If you have been watching the news over the past few years, there is no denying that everything we were warned would happen as we entered into the end times is happening right before our eyes!

Have the Tribulation Plagues, and More, Arrived?

No one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return, but the Scriptures have given us signs that point towards the Second Coming. Christ himself talked at length about the signs leading up to the end of the age. Here is a brief collection of the specific signs we are told to be on the lookout for.

Wars and Rumors of Wars
Mark 13:7 (King James)
And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

More people have died in armed conflict in the 20th century alone than in recorded history. There are constant news reports about brewing conflicts around the world, and it always seems that there is trouble on the horizon, specifically in the Middle East. Christ tells us that these things have to happen; these events will set the stage for the coming Antichrist and final showdown between Israel and the world.

Army of the King of the East
Revelation 16:12 (King James Version)
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

Although some of the Apostle John’s prophecies in the book of Revelation are difficult to understand from our perspective, the main consensus for this prophetic verse is that an army comprising of “the Kings of the East” will move into Middle East at or near the battlegrounds of Armageddon. The drying up the river Euphrates that will usher these armies into the Middle East will be an event easily recognized.

Nation Rising Against Nation, Famine and Earthquakes
Matthew 24:7 (King James Version)
 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

There has been marked conflict on the earth for about as long as we have kept recorded history. We have had a few instances in the 20th century where nation has truly risen against nation, and we have seen famines, pestilences and earthquakes on the rise exponentially in the last 50 years as a whole. According to one stat, earthquakes alone have increased in frequency and intensity some 2,000% since Israel returned to the land in 1948.

Global Government and Revived Roman Empire
Revelation 13:1-2 (King James Version)
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Revelation 17:12-13 (King James Version)
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

The prophet John also describes a one-world global government that will arise and rule the world by dividing it into ten regions described as the “Revived Roman Empire”. The European Union will probably play significance as one of the first key steps towards this. The pope himself reportedly has referred to the European Union as a “Revived Roman Empire”.

Israel Returns as a Nation
Luke 21:24 (King James Version)
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Jerusalem had been “trampled” by the Gentiles for centuries since the Romans sacked them in AD 70. History was made once again in both 1948 and 1967 when Israel recaptured Jerusalem and solidified their stance in a unified and legitimate nation.

The Final Generation Will See These Events Fulfilled
Luke 21:29-32 (King James Version)
 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

There is some debate over what Christ intended by this, some maintaining that this prophecy related to the specific destruction of Jerusalem (and the Temple) in AD 70, while others maintain that this Prophecy has eschatological significance. If the latter is true, this would mean that the “final” generation would not pass away until these end times prophecies are fulfilled. In biblical language, a generation can span anywhere from 40 to 70 years. Could we be this close to the
end?

Daylight Hours are Shortened Due to Intense Heat
Revelation 16:8-9 (King James Version)
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

During the time of the Great Tribulation, plagues are unleashed on man (as it was during the Exodus) as a testament to God’s judgment and the wickedness of man. During this time, God will actually shorten the daylight hours because of the sun’s scorching heat. Could this be as a result of ozone depletion? Skin cancer and maladies related to overexposure of UV rays are on the rise globally.

Storm Activity and Natural Phenomenon Become Increasingly Worse
Luke 21:25-26 (King James Version)
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;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.

The alarming increase in hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes and tsunamis (which may more accurately be contributed to earthquake activity) since the end of the 20th century have been noted. The death toll due to natural events alone in the last 30 years has been significant.

Famines and Pestilence Increase
Luke 21:11 (King James Version)
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Matthew 24:7-8
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.All these are the beginning of sorrows

Revelation 6:8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Deaths related to famine and disease have increased exponentially in the last 100 years. We see the occurance of new diseases all the time and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight.

Rap-Con Partners, Bible Gateway

The End Times Are Upon Us Now by Tom Horn And Steve Quayle

In regards to the Ebola outbreak, on April 17 2014, Reuters News reported:

(Reuters) – An Ebola outbreak blamed for 135 deaths in West Africa in the past month was not imported from Central Africa but caused by a new strain of the disease, a study in a U.S. medical journal said, raising the specter of further regional epidemics.

The spread of Ebola from a remote corner of Guinea to the capital and into neighboring Liberia, the first deadly outbreak reported in West Africa, has caused panic across a region struggling with weak healthcare systems and porous borders.

Ebola is endemic to Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and Gabon, and scientists initially believed that Central Africa’s Zaire strain of the virus was responsible for the outbreak.

Using analysis of blood samples from infected patients, however, researchers determined that while the Guinean form of the Ebola virus (EBOV) showed a 97 percent similarity to the Zaire strain, the disease was not introduced from Central Africa.

