It’s hard to believe that it has been four years since our world was turned upside down and shaken like a rag doll in a pit bull’s mouth. It was on this day in 2020 that the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and President Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office, declaring a 30-day restriction on foreign travel to the United States.
“On March 17, the United States and Canada mutually agreed to close their border to non-essential travel and, three days later, the United States and Mexico mutually agreed to close their border to non-essential travel.
“On March 25, Alaska began requiring visitors to fill out a travel declaration and complete a two-week quarantine. Meanwhile, Hawaii Gov. David Ige issued an automatic two-week quarantine for people traveling to the state on March 17 and requested that would-be visitors postpone their trips for 30 days.
“The chaos of mid-March also impacted cruise lines, which agreed to suspend sailings for 30 days to slow the spread of COVID-19. The suspension of major cruise operations in the U.S. would eventually be extended through the end of 2020.”1
Throughout the year and into 2021, headlines spoke of little else but COVID. We became a nation experiencing lock downs, quarantines, isolation, and social distancing. To say that there was a sense of panic and fear spread across our nation is an understatement. The tranquility of America was replaced with a fear and terror that still grips many today.
Here we are in 2024 and we can reflect on the events and assess the headlines accurately out of hindsight. As I was thinking about this, a thought struck me. I wonder what the headlines will say during the seven-year Tribulation Period. How will the events be spun to the political advantage of Antichrist?
The beginning of the Tribulation Period is described in Matthew 24:6-8. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (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.”
In Revelation 6:3-8, we read, “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (4) And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (5) And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (6) And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. (7) And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. (8) And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”
We can be certain that the headlines will not say: GOD’S WRATH RAINS TERROR: Pandemic of Pestilence and Death Affects Millions of People Globally. JESUS PLANS TO ARRIVE IN ISRAEL IN SEVEN YEARS. News crews and cameras fixated on the Mount of Olives.
How will the media and the new outlets spin the events? What explanation will they give for what is happening? The events of the Tribulation will be unprecedented. The media will have to say something.
Guess what, Christian? We won’t be here to “read all about it.” The remote will have fallen by our favorite television chair. The radio will still be on in the car, but no one will be there to listen. We will be gone, gathered in the clouds with the Lord and whisked away to Glory.
In school, there are fire drills so the kids can practice what they are supposed to do in the event of a real fire. I truly believe that 2020 was just one of Satan’s fire drills. There may be others. The stage is being set. The fire is about to fall. Don’t worry about the headlines in the newspaper. Keep looking up, Christian, and listening for the sound of the Savior’s call.
1https://www.travelpulse.com/gallery/impacting-travel/a-timeline-of-covid-19-travel-restrictions-throughout-2020?image=4
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