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.
Coronavirus spreads as US declares ‘national emergency’
By Jessie Yeung, Joshua Berlinger, Adam Renton, Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes and Veronica Rocha, CNN Updated 4:17 p.m. ET, March 13, 2020
(CNN) President Donald Trump said Friday he was declaring a national emergency — “two very big words” — to free up federal resources to combat coronavirus.
Speaking in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said the action would “unleash the full power of the federal government.”
Trump is declaring both national emergency and invoking the Stafford Act, which gives access to additional funding, according to a source familiar with his decision. The national emergency gives access to authorities.
Even as he announcing a scaling up of testing capacity for coronavirus, the President said Friday he did not believe all Americans should rush to be tested.
“We don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it. And we don’t want everybody running out and taking — only if you have certain symptoms,” he said in the Rose Garden.
Trump, who began his remarks giving himself plaudits for his response to the outbreak, still appeared to believe the spread could be limited and that not every person in the country would require access to tests.
“We don’t want everybody taking this test. it’s totally unnecessary,” he said.
Trump has been under pressure to take more decisive action as the virus begins altering everyday life for nearly every American.
He spelled out plans Friday to increase testing, a critical early failure that public health experts said led to further outbreak.
Trump said he was working with private sector companies to develop drive-through testing facilities across the country, like they have used in other countries.
Still, Trump said all Americans should not rush to be tested.
“We don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it, and we don’t want everybody running out and taking — only if you have certain symptoms,” Trump said.
On Thursday, CNN reported that Trump had decided to make the declaration but that it was still undergoing legal review at the White House.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, spoke to Vice President Mike Pence Thursday and requested the Trump administration declare an emergency to provide vital assistance to states such as Washington on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, a Washington state official told CNN.
The official told CNN they are “hopeful that (Friday’s) announcement will provide the kinds of assistance that the governor requested.”
White House aides have been weighing the move for the past several days as a way to provide more resources for combating the coronavirus outbreak. Trump is also debating whether to support a legislative package to combat the outbreak negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“We have things that I can do, we have very strong emergency powers under the Stafford Act,” Trump told reporters Thursday in the Oval Office, referring to the federal law that dictates national disasters and emergencies. “I have it memorized, practically, as to the powers in that act. And if I need to do something, I’ll do it. I have the right to do a lot of things that people don’t even know about.”
But he stopped short of saying whether he planned to approve the new declaration later in the day.
“I don’t want to say that,” he said.
The declaration would free up funding and allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to head up certain aspects of the outbreak response.
Earlier this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, in conjunction with Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington state and Gary Peters of Michigan, sent a letter asking Trump to “immediately” consider disaster declaration requests for the coronavirus.
CNN’s Jim Acosta, Kaitlan Collins and Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report.