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.

Pandemic: what does it mean and does it matter?

February 26, 2020 YahooNews

Paris (AFP) – When does an epidemic become a pandemic? As the novel coronavirus continues its spread across the globe, what does the designation mean to world healthcare systems as they try to rein in the deadly disease?

The World Health Organization has yet to declare the current outbreak, which originated in central China last month, a pandemic.

It has indicated however that we should prepare ourselves for one.

The WHO defines a pandemic as a situation in which “the whole world’s population would likely be exposed to this infection and potentially a proportion of them fall sick,” said its emergencies director Michael Ryan.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that countries should be doing everything they could “to prepare for a potential pandemic”.

“For the moment we are not witnessing the uncontained global spread of this virus and we are not witnessing large-scale deaths,” he said on Monday.

While the number of fresh cases in mainland China has slowed slightly in recent weeks, several other countries have seen infections mushroom.

These include South Korea, which has seen more than 1,100 people infected, and Italy, with more than 300 confirmed cases.

On Tuesday Iran reported four more deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 19 and confirmed infections to 139.

“What we see are epidemics in different parts of the world, affecting countries in different ways and requiring a tailored response,” said Tedros.

The WHO has not updated its designation of the outbreak since January 30, when it classed it as “a public health emergency of international concern”.

Under its old warning system, which had six stages of alert, the WHO could simply start referring to coronavirus as a pandemic, which comes from the Ancient Greek for “pan demos”: all people.

“Definitions and terminology aside, our advice remains the same,” said WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic.

For Bharat Pankhania, of the University of Exeter Medical School in England, coronavirus is already a pandemic “in all but name”.

“It’s only a matter of time before the World Health Organisation starts to use the term in its communications,” he said.

David Heymann, professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said the terminology risked being a distraction.

“What is necessary is to understand the current situation in each country,” he said.

Tedros did hint that designating the outbreak a pandemic prematurely might do more harm than good.

“Using the word pandemic now does not fit the facts, but it may certainly cause fear. This is not the time to focus on what word we use,” he said.

He added that even if a pandemic is declared, the world alone “will not prevent a single infection today or save a single life today.”