Heres my humble opinion (he said humbly! Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. Even Jesus explained to His disciples inMatthew 24:4-8, that difficult times will mark the coming of the last days of earth: Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. Some have been repeated by large media With a current world population of approximately 7.8 billion, the death rate for COVID-19 would have to reach approximately 1.95 billion people, in purely mathematical terms for this prophecy to come to pass. The BOP has received 387,087 doses and . The first survey was in January and the second was in June, when the total number of confirmed cases passed 2.5 million and the World Health Organization tallied more than 125,000 American deaths. Dont think false religion will appear worthless. The 26 percent of workers who teleworked in July was down from 31 percent in June and 35 percent in May. What we know about the COVID-19 vaccines? This imagery comes from Daniel 8 where Daniel sees a vision of a ram with two horns. Thats the most plausible person to be connected with 666. Idolatry will boast of great accomplishments, even miracles. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666 (v. 18). National Well-Being Measures Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Online Samples shows that happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, feelings of meaning and purpose, and financial and material stability all declined sharply between January and June. Sign up for our newsletter: still infect other people nearby, including people in high-risk categories. The point of these verses is much simpler: if you dont compromise with the worldly system, you will suffer. COVID-19 County Data. Like the coronavirus, the afflicted contracted the above viruses through person-to-person contact via body fluids or touching surfaces with the virus and afterwards touching their eyes or mouth. If you have questions about coronavirus, please contact the Louisiana 211 Network by dialing dial 211. This is probably the most debated verse in Revelation. systems. ', "There is a small group of people who believe in 'the mark of the beast,' and I think what's driving that thought process is starting with various concerns about receiving the coronavirus vaccine that are not specifically religious.". Local believers and their Syrian colleagues serve Christians and Muslims alike in cooperative effort at relief aid. Nero killed himself in AD 68, but it was rumored that he would come back to life or was still living, just like the beast received a fatal wound that was healed. Throughout history, pandemics and epidemics have emerged and have wrought havoc on the world on an average of about two per century. MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccine can affect women's fertility. people around the world. So, according to many scholars, 666 is most logically a reference to Nero. media are causing many people to avoid vaccination. Laurie, who has been vaccinated, said the mark will be a pledge of loyalty to the Antichrist, and no one would take the mark unknowingly. "Studies show that any conflicts between religion and science are not about facts, they are more about values and morals," said John Evans,a professor of sociology and religious studies at the University of California, San Diego. Christians should read big, meditate small, he said, reading a larger passage and then spending a few minutes thinking about one verse or phrase. Fifth, finding hidden, precise meanings in numbers is not the way numbers work in Revelation. Praying the passage and coming up with an illustration are two ways of mediating suggested by Whitney. About half (49%) of Americans with a family member living in their household who died of coronavirus said they increased their use of the Bible2.3 times more than average. In the New Testament, there is mention of plagues that will act as key signs that will herald the end times and the coming of Jesus Christ. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah, and will deceive many. After each forty days or years listed above, a great event occurs, or a definitive transition takes place. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me, declares the LORD. From a Christian perspective, one often has growth through suffering.. As one author puts it, it doesnt tell us much that a certain key fits the lock, if its a lock that works with almost any key. 4 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), All of these solutions are calculated by a process known as gematria. LDS: The bubonic plague in the 1300's A.D. killed about a quarter It is a sad truth that the world has always been a broken place, dating back from the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html One way to reengage with Scripture is by meditating on it, said Whitney author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. have all been wrong. If you have symptoms or signs of COVID-19, look for a free COVID-19 test near you. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2, and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. We should expect them to talk about the cross. spread of diseases if a high percentage of people are vaccinated.6. We all feel the need to experience something bigger than ourselves. