CORONA VIRUS

Beyond the human-engineered bio-warfare, another type of pestilence is waiting as well. A naturally caused disease is lurking quietly in the background and could erupt at any time, say scientists who study the subject.

“Eighty years ago a sudden mutation in the virus that causes influenza initiated a worldwide epidemic that in only 18 months killed an estimated 25 to 40 million people around the world. Many consider this to be the worst natural disaster in history” (Hillary Johnson, “Killer Flu,” Rolling Stone , Jan. 22, 1998) . Some historians feel this epidemic hastened the end of World War I.

Scientists studying infectious diseases have sounded warnings that this could occur again.

One expert, W.I.B. Beveridge, says, “There is no known reason why there should not be another catastrophic pandemic like that of 1918 or even worse. The flu always has the capability of becoming a global plague: a spark in a remote corner of the world could start a fire that scorches us all. Should a super flu like that of 1918 make a comeback now that the population has quadrupled and more than a million people cross international boundaries on jets each day, experts say it could kill hundreds of millions” (ibid.).

Influenza is one of the most underrated biomedical hazards in today’s world. It’s possible that new super strains may already be evolving. Medical science takes eight months or more to create a vaccine once a new strain appears. Researchers know they cannot stop a pandemic. By the time authorities understand what is happening, it would be too late to spare millions.

The most recent disease fear was SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed hundreds last year and panicked thousands more. Barely a year ago the world experienced something resembling panic with the sudden appearance of the SARS virus. In Hong Kong all places of entertainment were temporarily shut down. Cities such as Toronto were put on a warning list as possible places to avoid due to the spread of SARS cases.

The world media machine contributed to both an awareness of the disease and a fear that, in the end, proved to be out of proportion to the danger posed by the virus. However, the economic impact due to decreased tourist and business travel had a significant effect on many areas.

Before that it was AIDS, which has killed tens of millions and even today is still decimating the populations of some countries. Tomorrow it could be another, even greater plague to sweep across the landscape, leaving death and destruction in its wake.

However, it could take years to develop a viable vaccine to combat SARS. In the meantime other mutant strains are waiting to jump the species barrier from animals to humans. When they do, the results could be catastrophic. A breakdown caused by war in one part of the world, coupled with an outbreak of influenza, as in World War I, would be all it would take to set in motion a disease pandemic on the scale of those described in the book of Revelation.

One can only imagine the worldwide impact to come from the culmination of the ride of the pale horseman. The world has seen relatively mild precursors. What will happen when modern communications and travel allow people to see literally millions of deaths?

Which brings us to the only hope this world has to survive this devastating stampede. People commonly refer to these four seals as “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” Because the last word here is often synonymous with global destruction, there is typically no hope in this reference.

When something like this happen, it is inevitable that we immediately think about the biblical warnings about pestilence and one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Nonetheless, it does illustrate just how quickly things can spread and get out of hand in our very global, integrated world that we have today.

But “Apocalypse” is simply the Greek name for the book of Revelation - meaning “revealing” or “unveiling.” And this book reveals more than the gloom and doom that lie at the end of the age.

I finish this article by quoting Steve Singleton, in 'Overcoming' , his Study Guide to the Book of Apocalypse where he says: "The Apocalypse was not meant to create terror and dismay but to engender confidence and hope"

Consulting material:

*(www.homelandsecurity.org).

*Hillary Johnson, “Killer Flu,” Rolling Stone , Jan. 22, 1998 .

*Apocalypse Unfolding Now, Dr. Walter Marques, 2017

*Wikipedia

*The New York Times, Al Jazeera, CNN, World Health Organisation (WHO)