Pestilence

February 23, 2005

Jesus said in Matt 24:7 that there would be famines and earthquakes in

various places, and this had followed His comment on wars and nations

against nations, but He didn't mention pestilence until Revelation, where it

is mentioned 3 times: Rev 2:23; 6:8 and 18:8. Pestilence is mentioned about

40 times in the OT but only in these 3 places in the NT. In Rev 2:23 the

word in many translations is death. It is the Greek word thanatos, # 2288 in

the concordance, taken from #2348, thnesko, meaning to die, or dead. This

text may very well be a reference to Eze 33:27 where the meaning is plague

or pestilence. Examination of Rev 6:8 and 18:8 also reveal the killing with

death, which is a plague, which is pestilence. In fact, the dictionary

defines pestilence as a "widespread fatal infection or contagious disease".

We have heard of recent famines and earthquakes, but not of recent

pestilence, not until today. The news is full of the Asian bird flu virus.

Now we know of the destruction of AIDS, of cancer and other maladies, but

this is listed as pandemic, even before it mutates into a human rampage. Our

CDC has already allocated it a H number, H5. The H1 in 1918 killed millions

worldwide, and the other 'H's' were also deadly, which were pathogens, which

is a bacterium or microorganism.

There are many theologians that claim that Christians should be rich if

faithful, and have no suffering; that our Lord protects His own from

disasters and diseases. That simply is not our understanding, and the recent

tsunami affected Christian and pagan alike. We all have witnessed those

among us who bear up under the ministry of suffering and pain, who inspire

us by a closer relationship with Christ, who endured all for us. It appears

like many of us will be tested, and shaken to extremes. Pestilence is gong

to be upon us. Mad cow disease has a gestation period of up to 40 years,

where H5 would be days, even hours. Our rapture will be in the knowledge and

joy of a loving relationship with our Lord and Savior, while others expect

to be somewhere else. May we glorify our Jesus.

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