I’ve been asked by a few people recently in light of the Covid-19 crisis if I think that ‘the end of the world is nigh.’ The Bible has a fair bit to say about the end of the world.
The book of Revelation the last book in the Bible speaks of the end of days. A scroll will be opened (Revelation chapter 5). Seven seals will be opened (Revelation chapter 6). Seven trumpets will be sounded (Revelation chapters 8 & 9; the 7th trumpet is sounded in Revelation chapter 11 verse 15). All of these reveal there are a lot worse things to come than Covid-19 which is affecting most countries in the world at this present time.
Jesus was asked by His disciples when the end would come in Matthew chapter 24.
Matthew chapter 24 verse 3 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?
Jesus answered them over the rest of the chapter.
A few of the verses are as follows
Matthew 24 verse 6 And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet. Matthew 24 verse 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. Matthew 24 verse 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24 verse 9 Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name’s sake.
Verse 7 tells of pestilences, famines and earthquakes. All of these have occurred in recent memory. Covid-19 is currently affecting most of the world. There are also huge swarms of Locusts destroying crops in Africa (https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2020-africa-locusts/). In the past 365 days there have been 63,814 recorded earthquakes (https://earthquaketrack.com/recent) & 73 volcanic eruptions (Smithsonian Institution). It is also true to say that the earth has always had earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, pestilence and locust swarms. The difference now being that in Luke chapter 21 verse 24 Jesus said, And they shall fall by the sword’s edge. And shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the nations until the times of the nations is fulfilled. After Jesus’s death and resurrection Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman legions in 70ad. The Israelites who survived were exiled and scattered around the world. In 1948 Israel became a sovereign nation again. In 1967 Jerusalem came under Israeli rule and it can be said that the times of the nations has been fulfilled.
Verse 8 tells of the beginning of sorrows some translations say beginning of birth pangs. Indicating that there is more to come.
Verse 9 tells of Christians being afflicted and killed. This is happening in several parts of the world (https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14573/persecution-christians-may-2019). Again the only difference between historic and present persecutions is that Jerusalem came under Israeli control in 1967.
It is my personal belief that we are living in the beginning of sorrows and there is still time before the end comes. Although neither I nor anyone else can lay claim to knowing when the end will come. As Jesus said in:- Matthew chapter 24 verse 36 But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels of Heaven, but only My Father.
Stay safe during these challenging times.
Bible quotes taken from the Modern King James version