Two Red Sea Geological Fingers Had a Past and a Future Biblical Purpose!
My Heading presents the future purpose – The Excerpt the past Purpose!
September 6, 2011
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
In the long geological history of the Middle East and Africa, two cracks developed between the two areas, and as each crack has widened by individually spreading, it has formed the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. The two northern fingers of the two cracks were gradually filled with the waters of the Red Sea as they spread apart when the African and Asian continents began to slowly separate.
The Book “Tectonic Chaos” – Chapter 1 – The Great Split
I began work on this book immediately after graduating from the MBS in Little Rock, Arkansas, and completed it in 1977 while doing post graduate work at ATU in Russellville, having graduated from ATU in 1976.
I have received numerous requests to reprint it as I have been lecturing across the globe. Because there was considerable duplication between it and my second book, “Tribulation Triad,” I deliberately let it go out of print, feeling some might feel cheated because of the volume of duplication. However, since many of my brethren kept bugging me for a copy, and since I only have two, one soft back, and one hard back, I decided to reprint and update it on our web site and, Lord willing, I will eventually put up all 36 chapters as time permits.
Chapter 1 – The Great Split
Zechariah 14:4 – And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and
half of it toward the south.
For hundreds of years preachers have proclaimed from God’s word this event would occur during the tribulation period, and the proclamation, as is normally the c
ase, has been met will rolls of laughter from most of the scientific world. Oddly enough, these scientists have, and still are, fulfilling a prophecy made by God through the prophet Daniel.
Daniel 12:4 – But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Daniel’s prophecies concerning pre-tribulation events have, and are, being fulfilled, and indeed, men and women have run “to and fro across” the earth
s surface, “to and fro” into the universe, and “to and fro” in places beneath the earth’s land and water surface. This has produced a fantastic knowledge explosion in our understanding of the form and contents of God’s creation. The continuing fulfillment of Daniel 12:4 has convinced me that we are living in the days of “the time of the end.” And I am equally convinced these “to and fro” geological discoveries have so increased man’s knowledge that we now understand the basic form in which God designed the outer and enter crust of earth. These discoveries are in perfect agreement with what God revealed to the prophet Zechariah more than 2400 years ago.
Man has, in the end times, discovered a long, deep fault or “crack” in the earth’s crust that extends northward from the Red Sea through the Gulf of Eilat (Aqabah) into Israel and Lebanon.
The Arabs identify it as the Gulf of Aqabah, and the Israelis call it the Gulf
of Eilat. The fault itself is known to both as the “great rift valley fault”. It is a double fault in the sense that the two parts of it are separated by the valley floor between the two fault block mountains on it two sides. The vast majority of earthquakes occur along both sides of the valley from Eilat to the Lebanese border. (See Figures 24 and 25 found under our Birth Pangs Menu as Birth Pang Figures). It is the ripping open of this rift valley that will produce the earthquake responsible for the splitting of the Mount of Olives, which will itself be divided into a mini-rift valley as it spreads apart. (See Figures 30 to 33 in Birth Pangs).
The faults or “two cracks” in the earth’s surface are the northern part of a deep rift, or graben valley, which extends the length of the Red Sea, then southwestward through southeastern Africa. (See Figures 29 and 30 in Birth Pangs). The double cracks extend downward into molten magma beneath the earth’s surface. (See Birth Pang Figures 26 to 28). Widespread scientific exploration during the seventies fully exposed the spreading of the earth’s surface occurring in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and in southeastern Africa. Soon this splitting will extend northward unto the Jordan Valley, and, according to Zechariah 14:4, its effect will be sudden and dramatic. The fantastic earthquake produced in this Jordan Valley Rift, some 30 miles east of Jerusalem, will be sudden and abrupt, as will be its effect on the Mount of Olives, which will be torn into two parts during that terrible time in the tribulation period. This “suddenness” is certa inly
in accord with the geologic structure of today. At the present the rift valley fault is spreading apart in the Red Sea at a rate of several centimeters each year, but the northern extension of the fault through Israel and Lebanon has been locked or “frozen” in place by tremendous tectonic forces. When the spreading of the Red Sea fault reaches a certain critical (known only by God) both sides of the Jordan Valley will rip apart with a tremendous earthquake.
This earthquake will cause the two faults, which now exist through the northern and southern flanks of the Mount of Olives, to move slightly, one north, and one south, and a new mini-graben valley will be formed between them as the middle of the mountain falls down
between them. (See Birth Pang Figures 30 to 33).
