Milk 2 (to) Solid Food

COVID-19 - Is this a sign of the beginning of the end?

This is a common question in light of Revelation 6:8, which forecasts deaths all over the globe by sword, famine and plague, and Jesus' words about the events before the end times in Luke 21:11: There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. Here is a short summary on the matter.

As with many major events in the news a stock market crash, Middle East crisis, worldwide pandemic, the Backstreet Boys back on tour or anything to do with the British royal family many Christians wonder if these are prophetic events or signs of the end times. While some of these may play a part in the whole prophetic landscape, most of these, if not all, are not biblically-prophesied events.

Granted, one should always be watchful of events in the Middle East, especially Israel, and we should all live in the expectation of Christ's return, but it is naturally tempting to view events through the hysteria created by the media and those not familiar with the Bible, as specific catastrophic prophetic happenings.

It has been pointed out that in the last 25 years there have been 3 major stock market crashes (1987, 1999 and 2008) and at least 8 global health epidemics (SARS, H1N1, Ebola, etc). This is not to make light of the current financial and health crisis, these are real and tragic circumstances, but they, at best, may play a role in prophetic events but have not, in themselves, been specifically Biblically prophesied.

However, the Bible is clear that we are living in the last days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. The Bible lays out a number of signs or indicators of the conditions of the last days mockers of Christians and Jews, persecution, rampant evil and corrupt living, cults and spiritualism, diseases, natural disasters, apostasy, just to name a few.

Suffice it to say that, as believers, we should endeavor to live confident that God is in control (no matter what it seems like), that He has a plan for our lives and our world, and that He will be with us no matter what we go through. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 and "Greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world" 1 John 4:4.