At least 98 people have been reported dead so far in a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the island of Lombok, Indonesia, late Sunday night. Rescuers said that they are battling against “massive” damage to reach people trapped in the rubble. Officials fear the death toll will rise to over 100.
At least 200 people were injured in nearby Bali, with the quake bringing down thousands of homes and buildings, according to Sky News. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that the north of Lombok sustained “massive” damage and most of the deaths resulted from people being hit by falling rubble.
We are on the very verge of the time of trouble, and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of are before us.—Testimonies for the Church 9:43 (1909). LDE 12.4
We are standing on the threshold of the crisis of the ages. In quick succession the judgments of God will follow one another—fire, and flood, and earthquake, with war and bloodshed.—Prophets and Kings, 278 (c. 1914). LDE 12.5
There are stormy times before us, but let us not utter one word of unbelief or discouragement.—Christian Service, 136(1905). LDE 12.6
God Has Always Warned of Coming Judgments
God has always given men warning of coming judgments.Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. LDE 13.1
The word came to Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me.” Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, “Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city” (Genesis 7:1; 19:14). Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers and was saved. So Christ’s disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ’s second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.—The Desire of Ages, 634 (1898).LDE 13.2
God Has Told Us What to Expect in Our Day
Before His crucifixion the Saviour explained to His disciples that He was to be put to death and to rise again from the tomb, and angels were present to impress His words on minds and hearts. [See Mark 8:31, 32; 9:31; 10:32-34.] But the disciples were looking for temporal deliverance from the Roman yoke, and they could not tolerate the thought that He in whom all their hopes centered should suffer an ignominious death. The words which they needed to remember were banished from their minds, and when the time of trial came it found them unprepared. The death of Jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if He had not forewarned them. LDE 13.3
So in the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed.—The Great Controversy, 594 (1911). LDE 14.1
Last Day Prophecies Demand Our Attention
I then saw the third angel [Revelation 14:9-11]. Said my accompanying angel, “Fearful is his work. Awful is his mission.He is the angel that is to select the wheat from the tares and seal, or bind, the wheat for the heavenly garner. These things should engross the whole mind, the whole attention.”—Early Writings, 118 (1854). LDE 14.2
We shall have to stand before magistrates to answer for our allegiance to the law of God, to make known the reasons of our faith. And the youth should understand these things. LDE 14.3
They should know the things that will come to pass before the closing up of the world’s history. These things concern our eternal welfare, and teachers and students should give more attention to them.—Testimonies for the Church 6:128, 129(1900). LDE 14.4
We should study the great waymarks that point out the times in which we are living.—Manuscript Releases 4:163 (1895). LDE 14.5
Those who place themselves under God’s control, to be led and guided by Him, will catch the steady tread of the events ordained by Him to take place.—Testimonies for the Church 7:14(1902). LDE 15.1
We are to see in history the fulfillment of prophecy, to study the workings of Providence in the great reformatory movements, and to understand the progress of events in the marshaling of the nations for the final conflict of the great controversy.—Testimonies for the Church 8:307 (1904). LDE 15.2
