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 warning contained in the above passage comes directly from Christ, and is intended to not only put us on alert, but also to enable us to chart a relevant and prudent course of action, in lieu of the current fulfillment of these and other prophecies. In the scientific community today, complicated and long names are given to these outbreaks, such as is currently gripping our country, but the Bible calls them "Pestilences", a title which covers all of the new diseases, afflictions, and various epidemics that are certain to come to pass, as the world sinks deeper and deeper into moral and spiritual darkness. What is worthy of note, and what many people do not realize, is that these occurrences are most often directly tied to the continued and deliberate violation of the laws of God, which also include the laws of health, and thus it is that science will be searching in vain for temporal answers to a spiritual problem.
Millions upon millions of chickens and turkeys are being currently killed in order to get rid of the epidemic that is puzzling scientists, and to all those who think that scriptural prophecies will be fulfilled in a vacuum, the Bible bids us think again, for everyone will be affected in some way or another, by the increasing pestilences that are scheduled to overspread the land, this according to the scriptures. In the Bible a direct link is often made between large-scale and national diseases, and the disregard of God's laws and instructions, for they are given for our best good, and when violated, the natural consequences begin to accrue. And until we come to this basic understanding we will always be chasing after an illusive dream, by which cures are sought for current diseases, whilst others are waiting in the wings to be unfurled. It most often has to do with trampling the sacred precepts that were given on mount Sinai. Let's read:
Deuteronomy 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 59 Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
One of the most fatal mistakes in interpreting these verses is for us to conclude that they were addressed to the Hebrew people alone, because they had entered into a covenant relationship with God. Nothing can be further from the truth, for what we see here in these passages of scripture, is a general format for all nations, whether they believe in God or not, because His jurisdiction covers the entire universe, and no one is exempt from His rule. In other words, we do not have to believe what we just read, in order for it to occur where we live, for pharaoh clearly stated that he would have nothing to do with The God of heaven, yet many diseases and afflictions and judgments were poured out upon that nation, because of a continued violation of His commands. Let's read:
Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.
Exodus 9:13 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
By searching for scientific answers and reasons to the many scourges, afflictions, diseases, and bloodshed that are currently overspreading the globe, we are eliminating the God- factor, and chalking it all up to natural factors, when indeed we are reaping the natural results of the continued violation of God's laws, and until we come face to face with this solemn realization, permanent answers to our ever increasing problems will keep evading us, driving the nations of the earth further and further into a spiritual abyss, from which only The God of heaven will be able to rescue us, if we confess and forsake iniquity. We therefore end with a passage which should enable us to see the root cause of most of our afflictions, and God desires that we see in the following verses, an urgent call to repentance, if haply we may obtain a much needed change of fortune. Let's read:
2nd Chronicles 7:12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him".... 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 "And mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!