When the northern and southern parts spread apart one part will be carried north with the Arabian tectonic plate, and the other will be carried south with the African tectonic plate. (See Birth Pang Figures 33 and 34).
Zechariah 14:5 – And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
For a full exposition of Zechariah 14:5, please look in our Prophecy Update Archives at Updates 130 and 131.
Begin Excerpt from THE JERUSALEM POST
Sights and Insights: A surprising look below the surface
By WAYNE STILES
07/25/2011 11:20
Eilat reminds me that there often lies more beneath the surface if we will simply explore, Dr Wayne Stiles says.
When we think of the Red Sea in the Bible, we tend to picture Charlton Heston—or perhaps, I should say, Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt. The parting of the sea set the stage for one of history’s most incredible escapes (Exodus 14:29-31). This body of water parted like curtains in the opening act of Israel’s history.
But this part of the Red Sea represents only half of its northernmost edges. The sea has two fingers that point north, divided by the Sinai Peninsula. The more famous finger, the one that parted in the Biblical exodus, is the western one—today called the Gulf of Suez.
If the western finger of the Red Sea represented Israel’s beginning as a nation under God, the eastern finger (Gulf of Akaba), may embody Israel’s ongoing relationship with the Lord after she crossed the Red Sea by God’s Hand.
Moses and the children of Israel passed the western section of the Red Sea as they circumvented the land of Edom and headed north to the area east of the Jordan River (Numbers 33:35-36; Deuteronomy 2:8). The port cities of that time were Ezion Geber and Elath—from which we get the modern spelling, Eilat.
Eilat sits at the northern tip of the Gulf of Akaba, as did the ancient city. Often closely associated with Ezion Geber, the cities served as key ports for Israel’s trade with Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. King Solomon constructed a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber (1 Kings 9:26-28). King Jehoshaphat also assembled ships at Ezion Geber to sail to Ophir, but God scuttled them because of an evil alliance Jehoshaphat had made (1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chronicles 20:35-37). Although King Uzziah recaptured Eilat during his reign, the Arameans would later conquer it and remove Judah from controlling the port (2 Kings 14:22; 2 Chronicles 26:1; 2 Kings 16:6).
Today, Eilat still plays a crucial role as a port city for Israel, a fact easily seen by the many tankers and cargo ships that frequent the gulf.
Israel’s imports and exports to and from Asia and East Africa have their touch point in Eilat.
But Eilat is more than a modern port. Since 1949, Eilat has been transformed into a beautiful resort city, and it remains the only Israeli town on the Red Sea. With beautiful beaches, marine life, snorkeling and scuba diving, bird watching and luxurious hotels the city really does have it all. It even has its own airport.
The place literally was built for tourists.
The sea looks crystal clear and shallow enough to reward any visitor wearing a mask and snorkel with a marvelous peek at one of the richest ecosystems on earth. Scuba divers can swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Reef. Those preferring to stay dry can still behold the wonders of the sea in a glass-bottomed boat.
A visit to the Underwater Observatory, south of Coral Beach, allows anyone to stare up close and wide-eyed at a part of creation rarely seen by landlubbers. Sharks, sea turtles, sponges, invertebrates, red tropical groupers, and coral reefs, are easily viewed behind glass walls thirty feet below the surface. A nearby oceanographic museum educates visitors on the marine life they’ll see. Over 500 species of fish is a lot to take in!
Those who come to Eilat might expect a completely secular experience. After all, except for the few biblical references to Eilat as a port, the place seems utterly devoid of anything spiritual. But it’s not that way for me.
The times I have been to Eilat cause me to marvel at the contrasts I see there. The monochrome, barren, and blistering hills that surround Eilat contrast wildly with the colorful and vibrant creation that explodes beneath its waters. That vivid difference reminds me of the spiritual life that thrives in the lives of many people who otherwise appear unadorned or even barren.
Eilat reminds me that there often lies more beneath the surface if we will simply explore.
What to do there:
Visit the Underwater Observatory, go scuba diving or snorkeling, do some bird watching, or simply sit on the beach and relax.
How to get there:
From Jerusalem, head west on Route 1 toward the Jericho area and turn south at the BeitHaArava Junction on Route 90.
Head south about 3.5 hours! Or just take a flight to Eilat.
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