Volume 45         Issue Seven         July 2026

Last Trumpet Ministries ∙ PO Box 806 ∙ Beaver Dam, WI 53916

Phone: 920-887-2626   Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8

Seismic Shifts

 

“And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

         Hebrews 12:27-29

 

When an extraordinary change occurs, whether culturally or politically, it is often called a “seismic shift.” For example, when Donald Trump won the presidential election in November 2016, The Washington Post published a story with the headline, “Trump maps out a new administration to bring a seismic shift to Washington.” (1) An entry for the term found in YourDictionary defines “seismic shift” as meaning “a fundamental reorientation of a state of affairs.”  (2) Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary simply defines it as meaning “a great change.” (3) While “seismic shift” is often used by the media to report a life-altering story, the term itself originates from the study of earthquakes. “Seismic” means “of, subject to, or caused by an earthquake,” (4) and “seismology” is “a science that deals with earthquakes and with artificially produced vibrations of the earth.” (5)

 

As we move past the halfway point of 2026, the world is experiencing rapid changes that could be aptly described as a series of seismic shifts. The political landscape in the United States is changing in ways that could have profound implications for the country's future. International relations are being reshaped by war, potentially leading to a major transformation of the Middle East. But we can also consider seismic shifts in their most literal sense: in recent weeks, there has been a notable uptick in earthquake activity.

 

The Beginning Of Sorrows

 

Earthquakes have long captured the attention of Bible-believing Christians. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ specifically mentioned them in his Olivet Discourse found in Matthew 24. In Matthew 24:7-8, Jesus warns, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Even now, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are battling a deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus, which can rightly be called a pestilence. The Middle East is still in a volatile state as a shaky ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran is sputtering like a lawnmower engine deciding if it wants to start. The war between Russia and Ukraine is still ongoing, with recent reports indicating that Ukraine is causing trouble for Russia with its massive fleet of drones. Officials at the United Nations are warning that disruptions of the global energy supply caused by a three-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz could worsen famine. It is only fitting that these days of turmoil should also be marked by earthquakes.

 

War, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes are not new, but when Jesus describes them as “the beginning of sorrows,” he likens these events to the birth pangs of a woman in labor. According to Strong’s Concordance, the original Greek for the word translated as “sorrows” refers to “the pain of childbirth, travail pain, birth pangs.” Thus, the implication is that as we move through time and draw closer to the return of our Saviour, these troublesome events will become more frequent, just as a woman’s contractions during childbirth grow closer together.

 

Earthquakes In Divers Places

 

When Jesus said there would be “earthquakes in divers places” (diverse or various places), it was a highly accurate statement. As I write this newsletter on June 29, 2026, a quick examination of the U.S. Geological Survey reveals there were 10,562 earthquakes in the last thirty days. (6) We never hear about most of these. The only earthquakes reported by the news are the ones that occur in populated areas or are particularly damaging.  

 

June 24, 2026, was an especially notable day for seismic activity with four major earthquakes occurring in less than eight hours. The first earthquake shook the small community of Ukiah in northern California at 11:10 a.m. Eastern Time. With a magnitude of 5.6, it was the strongest quake on record in the area. (7) Less than eight hours later, at 6:04 p.m. Eastern Time, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook Venezuela, immediately followed by a magnitude 7.5 quake. The pair of quakes, sometimes called a doublet, resulted in major damage in the northern state of La Guaira and the capital city of Caracas. “Dozens of buildings have collapsed there… and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives,” said Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez. (8) Moments later, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit Kuji, Japan. (9)

 

The two Venezuelan earthquakes were quite unusual. Not only were they powerful, both exceeding a magnitude of 7, but they occurred just thirty-nine seconds apart on two separate faults. “It’s likely the first earthquake triggered the second one,” wrote earthquake scientist Mark Quigley of the University of Melbourne in Australia. “This could have happened because Earth’s crust displacement in the first earthquake fault increased stress on the second earthquake’s source fault. Additionally, the passage of seismic waves from the first earthquake could have rattled nearby faults already prone to a rupture, causing them to fail.” (10)

 

