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What Does Šāḥaṯ Mean for A Russian Earthquake & New Jersey?

What Does Šāḥaṯ Mean for A Russian Earthquake & New Jersey?

Last updated on: August 3, 2025 at 8:01 pm by Martin Thomas Johnson

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What Does Šāḥaṯ Mean for A Russian Earthquake & New Jersey? 2025-08-03T20:01:57-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

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Late this week, there was breaking news about a major earthquake hitting off the coast of Russia, destroying coastal cities and sending shockwaves and tidal waves across the ocean. They were tsunami warnings issued to Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, and the western coastline of the United States.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

There have been numerous aftershocks in the region since then, and other earthquakes around the globe have rattled people’s lives and faith. These natural disasters are a harsh reminder that we live in a fallen kingdom that will not last:

Corrupt
Temporary
Unforgiving
Unloving
Full of death

One of the most confusing things to me about living in America is the obsession with this temporary kingdom that our God promises to destroy one day, when we have a greater kingdom to look forward to.

We have become a people that believe in God, yet don’t trust His Word about this temporary kingdom and what matters most (Isaiah 51: 8, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Matthew 6:20). Honestly, I am not surprised because our Jewish forefathers made the same mistakes.

The temporary treasures and pleasures of this life also led them astray even though they knew God; like Adam, they chose death over God and true life (Genesis 3:1-6, Isaiah 53:6). That is why this fallen world must be destroyed.

What Is Destroy

Destruction is one of those topics, like death, we don’t like to talk about. Both of these have a negative context. As hard as it is to accept, both are consequences of living in a broken and fallen kingdom.

Image by Pixabay

Nearly a year after Hurricane Helens tore through Georgia, my favorite biking trail is still closed after the hurricane destroyed it. Destroy is defined as, “To ruin the structure, organic existence of, or condition of.

With all of the recent natural disasters occurring around the world, it is obvious this temporary kingdom is falling apart and destroying itself. That is why the Bible has a lot to say about this world being destroyed (Matthew 24:35, 2 Peter 3:7-10, Revelation 21:1-4).

After the fall in the garden, God cursed this planet that Satan is the prince of (Genesis 3:17, Ephesians 2:2). This fallen kingdom is now a kingdom of death and destruction because the creation disobeyed God and believed the lie of Satan, and man listened to his sinful heart (Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 17; 9). Both the Old Testament and New Testament warn us that one day this fallen kingdom will be destroyed by God (Isaiah 24:1-30, 2 Peter 3:7, Revelation 21:1)

The apostles remembered their Jewish education about how this fallen kingdom will one day be destroyed by God.

Šāḥaṯ****

The Torah begins with God creating everything from nothing and calling it good (Genesis 1:1-31). It doesn’t take long before the creation decides to disobey God and seek greatness like Satan did in heaven (Genesis 3:1-24).

Because of man’s sin, this world was cursed by God, and afterwards sin increased to the point God regretted making man and decided to destroy the world by flood (Genesis 6:5-13). The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for destroy is šāḥaṯ, and it can also mean, “Corrupt, mar, decay, spoil, or ruined,” depending on the context it is used in.

The Old Testament is clear that one day God will destroy this temporary kingdom for good because of man’s sin (Job 28:5, Psalm 97:5, Isaiah 24:1-3; 34:4, Jeremiah 427, Daniel 7:44, Amos 7:4, Malachi 4:11).

God’s people understand God destroys the old to make room for the new, just like He did in the beginning with the Earth’s creation (Isaiah 43:18-19):

Light
Sky/heavens
Land and the seas
Sun, Moon, and the stars
Fish, creatures of the water, and the birds of the air
Animals and humans
Rest

The New Testament begins with the arrival of the prophesied Messiah who is to restore Israel and bring peace to this fallen kingdom (Matthew 1:1-22). Jesus reaffirmed the hope of a new heaven and earth (Matthew 5:5, Luke 22:29-31).

Image by Pixabay

The ancient world was a chaotic mess of evil and social injustice when Jesus was born. God’s people were under Roman rule, and the rulers ruled by force and might.

However, Jesus fulfilled Jewish prophecy by coming as a humble King instead of a mighty military and political leader like God’s people wanted then and many still do now in America (Isaiah 53:1-5, Zachariah 9:9, Matthew 11:29).

Our Lord reminded His followers that God’s ways are not like this corrupt and fallen world (Psalm 139:6, Isaiah 55:8). He referenced His own godhood by declaring he could destroy the temple and then create a new one in three days (John 2:19).

The New Testament ends with how God finally destroys this fallen kingdom and creates a new one (Revelation 20:1-15; 21:1-4).

New Jersey

In other big news this week, the North East has been inundated with flooding rains once again. The I-95 corridor or flooded from Virginia to Maryland and New Jersey. Drivers had to be rescued from flooded cars on highways.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

Then over this weekend, a magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck in New Jersey and rattled New York City as well. It has become obvious that God is preparing to destroy this fallen kingdom as we see more frequent signs (Matthew 24:8):

Earthquakes
Severe weather
Wars

God’s people need not be worried or concerned if we really belong to God, because this fallen kingdom isn’t our home and we have so much to look forward to (John 16:33, 2 Corinthians 5:8; 6:14-18, Philippians 3:20, Hebrews 13:14, Revelation 21:4). God’s people will suffer and face loss in this corrupt kingdom, but we have hope and a better life in the world to come with God.

Jesus promised His followers that whatever they lose in this life can’t compare to what they gain in the next (Matthew 19:27-28). That is why it is foolish for anyone who claims to know God to strive for greatness in a kingdom that God will šāḥaṯ!

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