of the LORD.
According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence. So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun…
Isaiah 59:18-19
References:
1. ABC (5 December 2021), “Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano erupts, killing at least 13 people”, abc.net.au
2. Oliver Trapnell (5 December 2021), “Mount Semeru: 13 dead and dozens injured as 50,000 ft ash cloud blacks out the sun”, express.co.uk
3. “13 killed and dozens burned as volcanic eruption leaves Indonesian villages in darkness”, youtube.com/watch?v=P7c84oJdIGo
4. Jonathan Watts (26 August 2019), “Indonesia announces site of capital city to replace sinking Jakarta”, theguardian.com