The great earthquake at the time of the end is compared to “the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah” (Zech. 14:5). This must have been a great earthquake in order for it to be worthy of comparison to the earthquake that will truly be “the BIG one.” Yet there is no mention of such a catastrophe in the historical records in Kings or Chronicles. Does that mean there is no Biblical account of Uzziah’s earthquake?
Before assuming there is no record, we should take note of H Chronicles 26:22: “Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.” We should look in Isaiah for some allusion to a mighty earthquake.
Isaiah 2
The chapter begins with a vision of the kingdom when God shall be exalted (vs. 2-4). Isaiah then uses this vision as a basis for exhortation to the people of his day who did not glorify God.
Isaiah’s depiction of conditions contemporary to himself clearly have their setting in Uzziah’s time.
II Chron. 26 Isaiah 2
Prominence of the Philistines vs. 6-7 v.6
Land full of wealth v.8 v.7
Mighty army vs. 11-14 v.7
Buildings of cedar and oak v.6 v.13
Agricultural abundance in varied places v.10 v.14
Notable towers v.9 v.15
Fortified walls around cities v.15 v.15
Fame spread to remote areas v.15 v.16
Excessive pride a notable characteristic v.16 vs. 11-12
A great earthquake
The means of humbling man used in Isaiah 2 is clearly an earthquake: “And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth” (Isa. 2:19,21).
True, there will be a great earthquake associated with the kingdom; but Isaiah 2 relates to the general problem of pride that will be cast down at the start of the kingdom, and was cast down in Uzziah’s day. “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction…while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests…and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him” (II Chron. 26:16-20).
How appropriate for this sign to be accompanied with an earthquake that the people of God might never forget: “The day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low” (Isa. 2:12).
Comment by Josephus
In his book on the Antiquities of the Jews, p. 208, sect. 4, Josephus comments that when Uzziah “went into the temple to offer incense to God…a great earthquake shook the ground.” This note provides interesting confirmation of the thesis developed above.
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