Blog note. Jesus indicated that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be identified as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these events. They would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency, size, duration, scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor the farther along she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the times’ that comes just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation period

… And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. (Luke 21:11).

… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)

… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken; (Luke 21:26)

… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)

Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several of many such prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This list can go on. Most studied Eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like a woman having labor pains that occur in greater severity, frequency, size and duration prior to giving birth. End of note.

FEBRUARY 21, 2019 / 8:09 PM / 2 DAYS AGO

U.S., Canada, Mexico work to prevent swine fever reaching region

ARLINGTON, Va. (Reuters) – The United States, Canada and Mexico are coordinating efforts to prevent the arrival of a highly contagious swine disease that has swept through China’s hog herd and parts of Europe, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Thursday.

The disease, African swine fever, can cause death for hogs in just two days. China, home to the world’s largest hog herd, has reported more than 100 cases of the disease in 27 provinces and regions since last August. Efforts to contain the fever have disrupted Chinese pork supplies.

The virus has spread to China’s neighbor, Vietnam. Eastern Europe has suffered an outbreak and Belgium has found the virus in wild boar. If it were to reach the United States, swine fever could curb shipments in the $6.5 billion export market for American pork at a time when the industry is already reeling from the impact of trade disputes with China and Mexico.

“Sharing the long borders that we do both on the north and south, it’s important that we function together as one,” Perdue said at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual outlook forum, where he shared a stage with Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture Victor Villalobos Arambula.

“All the things that go on in a very mobile world today will only increase the likelihood of things transferring from one nation to another,” Perdue said.

“We are committing even further, based on the most recent African swine fever, to up our game.”

MacAulay said Canada has taken steps including raising fines for those caught illegally importing meat.

“This type of thing is so vitally important because it takes one (case) to cost us billions of dollars,” MacAulay said. “I hope we can deal with this issue not after it comes, but before it comes.”

Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork producer and a division of China’s WH Group, has increased safety procedures at U.S. farms, while U.S. hog farmers are leaving animal-feed ingredients imported from China in storage in an attempt to keep the disease out.

Though not harmful to humans, there is no vaccine for the disease and transmission can occur in many ways, including direct contact between animals, through contaminated food and by people contaminated with the virus traveling from one place to another.

News of the spread of the disease in Asia has lifted CME Group lean hog futures at times, as traders consider the potential for improved U.S. pork exports to China.

The USDA’s chief economist, Robert Johansson, said prospects for U.S. pork producers to export more to Asia to compensate for hogs culled due to the disease may be overstated.

Johansson said plentiful supply in the United States would push hog prices down 7.5 percent in 2019.

“Producers in the United States are very efficient at producing pigs, and they are producing a lot of them right now,” he said.