The damage has been catastrophic. More than 2,700 rescue workers from twenty-four countries have worked frantically to rescue as many people as possible. (11) However, the Wall Street Journal reported on June 28, 2026, that 1,450 people were killed, 3,100 were injured, and nearly 50,000 people were still missing. (12)

 

When four major earthquakes occur in one day, it is natural to wonder what the future may hold. Will there be more tremors in the coming days? According to researchers at the University of Hawaii, the state of California is teetering on the brink of disaster. A study published on June 10, 2026, reveals that the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults in California are experiencing their highest tectonic stress in 1,000 years. “Our results show that stress levels on multiple fault segments are now at or above the highest values seen in the past millennium and that the region may be capable of a large through-going rupture involving both fault systems,” said lead author Liliane Burkhard. (13) Remarkably, the reason these faults are under so much stress right now is that there has not been a major earthquake in the area for quite some time, which has increased the pressure to dangerous levels. “Right now, with stress at historically high levels across the region and more than 160 years elapsed since the last major rupture, the system is in a critically loaded state,” Burkhard explained. Results of the study “suggest the stress that would normally be released in large earthquakes has continued to accumulate and is now at unprecedented levels,” according to a release from the University of Hawaii. (14)

 

Scientists have long warned that the “big one” will hit California eventually and that it is a matter of when, not if. “It could happen today, tomorrow, or in 10 years, or in 30 years. On geological time scales, these are all very short,” explained Ahmed Elbanna, the director of the Statewide California Earthquake Center. Kate Scharer, a geologist for the US Geological Survey, warned, “We should certainly expect to experience large earthquakes in our lifetimes.” (15)

 

What will happen when the big one hits? An article published by The Times of London on March 11, 2025, attempts to answer this question. “With absolute certainty, we know the day will come when it will shear, when the earth will move and the rift will tear. In an earthquake of magnitude 7 to 8, releasing 30,000 to a million times as much energy as a magnitude 4, the fiber optic cables connecting tech companies to the East Coast will snap in an instant. Water pipes will burst. Fires will start — and they won’t stop,” the piece declares. It also notes that a 2008 study commissioned by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger estimates that at least 1,000 fires would burn out of control without sufficient fire crews to extinguish them. (16) Such a scenario would turn California into a hellscape.

 

The Scriptures describe a great earthquake that will shake the whole planet in the end times, when the vials of God's wrath are poured out. In Revelation 16:17-18, we read, “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.” When this happens, it truly will be the big one.

 

A Political Earthquake

 

The United States could be on the verge of a seismic shift in political ideology. A report published by Gallup on September 8, 2025, indicates that only 54 percent of Americans view capitalism favorably, a 6-percentage-point decline since 2021. As would be expected, these results fall along partisan lines. Three-quarters of Republicans, 51 percent of independents, and only 42 percent of Democrats have a favorable view of capitalism. (17) Other studies indicate that young people are more inclined to support socialism. A 2025 YouGov study found that 62 percent of American respondents aged 18-29 held a favorable view of socialism, and 34 percent held a favorable view of communism. (18)

 

The United States has long had pockets of socialism, including within its government. Bernie Sanders, the long-time independent Senator from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, identifies as a democratic socialist. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan are also democratic socialists. (19) While these figures represent a tiny sliver of the American government, recent events suggest socialism is starting to gain momentum in the United States. In November 2025, Ugandan-born Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral election in New York City, becoming both the first Muslim and the first democratic socialist to hold the position. Mamdani was sworn in as Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, with his hand placed on two Qurans. (20) Three thousand miles away, self-described democratic socialist Katie Wilson began her term as mayor of Seattle, Washington. (21)

 

Mamdani won the mayoral race in the nation’s largest city despite the establishment backing his opponent, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Evidently, his various proposals, rooted in his socialist leanings, resonated with New York City residents. These proposals include free citywide bus service, rent freezes, a chain of city-owned grocery stores with discounted prices, and universal childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. (22) It is not surprising that voters find the promise of free stuff appealing. Though in reality, that free stuff is never really free. Someone has to pay for it, and the people who foot the bill are usually taxpayers. Furthermore, if I were a landlord and were told that I could not raise rents even as my operating costs increased, I might decide not to be a landlord anymore.

