Update on Coronavirus 2020

I am asked constantly these days what I think about the coronavirus and what does it say about where we are on the prophetic clock. I believe we are in the “beginning of sorrows” times Jesus spoke of in this text:

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:6-8 (bold mine)

In this text Jesus is responding to a specific question from the disciples as to the time of the end and the signs of His coming. Jesus began His response by telling them the things that would be happening on the earth as preliminary end times signs. In other words, when these things begin happening, you can know you are in the end times and you can also know that things will be getting much worse soon.

Every single thing Jesus said would happen in Matthew 24:6-8 has been happening for some time and is happening currently - including pestilences. The coronavirus is a worldwide pandemic that is definitely an end times sign. Having said that, I don’t believe we are anywhere in the Tribulation chapters in the book of Revelation.

The Four Horsemen?

I am asked if I believe we are at the four horsemen of the apocalypse of Revelation chapter six. No, I don’t. The four horsemen of Revelation chapter six announce the unleashing of the wrath of God on the earth. Later in Revelation six we find this text:

I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Revelation 6:12-17 (bold mine)

The Tribulation is wrath such as the world has never seen before. Right now with the coronavirus we are concerned about the possible death of millions of people worldwide. That is a very serious thing but it doesn’t qualify for the Tribulation. For example, here is one of the horsemen of the apocalypse described in Revelation chapter six:

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8 (bold mine)

This is just the beginning of the Tribulation chapters of the book of Revelation and we see in just two verses the death of one-fourth of mankind. Then later, in Revelation chapter nine, three plagues kill one-third of mankind. (Revelation 9:18) And there are many other plagues and deaths in the Tribulation. Over one-half of mankind will be killed during the Tribulation.

So, I believe we are definitely living in the end times and that the coronavirus we are all experiencing right now is a very serious thing. But I personally believe it is a part of the chorus of worldwide catastrophes Jesus described as the beginning of sorrows that is announcing the soon return of Jesus for His Church and then the real sorrow will begin as God pours out His wrath on the earth.

Stay tuned. More to come this week…