Is The Coronavirus an Apocalyptic Event?

INTRODUCTION:

Students of the Bible Book Apocalypse (Revelation) ask:

Is the Coronavirus an Apocalyptic event?

       

Before my answer I have to clarify that there are 4 Schools of Interpretation of the last Book of the Bible the Apocalypse or Revelation:

1. PRETERIST: believes that the Apocalypse (Revelation) was fulfilled in the year 70 A.D with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and in events of the Early Church period.

2. HISTORIC: believes that Apocalypse is an analysis of the entire History of the Church when going through tribulation and persecution.

3. IDEALIST: interprets Apocalypse symbolically, as a non-literal exposition of the battle between God and the forces of evil.

4. FUTURIST: understand that Revelation 4 to 22 prophesies future events focused especially on the end of human history.

I follow the Futurist Interpretation School.

I PART:

If it is true that the events from chapter 4 of the Apocalypse are future (that is to say Apocalyptic) is the Coronavirus an Apocalyptic event?

I mean, is Coronavirus part of the Apocalyptic events reported from chapter 4 of the Apocalypse (Revelation) to chapter 22?

Let's see the question of the disciples and Jesus's answer:

Matthew 24:3 When Jesus was on the Mount of Olives, the disciples addressed him in private and said, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?"

In Matthew 24, in response to the disciples's question, Jesus speaks about 2 distinct STEPS connected with His Coming and the End Times which is after all the theme of the Book of Revelation.

In Matthew 24:1-8 Jesus, prophesying the first events connected to do with His Coming and the End Times, He calls these first events - Beginning of Sorrows:

                    

Matthew 24:8 "But all these things are the Beginning of Sorrows".

So, Jesus calls the FIRST STEP - The Beginning of Sorrows.

Continuing, in Matthew 24:8-24, Jesus prophesies the events that follow and in verse 21 calls these events - The Great Tribulation.

Matthew 24:21 For there will then be a Great Tribulation, as there has never been from the beginning of the world until now, nor will there ever be.

So, Jesus calls the SECOND STEP - The Great Tribulation.

And it is in fact with the Great Tribulation that the Apocalypse begins and we see these events prophesied from Revelation chapter 4.

However, Futurists still believe that between the Beginning of Sorrows and the Great Tribulation there is the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.

The Rapture of the Church

In this way, the Church will not go through the Great Tribulation. 

When the Apocalypse begins, by that time, the Rapture of the Church has already taken place and the Church is already in Heaven, with Jesus.

In this way we can say that the Coronavirus is not an Apocalyptic event, because the Apocalypse has not started yet.

However, the Coronavirus can be part of the Beginning of the Sorrows, reported in Matthew 24:1-8 because everything indicates that we are already in the times Jesus called Beginning of the Sorrows.

And, the Coronavirus may even be one of the last relevant events of the Beginning of the Sorrows, because it is a Universal event that affects all Nations.

If so, the Rapture of the Church is just around the corner and the world will soon pass through the Great Tribulation.

II PART:

In the Great Tribulation:

Firstly, all indicate that there is a phase of 3 1/2 years that we can call Pre-Tribulation Mathew 24:9-20 and Revelation 4 a 11. 

Secondly, there is another phase of 3 1/2 years, when:

1. The Dragon is thrown out from heaven to earth Revelation 12:7-12.

2. The Beast 666 appears Revelation 13:1

3. The False Prophet appears Revelation 13:11

The 3 together: the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet will form a World Government. 

And the World will know then the Truly Great Tribulation.

And then the 7 angels will pour out the 7 Bowls of the Wrath of God on the earth Revelation 15.

In this case we see 5 STEPS:

1 STEP the Beginning of Sorrows.

2 STEP the Rapture of the Church.

3 STEP Pre-Tribulation (3 1/2 years)

4 STEP the Great Tribulation (3 1/2 years)

5 STEP The Coming of Christ

III PART:

Notice that the events of the End of the World begin to be prophesied in chapter 4 of the Apocalypse (Revelation).

From chapter 4 to 11, the 7 Seals are open.  

And after the 7 Trumpets sound

This is the phase of the Pre-Tribulation 3 1/2 years.

Only in Revelation 12 we see of the war between the angels of God and the dragon, which is Satan, who is precipitated from heaven to earth.

And in chapter 13:1 the Beast 666 appears and 13:11 the False Prophet appears.

The Beast 666, the False Prophet and the Dragon form the Satanic Trinity, and their activity together is against God and the believers from the Great Tribulation.

In chapter 15 is the appearance of the 7 angels that will pour out the 7 Bowls of the Wrath of God on the earth. 

When the Dragon, the Beast 666 and the False Prophet will form a Government that will Reign over the Whole World. 

Everything seems to indicate that the phase of the Kingdom of the Beast will be 3 1/2 years. 

So, the total of the Pre-Tribulation and Great Tribulation will be 7 years.

From chapter 4 to 10 of Revelation is the Pre-Tribulation of 3 1/2 years. 