“This study demonstrates the emergence of a new EBOV strain in Guinea,” wrote the group of more than 30 doctors and scientists, who published their preliminary findings on the website of the New England Journal of Medicine.

There is no vaccine or cure for Ebola – a hemorrhagic fever with a fatality rate of up to 90 percent that causes symptoms ranging from flu-like pains to internal and external bleeding caused by kidney and liver failure. Its suspected origin is forest bats and it can be transmitted between humans by touching victims or through bodily fluids.

Could the Ebola Virus end up spreading globally? Could it be one of the many end time  plagues that will affect the world globally, causing mass death?

His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?“  (Matthew 24:3)  “… there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.“  (Luke 21:10; see also Matt 24:7, Mark 13:8)

Although these things have been happening all over the world for many years, famine is not something we are accustomed to in America. However, it has become a growing problem in the 20th century.  The outlook for the 21th century poses a grave outlook as population growth estimates show the world nearing 10 billion people with no increase to the worldwide food supply.

• Over 70 million died of starvation in the 20th century.  (Source:  Famine in the 20th Century, Stephen Devereux)

• 925 Million people worldwide go hungry every day and 5 Million children will die of hunger worldwide annually according to the World Food Program.

• Several regions in Africa have struggled with food shortages for years.

• North Korea has witnessed 1.5 million people starve to death under the reign of communist leaders.  There are currently 6 million people threatened by famine with UN food aid as the only means avoiding a catastrophe.  (Source:  Reuters)

Additional contributing factors towards the increase of famine in the future

The UN food price index (www.fao.org) shows sharp increases to the price of food.

Natural Disasters are also on the rise.  Recent large earthquakes & tsunamis have contribute to potential famines as the populaces struggle to obtain food.  After the 2011 “Great Earthquake of Japan”, there are 20 million people in struggling to receive food aid due to the earthquake/tsunami.

Population projections estimate a total of 9.2 billion people worldwide by 2050 while the food supply and land to produce those resources are not increasing.  (Source:  US Census World Population Projections)

From 1950 to 2050, the worldwide population is projected to grow by  over 6 billion people.

Most of the population growth is being realized in underdeveloped areas of the world more prone to famine.

The increased cost of food coupled with exponential population growth in undeveloped parts of the world poses an increasing famine crisis in the 21st century.

Further population projections can be found .  (End Times Online)

Jesus spoke about diseases breaking out near and far.

“There will be terrible earthquakes, famines, and dreadful diseases in various places” (Luke 21:11 GWT)

In recent decades, several diseases never known to man such as HIV/AIDS, Avian flu, H1N1, Ebola, etc. have rapidly devastated and perplexed our society.

Who ever heard of HIV / AIDS prior to our lifetime?

• Over 5000 people worldwide die of AIDS every day.   (Source:  USAID)

• Over 25 million people in Africa have AIDS.  The majority of African nations now see the AIDS problem as having reached an epidemic level.(Source:  Avert)

Besides AIDS, several outbreaks of various diseases are taking place worldwide at an alarming rate.

Healthmap.org tracks ongoing disease breakouts worldwide.  Click on the image to utilize their outbreak utility.

Since 1940, 335 new diseases have emerged. (Source:  UPI)

The World Health Organization currently tracks several dangerous diseases with the ability to generate a rapid & deadly outbreak. (Source: WHO)

• Anthrax

• Avian influenza

• Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)

• Dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever

• Ebola haemorrhagic fever

• Hendra Virus (HeV) Infection

• Hepatitis

• Influenza

• Lassa fever

• Marburg haemorrhagic fever

• Meningococcal disease

• Nipah Virus (NiV) Infection

• Pandemic (H1N1) 2009

• Plague

• Rift Valley fever

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

• Smallpox

• Tularaemia

• Yellow fever

Even a flu shot provided in the fall of any given year may not protect against mutated strands the following Spring.

Our world is unfortunately experiencing an increase of famine and disease.  Population projections clearly paint a grim picture as an additional 3 billion people will be born to developing nations over the next 40 years.  With food prices rising, the affects of this trend will dwarf the current famine tragedies taking place today.  Also in our lifetime, we have seen the emergence of deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Avian flu, H1N1.  Over 335 new diseases have emerged since the 1940s with the greatest emergency of new diseases taking place in the 1980s (Source:  UPI).   Jesus stated that a major characteristic of the period of time prior to his return would be “famines & diseases”.  While we certainly hope that the current problems do not get any worse, the facts dictate that our generation is experiencing the fulfillment of his prediction.

Another Dead Pastor / Giant Killer Hornets / Earthquakes / Dead Fish