The Beginning of Sorrows and the Bird Flu
Matthew 24:7 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.
The Greek word that we translated pestilence from is loimos,
meaning a "troublemaker, public menace". The Webster's New World
dictionary defines pestilence as -1: any virulent or fatal
contagious or infectious disease, esp. one of epidemic
proportions, as bubonic plague. as -2: anything, as a doctrine,
regarded as harmful or dangerous
When we see pestilence it is a public menace. Since in this
passage above it is associated with 'Famines and earthquakes',
we see the kind of menace it is. It referring to any 'public
menace' that follows such kinds of disasters like Famines or
earthquakes. In the course of events we find that following such
things as the aforementioned 'famines or even earthquakes'
disease is the number one thing to watch out for. As the events
unfold, the course of civilization is shattered. The facilities
that contained outbreaks such as disease and plagues are gone.
The atmosphere is ripe for the outbreak of cholera, bubonic
plague, and small pox to mention a few things. These are but a
few public menaces that can follow famines, earthquakes, or
similar events. The news in the last few months has been focused
on the 'bird flu'. This is a 'public menace' and therefore
classified in the 'pestilence category. It is not associated
with the 'famines or earthquakes' scenario's. But it is seen as
a last day sign, nonetheless.
In bible designation according to the "ISBE" of pestilence , it
is "any sudden fatal epidemic" and in its Biblical use "it
generally indicates that these are Divine visitation". The Latin
word "pestilentia" is connected with "Pestia" meaning "the
plague", but "pestilence is used of any visitation and is not
the name of any special disease" according to 'The International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia", p 2348. We find the word
'pestilences occurs only in two places Matthew 24:7 and Luke
21:11 and pestilence occurs throughout the Old testament with 47
references.
What we do know is that the end time scenario is filled with
plagues, disease, death, judgments, and chaos on the earth. In
Revelation chapter six we see the 'four horsemen of the
apocalypse[the unveiling]'. This is the events leading up to the
revealing of the 'coming Messiah- Yeshua HaMassiach or Jesus
Christ as we call him in the English. This book of Revelation
then is the unveiling of those things, revealing to us what to
expect.
In the unveiling of the fourth seal, we see the horses let
loose on the earth. In this we find the pangs of judgment about
to hit the earth and mankind. This rider on the Pale horse
brings with him-death and hell- with power to kill with:
sword[war-murder], hunger[famine-starvation], death, and beasts
of the field[diseases from animals is seen here among other
deaths produced by the beasts]
Revelation 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard
the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked,
and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death,
and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over
the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with
hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Jesus our Lord said of this time to not 'let that day come upon
you unawares'. he said it would come on 'all them that dwell on
the face of the whole earth as a snare'. He also said to 'Watch
ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand
before the Son of man
Therefore, from these things, we conclude the 'Bird flu' is
just one among many coming 'public menaces' that will befall
people in the Last days before the return of Jesus Christ to
this earth.
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and
cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35
For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face
of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that
ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall
come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.