Fourth Horseman and Pestilence

In the sixth chapter of the Book of Revelation, the ride of four horsemen are described.

Now, the first horseman is more subtle than the others. Many world leaders believe that pushing an ecumenical world agenda is a good thing. While the Bible condemns that (2 Corinthians 6:14-17), even many religious leaders have embraced it (see Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction?).

The next two horsemen are not subtle. And it is likely that wars would be a factor in causing certain food shortages.

So, the opening of the fourth seal is the time that the pale horse of death is apparently increasing death by war, hunger, and pestilences (which includes microscopic and large beasts of the earth).

Pestilences are Part of the Sorrows that Begin Prior to the Start of the Great Tribulation

With all of the natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, related food shortages, recessions, and emerging pestilences in the past few years, perhaps this would be a good time to show people that these are to begin PRIOR to the “great tribulation” (which starts with the opening of the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9).

The Great Tribulation itself does not begin until later (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?) and it related to the opening of the fifth seal:

Perhaps it should be pointed out that the fourth sorrow, like the fourth horseman, involves pestilence.

What Can Be Expected During This Time?

Various scriptures suggest that the USA and at least some of its Anglo-Saxon allies will be weakened by pestilences before they are finally taken over (cf. Daniel 11:39; 8:24-25; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses) by the final ‘revival’ of the old ‘Holy Roman Empire’ (watch also Europe and the ‘Holy Roman Empire’).

In the 21st century, 1/4 of the population amounts to about 2 billion being killed via the ride of the fourth horseman!

In modern times, the spread of diseases is so much easier than in more ancient times. Notice some comments from the Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about this related to the 2011 movie Contagion:

Humankind is at risk. And modern travel and other practices are placing humanity at even greater risk. The ride of the pale horseman of death will result in deaths from pestilences.

I would also like to comment about fear as the Contagion movie apparently emphasizes that. In the past during various trips to Europe, I noticed that some Asian-appearing individuals (and only Asians, and then mainly women) were wearing masks to presumably reduce their risk of catching airborne diseases in airports and some other places--now we are seeing non-Asians doing this as well (including men). Washing hands and wearing masks sometimes do have limited benefit, and it is possible that in times of epidemic that some (though not all) may benefit from these actions.

The fourth horseman of the apocalypse will result in death of a quarter of humankind (Revelation 6:8). This will cause MASSIVE FEAR around the world. Fear will be a factor in the rise of the prophesied totalitarian beast power who will be given power after a reorganization in Europe (Revelation 17:12-13; see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?) and the coming 666 religious and financial controls (Revelation 13:16-18).

Biological Warfare

How bad might it be? Well, notice a concern related to North Korea:

Andrew Weber, formerly the assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical, and biological defense programs, told me {Yochi Dreazan} that the US and South Korea would also need to be prepared for Kim to use biological weapons against both military and civilian targets.

North Korea’s arsenal is thought to include smallpox, yellow fever, anthrax, hemorrhagic fever, and even plague. They are some of the most frightening substances on earth, and Weber expects some of them to be used against South Korean ports, airfields, and cities as a way of killing large numbers of civilians and troops while causing terror on a nationwide scale.

“We would expect to see cocktails of fast-acting biological agents designed to stop troops in their tracks and regular infectious agents that would take more time to kill people,” he told me. “There would be a significant military impact, and a significant psychological one. It’s hard to overstate just how frightening these types of weapons are.”

In an October 2017 report, researchers from Harvard’s Belfer Center noted that minute quantities of anthrax “equivalent to a few bottles of wine” could kill up to half the population of a densely populated city like Seoul. North Korea could theoretically fire missiles with payloads of anthrax or other biological weapons into South Korea, or use drones to disperse the lethal substances from the air.

The researchers wrote that Kim could also have some of his citizens secretly bring the weapons into the South:

North Korea has 200,000 special forces; even a handful of those special forces armed with BW would be enough to devastate South Korea. What is alarming about human vectors is that they do not need sophisticated training or technology to spread BW amongst the targets, and they are difficult to detect in advance of an attack. It is theoretically possible that North Korean sleeper agents disguised as cleaning and disinfection personnel could disperse BW agents with backpack sprayers. Another possibility is that North Korean agents will introduce BW into water supplies for major metropolitan areas.

