Speaking of the end times, the prophet Joel said one of the signs that Jesus’ second coming was imminent was the appearance of columns of smoke towering up into the sky.

Of course, the columns of smoke speak of volcanic eruptions and by having columns in the plural, Joel indicated there would be many eruptions.

I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire, and columns of smoke. (Joel 2:30 NASV)

And by adding the word blood, the prophet also warned that people would be dying as a result of these eruptions.

And over the past few days we have had four volcanoes spring into action, including three in Guatemala.

Mount Etna in Italy erupted twice, Fox News explains:

Teams in Italy worked to clean up the area surrounding Mount Etna Wednesday after the volcano spewed lava, ash and volcanic stones.

Municipal teams largely anticipated activity from Etna, Europe’s most active volcano. Authorities shut down areas around the crater Tuesday, but the activity still forced the temporary closure of nearby Sicily’s Catania Airport.

READ: Mount Etna in Italy erupts twice in 48 hours, photos show

And three volcanoes exploded simultaneously in Guatemala. Israel 365 writes:

Guatemala’s three most active volcanoes have magnificently erupted simultaneously. The last time the phenomenon occurred was in 2018. That event took the lives of hundreds of locals when communities were hit by gas, ash, and rock.

READ: Three volcanoes erupt at the Same time in Guatemala

Believe it or not, some are looking upon volcanoes as a good thing, and state they are the reason why the world has stopped warming over the past couple of decades. READ: Could volcanoes help slow global warming?

And Joel also spoke of this when he said in the next verse because of these columns of smoke, the sun would turn dark and the moon blood-red:

The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood, (Joel 2:31 NASV)

There will be so much volcanic activity that it would begin to impact the brightness of the sun, that will result in a definite cooling of the earth. The moon would also turn blood-red because of the ash in the air.

But what Joel foresaw coming is much more serious than we see today.