Interlaced throughout the category of end times prophecy (eschatology) on this blog site, are signs that we are nearing the end of the church age. They are signs of the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We recently considered the beheadings mentioned in Revelation 20:4 as a fifteenth sign, and that leads us up to number sixteen. This sign deals with the pestilences mentioned in the Bible. The following article was taken from the Peace River Shopper advertisement directory, page 15, September 23, 2014. How wonderful it was to read such a fine Biblical article in a secular publication. I will print the article exactly as it was written in the Peace River Shopper:
Are Pestilences Predicted From The Bible Here Already?
Jesus Christ predicted long ago that one of the signs that would precede His return would be pestilences on a global scale- Matthew 24:37, Luke 21:11. Just what is a pestilence? The dictionary tells us any fatal contagious disease or an epidemic of such a disease. A plague which is likely to cause death. Pestilence are dangerous to the welfare of societies. We need to be alert to these prophecies coming alive today.
History reveals that epidemics have crumbled empires, nations and defeated armies. They have forever changed the way we live. Epidemics in the past arrived unexpectedly and spread death and devastation all over the world. In the middle ages we had leprosy, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid, polio and small pox. The worst one ever to hit our world in the early 1300’s was the bubonic plague or the Black Death that killed 1/3 of the population of Europe, 30 million people.
Most of these diseases have been cured but are slowly coming back. But today we have new ones coming on fast. Today we have many different flu epidemics, sars, mers, and many more. Just this year the mosquito born virus chikiungunya is on the rampage as is malaria. For many of these new viruses there is no vaccine available. The Ebola virus is now a very infectious disease and very contagious. Warmer temperatures have expanded the rage of mosquitoes to spread their viruses. The West Nile Virus is another pestilence that attacks the central nervous system.
Health officials are very worried about this situation. Our global population has never been so vulnerable to rapid transmission of disease. Mass movements of people dislocated by wars and political turmoil. The contamination of water supplies that follow natural disasters all contribute to the spread of infectious diseases. Drug resistant tuberculosis, another major killer is spreading fast in the blighted areas of eastern Europe, Russia, Asia and Africa. Pesticide resistant mosquitoes and antibiotic resistant parasites makes these diseases hard to treat and control.
Even with modern medical technology warnings of deadly epidemics on a global scale are becoming more frequent indicating that ancient Bible prophecies are coming alive right now. By seeing all these events happening folks, this tells me Jesus Christ is very near to come back to our world. I know there are scoffers out there who don’t believe this, but as events unfold we all will be affected. I pray for all who read this article your heart and eyes may be opened.
Even Steven 