In 2011, Weber helped design a war game centered on a simulated North Korean biological weapons attack on the South. The exercise, Able Response, brought together hundreds of military and civilian officials from the US and South Korea. The goals were to figure out the best ways to detect an attack, identify what substance had been used, limit the spread of the virus, and then rush vaccines and other medical care to the infected to save as many lives as possible.

The exercises led to concrete policy changes, including closer coordination between the South Korean military and the country’s public health system. US bases in South Korea received new environmental surveillance systems designed to quickly detect the presence of a biological agent. All US troops in South Korea are vaccinated against anthrax and smallpox (South Korean troops aren’t, to the consternation of Weber and other US officials).

Still, Weber said his main takeaway was the near impossibility of preventing biological weapons from killing an astonishing number of people. The death toll in each year’s exercise was often close to a million. In some cases, it was significantly higher because the infection spread to Japan or other nearby countries.

“It only takes one or two people to deliver bioweapons, and tiny quantities of a bacteria or virus can cause a massive number of casualties,” he told me. “You wouldn’t need a missile. You’d need a backpack.” https://www.vox.com/world/2018/2/7/16974772/north-korea-war-trump-kim-nuclear-weapon

I have warned about the possibility of North Korea unleashing biological weapons for years. North Korea has biological weapons and has plans to use them. North Korea is capable of unleashing biological and chemical agents against the USA. This could have devastating consequences.

Other Church of God writers have long been aware of the potential for biological weapons as well. 50 years ago, the old Worldwide Church of God published the following by the late Raymond McNair:

THE DOOMSDAY BUG

There is — this very instant — a feverish international search for the ultimate “dooms-day bug.” The purpose? — to wipe out whole nations overnight by disease germs and chemicals. Will man’s unrestrained scientific search for more horrifying weapons of mass destruction prove to be his undoing?

WHAT I have seen here at Porton Down has convinced me of the awful potential of modern Chemical and Biological Warfare (called CBW for short). Few realize its frightening possibilities! Sensational news headlines from time to time reveal details of CBW development world-wide. …

History of CBW

Chemical and Biological Warfare is not new to mankind. For thousands of years man has used various CBW agents to overcome his enemies. But… it is only recently that he has seriously considered the idea of using CBW on a grand scale — to erase whole populations! Thousands of years ago man discovered the diabolical use of poison. He learned to use poison to dispose of rulers, dignitaries, or large numbers of his enemies by poisoning their food or water supply. Poisoned arrows were also used in warfare. Millenniums ago man learned that he could throw the corpses of plague-infected humans over the walls of besieged cities which he sought to overthrow — thereby causing terrible plague to ravage the entire city. Early American settlers traded plague-infected blankets to American Indians in times of frontier hostilities. There have been virtually no limits to man’s diabolical, inventive genius in the realm of destructive weapons of war.

CBW’s Awful Potential

We can see the awful potential of rampant disease organisms by observing what did happen during the Dark Ages. The BLACK DEATH of 1348-50 was the worst natural disaster to befall man in the last 4000 years. This terrible plague swept over all Europe — killing at least one third of the population! In certain areas nearly three fourths of the population was killed by plague! Three fifths of all Britons succumbed to the Black Death — reducing Britain’s population from 5.1 million in 1348 to 2.1 million in 1374.

Many, believing they would certainly fall victims of the Black Death, gave themselves over to reckless abandon — drunkenness, sexual orgies, violence, crime and general lawlessness. “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die of plague,” they reasoned. But biological warfare is potentially much worse than plague.

Colonel Adam Mikovich of Moscow Institute understands the full potential of Biological Warfare. He said: “It is believed today that Biological War would have the greatest effect of all” (Post, Jan. 30, 1965). ...

An Ounce of Doom!

Many scientists right now are searching for new plagues with which to decimate the human population. And they are diligently seeking deadlier strains of old viruses with which to destroy whole populations. Of course, these scientists justify their CBW research by saying it is done for defensive reasons. Just how lethal are these viruses? Do you grasp the deadly potential? “In theory one gram of chicken embryo tissue inoculated with the Q-fever organism would be sufficient to infect more than one million people” (We All Fall Down, Robin Clarke). It has been estimated that one fourth of an ounce would be sufficient to infect every man, woman and child living in the British Isles! That’s about 55 million! Britain is especially vulnerable to chemical or germ warfare. She is thickly crowded and normal weather conditions in Britain are favorable to that type of warfare!

