A minor 3.8 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday might have enormous aftershocks that will bring about seismic changes preparing the land of Israel for the Messianic era. 

The minor quake was centered in the southern section of the Dead Sea but many Israelis reported feeling its effects in other parts of the country. 

Israel is seismically active, located along the Syrian-African fault line, which runs along the Israel-Jordan border, part of the Great Rift Valley that runs from eastern Lebanon to Mozambique.

Though clearly traumatic, massive earthquakes in Israel are prophesied to accompany the multinational Gog and Magog conflict that will signal the end of times.

On that day, when Gog sets foot on the soil of Yisrael—declares Hashem—My raging anger shall flare up.For I have decreed in My indignation and in My blazing wrath: On that day, a terrible earthquake shall befall the land of Yisrael. The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that move on the ground, and every human being on earth shall quake before Me. Mountains shall be overthrown, cliffs shall topple, and every wall shall crumble to the ground. Ezekiel 38:18-20

These pre-Messiah quakes are predicted to bring about topographic changes to Israel. Even though Jerusalem is over 3,600 feet higher than the Dead Sea, the mountaintop capital is actually quite close to the sea, making it likely that a major earthquake in the geologically active Jordan Rift would be the source of the earthquake that is prophesied to drastically change the topography of Jerusalem in the end-of-days.

On that day, He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives, near Yerushalayim on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall split across from east to west, and one part of the Mount shall shift to the north and the other to the south, a huge gorge. Zechariah 14:4

It is also conceivable that an earthquake deep underneath the dead ea could open up hidden sources of subterranean freshwater, bringing about the Messianic prophecies that water will flow east from Jerusalem into the Dead Sea, and these bitter waters will fill up with fish and the surrounding desert will be teeming with life.

Then said he unto me: ‘These waters issue forth toward the eastern region and shall go down into the Arabah; and when they shall enter into the sea into the sea of the putrid waters the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass that every living creature wherewith it swarmeth whithersoever the rivers shall come shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come thither that all things be healed and may live whithersoever the river cometh. Ezekiel 47:8-9 

The currently arid and lifeless region was not always so. The Bible describes a very different picture of the region. Lot looked out on the valley where the Dead Sea is now and saw an incredibly fertile and well-watered region.

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Hashem destroyed Sdom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Hashem. Genesis 13:10 (The Israel Bible)

The Bible relates that the landscape changed when the fire and brimstone destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah turned the valley into a wasteland. Indeed, people who visit the Dead Sea today would find it difficult to envision a garden in the arid region.

Though it is impossible to absolutely predict seismic activity, seismologists warn that the region is due for a major shake-up. Seismologists estimate that according to statistics and the geologic history, the region should experience a major quake every 80-100 years. The last major quake was in  1927 and registered 6.2 on the Richter Scale killing 500 people. Another major earthquake is therefore now due.

A 2016 report by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s Home-Front Readiness Subcommittee stated that in the case of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, an estimated 7,000 people would be killed, another 8,600 injured and 377,000 left homeless. In addition, such a quake could cause up to $55 billion in damages.