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose(Romans 8:28). Hotline: (314) 657-1499 Mondays-Fridays 8am-5pm More emergency resources and contacts COVID-19 Data New Cases 52.4 /100k 7-day total of new PCR positive cases per 100k people New Hospital Admissions 10.9 /100k 7-day total of new hospital admissions for COVID-19 per 100k people % Staffed Inpatient Beds 4.1% But there are questions to ask of his critique as well. ", "The Bible speaks of someone identified as the 'Antichrist'and he will require people have a 'mark'that people will receive to buy and sell," Laurie told USA TODAY in an email. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. By June, after months of quarantine and church closures, that figure was down to 22.6 percent. by all major health organizations. Doubts and fears caused by the barrage of malicious misinformation on social Investigation of a person positive for COVID-19 is completed by the public health agency in the state where the person resides. To counter a pandemic-prompted morass in Bible engagement, Hall said, learn to read the Bible in a new way. That could include using a Bible app that plays music as a person reads or a Bible app that reads a selected passage aloud over and over. US CDC: Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines Gretchen Whitmer encouraging vaccines in Michigan:"Diabolical Michigan Governor Whiter wants her citizens to get the Mark of the Beast to participate in society.". 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 - If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the . The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics helps Christians show unbelievers the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel as the only hope that fulfills our deepest longings. You could understand this to mean 666 is a number of a man or 666 is the number of man. I think its the latter. Therefore, let us use this time to love and serve our fellow man through this crisis; let the Kingdom of God that resides in us be reflected in every dark crevice and corner of this diseased, fragile and fallen world. Peer-reviewed data has deemed the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines safe, and they demonstrated 94% to 95% effectiveness against the virus, according to a study published in the New. Scripture engagement seems to have peaked right after COVID-19 startedthe highest its been in yearsbut then it dropped significantly toward the end of June. From cities to rural towns, stay informed on where COVID-19 is spreading to understand how it could affect families, commerce, and travel. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed but he marches on forever (Habakkuk 3:5-6). So relying on your readers to not only know gematria but also transliterate a name into another language they may not have known seems like a poor way to communicate, unless John wasnt interested in his audience knowing the answer to the puzzle. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html It is calculated by dividing the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations with a hospital admission date within a 7-day period by the state population (county population is used in county view) and multiplying by 100,000: Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon (v. 11). This resource from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a wide range of national, state, and community COVID-19 data. The COVID-19 vaccine has been scientifically proved to save lives,but for a selectgroup of people in the religious realm, a more important matter is at stake eternal salvation. While many will turn to the Bible for answers in unsettling times, they often stop reading faithfully after a while. The vaccines have proven Or, you can text the keyword LACOVID to 898-211 for . 1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place.. Rev. The scripture reads: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. He convinces us that sex will be most fulfilling when it is most free of commitment and ethical norms. Does COVID-19 Fulfill Biblical Plague Prophecies? With regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, the current global concern is not necessarily the virus itself; according to the WHO, flu-related viruses claim between 290,000-650,000 lives every year. Heres a list of referents Ive seen for 666: Caligula, Domitian, Caesar God, Lateinos (the Roman Empire), beast, Antemus, Phoebus, Gensericus, Balaam, Mohammed, Martin Luther, Oliver Cromwell, Kaiser (Wilhelm), Hitler, the Nicolaitans, Euanthas, Teitan (Titans), the initials of the Roman emperors from Julius Caesar to Vespasian (minus Otho and Vitellius), the triangular number of 36 which is the triangular number of 8 which is significant because 8 is associated with Gnosticism or because the Antichrist in Revelation 17 is called the eighth king, the Latin Kingdom, the Italian Church, various Popes, all the Popes, the phrase Vicar of the Son of God and phrases like it, Ronald Reagan, and William Jefferson Clinton. Catholic: to be highly effective for preventing disease, and Measuring the pandemics affect on American spirituality was a major reason ABS supplemented its January survey of 2,010 people, conducted alongside Barna, with a June poll of 3,020 Americans. A possible corroboration for this view can be found in the Latin version of his name. The number 6, then, would be the number of imperfection and unholy incompletion. last week, the total remained essentially unchanged Thursday. You could understand this to mean "666 is a number of a man" or "666 is the number of man." I think it's the latter. 