Botulinus, which was developed during World War II, is so deadly that it could wipe out all human life in a given area within six hours — yet leaving the target area habitable immediately after the attack. But some diseases would have a more lingering effect. ...

Few realize that far more people have died from pestilence — from sickness and various plagues — through the course of human history, than have died in actual warfare.

It has been estimated that over 20,000,000 perished from influenza in just a few months at the close of World War I — and 50 times that number became ill. In the autumn of 1918, over 12,500,000 died in the flu epidemic which swept the undernourished nation of India. And over one-half million died in the United States. …

Destroying the Economy

Another terrifying aspect of CBW is that an enemy nation could destroy the economy of a nation — before actually attacking its civilians. This could be done by first attacking some of the main crops of the intended victim nation.

In 1942, 90 percent of India’s rice crop was destroyed by a natural strain of rice fungus.

And the highest award ever given to a U.S. civilian was awarded to a woman for developing another very deadly type of rice-blast fungus — which could, of course, be used against rice-eating nations like China or North Vietnam.

A Russian scientist has reportedly discovered a very deadly wheat rust — a type to which America’s wheat would be especially susceptible.

Thus, one can see how an enemy could greatly undermine the economy of a nation by first destroying the main crops through bacteriological warfare.

As a further example of the effects of this type of warfare, consider the terrible economic effects which the Irish potato famine of the mid-1800’s had on Ireland. That particular potato famine was caused by a peculiar potato blight or fungus which completely wiped out Ireland’s potato crop!

Previous to the famine, Ireland was one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. Yet it was a country stricken with the most unbelievable poverty. “There never was,” said the Duke of Wellington, a native of County Meath, “a country in which poverty existed to the extent that exists in Ireland.” “Nearly half of the families of the rural population,” reported the 1841 census, “are living in houses of the lowest state” — windowless mud cabins of a single room. …

CBW weapons are cheap to manufacture, and are comparatively inexpensive to deliver to enemy targets. A small nation could develop a whole arsenal of CBW agents and deliver them with very little strain on its budget. …

Scientists must bear their full share of responsibility for their part in developing more deadly and virulent microbes which could unleash horrifying disease epidemics upon this world.

But where does this leave us? Will scientists cease their horrifying work? Hardly.

It leaves us precisely where the world’s most noted newscaster — Jesus Christ — said it would leave us! Speaking of our very day, he warned: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:21, 22).

But how?

The Only Solution

Make no mistake about it — man does not have the solution to his ever-accelerating arms-race problem. But God does!

We can be very thankful that the God of the universe is about to put an end to man’s hellish insanity toward his fellowman. His government will “rebuke strong nations afar off: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they LEARN WAR any more” (Micah 4:3).

Mercifully, God Almighty will not let man destroy himself! If God didn’t keep His hand firmly on the controls, man would annihilate himself.

We can rejoice that total disarmament is very near. The day is soon coming when the nations will close down all of their chemical and biological establishments — and their munitions factories!

Then all of man’s scientific efforts will be directed toward construction — not Destruction. Toward saving lives — not destroying them! (McNair R. The Doomsday Bug. Plain Truth, August 1969)

Since the above was published, scientists can now also produce genetically-modified pestilential organisms.

Scientists warn of mysterious and deadly new epidemic called Disease X that could kill millions around the world

10 March 2018

An unknown and deadly new illness dubbed Disease X has been added to the list of potential global epidemics that could potentially kills millions.

Each year scientists with the World Health Organisation (WHO) create a list of the most likely diseases to break out into a worldwide pandemic.

This year, among the familiar Ebola, SARS, and Zika viruses is the new name of Disease X.

And unlike the other pathogens, it is not known what causes Disease X or how doctors could try to treat it.

Researchers said that they added Disease X to the threat list to recognise the fact that the next deadly pandemic could be started by an illness that has not caused any problems before. …

“Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease.”

