Please, One Pandemic at a Time

The COVID-19 pandemic will soon be in its third year. The Spanish Flu pandemic ran for two years and two months. The vast majority of the deaths occurred in 1918. COVID-19 is set to last longer because it comes in wave after wave. The Spanish Flu mostly had just one wave that killed 6.2 million people. The current pandemic has only seen 1.2 million deaths.

The latest variant of COVID-19 is very contagious, but it is far less deadly than the first two variants. Here are some stats to compare this year to last year:

COVID CASES USA 7-DAY AVG
107,787 MAY 24 2022
24,769 MAY 24 2021

DEATHS 7-DAY AVG
335 MAY 24 2022
568 MAY 24 2021

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned of burnout among the nation’s health care staff. Murthy issued a new report sounding the alarm over a projected shortage of 3 million “essential low-wage health workers” in the next five years, and nearly 140,000 doctors by 2033.

“People are really struggling,” Murthy said. “After two years of COVID-19 and more than 1 million precious lives lost, the people we all turn to to keep us safe, to comfort us and help us heal, they have been pushed to their limits.”

We have spent over $7 trillion on COVID-19, and the Biden administration is back asking for more money to fight the virus. The White House says it is planning for “dire” contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn’t approve more funds for fighting COVID-19.

In March of 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan that was dedicated directly to COVID-19 response. The price tag for that bill was $1.9 trillion, so Biden will likely be asking for a similar amount of money.

In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator, has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to surrender many of the advances made against the coronavirus, and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.

“We have the resources,” Jha told ABC “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “One of the reasons I’ve been talking a lot about the need for Congress to step up and fund this effort is if they don’t, Martha, we will go into the fall and winter without that next generation of vaccines, without treatments and diagnostics. That’s going to make it much, much harder for us to take care of and protect Americans.”

While we are still fighting COVID-19, a new virus has appeared and may trigger a second pandemic. Monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, part of the same family as smallpox, though typically less severe. Despite its name, it is most commonly associated with rodents. It was first identified in 1958, but there’s never been a global Monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa until now.

As of last Wednesday, a total of 118 monkeypox cases had been reported across 12 countries in the European Union and the European Economic Area, according to the European Centre for Disease and Prevention Control. The virus can only spread through close physical contact.

Because deadly diseases are part of the birth pang signs, I’ve been watching for them for many decades. I remember in the 1990s, we had one false alarm after another, most with Ebola. This virus would pop up in Africa, kill a few people and then quickly disappear.

After following the same pattern for many years, I noticed things drastically changed with the 2014-2016 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. It was the most widespread outbreak of Ebola in history. It caused major loss of life (11,323 Deaths) and socioeconomic disruption in the region, mainly in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

I have no doubt why we are locked into this constant state of pandemic. Because the rapture is very near, the world is reflecting what Bible prophecy proclaimed as a major warning sign.

“I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth” (Rev. 6:8, NIV).

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matt. 24:7, KJV).

–Todd

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 Discerning the Midnight Hour

Authors note: The commentary today is taken in part from my conclusion to DISCERNERS: Analyzing Converging Prophetic Signs for the End of Days.

Our weekly column on the raptureready.com website is called “Nearing Midnight” because we discern that planet earth has almost reached the midnight hour of the Church Age, or Age of Grace.

Whereas the geopolitical humanist powers that be frame their view of human history’s closing minutes within their ”Doomsday Clock,” we  observe these fleeting times before Christ’s call to the Church by placing the template of Bible prophecy over the converging of prophetic stage-setting.

The political scientists and other scientists can only guess at what will happen to the human race. Most all believe that humankind will meet its end from nuclear holocaust or by climate-change disasters.

We who give total credence to what God’s Word has to say about the consummation of the age can know for certain, through a  detailed preview by God, Himself, how the end of all things will unfold. We don’t know precisely when the end will come. We can know, however, the general time when it will begin to manifest.

We can know for certain when the “midnight hour” of God’s prophetic timeline is approaching.

