Revelation for Beginners

REVELATION AND EBOLA

January 12, 2015 on 3:51 pm | In REVELATION AND CURRENT EVENTS | Comments Off on REVELATION AND EBOLA

“Ebola.” The very word seems to strike fear in our hearts. Perhaps the high fatality rate and sometimes gory effects make it seem worse than other diseases. It may lead some to wonder if this is one of the seven last plagues (Rev. 15:1) described in Revelation 16. While this could be a foretaste of things to come, I don’t believe it is one of the seven last plagues at this point and here’s why.

First, it doesn’t seem to fit the “loathsome sore” description. The 7 plagues are also part of an apparent sequence, and judging by the context, they happen just before Jesus comes in the clouds to take His people home. Chapter 14 talks about the fall of Babylon and final harvest of earth. Chapter 16:19 refers to Babylon’s fall again and then expands on it in chapter 18. I believe these events are still future. There will be real plagues that will be the most awful scourges known to man, but this is yet to come.

Another perspective on this situation is that more people die from the flu in the United States than have died in Africa from Ebola. In the flu pandemic of 1919, over 20 million people died worldwide (about 560,000 in the U.S.) compared to around 4-5000 from Ebola so far as of this writing. The bubonic plague, known as the “Black Death” in the 1300s destroyed 1/4 of the population of Europe. (see World Book Encyclopedia) I would suggest that the 7 last plagues may well be of a similar nature and scope.

Generally God mixes His judgments with mercy to encourage people to repent, but during the 4th and 5th plagues it says the people blasphemed God and did not repent. It would appear this is what Revelation 14:10-12 refers to as God’s wrath poured out “full strength”, i.e. not mixed with mercy. That would imply that Revelation 22:11, 12 is being fulfilled–all decisions have been made and now God’s judgments are now poured out. Fortunately for us, that hasn’t happened yet. We still have the opportunity to repent, forsake our sins, and receive God’s forgiveness and transforming love (His extreme makeover!).