Norwegian scientist and WHO adviser John-Arne Rottingen said that it was likely the next outbreak would be “something we have not seen before”. …

Disease X could even be man-made, rather than a fluke of nature. There are growing fears that the use and development of chemical and biological weapons are on the rise. ...

Mr Rottingen said that the man-made viruses and diseases were especially dangerous because humans have not built up any resistance over time to them, leaving them free to sweep across the globe before governments and doctors can catch up.

“Synthetic biology allows for the creation of deadly new viruses. It is also the case that where you have a new disease there is no resistance in the population and that means it can spread fast.” https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/scientists-warn-mysterious-deadly-new-12160964

Now, there is even more devastating potential in the 21st century from biological warfare than in the 20th century.

While the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God is going to be the solution, Jesus warned that prior to that, wars and “pestilences” would be part of the “beginning of sorrows”:

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

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8).

10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:10-11).

Biological warfare, ‘Disease X,’ and the use of synthetic bio-agents are consistent with what Jesus warned would happen.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video for our Bible News Prophecy program:

17:01

Biological Warfare and Prophecy

Is biological warfare possible? Was it prophesied? Scientists have long warned that pathogenic organisms like the coronavirus could be weaponized. Furthermore, back in 2017, there were concerns that the biological research facility being constructed in Wuhan, China was risky and that a coronavirus from it could be released. On January 25, 2020, China’s President Xi Jinping publicly stated that the situation with the Wuhan-related strain of the coronavirus was grave. Did Church of God writers like the late evangelist Raymond McNair warn that engineered viruses (the “Doomsday bug”) were consistent with prophecies from Jesus? Did a warning from CCOG leader Bob Thiel warn about risks of genetically-modified (GMO) mosquitoes come to pass? Could human research and/or the consumption of biblically-unclean animals such as bats and snakes be a factor in current outbreaks or coming future pestilences? What about famines? How devastating have pestilences been? How devastating are the prophesied ones going to be? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Warfare and Prophecy.

Consider further, that according to Jesus, one or more significant pestilences will begin shortly before the start of the Great Tribulation. Biblically, it appears to be highly likely that the USA and its Anglo-allies will be hit hard by pestilences just prior to being taken over (Leviticus 26:21-25) by the Beast power (Daniel 11:39).

Scientists Will Not Stop What is Coming

While many trust in science, scientists will not stop the coming prophesied disease pandemics.

Consider the following:

Major Report Says Drug-Resistant Superbugs Are Already Killing More People Than Feared

November 15, 2019

Drug-resistant germs sicken about 3 million people every year in the United States and kill about 35,000, representing a much larger public health threat than previously understood, according to a long-awaited report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new estimates show that, on average, someone in the United States gets an antibiotic-resistant infection every 11 seconds, and every 15 minutes, someone dies.

Bacteria, fungi and other germs that have developed a resistance to antibiotics and other drugs pose one of the gravest public health challenges and a baffling problem for modern medicine.

Scientists, doctors and public health officials have warned of this threat for decades, and the new report reveals the top dangers and troubling trends. More pathogens are developing new ways of fending off drugs designed to kill them, and infections are spreading more widely outside of hospitals.

No new classes of antibiotics have been introduced in more than three decades. …

These germs spread through people, animals and the environment.

The report details the toll that 18 pathogens are taking on humans, ranking the threat of each as “urgent”, “serious” or “concerning”. …

The report cites two worrisome trends: the increasing numbers of resistant infections outside hospitals, including highly drug-resistant gonorrhea; and the increasing ability of drug-resistant microbes to share their dangerous resistance genes with other kinds of bacteria, making those other germs untreatable, as well. https://www.sciencealert.com/nightmare-drug-resistant-superbugs-are-causing-more-deaths-than-previously-estimated

Biggest Threats and Data

2019 AR Threats Report

CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (2019 AR Threats Report) includes the latest national death and infection estimates that underscore the continued threat of antibiotic resistance in the U.S.

According to the report, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. In addition, 223,900 cases of Clostridioides difficile occurred in 2017 and at least 12,800 people died.

Dedicated prevention and infection control efforts in the U.S. are working to reduce the number of infections and deaths caused by antibiotic-resistant germs, but the number of people facing antibiotic resistance is still too high. More action is needed to fully protect people.