 

Mamdani has been the Mayor of New York City for less than a year, but he has already positioned himself as an influential politician. On June 23, 2026, three candidates endorsed by the upstart Mayor – Claire Valdez, Brad Lander, and Darializa Avila Chevalier – all won their primaries in New York, advancing to the general election in November. (23) Notably, all three candidates are democratic socialists. At a victory party following the election results, Mamdani declared “a new chapter in our party’s history.” He then added, “A year ago, it was not the end of a political movement. It was the beginning.” (24) The Democratic Socialists of America, or DSA, are already looking to capitalize on their newfound momentum. “We’re going to start thinking about 2028 and what comes next,” said Gustavo Gordillo, a DSA co-chair in New York. (25)

 

Megan Romer, the national co-chair of the DSA, emphasized the party’s plan to field a Presidential candidate. “What DSA represents is a real contrast to Democrats who have run the last couple of elections on fear,” she said. “You can’t run on that. You have to offer an alternative. And it’s really important that we be involved in that conversation in 2028.” The DSA plans to survey all 250 of its chapters in the United States to determine whom they want to select as their White House candidate. Since Zohran Mamdani was born outside the United States, he is not eligible to run for President. However, there’s already buzz building around New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “If it reveals that every chapter is like, ‘We want AOC, we want AOC’ — that’s something that could come out of this process,” Romer explained. (26)

 

Clearly, the Democratic Socialists of America are feeling ambitious. “The sheer scale of what just happened in New York is historic,” boasted former DSA vice-chair Bhaskar Sunkara. “Nationally, this is a massive boon for the democratic socialist movement. The old institutional left is hollowed out — DSA has proven to be the only real mobilizational force left on the ground.” A piece published by Politico put it more bluntly: “Democratic socialists just caused a political earthquake. Now they’re coming for 2028.” (27)

 

If the socialist surge continues, the United States could look very different in the coming decades. Amazingly enough, the next mayor of Washington, D.C., could be a democratic socialist. In June 2026, Janeese Lewis George, who is a member of the DSA, won the Democratic primary for the mayoral seat in our nation’s capital. She is favored to win the election in November. Meanwhile, socialist candidate Nithya Raman is set to face off against incumbent Karen Bass for mayor of Los Angeles. (28) By next year, the mayors of New York City, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Los Angeles could all be socialists. In another interesting twist, 29-year-old Melat Kiros, a socialist, unseated longtime Representative Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary for Colorado’s 1st District. DeGette had held her seat for three decades. If Kiros wins the general election in November, she will become another socialist member of Congress. (29) Zohran Mamdani encapsulated the current mood within his party when he sat down for an interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl. “I think a democratic socialist can get elected anywhere across this country for any position,” Mamdani said. (30)

 

The Deal

 

On June 17, 2026, American President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding Between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. (31) This document is not a peace treaty, but it does state that the United States and Iran “commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in a maximum of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent.” Most notably, the memo stipulates the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international traffic and the allowance of safe passage for all vessels through the vital waterway, free of charge, for 60 days. One of the most controversial provisions states, “The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan with at least $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Additionally, the United States agreed to waive sanctions against “the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives” while a final agreement is negotiated. The terms also state, “The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation of the MOU.”

 

President Trump likely signed the memo because of its eighth provision. This section of the memo declares, “The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons.” It further adds that the U.S. and Iran “have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material.” However, the document does not settle the issue of nuclear enrichment; rather, it frames it as a future topic of discussion. “The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear needs based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal.” (32)

 

Throughout his first and second terms as President, Donald Trump has been a staunch ally of the State of Israel. In October 2022, he boldly proclaimed, “No President has done more for Israel than I have.” (33) However, prominent Israeli figures have reacted coldly to the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of Trump’s deal, “This is his decision. He is leading it. I expressed my opinion. On the other hand, we have our interests — I am committed to ensuring there is no nuclear threat.” Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, also chimed in. “Trump’s agreement does not bind us. Israel is not subject to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign country,” he wrote on the social media website X. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was quite blunt in his assessment. “The agreement with Iran is bad for Israel and the entire free world. Period.” Yinon Magal, an anchor on Channel 14 in Israel, did not withhold his disdain. He called President Trump a “loser” and American Vice President J.D. Vance a “lowlife” in a surprisingly harsh assessment. (34) Could the deal with Iran cause a permanent rift with Donald Trump and Israel? Time will tell, but to say that relations between the United States and Israel are strained right now is a massive understatement.

