What Does the Bible Say About Pandemics?

Or the 'Black death' in the middle ages.

That, too.

Hi SpunkySenior and Element 99. Not sure that y'all understood his question or read the scriptures? Your comments seem to indicate that you took it to mean "The Bible foretold that a pestilence would happen and then the world would end." Is that what you were thinking?

Also, "last days" does not equate the end of the world, if you are thinking of the actual planet, right? (2 Peter 3:5; Psalm 37:9-11)

Please believe me that Spreader nor myself come here just to debate and cause contentions.

I am an atheist, so to me, it makes no difference what is in the Bible which, as you know, was written by man not a deity, at a time when knowledge was limited.  Back in those days, people were very superstitious and felt they had to attribute much of what they couldn't explain to some ethereal being.  I have no quarrel with those who believe otherwise - it is their right, but I believe that, if the human race becomes extinct, it will be due to our disrespect of nature and the planet.

With all due respect SpunkySenior, I know that you are an atheist. Blocking out what the Bible actually says with comments like: "Then why didn't the world end in 1918 with the Spanish flu?" to me is equivalent when some theist say "If evolution is true, why are there still monkeys?" I don't know any atheist that thinks that humans came from monkeys as that is a misconception of the part of some theist because they don't really listen to what is being said. In turn, comments made by some atheist and theist is because they do not really read or else don't understand what the Bible is saying.

If you get a chance, please watch the two short videos in the following link:
"Who Is the Author of the Bible?"
"How Can We Be Sure the Bible Is True?"

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102012185?q=%22is+the+good+news+really+from+God%22&p=par

I don't believe Man came from monkeys.  Perhaps I don't understand what's in the Bible because I have a tendency to think that those who wrote it based much of their writings on superstition or not having the knowledge we have today and their belief that there is some deity who has control over all out lives and our fate.  

I know that you don't believe that Man came from monkeys. Many have the tendency to believe that atheist believe that though.
According to the Bible, we have free will, fate is not a Bible teaching.  https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1996641?q=fate&p=par

Hello Shuhak, pretty sure that you do you think that the other 62 Books of the Bible besides the four Gospels are unimportant, right?

Within the Gospels, what did Jesus say? Matthew 24:1-51 "...3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”
4 In answer Jesus said to them... 14 And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come...."


Are we supposed to be aware of anything?
(2 Timothy 3:1-5) "But know this,..."

Unimportant?  No!  They ALL point to Jesus; both old and new testaments.

What's more important - Jesus ...or things like wars, pestilence, pandemic, famines, (etc.)?   

You cite Matthew 24.  Please note how Jesus sums up this discourse (verses 42-51).  His point is not to focus on the wars, pestilence, famines, tribulations, or whatever, but to be a faithful servant ... always watching.  We (humans) like to know things... especially the future.  If we knew the future, then we could be ready for it. Now, wouldn't that make us feel proud.   Yes, in Mat. 24 Jesus told about future events (especially the destruction of Jerusalem; which happened some 40 years later).  What do we humans like do with prophetic?  We like to make them fit what we want (eg. Revelation).  
You also cite 2 Timothy 3.  Again, Paul is telling Timothy that even though this stuff will happen, he needs to be alert and, if you'll pardon the expression, "keep the faith".   Yes, we can (and should) be aware.  But if all we focus on is when/where these things will happen, we take our eyes off that which is most important  - Christ Jesus.

Of course we should be aware.  Only a fool walks with his eyes shut.  My point was simply that this earth is temporary.  One day, it's going to pass away.  Jesus, however, is!  So compared to Him, all else really is unimportant.  Pandemics come and pandemis go (as history has shown).  But Jesus is forever.

Is it wrong to let people know that there is a bright future?

(Luke 21:28) But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”

(Matthew 5:5) “Happy are the mild-tempered, since they will inherit the earth.

(Matthew 6:10) Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth.

(Revelation 21:4) And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”


(Psalm 37:29) The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it.

(Psalm 104:5) He has established the earth on its foundations; It will not be moved from its place forever and ever.

(Ecclesiastes 1:4) A generation is going, and a generation is coming, But the earth remains forever.

(Isaiah 45:18) For this is what Jehovah says, The Creator of the heavens, the true God, The One who formed the earth, its Maker who firmly established it, Who did not create it simply for nothing, but formed it to be inhabited: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.

(Revelation 11:18) But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time came for the dead to be judged and to reward your slaves the prophets and the holy ones and those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.

Quote from you: "My point was simply that this earth is temporary."
Quote from the Bible: "(Ecclesiastes 1:4) A generation is going, and a generation is coming, But the earth remains forever."

Again, you miss my point.
 
I'm not going to argue about whether the earth will literally be destroyed or not.  Safe to say that sin and its results will be destroyed (at the end)?


The bible is telling us that there IS a bright future!   Thanks to Christ Jesus.  We sold ourselves into slavery to sin.  Jesus freed us.  Because of that, we don't have to die (eternal separation from God).   How much of a brighter future is there that that?  That's why it's called the "Good News" (gospel).  

EDIT: Sorry, I think I was a bit snarky. This post was edited by texasescimo at February 2, 2021 4:32 AM MST

Anyone going through any of these pandemics or diseases is truly seeing a sign of "the last days". 
Any one going through old age with alzheimer  and dementia is also seeing a sign of "the last days".

There is a difference between "their last days" and "the last days."

"The last days " are "everyone's" last days and "theirs".
The last days are the days everyone shares when they loose consciousness and expire.
If you're living in a world of anxiously waiting for some armagedon or rapture, then I hope you live to be around for another 100,000 years until we can figure this mess out. Perhaps, zombies will have "their last days" and won't exist anymore,

No, the context of the statement determines the meaning of the word.  THE does not mean THEIR.  

There is no rapture that is not a Biblical teaching.  Jesus will return. We do not know when...we do know it will not be today or tomorrow as there are still prophecies that have to come to pass before that return happens. 

Why would I or anyone else live in fear? I have nothing to fear from my God. 

What are some of these prophocies?

Temple will exist at that time.  One World government, Mark of the Beast, Antichrist (Beast) will set in the Temple and claim to be God.  There is more. 

Temple will exist at the time.
Temples have existed forever, even before Our Father Who Art In Heaven exposed himself as a burning bush. The word "Temple" has become part of many titles in video games. Is this a sign of the end? Perhaps the end of that video game.

One World government.
There has been a division of humankind since the beginning of the world, as we know it. It is more likely that a division of humankind will continue forever. If we created a monetary system which would be shared across the world, this would not mean that we would be a one world government, under the same government. We can't even get it right with our own governments in each country.

Mark of the Beast.
What is the mark of the beast? Is it 666, six hundred sixty six, WWW (world wide web), Ronald Wilson Reagan (six letters in each name)? Has it come and gone? What else can the simple mind of a human invent to solve a riddle made up by a deranged old man in exile?

Antichrist will set in the Temple and claim to be God.
Will this new God age demonstrate a greater love for his creation, or will it be a God of greater destruction? Will he claim to be a God or a god (with a lower case "g")

I'm sure there is more. As long as humankind has a mind to ponder and imagine, there will always be more to entertain ourselves.