CDC is concerned about rising resistant infections in the community, which can put more people at risk, make spread more difficult to identify and contain, and threaten the progress made to protect patients in healthcare. The emergence and spread of new forms of resistance remains a concern. https://www.cdc.gov/DrugResistance/Biggest-Threats.html accessed 11/15/19

In addition to “superbugs,” there are still old ones that are around.

Also, there are problems with vaccines:

November 15, 2019

One of the biggest obstacles this year is the proliferation of so-called "vaccine-derived" polio outbreaks.

Conventional polio caused by the traditional form of the disease is now only occurring in two countries in the world — Afghanistan and Pakistan. The World Health Organization calls this form "wild" polio and there've been roughly 100 cases so far this year. ...

But what's troubling now is that there are currently more kids being paralyzed by cases of vaccine-derived polio than by the original "wild" variety. ...

There've been outbreaks this year in the Philippines, China, Myanmar, Pakistan and a half a dozen African countries. ...

In lower income countries with weaker health systems, an oral vaccine containing a live but weakened version of the polio virus is used. It's cheap and easy to administer through a few drops in a child's mouth.

In the early days of polio eradication, this live oral vaccine also had the added benefit that it could circulate in a community just like the real, wild virus. In places with poor sanitation, wild polio and the virus in the oral vaccine can spread from sewage to drinking water. At first this was great. Kids who hadn't been vaccinated by health workers ended up getting exposed to the oral vaccine and protected against wild polio because of their lousy drinking water supplies. But over time the virus from the oral vaccine starts to regain strength and if it's allowed to circulate long enough, it reverts back to the point that it can cause paralysis just like the original virus. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/11/15/779865471/polio-vaccine-may-be-preventing-the-end-of-polio

So, vaccines are causing problems.

Scientists are not going to be able to stop what is coming. Consider also the following:

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."

2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:1-2)

A "foul and loathsome sore" sounds like it is the result of an infectious disease. Humans should repent, but most will not:

9 ... they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:9)

Without massive repentance massive pandemics are coming. Scientists may stop some disease, but they will not be able to stop what will come.

Will Genetically-Modified Foods or Organisms Be a Factor?

Because of sin, greed, and ignorance, America has been into producing genetically-modified foods as well as genetically-modified biological warfare agents.

Although the Europeans allow some genetically-modified foods, Europe has had much more restrictions on them and is less dependent upon them for their food supply.

For the USA and Canada, the situation is much more precarious. The vast majority of soy beans and corn produced by these combined nations is from genetically-modified organisms (GMOs).

The intent also seems to be to develop other GMO crops as well. GMO wheat (and wheat one of the most major crops) is starting to be introduced as well (see Super Wheat: Solution or Disaster Awaiting?). The Bible also warns:

And I have long wondered that other than possibly referring to white bread, if this verse may possibly refer to “bread” made with genetically-modified wheat or other GMO grains (see GMOs and Bible Prophecy).

These human-engineered "foods" are genetically identical within species which makes them susceptible to total elimination via famine-causing pestilential organisms. I have long suspected that the time will come when some type of pestilence will hit America's genetically-modified grain crops like corn and wreak havoc on the land. Enough so, that this may embolden its enemies to attack Britain and/or the USA to begin the Great Tribulation.

Having genetically-modified, along with mainly hybrid, seeds will mean that it will be difficult to actually grown enough food in those regions once some type of blight or other pestilence hits.

The idea of genetically-modified crops being at risk is not far-fetched. It is something I have warned about for years, and sadly science is now starting to admit that I was right on that point. It was announced in August 2011 for "the first time a major Midwest scourge has developed resistance to a genetically modified crop"(for more details, see Pestilence Issues and Genetically-Modified Corn).

The Bible is clear that pestilences are coming and the USA, Canada, etc. seem determined to place themselves at greater risk than necessary by seemingly racing to see how much of the food supply can become dependent on genetically-engineered grains and other crops (for more details, see GMOs and Bible Prophecy). The experimentation with genetically-modified organisms could result in unexpected pestilences, as well as intentional ones from biological warfare.

Might Europe Have Less Risk?

Europe has tended to be less accepting of GMOs in their food supply than the Americas and Asia.