16-17). (since 30 January 2023)@. (Psalm 55:22) Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. that could make them very sick or even kill them? Some 733.5 million Chinese people were employed in 2022, reported Bloomberg, citing the country's . (Matthew 24:27, 24:36-39, 24:44). Entire countries went under lockdown to stop the virus from spreading but . In the U.S., cases of Coronavirus have crossed 800and the death toll has risen over 20 with an even larger impact globally. Whats happening now looks like society-wide response to trauma, in a way. Smith said one woman brought her child in for a fever and cough, and he explained that the toddler might have COVID-19. The onset of a plague in the Bible has always been a portent for the destruction of civilization or way of life, brought about by the hands of a wrathful God in response to acts of apostasy and other acts of disobedience against Him. Christians are also measurably more hopeful. The number of persons positive for COVID-19 and number of tests positive for COVID-19 reflect only South Dakota residents, regardless of where testing was conducted (in-state or out-of-state). In July, about 1 in 4 employed people teleworked or worked from home for pay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Statistics on COVID-19. On May 18, Indiana confirmed its first case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C . All COVID-19 vaccine doses and boosters now eligible for $50 gift card . Kevin, for example, in our simplified scheme would be 11+5+22+9+14, which equals 61. One thing that is often forgotten is that people of all ages are dying all the time. Their evil reach which can be interpretedas hidden manipulation will require all people who engage in commerce to wear the mark of the beast. Nicole Williams, a traveling intensive care unitnurse, said she has heard the "mark of the beast" as a reason not to get vaccinated many times. She believes that God can take lifes adversities and work them out for His good; hence, she uses her writing voice to raise awareness of mental illness, as well as to spread the light of Gods love to those who are mentally trapped in the dark, and provide them with hope and encouragement. He just doesnt want people to believe in and be satisfied in Jesus Christ. We must have them. Its a more effective and dramatic literary device than saying,After some time [momentous moment] began. It also helps the sacred author highlight theological parallels. The first age group to provide a substantial contribution to the death toll is 45-54 years, who contribute nearly 5% of all coronavirus deaths. So he asked his dad: "Is this the end of the world?". They had been looking at a human flourishing measure developed at Harvard and decided to include some questions about security, happiness, and mental health in the study of Bible use. FACT: The COVID-19 vaccine will not affect fertility. "People read erroneous comments and believe they are true," he said. to be highly effective for preventing disease, and serious side-effects are very rare.4The very real danger from a COVID-19 infection is much greater than any theoretical risk from the vaccine. Adam MacInnis is a journalist based in Nova Scotia, Canada. might get very sick or die from COVID-19.1,2, Jesus taught that one of the most important of all commandments is, "Love Some were probably Jewish Christians who understood Hebrew, but most certainly, many were not. Theres a reason hardly anyone is an atheist. Many people on Twitter have been saying that they believe the virus is a sign that the apocalypse is coming, claiming . Some of the names in the list are absurd. On a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the most hopeful, Americans who report reading the Bible three or four times per year scored 42; people who read monthly scored 59; weekly, 66; and multiple times per week, 75. A religion scholar explains why the biblical reference should be considered in its first-century context. One of the most significant examples of this is shown to us inExodus 7-12 with the 10 plagues that Moses called over Egypt at Gods command. The coronavirus pandemic has caused great suffering and even death for many See something we missed? And yet, what is so beautiful about Gods Word is His promise to love us and provide for us, regardless of how dire our situation is: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you(Isaiah 54:10). With uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic and many people holed up in their homes, more are ordering books online, especially the Good Book, according to sales from top Christian publishers. 1Ch 21:1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel . Second, to come up with 666, you have to spell Neron Kaisar incorrectly in Hebrew. (March 2): China's number of working people has fallen by more than 41 million in the past three years, reflecting both the coronavirus pandemic's toll on the economy and a decline in the working age population.Some 733.5 million Chinese people were employed in 2022, according to the country's statistics bureau. According to Evans' studies, the majority of "mark of the beast" believers appear to be politically conservative and from Protestant Christianbackgrounds. to prayers for an end to those diseases came in the form of the vaccines that have Since around 40 different authors wrote the Bible over roughly 1,500 years, answering the question of "how old is the Bible?" can't be answered with a single number. The number 666 represents a threefold falling short of perfection (dragon: 6, beast: 6, false prophet: 6). It certainly is the verse that has produced the most fruitless debate. Other reasons Smith has heard for