 

As of this writing, the deal remains in place but is on shaky footing. In late June, Iranian forces attacked at least two ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the United States attacked multiple targets in Iran. “United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He then added, “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Iran then attacked U.S. military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait. Since that time, hostilities have calmed, and the two sides have agreed to continue negotiations. (35)

 

The world continues to undergo seismic shifts as rapid changes unfold before our eyes. While there will always be uncertainty in the world, we know that we serve a God who is firmly on the throne, and His kingdom is unmovable. Hebrews 12:27-29 declares, “And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.

 

Thank you all for your continued support of this ministry. As always, we invite you to send us your prayer requests. We serve a mighty God who can do all things, and we know that He is with us to the very end. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

Samuel David Meyer

This newsletter is made possible by the kind donations of our supporters. If you would like to help us, you may send your contribution to our postal address or donate online at http://lasttrumpetnewsletter.org/donate.

 

References

 

01. The Washington Post, November 9, 2016, By Philip Rucker and Robert Costa, washingtonpost.com.

02. YourDictionary, yourdictionary.com/seismic-shift.

03. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seismic-shift.

04. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seismic.

05. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seismology.

06. The US Geological Survey, June 29, 2026, usgs.gov.

07. Gizmodo, June 25, 2026, By Ellyn LaPointe, gizmodo.com.

08. Ibid.

09. Ibid.

10. The Smithsonian Magazine, June 25, 2026, By Michele Debczak, smithsonianmag.com.

11. Reuters, June 29, 2026, By Vivian Sequera and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez, reuters.com.

12. The Wall Street Journal, June 28, 2026, By Kejal Vyas, wsj.com.

13. The University of Hawaii System News, June 10, 2026, By UH News, hawaii.edu.

14. KCRA News, June 16, 2026, By Jeff Stitt, kcra.com.

15. LAist, June 23, 2026, By Sena Chang, laist.com.

16. The Times, March 11, 2025, By Tom Whipple, thetimes.com.

17. Gallup, September 8, 2025, By Jeffrey M. Jones, gallup.com.

18. Cato Institute, May 15, 2025, By Michael Chapman, cato.org.

19. Newsweek, June 28, 2026, By Jesus Mesa, newsweek.com.

20. PBS News, January 1, 2026, By Saflyah Riddle, pbs.org.

21. The Seattle Times, January 2, 2026, By Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks and David Kroman, seattletimes.com

22. BBC News, June 25, 2025, By Nada Tawfik and Rachel Hagen, bbc.com.

23. ABC News, June 23, 2026, By Jared Kofsky, Halle Troadec, and Oren Oppenheim, abcnews.com.

24. The New York Times, June 24, 2026, By Nicholas Fandos, nytimes.com.

25. Ibid.

26. Politico, June 24, 2026, By William Steakin, politico.com.

27. Ibid.

28. Associated Press, June 19, 2026, By Matt Brown, apnews.com.

29. NBC News, June 30, 2026, By Ben Kamisar, nbcnews.com.

30. ABC News, June 28, 2026, By Julia Cherner, abcnews.com.

31. International Institute for Strategic Studies, June 26, 2026, By Dr. Hasan Alhasan, iiss.org.

32. Axios, June 17, 2026, By Axios, axios.com.

33. Truth Social, October 16, 2022, By President Donald J. Trump, truthsocial.com.

34. The Washington Post, June 15, 2026, By Gerry Shih and Lior Soroka, washingtonpost.com.

35. CNBC, June 28, 2026, By Garrett Downs, cnbc.com.

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