There is also another difference related to Europe--antibiotic use in livestock.

Chickens and pigs are often raised much too closely together. This is wrong. Notice that righteous farmers have consideration for their animals:

Furthermore, because of overuse of antibiotics, the USA and many other parts of the world are setting themselves up for the possibility of getting infections from bacteria that are resistant to various antibiotics. Yet, the Europeans and their animals are not quite in the same situation.

This poses a major risk for the USA, Asia, and other places. The USA, Canada, UK, and some other places could get affected and Europe missed. This would weaken the USA and make it more vulnerable to attack from Europe–an attack that will happen according to the Bible (Daniel 11:39; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses). The USA will be weakened before it is attacked and taken over.

Now, this does NOT mean that Europe will not ultimately be affected by pestilences associated with the fourth horseman, only that prior to the start of the Great Tribulation, known as the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8), Europe will not be hit as hard as certain other parts of the world related to the fourth horseman.

Prelude to the Beast

The four horsemen of the Apocalypse help set the stage for the rise of the Beast of the Sea (also known as the King of the North in Daniel 11). The four horseman directly tie in with four end time events Jesus foretold as part of the beginning of sorrows:

Sometime during the beginning of sorrows, on the Bible calls a prince will start to rise up (Daniel 9:26-27), and eventually (within 3 1/2 years) he is one who will be the final biblical King of the North.

He will pretend to be religious and supportive of the white horseman who has been ushering in an ecumenical and interfaith universal religion. He will not truly be a believer in the Roman Catholic faith as we know it as he will eventually demand worship of himself (see also Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2?).

He will work with a pope, who I contend will be an anti-pope, to make the world nominally Catholic. Since he will actually change the religion, it is likely that he will take the name "Catholic" to pretend that he is faithful to that religion. And since this monarch is a warrior, obviously he will somehow honor the "god of fortresses":

Notice some things Catholics teach their great prince of the north will do things consistent with what the Bible warns that the King of the North Beast will do:

And he is expected to "convert the world" according to various Catholics. (Connor, p. 30)

The Bible tells that the King of the North will assemble a "great army" (Daniel 11:25).

The Bible tells that his followers will betray the church of seven hills (Revelation 17:15-18).

Catholic writings say their great prince will upset people, including parts of the Catholic clergy:

He is probably disliked by the clergy for changes he is trying to implement. He will outwardly feign the Roman Catholic religion (cf. Daniel 11:37; Revelation 13:1-10), but will not really believe it and will work to change it.

I specifically believe that the Great Monarch that some Roman Catholics are incorrectly looking forward to is the "King of the North" and his new religious order is specifically warned against in the Book of Daniel (11:37-38; see also The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies).

One interesting 15th century Catholic prophecy foretells a time a “great prince” will rise up, “all Germany” will apparently covert to the ecumenical religion and then massive conversions elsewhere “will happen quickly:

Slaughtering will occur during the rides of the second and third horsemen of the Apocalypse, and then this prince will rise up.

The various crises will persuade Europe to reorganize and turn power over the dictatorial Beast:

This sea, as Daniel 7:2-8, is the Great Sea, meaning the Mediterranean Sea (Numbers 34:6-7; Joshua 1:4; 9:1; 23:4; Ezekiel 47:13-16).

Notice that the Beast is some type of successful military leader who will arise.

This sounds a lot like what will happen under the King of the North (Daniel 11:29-43).

Interestingly, some of the Eastern Orthodox seem to realize that this leader may be identified around the time of the beginning of sorrows. Near the end of the 4th century, there was an exchange between two important Orthodox leaders pertaining to the beginning of sorrows:

So, some ancient Orthodox writings indicate that a man will rise up during the time of the beginning of sorrows, who will ultimately become a king—and that is correct. The Bible tells that end time Babylon will make many rich (Revelation 18:3). The comment about “persons of Jewish religion” may refer to persecution of the true saints (cf. Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7) as Orthodox and Roman Catholics have often indicated that those with original Nazarene practices are actually Jews pretending to be Christian. The statement about this King going against the Hagarenes (a term that can refer to Arabs/Muslims as it comes from being a descendent of Hagar of Genesis 25:12) may be a reference to the King of the North going against the King of the South (Daniel 11:40) and/or him fighting against Muslims off and on. It also needs to be understood, that while the above Orthodox discussion indicates that having things as they were in the days of Noah is a positive thing for a while, the Bible warns that this occurrence comes after the tribulation has began and is a sign that Jesus is about to return (Matthew 24:37-44).

