How did you wake up this morning? Was it to some ugly, harsh sound emanating from an alarm clock? Did your alarm play some gentle, soothing music? Was it the voice of a parent, sibling, or spouse letting you know that it was time to arise? Do you have an internal alarm system that wakes you up every day at the same time? Those are the normal ways to wake up. Those living in San Francisco on this day in 1906 had a different kind of alarm that shook them awake.
The San Andreas Fault runs from the Gulf of California to the northern end of the state of California. It also passes through the Pacific Ocean. In total, the fault line is over 800 miles long. On April 18, 1906, the “San Andreas Fault slipped along a segment about 270 miles long, extending from San Juan Bautista in San Benito county to Humboldt county and from there perhaps out under the sea to an unknown distance.”1 This created an earthquake at 5:12 a.m. that measured 8.0 on the Richter Scale.
As the shockwaves hit San Francisco, it is estimated that 80% of the city was destroyed. Nearly 400,000 people lived in the city at the time. As buildings toppled and fires lasting for days consumed the city, over 3,000 people died and more than 250,000 were displaced. Damage from the earthquake alone was estimated to be over $80 million and over $400 million combined with fire damage.2 In today’s money, that would equal $2.78 billion for earthquake damage and $13.8 billion total.3
Amazingly, by 1908, the city had rebuilt, stronger and better prepared for the next earthquake.4
Here in NW Ohio, we feel a bit isolated from earthquakes. However, earthquakes do happen. In fact, at the time of the writing of this devotional (3/23/24), there was an earthquake measuring 2.5 in magnitude in Walbridge, Ohio which is only a few miles from Toledo. In fact, Ohio has experienced 21 quakes in the last 365 days!5 Does that surprise anyone besides me?
When we hear about earthquakes and other natural disasters, imaginative minds begin speculating that “this is the end.” That way of thinking is nothing new. Jesus taught in Matthew 24:3-8, “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
These events are explained in the Believer’s Bible Commentary: “Earthquakes are attracting increasing attention—not only those now occurring but also those that are 
expected. Once again, these are straws in the wind, and not the actual fulfillment of our Savior’s words.” These events have taken place since the fall in the Garden and will continue right along. However, during the Tribulation Period, they will escalate in their intensity as described in the Revelation.
If the earth should rumble in Ohio, let it shake us awake. Though it’s not the sign of the end, it is definitely a good reason for us to sit up and say, “Yes, Lord? Are you trying to get my attention? Are you trying to get the attention of the world?”
1https://www.britannica.com/event/San-Francisco-earthquake-of-1906
2https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1906calif/18april/casualties.php
3https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/
4https://blog.jumpstartinsurance.com/1906-san-francisco-earthquake-lessons-from-history/
5https://earthquaketrack.com/p/united-states/ohio/biggest
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images or created in Windows Copilot. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for our purposes.
Graphics: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Arnold Genthe Collection, [Reproduction number e.g., LC-DIG-ppmsca-123456].
https://www.loc.gov/free-to-use/natural-disasters/