The Lord Jesus gave His family (born-again believers) explicit instruction about how and when to discern the nearing midnight hour.

And when you see all these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your head, for your redemption draws near. (Luke 21: 28)

Note that Jesus didn’t say to watch for when these things “come to pass.” He said “when these things begin to come to pass,” we are to “look up and lift up our heads, for our redemption is drawing near.” At that time, He will be on His way to rescue His Bride –the Church—from the carnage that is about to take place on earth.

The blackness of the midnight hour will descend following that rescue of the Church. At seven years into the Tribulation, complete evil will have engulfed the planet with satanic darkness. The first bright gleaming that pierces that most horrendous time of all of human history will then burst through the billowing storm clouds of Armageddon. Brilliant light will part the heavens, and Christ and His army will appear.

So, discerning the times in which we find ourselves is all-important to the believer. If it was not possible to discern the times, Jesus wouldn’t have told us: “What I say unto one, I say unto all. Watch” (Mark 13:37).  

He promises in Revelation 3:10 that we are not appointed to God’s wrath, and will be kept out of the very hour of that wrath.  

So, what are the things the Lord forewarned would be taking place–the things beginning to come to pass—that we see happening at this very moment? Exactly what are the things for which we are to look?

Remember, the whole Bible is the Word of God. And, Jesus is that Word (John 1: 1).

Every prophecy, whether it’s already accomplished or yet to come, is attributable to Him. God, the Holy Spirit, inspired the Old and New Testament prophets to give the prophecies. So, we don’t have to consider just what the Lord Jesus, Himself, said by way of prophecy to discern the times in which we live. We can and must consider every prophecy yet to be fulfilled, presented in the Bible by all Bible prophets, as part of our discernment process.

I am of the camp that believes we are seeing the stage being set for fulfillment of prophecy yet future rather than fulfillment itself. The one caveat concerns the nation Israel. My view is that Israel again being a nation after millennia of dispersion into all the world is fulfilled prophecy.

That said, however, everything we see happening around us at this very hour has prophetic significance. Some things are profoundly significant—for example, the coalition of nations forming to Israel’s north.

Russia (land of Magog), Iran (much of ancient Persia), and Turkey (the land of Togarmah) coming together in a coalescing alliance is a spectacular example of God’s foreknowledge of things to come. These, of course, are exactly the central actors prophetically scheduled to come against God’s chosen nation, Israel, according to Ezekiel 38 and 39.

It must be agreed that much of the stage-setting itself is likened to fulfilled prophecy in some ways. For example, the apostle Paul’s “perilous times” words, presented in 2 Timothy 3, offer a vivid snapshot of these spiritually darkening days. While prophecy yet future, for the most part, seems reserved for the Tribulation (Daniel’s seventieth week), developments in our nation and world today are becoming ever more like those given in God’s Word for that last seven years immediately preceding Christ’s Second Advent.

Luciferic darkening has so infected this generation in America and throughout the world that we who “watch” in order to discern the times are brought face to face with end-times insanity born of greatly increased rebellion against God. Other than the fact that Israel itself is what most discerners view as the most dramatic sign of where this generation stands on God’s prophetic timeline, there runs a deadly septicemia throughout humankind that marks this as a generation at the very end of its prophetic rope. The infection proves we are in the terminal stage of rebellion.

Paul explains very clearly that infection, satanically injected into humanity’s collective bloodstream.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:18-32)

God condemns those who are caught in this evil, destructive quagmire of depravity. But Jesus gives us the way out of that soul-destroying quicksand:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

—Terry

The Baby Formula Nightmare

I first noticed there was something odd about baby formula when Walmart installed cameras to constantly monitor the shelves holding the product. It struck me as odd that this item would be a high theft risk. About half the sales of baby formula come from government-provided funds. I learned that you should never doubt Washington’s ability to turn a simple positive plan into a disaster.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was established as a permanent program in 1974 to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. This mission is carried out by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, nutrition education (including breastfeeding promotion and support), and referrals to health and other social services.