not getting vaccinated include: not wanting to get microchipped, it's outside their world view, vaccines were developed too fast, they haven't gotten sick, they're not high-risk, they don't trust the government and they readthat people have died from the vaccine. It Is So Painful to Care: How Do I Conquer Apathy? He lies to us about the lasting value of fame and power and professional success and academic prestige. Lack of encouragement from physical presence with other believers can diminish our engagement in the spiritual disciplines because when were together, were encouraged to stay faithful to the things of God.. They are similar to the vaccines most of us had as children or have taken as without symptoms, May 1, 2021, Retrieved from Somevaccine resisters have been galvanized by the idea thatthe shot isthe "mark of the beast.". There may be minimal or no symptoms. Bible Study 20230304 1Ch_21:1-30. "There is a small group of people who believe in 'the mark of the beast,' and I think what's driving that thought process is starting with various concerns about receiving the coronavirus vaccine that are not specifically religious.". "God will not doom people for taking something unwittingly.". How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. But apparently the spike in curiosity didnt translate into engagement. To Accomplish His Purposes God used plagues to deliver the enslaved Jews from their Egyptian overlords. Pope Francis urges people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, COVID-19 vaccination named missional priority, Evangelicals Vaccine Skepticism Isnt Coming from the Pulpit, Senior Church leaders receive COVID-19 vaccine, encourage members to When we see the number forty used to denote time in the Bible, we are being told that something extraordinary and definitive is happening. Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. Forty days and nights of rain during the flood, The Jews journeyed through the desert for forty years to the Promised Land, The prophet Ezekiel laid on his right side for forty days to symbolize the sins of Judah, Elijah fasted for forty days on Mount Horeb. This study supports the idea that the church plays a significant role in benefitting peoples wellbeing and Scripture engagement, said John Farquhar Plake, ABS director of ministry intelligence. The world has a way of operating and when we choose a different way, we must be prepared for setbacks, strange looks, and often shame and suffering. The findings are consistent with other studies on the impact of religious affiliation and human flourishing, according to VanderWeele. "The number of participants at this time reflects their interest and effort to understand the words of Revelation consistently with the rest of the Bible," said Mr. Shin-chang Kim, General Director of the International Mission Department of Shincheonji Church. The Biden-Harris Plan to Beat COVID-19: Review details of the Biden-Harris plan to beat COVID-19 and download The National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. The pandemic doesnt seem to have changed the overall percentage of Bible readers, according to the follow-up study, but Americans who lost loved ones to COVID-19 were more likely to increase their Bible use. When the pandemic hit in March, there were initial signs it might be having an overall positive effect on American spirituality. Three of the largest online evangelism ministriesGlobal Media Outreach, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Cruall reported increases of people seeking online information about knowing Jesus. The number of women considered Bible centered in January dropped by 3.9 points by June compared with 1 point for men. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast. In other words, the second beast persuades the world that the image of the first beast is truly God. "People with spiritual beliefs that all things are influenced by religion are more likely to believe 'mark of the beast,' which is in every Christian's Bible, but people will focus on particular passages in the Bible to support their belief system," Evans said. David's Census Brings Pestilence. safeguard themselves, others through immunization, US CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination, US CDC: Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines, https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/most-covid-19-cases-are-spread-by-people-without-symptoms, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fvaccine-benefits%2Ffacts.html, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/forgot-14-diseases.html, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-of-the-population-will-need-to-be-vaccinated-until-the-pandemic-is-over. The Death Rate is the number of deaths from COVID-19 per 100,000 population in each race/ethnicity group. But it is not perfect, and that makes all the difference. Elijah, you recall, called down fire from heaven to burn up the sacrifices in full view of the prophets of Baal. There were priests and sacred rituals and officials insisting on the deity of the emperor. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived (vv. Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines, September 7, 2021, Retrieved from Chris Hall, president of the spiritual formation ministry Renovar, said disruption of life rhythms likely hurt Bible engagement. Between early 2019 and 2020, the percentage of US adults who say they use the Bible daily dropped from 14 percent to 9 percent, according to the State of the Bible 2020 report released today by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society (ABS). The only name that has really gotten a strong following is Nero. