WG: Earthquake / Eschatological Signs

Overview

This cluster maps the three Greek words for earth-disturbance signs in the Olivet Discourse and the four-element theophanic formula in Revelation. Two sub-clusters emerge from tool data:

1. Olivet triad — σεισμός + λιμός + λοιμός (earthquake + famine + pestilence) — the signs Jesus lists as "beginning of sorrows" in Matt 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11
2. Theophanic tetrad — σεισμός + ἀστραπή + βροντή + φωνή (earthquake + lightning + thunder + voices) — the judgment climax formula in Rev 8:5, 11:19, 16:18, and anticipated in Rev 4:5

Word Group Members

Strong's	Word	Transliteration	POS	Occurrences	Role in Concept	Library Entry
G4578	σεισμός	seismós	masc. noun	12	The earth-shaking event; center of both sub-clusters	G4578-seismos.md
G796	ἀστραπή	astrapḗ	fem. noun	9	Lightning — theophanic tetrad	TODO(need G796 study)
G1027	βροντή	brontḗ	fem. noun	11	Thunder — theophanic tetrad	G1027-bronte.md
G5456	φωνή	phōnḗ	fem. noun	129	Voice/sound — theophanic tetrad	TODO(need G5456 study)
G3042	λιμός	limós	masc. noun	12	Famine — Olivet triad	TODO(need G3042 study)
G3061	λοιμός	loimós	masc. noun	3	Pestilence — Olivet triad	TODO(need G3061 study)

Relationships

Shared Roots

• No shared Greek root across the group
• σεισμός derives from G4579 σείω (to rock/shake)
• βροντή derives from βρέμω (to roar)
• These are distinct meteorological/geological phenomena grouped by eschatological co-occurrence

Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)

Word A	Word B	Shared Verses	Typical Context
G4578 seismós	G796 astrapḗ	3	Rev 8:5, 11:19, 16:18 — theophanic tetrad
G4578 seismós	G1027 brontḗ	3	Rev 8:5, 11:19, 16:18 — theophanic tetrad
G4578 seismós	G5456 phōnḗ	3	Rev 8:5, 11:19, 16:18 — theophanic tetrad
G4578 seismós	G3042 limós	3	Matt 24:7, Luke 21:11 — Olivet triad
G4578 seismós	G3061 loimós	2	Matt 24:7, Luke 21:11 — Olivet triad
G796 astrapḗ	G1027 brontḗ	4	Rev 4:5, 8:5, 11:19, 16:18 — always paired in theophany
G796 astrapḗ	G5456 phōnḗ	4	Rev 4:5, 8:5, 11:19, 16:18 — always paired in theophany
G1027 brontḗ	G5456 phōnḗ	9	Revelation throughout — thunder + voice almost inseparable
G3042 limós	G3061 loimós	2	Matt 24:7, Luke 21:11 — always paired in Olivet Discourse

Shared Hebrew Sources

Hebrew Word	Strong's	Maps to Greek members
קוֹל (qôwl)	H6963	G5456 phōnḗ (primary), G4578 seismós (shared theophany contexts)
רַעַשׁ (raʻash)	H7494	G4578 seismós (primary LXX equivalent)

Roles in the Concept

• Earth disturbance: σεισμός (G4578) — the ground-shaking event; center of both sub-clusters
• Sky phenomena 1: ἀστραπή (G796) — flashing lightning; paired with thunder
• Sky phenomena 2: βροντή (G1027) — rolling thunder; always co-occurs with astrapḗ in Revelation
• Auditory signal: φωνή (G5456) — voices/sounds; the broadest word (129 occurrences), here functioning as the divine utterance accompanying theophany
• Earthly catastrophe 1: λιμός (G3042) — famine; paired with pestilence in Olivet Discourse
• Earthly catastrophe 2: λοιμός (G3061) — pestilence/plague; smallest word in group (3 occurrences)

Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together

• Matt 24:7 — [G4578 + G3042 + G3061] "there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places"
• Luke 21:11 — [G4578 + G3042 + G3061] "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences"
• Rev 4:5 — [G796 + G1027 + G5456] "out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices" (anticipatory formula)
• Rev 8:5 — [G4578 + G796 + G1027 + G5456] "there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake" (full tetrad — first trumpet coda)
• Rev 11:19 — [G4578 + G796 + G1027 + G5456] "lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail" (full tetrad — seventh trumpet coda)
• Rev 16:18 — [G4578 + G796 + G1027 + G5456] "voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth" (full tetrad — seventh bowl, climactic)

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Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py Last updated: 2026-04-02