Pandemics and calamities in Biblical Prophecy: COVID-19 in Context.
I’m compiling material aimed at tracking pandemics and calamities in history and their place in biblical prophecy.
- Pandemics and other Natural Disasters: What is their place in biblical history and prophecy?
- The Corona Virus: is it God’s judgment of humankind?
The topics above have occupied humankind both believers in God and non-believers especially over the last few months since November, 2019. Often, the immediate response within christendom has been that calamities and pandemics are natural consequences of sin. That being said, what is God’s role in all this? Does God work through these natural calamities to impose judgement on sinful humankind? Could it be said that God simply allows the natural consequences of man’s original sin to flow unchecked? These are questions we all need to embrace and confront.
Then there is the question of whether or not pandemics are a sign of the time of the end preceding the Second Advent of Christ. A panel discussion presented by a group affiliated with Andrews University on April 25, 2020 attempted to answer some of these questions and I would encourage all to watch it at: www.facebook.com/lakeunionherald/The Church and the Coronavirus: Natural Disaster, Human Folly, or Divine Judgement? We need talking points that can be used to drive significant discussions on these matters that are upon us.
Be it as it may, pandemics are a sure sign of the times of the end. In the book Prophet and Kings (p. 277), the author elaborates that prior to the Second Advent of Christ, pandemics and other calamities shall follow each other in rapid succession. In the wake of those days, human beings shall be perplexed by the rate at which these pandemics shall follow each other. It shall be that while many are perplexed by one pandemic, more pandemics shall strike with even more gravity almost simultaneously.
With regard to Covid-19, there is no question that it qualifies to be characterized as a pandemic. Are we likely to see more pandemics follow Covid-19 in rapid succession as it was earlier alluded to? We don’t know for a fact but being a virus, it would not be surprising if it keeps resurfacing in different forms that will continue to pose a challenge to researchers and other health professionals.
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Thanks for sharing. Feel free to introduce yourself so we can continue to interact on several matters related to this topic and others. Also, if you have Reverend Radford’s complete material on the topic please share it with me. Thanks.
Below are more details and examples on these key points as discussed in the Anglican Alliance global consultation. The prayer for this time of COVID-19 is from the Mothers Union. Building hope and sustaining a sense of community: This was seen as a key role for the Church. Revd Gina Radford said: “We are in uncharted territory. As church we must have a voice of peace and reassurance, as the one certainty we can hold onto is that God is with us and we must not lose sight of this amongst the panic.” This time is an important opportunity for the Church to connect with God’s holistic mission in the world.