Thus, some of the Orthodox Catholics are looking for a major leader to rise up during the beginning of sorrows. The truth that this King will apparently be the Beast of Revelation and basically start the Great Tribulation seems lost to them, however.

'Christs' comes from the Greek word transliterated as Christos and means anointed. The Great Monarch may well say he is anointed somehow--he will be a false christ!

And he will be in full power shortly after the fourth seal is opened and the fourth horseman rides.

Note: When in Bali, Indonesia, I asked a Hindu there about the plausibility of Hindus supporting some leader that claims to be Roman Catholic and he confirmed he felt that as long as he made some modifications, that the Hindus could do that. More Hindu details suggest someone that looks like the Beast (for more details, see India and the Beast of Revelation 13).

As far as other (non-physical health) illness and 666 connections, consider that in March of 2020 the World Health Organization (and Iran) warned people against using physical cash because of then coronavirus called COVID-19 because of fear of contagion:

The above prophecies were written over 1900 years ago, and the control of buying and selling was not possibly able to be fulfilled until the 21st century. A century where cash is being replaced by electronic currency that can be fully tracked. And that prophesy is clearly telling of tyranny in such a society.

Consider that in Matthew 24:7-8, Jesus warned of pestilences as part of the “beginning of sorrows.” Later in that same chapter, He prophesied the start of the “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). Pestilences are also associated with the fourth horseman of Revelation 6–which will cause many to die. Since the “great tribulation” comes AFTER the “pestilences” that start during the “beginning of sorrows,” and the control of buying and selling is in full force DURING the great tribulation (Revelation 13:16-18), the FEAR of the threat of paper cash spreading diseases looks to be part of the justification for the type of ‘Orwellian control’ that 666 will implement (Revelation 13:16-18).

Expect FEAR to be a motivator to move towards cashlessness and the prophesied totalitarian control.

COVID-19 "the authoritarian's finest hour"? Well, if so, it is helping to set the stage for Europe to switch from democracy to totalitarian dictator as foretold in the Bible.

Just like bodily exercise can benefit for a little while, physical hygiene steps may also benefit some for a little while, yet turning to God and living His ways are what we need to do:

This current flare up of COVID-19 is not expected to result in the death of a 1/4 of humanity along with starvation and war. That would be close to 2 billion people. Thus far, the official death toll is less than 100,000 people.

But, with pushes towards digital currency, social distancing, closed businesses, closed schools, closed churches, travel restrictions, and digital immunity passports, are all consistent with the type of totalitarian controls that the Beast of Revelation will implement.

We are seeing a foretaste of this in many lands around the world. And what is happening and blamed on the novel coronavirus is shining a light on how governments will handle something worse in the future.

When people are terrified of dying, do not think that Satan will not use that to push forward the Beast (Revelation 16:13). The coming Beast will be worse than Adolf Hitler (watch also European Unity to be like Hitler?).

The ride of the fourth horseman will help pave the way for the Beast of the Sea of Revelation 13 to be able to implement the type of totalitarian controls that the Bible points to.

Anglo-Nations Are at Biblical Risk

Here are some passages from Lamentations, plus one in Ezekiel that seem to be directed towards the Anglo-nations (for more on the identity of the Anglo-nations in prophecy, please see the article Anglo - America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel):

Notice that this shows famine, then pestilence, and then the sword. The above sequence seems to be slightly different than that Jesus listed as part of the “beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8) as the sword comes afterwards. But since the sword should begin the Great Tribulation, the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), this may be part of how the beginning of sorrows ties into the Great Tribulation–this also may suggest hunger and disease problems for the Anglo-nations prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.

These seem to tie in with three horsemen of the Apocalypse--and note the we see both pestilences and problems from wild beasts. Wild beasts also sometimes have rabies, so that makes them a double pestilential risk.

