Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison took a knee when confronted by a group of protesters of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Bettison complied with the enraged protesters’ demands, later saying he did so for “tactical reasons,” apparently since a kneeling policeman threatens no action against anyone. Bettison said he did so because he “didn’t want any violence.”
Have you ever wondered during the past few months if the seven-year tribulation has already begun? I know that it hasn’t yet started because Scripture says that we will be with the Lord before the antichrist establishes a covenant with Israel that starts the clock ticking for this time of God’s wrath (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:3-8).
As the coronavirus swept across China in early 2020, several news outlets posted stories about the Chinese government laundering money – not in a traditional sense, but in a literal sense. With so many people touching paper currency, China cleaned and disinfected vast amounts. In other parts of the world, where governments haven’t taken similar measures, many are making a personal choice to avoid paper currency because they’re afraid of contracting the coronavirus. This fear of virus-tainted paper money is only the latest event driving the world toward an all-digital financial system.
Some prophecy teachers believe that God has allowed the current Coronavirus Crisis to reveal that the Tribulation Period and New World Order (World Government, World Religion, Mark of the Beast, Rev. 13:7-8, etc.) are close (and by implication the Rapture is closer) and the need to draw near to God is urgent.
Prophecy writers have been preaching the soon return of Jesus Christ and we wonder how soon? The indicators of the soon return of our Lord are all around us, but it has been fuzzy, but grows much clearer as time passes. Much like a picture developed in a dark room, as we see the image slowly coming into view. News reports have been coming fast and furious in the last few weeks, and from this perspective, I see the puzzle of end time events growing much more into focus with each passing day.
The current coronavirus outbreak is not an event prophesied in the Bible for the seven-year Tribulation. The world simply hasn’t entered that time period yet. However, it is significant to Bible prophecy, because it sets the stage for the near-term fulfillment of many end-times Bible prophecies. This isn’t surprising. Politicians take advantage of times of turmoil, disaster, and fear to implement changes people otherwise wouldn’t accept. Here are just a few things to expect in the days ahead:
Hurricane season brings the phenomenon known as a “steering mechanism.” I’m no meteorologist, of course, but know enough to understand that, in the United States, winds aloft blowing from west to east have an effect on hurricanes approaching our mainland from the Atlantic.
There are several aspects of the China coronavirus pandemic that have prophetic underpinnings. It certainly is a type and shadow of an end time pestilence, which could result in a great famine, as prophesied by Christ in Matthew 24:7, “…and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in diverse places.” Since this coronavirus has been on the radar, there have been some 33 earthquakes in California, Oklahoma, Tennessee, the Carolinas, New York and Maine. But when we are talking about the specifics of prophecy, it is not about America. It is about Israel. We need to remember that. Yes, prophecy affects America and vice versa, and you and I, but it is centered on Israel and the return of Christ.
China’s coronavirus is a revealer of prophetic events, perhaps a type and shadow of what is to come. We have seen just how small the world is. Humanity is globally connected in this 21st Century. What happens in China can determine what happens in Ohio, or even in a small rural community in Africa. We can see how quickly devastation, panic, economic disaster, sickness and death can occur. If it gets worse and worse, we could see how nations can rise up against nations and how famines and wars could quickly develop. The tighter food and medical supplies become, the more likely the love of many shall wax cold. Neighbor could turn against neighbor, family member against family member. This is prophetic.