There is a major crisis in the feeding of America’s babies right now because parents in some areas can’t get baby formula. A few months ago, a major producer of formula – Abbott Labs – shut down its main production facilities in Sturgis, Michigan, which had been contaminated with the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii, killing two babies and injuring two others.

If you thought the contamination at the Sturgis plant would send Abbott Labs into panic mode, you would be wrong. The CEO of Abbott Labs has only made a few general statements about the incident.

Abbott has denied its formula is to blame, with the company telling Bloomberg that “There is no evidence to link our formulas to these infant illnesses.”

“Abbott called the recall a “short-term hindrance” and said it was working closely with the regulator and has begun implementing corrective actions and enhancements to the facility.

Abbott shares rose 2.4% to $122.90 in morning trade as some analysts said the comments during the conference call allayed worries over the recall. Despite the recall and supply chain issues, Abbott beat quarterly profit and revenue estimates in the first quarter.

Abbott Labs, Mead Johnson, and Nestle produce 98% of the formula in the U.S. This monopoly is why Abbott Labs doesn’t need to worry about losing any market share. The country has been carved up where one of the three firms will dominate a region. Most states only allow women to buy baby formula from one company, though each company offers a bunch of different brands.

To save money, the government requires states to hold auctions to get the lowest price for formula. The problem is that state agencies use a complex rebating system to give the contract for the entire state to one manufacturer, and that contract can only be changed once every four years.

This rebate system distorts the entire market in a state because it’s just not worth having alternative formulas on a retail shelf if half of the buyers simply cannot purchase those formulas. As a result, the market tips to the WIC supplier, and that supplier raises prices on non-WIC recipients and does so by between 26-35%.

Abbott Labs, Mead Johnson, and Nestle use lobbyists that work with the FDA to keep out any newcomers. Even though baby formula from Europe is much cheaper, no Congress member has any incentive to change the rules.

Baby Formula made in a third-world nation may actually be safer. According to Healthy Babies Bright Futures, baby formula made by the big guys in the U.S. is full of dangerous brain-altering heavy metals. HBBF tested thirteen different baby formulas, and every single one had “detectable levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead and/or mercury,” which are all considered to be neurotoxic, interfering with brain development and “causing permanent IQ reductions in children.”

Moreover, FDA inspections of Abbott plants are obviously a disaster. Abbott had old and dirty equipment making formula, falsified records, deceived regulators, had a bad product tracing, and did not fix problems after discovery. FDA inspectors noticed problems with the plant in September but ignored them. Then, a whistleblower told the FDA of these problems in October, but regulators didn’t even bother to interview him/her until December.

What is taking place in the baby formula trade is certainly occurring in a hundred other industries. If America had a greater moral foundation, this crisis would not be taking place. It stands as one more indication of why judgment is coming to our nation.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it” (Proverbs 9:10-12).

–Todd

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The Gog Factor

Everything north of Israel is shaping into a configuration that my great, late friend, Chuck Missler, would have found interesting and, as he would put it, “provocative.”

He did a lot of research and put much study into the Ezekiel 38–39 prophecy. He would have found, well…provocative…how things in the regions above God’s chosen nation have lined up for fulfillment of Bible prophecy. He wouldn’t have been surprised, but totally fascinated, and would be stimulating us with his superbly intelligent diagnoses and prognoses of things, things that are, and things that are to come.   

Particularly of interest to him would be an in-depth look at the prophetic character known as “Gog” of the Ezekiel foretelling of the Gog-Magog invasion of Israel.

In one of his many writings on who Gog might be, without ever naming anyone in particular as a definite person he thought it would be, he wrote:

Amos 7:1 in the Greek translation reads a little differently: “The Lord hath shewn me and behold a swarm of locusts were coming, and behold one of the young devastating locusts was Gog the King.”

