While the swine flu remains center stage and a worldwide concern, two more strains of animal-borne flu have seen a rise in the US: the dog flu and the equine virus, or horse flu.
In Revelation 6 we see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride. The Pale horse kills a fourth of the earth with disease attributed to war, hunger and the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8). The deadliest fast-spreading diseases of our time come from animals, including Ebola (monkeys), AIDS (green monkey virus), avian flu (birds), and the above diseases, among many others.
Reuters (via FoxNews.com) reports scientists in the US now believe that the human form of mad cow disease can spread through farmed fish, putting millions of shoppers and diners at risk of contracting the disease.
An increase in pestilences was one of the signs Jesus said to look for to know His return was near (Matthew 24:7). Climaxing during the Tribulation, these disease will come through animals (Revelation 6:8) and may include mad cow, swine flu, Avian flu, AIDS, and other animal-borne illnesses.
These three headlines caught my attention because they provide a perfect picture of where the world is headed:
- Gold sold like chocolate from vending machines
- UN: World hunger reaches 1 billion
- Brazil finds new strain of swine flu
During the Tribulation, gold will become so worthless that men will toss it into the trash bin (Ezekiel 7:19; James 5:1-4). It gets so bad that a whole days wages only buys one meal (Revelation 6:6). This will coincide with great famine that will kill 2 billion people (Revelation 6:8). This starvation will partly be caused by diseases that come from animals, such as the swine flu, Avian flu, AIDS, and Ebola (Revelation 6:8). It isn’t happening now, but it will happen soon!
As expected, the World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic this morning, the first such proclamation in 41 years. In the US there has now been 10 states with confirmed swine flu deaths, and health officials are worried that the number of illnesses among young people is an ominous sign.
Scientists have also identified a new Ebola-like virus in Africa. Dubbed the Lujo virus, the bug comes from rodents.
In Revelation 6 we see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride. The Pale horse kills a fourth of the earth with disease attributed to war, hunger and the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8). The deadliest fast-spreading diseases of our time come from animals, including Ebola (monkeys), AIDS (green monkey virus), avian flu (birds), and the above diseases, among many others.
I don’t think this is going to happen, but the biblical coincidence is fascinating. The WHO said Thursday that one-third of the world may catch the swine flu, an interesting figure by Tribulation measure. As the Tribulation unfolds in Revelation, most judgments have an affect in thirds. For example, in Revelation 8:7-12, we see a succession of “thirds” as part of the opening of the seventh seal: a third of trees are burned; a third of the sea becomes blood; a third of all sea creatures die; a third of ships are destroyed; a third of water becomes polluted and bitter; and finally in verse 12, a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.
This theme continues throughout the book, such as with a third of mankind being killed (Revelation 9:15, 18), and a third of all angels becoming demons (Revelation 12:4). Alas, the one spot where it is not one-third, but instead one-forth, is when the pale horse of Revelation 6:8 kills a quarter of the earth’s population, including by diseases that come from animals, such as AIDS, avian flu, or the current swine flu scare. Perhaps it will be something like the flesh-eating bug that recently killed a Mediterranean tourist.
It is just a coincidence and likely an overblown scare, but given the rest of the headlines from the world, something similar will be true soon enough.