From chapter 11 to 18 is the Great Tribulation of 3 1/2 years.

7 years in total.

But, we can call The Great Tribulation to the 7 years, as Christ says in Matthew 24:21 'and then there will be a Great Tribulation ...' it seems that Christ is referring to the period of the 7 years.

Some Theologians call 7 years to the Great Tribulation. 

They don't say that the Great Tribulation has 2 phases of 3 1/2 years each phase, the Pre-Tribulation and then the Great Tribulation.

But, some theologians who believe in the 3 1/2 years Pre-Tribulation, also believe that the RAPTURE of the Church will only be after the Pre-Tribulation.

So, if the Church will go through the 3 1/2 years of Pre-Tribulation and only before the Satanic Trinity arrives, when the 3 1/2 of the Great Tribulation starts, the Rapture of the Church will take place.

In this case, the Church is not going through the last 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation in which, in addition to being the reign of the Beast, False Prophet and the Devil, we see that the 7 Bowls of God's Wrath will be poured out on the earth Revelation 16.

IV PART:

In this case, if the Rapture of the Church is taken place after the Pre-Tribulation, the order will be:

1. STEP - The Beginning of Sorrows

2. STEP - Pre-Tribulation (3 1/2 years)

3. STEP - The Rapture of the Church

4. STEP - The Great Tribulation (3 1/2 years)

5. STEP - The Return of Christ.

In this case, if we are now going now through the 3 1/2 years of the Pre-Tribulation, the Coronavirus is already an Apocalyptic event of the Pre-Tribulation.

Who knows?

However, I believe that the Church is not going at all through the 7 years of the Pre-Tribulation, followed by the Great Tribulation.

The Rapture of the Church, I believe, will be at the end of the Beginning of Sorrows.

Seen from this point of view, the Coronavirus is not an Apocalyptic event, but it can be one of the last events of the Beginning of Sorrows.

In any case, whether we are in the Beginning of the Sorrows or in the Pre-Tribulation, the Coronavirus indicates that we are very close to the Rapture of the Church.

Of course, if we are at the end of the Beginning of Sorrows or already going through the Pre-Tribulation, the Rapture of the Church is coming soon. It could be in a few years time, I think!?

CONCLUSION:

Is the Coronavirus an Apocalyptic event?

Some think that the Coronavirus was created in laboratories in China or in the USA with the aim of creating in the world this pandemic that we are witnessing.

They believe that there are very rich people behind everything and governments that have the objective of obtaining financial profits and also the control of the World through a Global Government.

Many say that this is not a Pandemic but a PLANDEMIC that started in the USA.

It is true that there is a lot of skepticism about this Coronavirus Pandemic and a very mysterious behavior by politicians, wealthy people, world health services, pharmaceutical industries etc.


But it could be that the Coronavirus appeared naturally from original sin and from the curses God cast on Satan, man and the earth.

Anyway, Satan and wicked men will use this Coronavirus to achieve their ends.

But is the Coronavirus an Apocalyptic event?

From my answer given above, I think that Coranavirus is one of the last events of the Beginning of the Sorrows and may even be the last event and in a very short time will be the Rapture of the Church.

And then, afterwards, the World will experience the 3 1/2 years of the Pre-Tribulation in which events will get worse under the opening of the 7 Seals and the sound of 7 Trumpets.

Then there will be a war between the angels of God and the angels of Satan, the Dragon, which will be expelled to the earth.

And the Dragon with the support of the Beast and the False Prophet, the Satanic Trinity, will form the World Government that will seek to attack the believers of that time and overthrow the Government of Christ during the 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 13: 15-18 says that all those who did not worship the image of the Beast were killed and that a sign was placed on their right hand or forehead, so that no one could buy or sell except the one who had the sign of the Beast and finally says that the Number of the Beast is 666.



Many Theologians think that the sign in their right hand or forehead is a Chip and no one could buy or sell except the one who will have the sign, so it looks that the concept we have about money will be changed. And the ones that will not accept the sign - Chip and worship the image of the Beast will be killed. 

What we know from Revelation is that it is "a sign in their right hand or forehead", of course that each one can form his theory!!!

It will be 7 years in total and finally Christ will return and destroy the power of the Beast and the False Prophet, throwing them into the Lake of Fire and imprisoning Satan for 1000 years, the Millennium, in which Christ will reign on earth.

I think that Coranavirus is one of the last events of the Beginning of the Sorrows. 

So, the message of the Coronavirus is that the Rapture of the Church will take place soon and then the World will go through the Great Tribulation, 7 years, followed by the second Coming of Jesus and the End of the Age.

Others Posts from my blog about the Coronavirus:

1. The Cup of God's Grace

(this post is very short and is linked with the post above - Is The Coronavirus an Apocalyptic Event?)

https://viriatomartins-religionphilosophy.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-cup-of-gods-grace.html

2. Who is the cause of the Coronavírus?

https://viriatomartins-religionphilosophy.blogspot.com/2020/04/who-is-cause-of-coronavirus.html