1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Revelation 13:16-17 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Increasing Global Economic Collapse and Distress of Nations: UK among economies risking record slump

BBC•April 3, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic could trigger a global slump bigger than the Great Depression of the 1930s, a closely watched international survey suggests.

Manufacturing and services sectors in key geographical areas, including the UK, US and the eurozone, saw record falls in activity during March, according to Purchasing Managers’ Index data.

The UK figure, dropped from 53.0 in February to 36.0 in March.

Readings below 50 indicate contraction.

The data is published by IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

‘Devastation’

Andrew Wishart, an economist at Capital Economics, said the PMIs were probably underestimating the scale of the economic fallout.

“We are forecasting a 15% fall” in economic output in the period from April to June, he said, “a larger fall in output than in the financial crisis or the Great Depression,” he said.

“It’s increasingly difficult to find the words to describe the devastation as every region in the world fights to save human life as the first priority,” said Duncan Brock, CIPS group director.

“The likelihood of a global recession is now a given, though its duration and severity has yet to reveal itself.”

The composite figure for the manufacturing and services sectors in the eurozone was even worse, down from 51.6 in February to 29.7.

“Confidence about the future was the lowest recorded by the survey since data were first available in July 2012,” said IHS Markit.

“The four largest nations covered by the survey all registered record declines in activity, with Italy and Spain experiencing the sharpest reductions.”

‘Worse to come’

Samuel Tombs at Pantheon Macroeconomics said the Italian and Spanish figures showed the slump might worsen in April, when the level of infections is expected to peak in those countries.

As for the UK figures, he said: “In one line: horrendous, and probably not reflecting the full devastation.”

The comparable figure for the US hit a new low of 40.9 in March, down from 49.6 in February.

Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said: “The policy response to the economic damage from the virus has already been unprecedented, but the collapse in business expectations for the year ahead tells us that companies are expecting far worse to come.

“IHS Markit is now forecasting an around 5.5% contraction of US GDP in 2020.”

In normal times, these figures would be top of the news – a frightening warning of impending economic disaster. Purchasing managers – senior managers in companies who keep across what’s happening to a company’s orders and buy its supplies – see before anyone else if business is drying up.

This chart speaks for itself, adding to evidence from the scale and suddenness of the job losses and benefit claims all around the world. Looking purely at the economic effect on orders and jobs, it is no exaggeration to say that the impact of the Covid 19 shutdowns around the world is now like the Great Depression – but on speed.

And what is most extraordinary is that, from one perspective, that awful-sounding thing is a success for government policy. By ordering shutdowns to try and save lives, our government and others around the world have also ordered a reduction in economic activity unprecedented in its speed and depth. They have required, instructed and requested a huge recession – and they have got one.

Let’s hope when the shutdown’s lifted and governments want a bounce-back, that they again get what they wish for.

It’s all another sign that the Covid 19 crisis is turning everything – environmental, social and economic – on its head.

Jesus Christ’s Offer of Salvation:

The ABCs of Salvation through Jesus Christ (the Lamb)

A. Admit/Acknowledge/Accept that you are sinner. Ask God’s forgiveness and repent of your sins.

. . . “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

. . . “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8).

B. Believe Jesus is Lord. Believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be; that He was both fully God and fully man and that we are saved through His death, burial, and resurrection. Put your trust in Him as your only hope of salvation. Become a son or daughter of God by receiving Christ.

. . . “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:15-17). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

C. Call upon His name, Confess with your heart and with your lips that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

. . . “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).

. . . “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (John 1:8-10).

. . . “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (John 2:2).

. . . “In this was manifested the love of god toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:9, 14-15).

. . . “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10).

. . . “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

. . . “Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

. . . “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 1:16).

. . . “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts: 4:12).

. . . “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:4-6).

. . . “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

. . . “But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12).

True Church / Bride of Christ Spared from God’s Wrath:

 Romans 5:8-10. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Romans 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 1:10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 5:9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 8:35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Jeremiah 30:7. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.