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven. This chart is meant to aid understanding of whether the outbreak is growing, leveling off, or declining and can help to guide the COVID-19 response. This treatment is now widely available in Louisiana. On January 29, 2020, Worldometer started tracking the coronavirus, providing . of the world's population. Moderna has begun the process of applying to get a full license, and Johnson & Johnson plans to apply this year. 40 is the smallest number n with exactly nine . Financial and material stability, as would be expected, took the heaviest blow for many people, falling by 16.7 percent. This beast is broadly representative of the political sphere. social media. . Thats gematria. Until the question came again. Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible(Matthew 19:26). Im sure there are more. When he asked the mother if she had been vaccinated, Smith said her response was"Oh no, that turns you into a zombie.". adults without any controversy She said vaccines are not a magical shot that cures all, but they're one of many tools to fight the virus. But this survey reveals that a big opportunity still remains for Christian organizations to make an impact on Scripture engagement.. Adding up some subsets of its divisors (e.g., 1, 4, 5, 10, and 20) gives 40; hence, 40 is a semiperfect number. The priests of Egypt had their secret arts too. Although the coronavirus is the most disastrous plague that has impacted humanity this century, there is no evidence in the Bible to suggest that COVID-19 is one of the plagues prophesied in Scripture. In times of trial and trouble, many Americans turn to the Bible for encouragement. He entices us to make money the desire of our hearts. The Weekly Epidemiological Update provides an overview of the global, regional and country-level COVID-19 cases and deaths, highlighting key data and trends; as well as other pertinent epidemiological information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual report also showed that millennials read the Bible more frequently than any other generation, with 26 percent reading it multiple times each week. It cold be an allusion to slaves branding, or soldiers tattoo, or some practice of compulsory idol worship developing in the first century. More on that in a moment. Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 218.2 million people and killed more than 4.52 million as of September 2. She was born in England, was raised in Australia, and currently lives in Germany with her husband Solomon. "Sometimes these statements arepackaged to look like Bible Prophecy," he said, "but they arefalse andmisapplied because many people do not understand what the Bible actually says about these things.". Women lost more ground than men in Bible engagement, and levels of engagement evened out among the genders for the first time in the surveys history. For additional assistance or questions, call the ADH COVID-19 Call Center at 1-800-803-7847, or email ADH.CoronaVirus@arkansas.gov. In times past, terrible diseases like smallpox, polio, "Anyone who is telling you not to get the vaccine is either lying to you or an idiotor a combination of the two. She said the latest surge of COVID-19 cases has been "hell,"and a lot of younger people have died. Sixty percent read the Bible four times per year or less. In our day, the beast may not directly instruct us to worship the state or the president, but he still functions as the mouthpiece for the Devil. Portugus, . For international customers: The center is staffed and provides answers on Sundays through Thursdays between 7AM and 14PM Israel time Toll Free number 1-800-448-9291 Telephone +972-3-761-9056 Fax . But the most interesting data, from the viewpoint of ABS, was how the Bible, church, and Christian disciplines seemed to help people through this dark period. Some people didnt lose their jobs and saved money by staying home, putting them in a better relative financial position, while others suffered greatly from the economic shutdown. If the first beast is the perversion of the state, the second beast is the perversion of true worship. Turn! But non-Bible-readers are about 5 points less hopeful than those who read Scripture on a monthly basis. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. The imagery in Revelation is broader and less exact. Three times, Revelation makes reference to the beast and the false prophet (16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Coronavirus was caused by human actions, or lack thereof, he argues. (not representing all COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong) 107. Share your feedback here. But, in reality, there is nothing sinister about the COVID-19 vaccines. We should expect false Christian cults and perversions to speak highly of Jesus. The company received its full stamp of approval from theFood and Drug Administration late last month. I think that this period has showed a period of reflection of what really matters in life, VanderWeele said. The answer It has also caused major disruption of our economic The Shincheonji Word Seminar held in August attracted 1,700 pastors and 28,000 people globally. A Bible prophecy shows the coronavirus outbreak will plunge the world into its toughest periods for hundreds of years, a Rabbi has claimed.
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