When I discovered this, Hal Lindsey and I dug into some research. The locusts in Revelation 9 have a king, Apollyon or Abaddon, but Proverbs 30:27 says that locusts have no king. So these locusts are not natural locusts; they are demon locusts. If that’s the case, then Gog, who is the king of the locusts, is a demon king. (“The Magog Identity,” Chuck Missler, Koinonia House)

Missler, then, it can be accurately said, helped establish among many Bible prophecy scholars and students that the term “Gog” is descriptive not of a particular human being, but of a demonic entity. Certainly the character described in God’s Word will be driven by satanic force to attack God’s chosen people. Gog is a demon spirit that indwells the leader of the force that will make that fatal plunge into the area called “over the mountains of Israel.”

A question we can ask to help us do our own look into these times is: “Do we see any indication of such demented-type thinking among leaders of key nation-states in Ezekiel’s prophecy about the Gog-Magog assault on Israel?”

It’s a good question, to be sure. We’ve seen in the past few years the development of upside-down thinking that is described precisely by God’s own words through the Apostle Paul. We cannot dismiss His diagnosis and prognosis of concerning humanity’s collective dementia, both in the spiritual realm and in the human, cognitive realm. We have lived through that development hour by hour, particularly on social media forums such as Twitter and other channels of often insane rantings.

Here is God’s condemnation of those who turn their backs on Him.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 28–32)

So the question, again, in light of the fact we are in times like that of the antediluvians and of Lot’s time in Sodom, is appropriate. “Do we see any indication of such demented-type thinking among leaders of key nation-states in Ezekiel’s prophecy about the Gog-Magog assault on Israel?”

Russia is the most front and center in this matter—the question of the Gog-Magog assault prophesied by Ezekiel. Almost certainly, Russia and its leader will be at the forefront of the attack. The leader of the assault at the time of the prophecy’s fulfillment will be the leader of Russia.

Many have expressed that Russia’s current president, Vladimir Putin, will be the leader of this force. I don’t necessarily believe Putin is that man, but certainly hold that he could be, considering that the obvious nearness to the very end of the Age of Grace is upon us.

That man, whomever he is, will be indwelt by the demon spirit “Gog” at the time of the attack. Recent reports by those observing Putin have some interesting things to say about this powerful former Soviet KGB agent and now leader of Russia.

A Russian oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin confessed to a Western colleague that Vladimir Putin is “very ill with blood cancer”, according to a report.

The billionaire, whose name has been withheld for his safety, was allegedly secretly taped in mid-March expressing his contempt for the “crazy” Russian president’s invasion of Ukraine…

“The problem is with his head. … One crazy guy can turn the world upside down.”…

Russia’s secret service is said to have circulated a memo to regional chiefs around the time of the recording ordering them to ignore rumours about Putin’s health.

Many intelligence officers reportedly interpreted the rare communication as confirmation that their president was indeed in a serious condition…

Footage emerged in April in which Putin’s hand appeared to shake uncontrollably while he firmly gripped his chair.

Earlier that month, an investigation suggested he was under near-constant supervision by a cancer surgeon and other specialist doctors who would typically monitor a cancer patient.

Speculation over the nature of his possible ailments has varied from Parkinson’s disease to cancer of the thyroid, a gland in the neck that controls heart rate and body temperature.

Paranoia, impulsive behaviour and delusions are known symptoms in patients with advanced Parkinson’s. (“Putin ‘very ill with blood cancer’ says top oligarch in secret tape,” The World News, World News Platform, Great Britain)

Reports of Putin having mental issues are becoming more frequent. Whether these are true can’t be verified. What is true is that the one who will be possessed by the Gog demon will “think an evil thought,” as Ezekiel puts it.

In the US, the reports of the American president suffering from possible cognitive issues are rampant. All we have to do to investigate these accounts is to watch his public appearances and judge for ourselves individually as to their veracity.

The demonic powers and principalities are at work; this is easy for discerning Christians to determine. The spirit of Antichrist is everywhere we look on the prophetic horizon. The “Gog factor” is something to be considered while we watch the hourly news move throughout the various platforms.

For the believer, the “Gog factor” being on the prophetic horizon means the “Rapture factor” is even more profoundly in view.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28)

—Terry