Is the Corona virus one of the pestilences that are mentioned in Matthew 24:7?
Probably not
By Craig C. White
There is certainly a lot of public hysteria concerning the Corona virus. The Corona virus is very similar to the virus that causes the common cold, although the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that COVID-19 (Corona virus) is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans. The CDC admits that they don’t know how serious this new disease will be.
In Matthew 24:7 Jesus tells his disciples which events to look for before a terrible time of trouble befalls Jerusalem. Notice that these events do not foretell the Rapture of Church age believers. These events are 1) people claiming to be the Jewish Messiah, 2) wars and rumors of wars, 3) famines, 4) disease outbreaks, 5) many earthquakes in several places. These events are meant to be signs to the Jews in Jerusalem that their enemies will soon overrun the city.
Matthew 24:4 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.
If we look at this list we can see that most of these events are not happening in and around Jerusalem today. There aren’t any Messiah figures stealing the hearts of millions in Israel. There are no significant famines, and contrary to popular belief earthquakes are not occurring anymore than usual. For that matter there hasn’t been any devastating disease outbreak yet. Since these signs are meant to get the attention of the Jews in Jerusalem we should expect all of them to happen at the same time and with notable intensity. I don’t think that we are seeing that today.
That being said; I think that we are awfully near to the time period when all of these things will happen with notable intensity. I think that the nearer that the Turkish Army gets to the Golan Heights, the nearer that Jesus Christ will get to the Golan Heights. In other words Jesus will return to stop a Turkish led invasion into northern Israel. That is what Ezekiel chapter 38 is all about. The Ezekiel 38 “battle of Gog and Magog” is a Turkish led invasion into Israel that is repelled by Jesus Christ personally. According to Ezekiel 38:1-3 Magog is the chief prince or primary governor among the provinces of Turkey.
Ezekiel 38:1-3 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:
The Turkish Army is in northern Syria threatening to attack the Syrian Army and to continue their conquest of Syria even all the way to Damascus. It’s time to look on a map. Damascus is only thirty miles from the Golan Heights of northern Israel. Nahum chapter one describes Jesus Christ coming in a whirlwind of fire to the Golan Heights. In Nahum 1:4 below, Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon all describe the region between Lebanon, Syria, and Israel; namely the Golan Heights.
Nahum 1:3-4 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
The Prophet Jeremiah says that Hamah and Tell Rifaat in northwestern Syria will hear evil reports and then Damascus will be destroyed. Today the Turkish Army is threatening the Syrian Army in Hamah and is also threatening the Kurds in Tell Rifaat. In Jeremiah 49:23 below, Tell Rifaat is called Arpad.
Jeremiah 49:23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
I am much more concerned with Turkey’s conquest of Syria than I am with the Corona virus. Turkey has continued to strengthen their military presence in northwestern Syria despite the latest ceasefire agreement. Turkish President Erdogan has been promising to remove Syrian President Assad from power in Damascus for the past ten years. I think that after Turkey destroys Damascus then they will lead the forces that are now fighting in Syria into the Golan Heights of northern Israel. When they do then Jesus will return to stop them and also to take away Christians. After that you can expect many more famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
High Time to Awake 