Notice that it is after various pestilences, that the some nation is delivered to its enemies. This suggests that the USA, UK, and their Anglo-descended allies will face pestilences before they are taken over. And for those who question that the prophecy in Leviticus could be directed towards the Anglo-descended nations, understand that in the Bible, the man Israel specifically stated that his name would be on the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:14-20). Hence if the Anglo-descended nations came from them (which they did), then some of the prophecies that apply to “Israel” are prophecies that should be applied to the primarily Anglo-descended nations.

The Anglo-descended nations, who should know better, are walking contrary to the word of God. Pestilences are coming to their lands.

The Anglo-nations that are relying on genetically-engineered foods and not repentance are taking a major risk that will cost them many lives.

Basically, although the Bible tends to advise quarantine (Leviticus 13, 14), government officials often rejected that (like what happened with the Ebola in certain lands), or like in the case of COVID-19, gone beyond biblical quarantine guidelines (cf. Deuteronomy 28:66).

Most leaders in the world will not be able to properly deal with pestilences that will be coming.

Some Will Be Protected

While they will be subject to the persecutions prior to the start of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-10; Daniel 11:29-35), there is a group that Jesus promised to protect from the hour of trial that will come on the earth:

Could the Fourth Horseman Be Islam?

According to Pentecostal preacher and author Irvin Baxter, Islam represents the fourth horsemen of the apocalypse.

One of his biggest 'proofs' is that he showed a video clip that had a greenish image fade in a crowd prior to the overthrow of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak. He said this was proof that his 'green horse' was Islam. He showed the video clip at least three times that I noticed on his telecast. The clip reminded me of an email that an Eastern Orthodox supporter in eastern Europe (Bulgaria, I believe) of an 'angel' which supposedly proved that the Eastern Orthodox faith was the correct one (see also Satan's Plan).

Anyway, here is some information written by Irvin Baxter on his views on the four horsemen and Islam:

Both Irvin Baxter and Ken Raggio teach that the first horse represents the Catholic Papacy, the second horse Communism, the third horse Capitalism, and the fourth horse Islam.

Now let's again look at the opening of the fourth seal. This fourth horsemen represents pestilence and death:

Irvin Baxter and Ken Raggio claim that this refers to Islam. Yet, Islam has not been killing people with hunger and by the beasts of the earth (pestilence). It has not killed a quarter of the earth's population, nor will it. Although it does appear to be prophesied to cause death (e.g. Psalm 83:4-8 ) and lands dominated by it look to be part of the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43), this would mainly be through terrorism and war. Islam most assuredly is NOT the fourth horseman of the apocalypse. Irvin Baxter is wrong about the identity of the fourth horseman, even if Islam does contribute to some of the prophesied deaths.

Overall, Irvin Baxter is wrong about his identification of three of the four horsemen of Revelation 6 (to see who the others are see the article Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse). Yet, he seems to have a significant following. Those who want to live as a Christian should pay attention to biblical prophecy, but need to be careful that they do not follow those that are in significant prophetic and doctrinal error.

The Results of the Fourth Horseman

The ride of the fourth horseman in these end times will apparently result in one quarter of humanity to die. Based on current and projected population counts, this would seem to be between 1.6-2.0 billion people. The fourth horseman is not Islam.

Despite various precautions that people will take, massive numbers of people will still die. Fear of contagion looks to be a factor in getting rid of much cash and the establishment of the 666 control of buying and selling (Revelation 13:16-18).

Death from war, famine, and pestilences will increase and kill. Genetically modified organisms may be a factor (see GMOs and Bible Prophecy).

These disasters will make more and more people willing to accept a totalitarian strongman dictator.

Physical preparations, while helpful for a while (Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians), but this fourth rider will bring deaths. But spiritual preparations, on the other hand, are what truly is needed for real protection (Revelation 3:7-10; 1 Timothy 4:8-11).

Hopefully, you will seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) and truly be a Philadelphian Christian (cf. Revelation 3:7-13).

That said, God will bring about the kingdom of God and pestilences, like wild beasts, will seek to be a problem:

Thiel B. Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse, the Pale Horse of Death and Pestilence. http://www.cogwriter.com/fourth-horseman-apocalypse-pale-horse-of-death.htm COGwriter (c) 2011/2012/2013/2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019/2020 / 2023 1121

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The Results of the Fourth Horseman