by Rick Joyner

When do we think that the California earthquake that we prophesied in our January 1998 Prophetic Tape Of The Month is coming?

I do not know anyone who has the timing on this. Some misunderstood Bob Jones to say that it was coming in nine months (from New Years when the tape was made). When I listened to the tape again it was easy to understand how Bob's statement could be interpreted that way, but it is not what he meant. When he said that

"we have nine months" he was trying to say that it would not come for nine months. In a visitation that Bob had last fall he was told that this quake would not come before the next Day of Atonement. He was also told that each Day of Atonement we would be told if we have another year, but he would only show us one year at a time. I must apologize for letting this tape go out without correcting this potentially confusing statement. Bob Jones and Jim Bakker both feel that the things we mentioned in the tape are very eminent, and I concur that the emphasis of the Spirit seems to have changed from warning that unless we repent these things will happen, to prepare for them, they are coming. However, I do not know of anyone who has been given a sure timing, and I personally feel that we may have several more years, which is a short time! Regardless of how much time we may have, we do not have any time to waste.

 Do we think that it is time for believers to move out of Southern California?

Bob Jones has warned some people that it is time to leave Southern California. I have told people to seek the Lord and leave only if He directs them to. However, I have been told that the time is soon coming when I will have to begin telling people that they should only stay if they hear from the Lord to stay.

I also personally feel that I am to invest in some kind of retreat property in Southern California. I have been told that I am not to abandon the area, and that I must be willing to spend time there doing what I can to help the church in that region. Regardless of where we live, we are making a terrible mistake if we think that this is Southern California's problem and not our problem too. If this happens it will be devastating to the whole world. We are all also members of one body and this is the most important time for us to stand with the church in that region, and to intercede for all of the people of Southern California. It is not God's desire for any to perish, but for all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

The safest place in the world is in God's will, even if it is in the middle of a devastating earthquake. The most dangerous place in the world is to be out of His will. If you live in Southern California and you leave out of God's will, you will be in danger. Our Armageddon can come at the next stoplight! As we proceed into the times ahead it is going to become increasingly dangerous to be even a little bit out of God's will. The Lord is now giving us ample warning to hear from Him, and obey Him.

Do I believe that this quake can still be averted? No. However, as I

shared last New Years Eve, it is my conviction that the destructive power of this quake can be greatly reduced, by repentance and intercession. He also showed me that it can be delayed if we will honor the fathers and mothers of the faith from that region which have so powerfully blessed our nation. The commandment to honor our fathers and mothers has the promise that if we do it our days will be long upon the earth. If we will "unstop the wells of our spiritual fathers and mothers from that area dug" and continue to drink from them, it will honor our them and the Lord will give us more time.

However, the Lord has often given us more time to get ready but we have rarely used the time well. Judgement is about to come to Southern California because the spiritual pollution that is coming from there is poisoning the whole earth. It is very close to reaching the limit of what can be tolerated. If a profound repentance does not come much of the Los Angeles basin will be destroyed to the point where the ocean will lap at the base of the mountains in Pasadena. The buildings in downtown Los Angeles will sink into the earth like stones in a jar of sand when it is shaken.

Again, God does not want this to happen. He always prefers mercy over judgement, but there is a point when His judgement will be mercy. When Abraham asked the Lord if He would spare Sodom if there were just ten righteous men found there the Lord said that He would spare the whole place just for them. We do not know at what point the Lord will relent and spare Los Angeles, but there is a delusion in much of the church now that is presuming on God's grace. Some have been spiritualizing the prophecies, saying that the shaking that is coming is spiritual, and that the water will cover Los Angeles speaks of coming revival. What I was shone was not a spiritual earthquake, and the waters were the Pacific Ocean. However, if such a spiritual shaking did take place, and such a revival did come to Los Angeles, the literal earthquake will still come, but its damage could be greatly reduced. I intend to pray for mercy until the actual judgement comes.

Pride comes before the fall, and there is an arrogance toward the Lord that has even permeated much of the church in Southern California. One way that this is manifested is the disregard of His warnings, which He sent in the previous quake, and even the tendency to believe that they can handle them. No one will think that after the one that is coming, even if its destructive power is reduced. Even at its lowest level, the fear of the Lord will pass across the earth just as the tidal waves will that go out from it. Repentance and intercession can take a lot of the death and destruction out of it, but it is still going to be a big one.

What about the corruption in Northern California, and many other cities of the world that have at least as much evil in them as Los Angeles?

First, there are many cities and regions that are about to experience God's judgements. However, I do not believe that the judgement coming to the Los Angeles area has as much to do with the degree of evil as it does the ability to project it and send it around the world. No other city in our time has caused more people to stumble than Los Angeles, mostly for what has come out of Hollywood. This will not continue much longer, either because of repentance, or because of destruction.

What about all of the good movies that come out of Hollywood, and the good people who have tried to be light and salt there?

I am personally very thankful for them, but such can never atone for evil. Only the cross can do that. However, the Lord is using Hollywood to prophesy to itself. Many of the movies coming out of Hollywood are prophetic. God is in every available means to warn and wake up those who are about to perish if they do not repent. Again, God always prefers mercy over judgement, and He does not desire for any to perish.

 What about the economy?

I am not an economist, but I do know that the economic prosperity of the last years came from God. These "years of plenty" have come so that we can be prepared for the lean times that are coming, just as Joseph had the wisdom to do. However, our storehouse are not the banks, or the stock market, but the church. If we have been investing in those without building God's house, we are going to be on just as shaky ground as everyone else. The Books of Haggai and Malachi are crucial books for these times.