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, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.

World at ‘critical turning point’ in fight against vaccine-preventable diseases

Anne Gulland. The Telegraph•September 12, 2019

A lack of access to vaccines is partly to blame for the worldwide spread of diseases such as measles, the director of the World Health Organization has warned.

Speaking at the world’s first ever Global Vaccination Summit, held in a bid to address the reasons behind a surge in vaccine-preventable diseases, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO, said vaccinations were a “right for all”. 

“After many years of progress, we are at a critical turning point. Measles is resurging and one in 10 children continues to miss out on essential childhood vaccines.

“Vaccination already prevents two to three million deaths a year and could prevent a further 1.5 million if global vaccination coverage improved,” he said.

Earlier this year the WHO declared “vaccine hesitancy”, the refusal or reluctance to have childhood vaccinations, one of the top 10 threats to global health, alongside air pollution and obesity.

Poor vaccination coverage is behind the resurgence of measles around the world with outbreaks in countries as diverse as the Philippines, the United States and Democratic Republic Congo. 

Data from the United Nations also showed that at least 20 million children worldwide missed out on a range of lifesaving vaccinations in 2018. 

Global coverage for childhood vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and measles has stagnated at roughly 86 per cent since 2010, well below the 95 per cent required to avert outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

The reasons for the stall in take up of vaccines is complex – the proliferation of anti-vax messages online is partly to blame, particularly in richer countries.

The biggest ever survey of attitudes to vaccines, carried out by the Wellcome Trust and pollsters Gallup earlier this year, found that people in richer countries are considerably less likely to trust vaccines than people in developing ones.

But poor access to health services in both rich and poor countries and shortages of vaccines is also behind the fall in vaccination rates.

“The main problem is access – and that is why we are having this summit,” said Dr Tedros. 

Studies show that in most countries those who are the least likely to be vaccinated are the poorest and most marginalised. 

The European Commission and the WHO have agreed a 10-point plan towards increasing vaccine coverage.

The plan calls on countries to ensure they have national immunisation programmes; that vaccines are free; they address vaccine shortages; tackle the root causes of vaccine hesitancy and empower health professionals to provide correct information and fight “fake news”.

Dr Vytenis Andriukaitis, EU commissioner on health and food safety, said: “There should be no place for complacency. Every minute we don’t act we lose lives, especially the lives of children. Both vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccine hesitancy can spread rapidly and both are highly contagious.

The UK, alongside three other European countries, Albania, Czechia and Greece, lost its measles elimination status earlier this year.

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said: “It is inexcusable that in a world as developed as ours, there are still children dying of diseases that should have been eradicated long ago. Worse, we have the solution in our hands but it is not being put to full use.”