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Is the Cornavirus a Sign of the End Times?

But, if not one of the seven plagues of God’s wrath, could it be a sign of the end times? Again, I do not believe so. In the 14^th century, the Black Plague killed 30-60% of the population of Europe. In 1918 the Spanish Flu, another coronavirus, killed 50-100 million people worldwide. Joseph Stalin is credited with killing 20 million people. Mao Zedong is estimated to be responsible for the deaths of up to 45 million people. Estimates are around 20 million deaths in World War 1 and 75 million in World War 2.

People going through these deadly periods in the past have frequently looked to it as a sign of the end. But it was not. While the death toll for COVID-19 could potentially approach that of the Spanish Flu, there is no reason to suspect that it is heralding the end either.

Ultimately, we do not know when the end will come. In Matthew 24 Jesus warns us that there will be many signs that will appear to point to the end. But they are just looking forward to the end, not the end itself.

“Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:4-8).

While Jesus did not specifically mention viruses here, I believe it is safe to include them since they are just as devastating as those events he did mention. History is replete with plagues, wars, and natural disasters that kill large numbers of people. But none of these has been a sign of the end.

As Christians, How Should We Respond to COVID-19?

While COVID-19 is likely not one of the seven last plagues of Revelation, nor a sign of the end times, it is still very real. And as Christians, we need to respond appropriately to it.

The first thing that we should do is to follow the directions of our government and medical experts. Keep your hands clean. Avoid crowds. Keep your distance from other people. Take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen relationships within your family.

But, as Christians, there is more that we can do. Take the time you have while off from school or work to work on your relationship with God. Pray, read and study your Bible, and practice spiritual disciplines. Reach out to your neighbors. Even while taking all of the appropriate precautions, you can still be in contact with your neighbor and let them know you care and are available to help them. And be a quiet calming influence on those you connect with online. There is much fear-mongering and fake news circulating about this virus. Rather than fuel the anxiety that is going around, share the love of Christ.

Remember that this will be behind us someday. It is not the end. Live in such a way now that you glorify God. And, when this is over, your response to this virus and social disruption will continue to bear testimony to the goodness and love of God.