The novel coronavirus has so far infected more than 97,000 people worldwide, prompting fears of a global disaster brewing. Scores of conspiracy theorists and Christian hardliners have flooded social media in recent days with warnings of the world’s fiery demise.
Another person tweeted: “Doesn’t the Book of Revelation mention The Lamb smoting the Anti-Pope with #coronavirus?”
A third Twitter user said: “‘Beginning of Sorrows’ – Matthew 24:3-8
“Australian Wildfires… Coronavirus… earthquakes in odd places…increased rage/murders worldwide … massive hunger increases…
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End of the world: Many people have linked COVID-19 to the Bible
“And there are those that laugh at the Book of Revelation… #jesusiscoming”
But why are people sharing these bizarre claims about the end of the world?
According to Christian evangelist Michael Snyder, the coronavirus is one of 10 plagues currently haunting the Earth.
The plagues are: armies of locusts, extremely bizarre weather patterns, unprecedented flooding, major earthquakes, unusual volcanic eruptions, the coronavirus, the African Swine Fever, the H1N1 Swine Flu, the H5N1 Bird Flu and the H5N8 Bird Flu.
In an article for Technical Politics, he wrote: “All of a sudden, really crazy things are starting to happen all over the world.
We should not view the coronavirus as a prophesied, end-time plague
“Giant swarms of locusts are absolutely devastating entire regions, extremely unusual storms are confounding meteorologists, earthquake and volcanic activity are both on the rise, and five very dangerous diseases are sweeping across the globe.
“So far in 2020, it has just been one thing after another, and many are speculating about what could be ahead if events continue to escalate.”
There is, however, no evidence to suggest any of these events are apocalyptic or prophetic in nature.
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The Bible’s Book of Revelation describes a series of events that will supposedly unfold in the final days before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
But volcanoes have erupted in the past alongside earthquakes and viral epidemics, and the world is still standing.
And despite being treated as a global emergency, the coronavirus’ mortality rate is too low for it to be considered a biblical plague.
Christian writer Michael Brown wrote in The Stream: “My own understanding is that there will be massive upheaval before the end of the world, in the midst of which there will also be a mighty spiritual outpouring.
“But either way, what is clear to me is that we should not view the coronavirus as a prophesied, end-time plague.
“Instead, we should view it in the same way we have viewed many other epidemics and pandemics in world history.
“They are tragic reminders of the broken state of our world and of the frailty of our race.
“And while doing all we can to prevent and combat the spread of Covid-19, we should pray for the mercy of God.”