Two recent calamities have evoked shock and sympathy from around the world. The first was in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The second was in China.

Striking Myanmar's Irriwaddy delta area on May 2 and 3 with winds as high as 150 mph, Cyclone Nargis was the third-deadliest Asian cyclone of the past fifty years. It drove ashore a massive ocean surge that devastated an area approximately the size of Austria. Intermittent monsoon rains continue to compound the misery.

As of this writing, the official toll of the dead and missing already exceeds 133,000 people. The ultimate toll will be much higher as another 2.5 million desperate people were left without food, safe drinking water, medical supplies, sanitation, clothing and shelter. Equally distressing has been the reluctance of Myanmar's military government to allow large-scale foreign relief efforts to deliver food and supplies to the ravaged villages.

On May 12, southwestern China was jolted with a 7.9 earthquake that was centered in its Sichuan province. As of this writing, officials estimate the number of deaths at over 50,000 and the number of injured at over 220,000. Over 4 million homes were shattered across the quake area. Dozens of aftershocks have multiplied the damage and terrified the survivors. Sichuan province is the most populated part of China—home to 87 million people.

This earthquake is China's worst since 1976 when 242,000 people were killed by the Tangshan quake. Even the people of Beijing, China's capital, 960 miles from the quake's center, and Bangkok, Thailand, 1200 miles away, felt the shaking.

China's government proclaimed a three-day period of mourning starting at 2:28 p.m. on Monday, May 19—exactly one week after the killer quake struck. The Olympic torch relay, a significant symbol of national pride and publicity that anticipates the Beijing games in August, will also be suspended during the mourning period. Especially heartbreaking has been the news of many, many children being buried in the debris and rubble of collapsed school buildings.

The extensive death and damage was due to several factors. The area was densely populated. The quake's epicenter was shallow—only six miles deep. The region's mountainous strata are exceptionally hard, allowing seismic waves to travel far before diminishing in strength. Villages at the base of mountains were partly buried by massive landslides. And the poorly constructed buildings made them susceptible to collapse.

In contrast to Myanmar, China deserves credit for opening its doors to offers of emergency aid from around the world. And the Chinese government has exerted massive efforts for search and rescue, for clearing rubble and for bringing supplies to the refugees.

However, even these relief efforts have been greatly hampered by so few access roads, collapsed buildings, torrential rains and other factors. The need to provide safe drinking water, food, medicines, tents and other supplies is still urgent as the danger of disease outbreaks escalates.

Every time we hear of such catastrophic events, we are reminded of how vulnerable we are to injury and death. Life is indeed very fragile. And the Bible reveals that disasters will increase. In describing events of the end time, Jesus warned that "there will be great earthquakes in various places" as well as other destructive disasters (Luke 21:11).

Consider this observation from Solomon: "For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them" (Ecclesiastes 9:12). How true this is! None of us knows precisely when the end of our life will occur.

So our primary focus should extend beyond our present temporary existence. The Bible teaches, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:19-21).

How and when will the dead be resurrected? Will all of those who have perished in recent disasters be resurrected?

Why is a resurrection of the dead even necessary to complete God's plan for mankind? And how significant is it to you and your loved ones?