Coronavirus is not the End of the World
My granddaughter asked me the question last week: “Is Coronavirus the end of the world?” I told her that Coronavirus is not the end of the world and showed her why according to the Bible. I suppose a lot of other people are asking that same question as we face a crisis like we have never seen before. To make things worse, some health professionals are predicting that what we see now may be just a preview of new waves of Coronavirus that could strike cities across the United States in coming months, though we pray that is not the case.
There are still so many unknown factors about this virus that make it impossible to know what the final outcome might be. It is also impossible to know how it will ultimately impact the economy. However, it is pretty certain the way we live will be changed forever. Even though I don’t believe it is the end of the world, it could very well be the beginning of the end. It could very well be the beginning of sorrows that Jesus spoke of in Matthew’s gospel.
In trying to decide how to approach this crisis from a Biblical prospective, I thought of how Jesus responded to His disciples when asked what were the signs of His coming and the end of the world in Matthew chapter 24. This chapter is very relevant to what we see happening today, fear, uncertainty and hopelessness and provides some encouragement and comfort.
In Matthew chapter 24, beginning with verse 3 and reading through verse 8: “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
The disciples were interested in signs indicating when Jesus would return, and the end of the world, so Jesus was telling them some of the things to expect before those events would take place. Obviously, they were seeking something to place their hope in, just as many of us are today.
Today the world thinks its hope is in finding a vaccine for the Coronavirus, and I certainly hope they do. However, the truth is, our hope is not in a vaccine, science, technology, a rebounding economy, or even the 2 trillion dollars stimulus package that President Trump just signed into law. The only hope for this world is in Jesus Christ and the second coming. Jesus mentioned 5 things that would take place before His second coming and the end of the world. I think He means a convergence and intensification of these things, not just their presence, since they have always been present. I want to show you how these things may be unfolding before our very eyes:
Jesus says, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”Since the 18th century many have claimed to be Christ, some 41 people in all. Some have garnered quite a following, deceiving many.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: See that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” The total number of deaths caused by war, during the 20th Century, has been estimated at 187 million and is probably much higher. A lot of people die from Disease or hunger because of war. The number of ongoing conflicts each year has risen. There have been close to 50 wars since the Korean war of 1950; many have been smaller and more contained geographically, less nation against nation and more kingdom against kingdom or tribe against tribe.
“And there shall be famines,” There are approximately 21,000 deaths each day from starvation worldwide, that is 15 people every minute. There is a shortage of food around the world and scientist are wondering, as the population of the world increases, how it will be possible to feed over 9 billion people by 2050. Sadly, today Americans throw away enough food to feed those that are hungry in the rest of the world.
“And [there shall be] pestilences,” Today pestilence induced infectious disease remains the world’s leading cause of death, killing over 50 million people each year. There have been several new pestilences (viruses) added in my lifetime. The World Health Organization warns: “Much of the progress achieved in recent decades towards improving human health is now at risk. We stand on the brink of a global crisis in infectious diseases. No country is safe.” By the way, this was written in 1996 long before the Coronavirus.
“And [there shall be] earthquakes, in divers places.” Earthquakes have increased drastically in the past 100 years. According to The Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at the University of Memphis, “Earth is an active place and earthquakes are always happening somewhere. In fact, the National Earthquake Information Center locates about 12,000-14,000 earthquakes each year! On average, Magnitude 2 and smaller earthquakes occur several hundred times a day world-wide. Major earthquakes, greater than magnitude 7, happen more than once per month. “Great earthquakes”, magnitude 8 and higher, occur about once a year.” I realize that detection devices have improved over the years, but still, the increase of earthquakes over the past 100 years is incredible.
The summation of what Jesus is saying is found in verse 8: “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” It is implied that the beginning of sorrows is what leads to the beginning of the end and ultimately the end. So, the question is, what should we do? First, it is important to notice what Jesus says we should do in verse 6: “Be ye not troubled.” Jesus is telling us, even though “the beginning of sorrows” will come, not to let it trouble us who belong to Him. Do you know why Jesus said “Be ye not troubled?” because the beginning of sorrows leads to the joy of His second coming.
There is another passage of Scripture that relates closely to verse 6 above: In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, we read, 7 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the LORD Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”
Another reference is in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 1 “Now we beseech you, brethren by the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means:”
Dr. Adrien Rogers preached a three-point message on these verses concerning the second coming of Christ and the end of the world; it is one of the greatest sermons I’ve ever heard. Here are the main 3 points: “We need not be Disturbed; We must not be deceived; We will not be Disappointed.” You can watch it on You Tube. The title is “The Beginning of the End.”
Understand this: We can’t stop what Jesus said was surely to come to pass, but we can prepare.
I don’t mean by hoarding, which I believe is wrong and is symptomatic of the world’s greed and self-centeredness. Hoarders don’t seem to understand or care that a lot of people have to do without because of their hoarding. It is neither by social distancing, even though that is a practical way to mitigate the spread of a virus. Isn’t it strange that we were once told that socializing and developing relationships was the key to life, but now we are told that it is dangerous to life?
The kind of preparation I’m speaking of is a spiritual preparation, as outlined in the Bible book of Ephesians. That is the only way that we can stand against the wickedness that Satan is propagating and proliferating on the world today.
In Ephesians 6:11-18, we read, 11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Here are the key words of this passage, words you are not likely to hear from the news media. Also, notice how foreign they are to the world’s way of thinking. Here they are: Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, Salvation, word of God, prayer and perseverance.
Those words are directed to those who know God, and are at peace with Him; to have peace with God is to know the peace of God which passeth all understanding; it is the peace that keeps us through all the sorrows and crises of life. If you don’t have peace with God and would like to know how to be spiritually prepared in these times of unrest, and how to know God and His peace, CLICK HERE for step by step instructions. May the peace of God be with each of you through this crisis.
Written by Jimmie Burroughs