Some Bible teachers are saying that we are well into the Revelation prophecies because COVID was like one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Let us not be confused concerning this. Revelation 6 describes six of the seven seals opened by the Lamb of God, each passing a judgment on earth. The White Horse is ridden by a conqueror; then a red horse symbolizing war; then a black horse of inflation; then the pale horse ridden by Death, empowered to kill with sword, hunger, death and the beasts of the earth. None of these horsemen are COVID because of the many prophecies that must take place before these final seal judgments. But COVID is certainly a type and shadow of things to come.
In Matthew 24, Christ prophesies of the chronology for the end of the age, beginning with verse 4, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Summing it up, there will be false Christs; wars and rumors of wars; famines, pestilences, and earthquakes—which Christ calls the beginning of sorrows. Then there will be persecution, betrayals, false prophets; and the gospel preached in all the world. After that, the Abomination of Desolation will be seen as the beast (who many call the antichrist) will desecrate the temple. After that, there will be great tribulation, “And except those days be should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” After that, Christ says there will be darkness, the Son of Man will come in the clouds, and at the sound of a trumpet the elect will be gathered.
As we look at COVID from a prophetic lens, never in history has there been a worldwide shutdown because of a disease. In addition, we can see how quickly the world can be brought under the control of political forces. Lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports are all indicative of not only a great pestilence, but also of not being able to buy or sell, eat or travel without a COVID vaccine. It is eerily similar to Revelation 13:17, “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” What is missing is the beast. COVID is not the beast, but it certainly lays the groundwork for the beast and demonstrates how fast the beast could rise to power and mandate his worship by locking down commerce, and killing all who refuse to abide in his blasphemy.
These indeed are perilous times. But remember we are not given a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. Be careful to not be deceived. Bible teachers sometimes are quick to jump to conclusions based on what they think a verse means, or want it to mean, rather than taking it in context. Don’t take what I am saying or anyone else without studying it for yourself. When you compare what the prophets say about the end times with Christ’s very specific teaching in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, you will see how the events of the end will unfold. Do not be deceived. Neither fear. But gain understanding and peace that you might discern the events of our time to bring others to Christ.
