[Darris McNeely] Here at "Beyond Today" we've had several readers come to us right in and ask is the COVID-19 virus, the Coronavirus that has become a pandemic and is spreading throughout the world, is this virus and its impact what we read about in Revelation with the so-called fourth horseman of the apocalypse that brings a pestilence upon the earth at the close of the age and the time of the great tribulation? Well, the direct answer that I can give you today is no. What we are living through right now is not that specific event that is prophesied in your scripture.

Let me just go back and read it again. It says here that as the fourth seal of the book of Revelation 6 is opened up, "A voice came out and said, come and see. And I looked and behold a pale horse. The name of him who sat on it was Death and Hades followed with him and power was given to them over a fourth of the earth to kill with sword, hunger, death, and by the beasts of the earth." This is commonly understood by students of the Bible to be a pestilence, plague that rampages through the earth at the time of the end, during the great tribulation and the closing of this age. And it is a very horrible event. And yes, it brings with it a great deal of destruction and disruption of society along with death.

But we're not there yet. What we're witnessing and what we're living through is indeed a very serious pandemic. And all of us should take the proper precautions as we are asked by health agencies, governments to contain this virus so that it is not spread as far throughout the populations as it could be if we just went about our business. But we don't need to fear and panic or jump to conclusions that what we're witnessing in the news right now is this particular event. There are always a lot more biblically regarding prophecy that has to happen before the events of Revelation 6 begin to unfurl upon the earth. We're not there at this time, all right?

But we should learn from what is taking place. This should be a wakeup call, this should indeed make all of us a bit more urgent in our relationship with God, in our spiritual life and in our desire to understand the word of God, to understand our world so that even with what we're dealing with right now we can place that into a biblical context, a biblical worldview that shows that there is a God, a God that controls history and a God who has a purpose and yes, there is a purpose even in the plagues and in the events of the book of Revelation that represent in part His judgments upon this earth.

We should understand that. But today is the day for us to draw closer to God, to anticipate in one sense these events that are there so that we are ready for them when they do come and that our faith is not upended and even our lives are not completely upended. There's a lot that we can learn with what is taking place right now, but no, we're not at that point where this fourth horseman is riding. Stay with "Beyond Today." Look at our literature and help to help you understand exactly what God's purpose is for you and in this world, and to have that comfort and encouragement that God is in charge of history and also as we yield to Him, He can be involved and in charge in our life as well.

That's "BT Daily." Join us next time.