The earthquakes of the Apocalypse are not concussions of the ground from the subterranean, but popular convulsions. In ch. xii. 16, we are told that "the earth helped the Woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth." As we shall hereafter "see," the earth here is the symbol of the people under the dominion of the Dragon. The worldrulers are placed metaphorically in "the heaven;" and therefore according to symbolic fitness, the world ruled by them, the undistinguished and various multitude, is aggregated together as "the earth," or "small dust of the balance." Hence, Moses addresses the people and their rulers as "the heavens" and "the earth," saying in Deut. xxxii. 1, "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of YAHWEH: ascribe ye greatness unto our ELOHIM." Then, again, in Gen. vi. 11,12, "The earth was corrupt before the Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence. And Elohim looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted HIS WAY upon the earth." In this text, the literal and figurative use of "the earth" is blended; but it is easy to see when it signifies "all flesh," and the place of its habitation. The figurative use of the phrase is transferred to the Book of Symbols, where it stands for "the peoples," though not always, but when the context and subject will decide.

When, then, "the earth," in this sense, is seized with shaking fits, its agitation is metaphorically an earthquake. If the paroxysms are violent, upheaving, and overturning, it is styled, as in the Sixth Seal, "a great earthquake." The people are shaken; and when, with their upheavings, the luminaries of their political system no longer shine in the possession of the "spoils of office," and the constitution is destroyed; then the sun, moon, and stars, are darkened and fall, and the heaven departs as a scroll rolling up. Thus, the earthquake operates as the proximate cause of the disturbance in the heavenlies.

"A great earthquake" is foretold in three places of the apocalypse also, "an earthquake" twice without the addition of "great." The first "great earthquake" is predicted in this seal; the second, in ch. xi. 13; and the third, in ch. xvi. 18. The first revolutionized the whole Greco-Latin Habitable, dethroned Jupiter, cast all his official adherents out of their places, and installed the "Holy Catholic Church" and her Laodiceans in the government of the Roman world. The effects of this "great earthquake" are felt in every part of the globe to this day.

The second "great earthquake" overthrew "the tenth of the city;" destroyed all titles; and developed the Reign of Terror, and all its consequents. This popular upheaving brought up from the symbolical abyss, one of the spirits of that "vasty deep" ever ready for any work that will afford scope for self-glorification; and threw him on to the surface as the Napoleonic Scourge of the enemies of God. This "Man of Destiny" left a mark upon society which will not be obliterated till the coming of the Ancient of Days.

The third great apocalyptic earthquake is yet in the future. It is styled "a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." The effect of this is the threefold subdivision of the Great City; the fall of the kingdoms of the nations; the judgment of Babylon; the disappearance of the political islands and mountains; and all consequences flowing from these events. Daniel’s "time of trouble" pertains to this earthquake; also Jeremiah’s "Jacob’s trouble," "Alas!" saith he, "for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith Yahweh Tz’vaoth, I will break his (Esau’s) yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him (Jacob): but they shall serve Yahweh their Elohim, and David their King, whom I will raise up unto them" (xxx. 7). The earthquake of Apoc. xi. 19, is the same as this greatest of all earthquakes, being associated with the "great hail."

The earthquake of ch. viii. 5, is not termed "great." It occurred before the sounding of the first trumpet. It was an upheaving of the pagans for the recovery of lost privileges and power; but it did not result in the permanent overthrow of the New Order in the State; and therefore it was simply "an earthquake," or shaking from below without any permanent eclipse of the heavens.

In dismissing the subject of the symbolic earthquakes in general it may be remarked that, though the apocalypse does not predict the occurrence of physical earthquakes, we are not to conclude that there will be none such in the "time of trouble." Ezekiel and Zechariah predict a very formidable one, which in Palestine will be attended with great and important, as well as interesting changes. The Mount of Olives will be divided, a valley opened with a flowing river, and there will be a great shaking in the land, and a casting out of the dead from the graves of earth. The prophets treated of the literal and material in which a mystery was involved. This, Peter says, they did not see into; and until the Lamb prevailed to unfold it, "no one in the heaven, nor upon the earth, nor underneath the earth was able to open the scroll, nor to see it." In the prediction of an earthquake that shall divide Olivet, and cause the outflow of a river from the altar base, they did not "see" the mystery of a mighty earthquake that should also contemporarily divide Babylon, and cause an issuing forth of rivers of living waters from the Christ-Altar, that should heal the nations. The apocalypse brings out the mystery of the Deity as he revealed it to the Prophet; it is with the mystery symbolically revealed we have here to do; not with the purely literal and material (Apoc. x. 7).