The recent events in Japan were too close to the publication date of my book to be included in the text, so I have decided to add some musings on these events here. In Unveiling the Apocalypse, I discuss how the Marian apparitions in Egypt have been attempted to be explained scientifically by corresponding them with unusual weather phenomena such as so-called “earthquake lights” or St Elmo’s fire. Earthquakes and fires of heavenly origin are often described in the Bible as phenomena associated with theophany:
Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
(Psalm 18:7-12)
The passage in the Book of Kings concerning Elijah’s flight to Horeb is another good example of this phenomena during a theophany:
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (1Kings 19:11-13)
It is not entirely impossible that “science” (to be used in quotation marks because science still cannot explain earthquake lights or St. Elmo’s fire) can be reconciled with the metaphysical in regards to these phenomena. Unexplained lights that coincide with earthquakes have been observed for the past century by meteorologists, but they have been occurring since long before. The writers of the Bible undoubtedly interpreted such phenomena as supernatural or even Divine in origin.
The case of the Marian apparitions of Egypt simply cannot be put down to unusual weather phenomena, given that they have all taken place on the roof of various churches in locations throughout Egypt associated with the Holy Family’s escape from Herod.
It is interesting that the phenomena known as “earthquake lights” occurred in Tokyo during an aftershock following the Japanese Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of March 2011 which caused the Fukushima nuclear reactor to go into meltdown.
The Tohoku region of Japan contains six prefectures, one of which is that of Akita – the location of the apparitions of Our Lady to Sr. Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa in 1973. During these apparitions, which are officially approved by the Catholic Church, Our Lady foretold a terrible fate of humanity’s destruction by fire.
“If men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the Bishops and the priests.
The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see Cardinals opposing Cardinals, Bishops against other Bishops. The priests who venerate Me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres (other priests). Churches and altars will be sacked. The Church will be full of those who accept compromises, and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.
The demon will be especially implacable against the souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of My sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will no longer be pardon for them.
…Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able to still save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in Me will be saved.”
In Unveiling the Apocalypse, I argue that the battle of Armageddon will follow shortly after the megatsunami generated by the collapse of Cumbre Vieja in the Canary Islands (see the earlier post on the megatsunami here). The political landscape would be considerably different in the wake of this disaster, which will undoubtedly see the collapse of the US as a world power. In the book I argue that this could create a power vacuum which would be ripe for the rise to power of the Antichrist, who in turn will bring about the battle of Armageddon – a nuclear conflict which will bring about the demise of humanity. I also argue that the megatsunami will be part of the wider effects of the “eschatological earthquake” described in the Bible, which centres on Jerusalem and accompanies the appearance of the Sign of the Son of Man.
Could the connection between Our Lady of Akita, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and following nuclear disaster forewarn of these future events – a nuclear conflict brought about by the eschatological earthquake centred on Jerusalem and the related Cumbre Vieja megatsunami? Interestingly, another unusual light phenomenon occurred over the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem less than two months prior to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on January 28th 2011. This “UFO” event was captured on video-camera from multiple angles around the city. Could this provide a bridging connection?
View video’s here
http://unveilingtheapocalypse.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/our-lady-of-akita-and-japanese-tsunami.html