Church Times Six-question Covid-19 interview series
VIctor Mike-Omole is the Coordinator of Future Event Movement. He is the first to feature in the Church Times Covid-19 interview series. Excerpts:
Do you see the present pandemic as an indication of the end of age?
Yes I do, but I would like to support my response to this question with a brief explanation, because I have seen some people confusing end of the age for end of the world. These two events or concepts are not exactly the same in the doctrine of endtime events (Eschatology).
The end of age means the end of a dispensation, last days, end of time or endtime. In general sense, it is a period that began on the day of Pentecost and shall end with the Rapture of the Church.
While the end of the world refers to a period after the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ, a time when this present earth and heaven above shall be destroyed, to pave way for a new heaven and a new earth – 2 Pet. 3:6-7,10 and Rev. 21:2.
According to endtime bible prophecies and the teachings of Jesus Christ regarding signs of the time, it has been made clear that Pestilences shall be one of the many signs indicating that we are at the end of the age.
The early disciples asked Jesus:
“…Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
(Matt. 24:3).
These were 3 different questions. Please understand that signs of His coming is same thing as signs of the end of the age. Which is not the same as signs of the end of the world.
And Jesus, in His response to their questions, said:
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
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.”
(Matt. 24:6-8).
Pestilences in the above passage means Plagues or Diseases.
Coronavirus is a plague and can therefore be referred to as a pestilence. On this note, I would answer in the affirmative. YES!
Covid-19 pandemic is a sign indicating the end of the age.
Mind you, the word Pestilences in Jesus’ discuss is in the plural form, meaning more than one. Now, history has informed us that there have been several others prior to Covid-19, and I can assure you that this will certainly not be the last, before the end comes.
The end of times is associated with pestilences and other signs, so we must brace up for many more, possibly worse, in the nearest future.
Jesus describes these signs as the beginning of sorrows in verse 8 above and not the end of the world.
There have been such pandemic in years past. How is this different from others?
Indeed there have been several pandemics in the past years. We have had the New World Small Pox of 1520, which claimed about 56 M lives; The Spanish Flu of around 1918-1919, which claimed about 50M lives; HIV/AIDS which began since 1981, and has claimed about 35 M lives and it is still claiming lives, just to mention but a few. However, the Covid-19 appears to be unique and different in the following ways:
- Its speed of spread. It has touched over 120 nations in less than 3 months, and we are still counting.
- Its global influence and impact on every facet of human life, that is, governance, Economy, Religions, Social Life style, etc. it has put the world on a pulse mode, as we can see, the whole world is on lock-down, partial or total, depending on its level of impact.
- The invisibility or hideousness of the virus in an infected person, until the person is subjected to a virological test.
- The incubation period is such that an infected person may not know until the person has transmitted it to others.
These four effects makes it different from other pandemics in the years past.
There are insinuations that the pandemic is a preparation towards one world govt. and the reign of the antichrist. Do you agree?
To a large extent, I do agree. But, I would rather consider it as a process of psycho-conditioning. That is, it is a process in which the minds of the entire human race are going through a kind of psychological transformation.
Furthermore, the pandemic showing us that the whole world is connected regardless of our national boundaries, and can be controlled from one point. This is one thing the government of the antichrist would do. To control the world government, economy, social lifestyle and religion from one location.
So far, this pandemic have proven that it is possible for the whole world to transit from its old-normal to a new–normal within a very short time. For instance, prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, we would all consider social distancing and lockdowns as abnormal, but they have suddenly become normal.
For the very first time, we see a kind of global ‘martial law’ in place, movements of people are being restricted globally, sporting activities are shut down, religious and social gatherings are prohibited and simultaneously. Amazingly, we are seeing a high degree of compliance almost everywhere, though no one likes it.
According to Rev. 13, when the time of the antichrist shall come, he will have absolute control over the world, and change the way the world operates.
The W.H.O is currently working on a vaccine to deal with the pandemic. The vaccine according to the body should be ready in about a year from now. Should believers take the vaccine when out?
I think individual opinions and convictions should be respected here. As to whether or not believers should take it, calls for wisdom.
I have heard from unverified sources that there are a group of businessmen with vested interest in the production of these vaccines because they have a hidden plan of reducing the world population through its inoculation. This may call for concerns because this group of people are not virologists.
Nevertheless, I would have agreed, but because I am yet to lay hold on concrete evidence to substantiate this claim, I would therefore, partially agree.
We understand that there have been outbreaks of diseases in the past which led scientists into search for vaccines and cure, and afterward, cure were discovered and vaccines were developed. I am persuaded that same can possibly happen with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Notwithstanding, with my knowledge and understanding of one of several agenda of the Order of Illuminati and the New World Order, which is Population control, the propensity for such individuals to adulterate vaccines to expedite their objectives cannot be disregarded.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) is an Organ of the United Nations (UN), and the UN is a brain child of the Order of Illuminati, hence I will not rule out the possibility of such ungodly act.
We must understand that where there is an original, the existence of counterfeits cannot be ruled out. Therefore some of the future vaccines may be compromised, hence I will advise that people should be wise in making choices. The bible says that evil men shall grow worse in this endtime – 2 Tim. 3:13; “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
Believers on the other hand should be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit in times like this, He will surely guide us.
Though in the past, medical science has always developed vaccines for the purpose of preventive measures. We have seen that for Measles and Chicken Pox. That has not ruled out the fact that while some people are having good intentions towards mankind, there are others with their evil intentions.
However, I can assure you that the Lord will keep His people from this evil agenda, because in John 17:15, Jesus prayed for our protection, saying:
“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”
Some believe the vaccine is a mark of the beast and that there will be an implant in the hands of people to monitor them by the one world govt. What do you think about this?
I think otherwise, the word of God has not said so. I believe that such conclusion is based on assumption and the imaginations of the minds of some people.
According to my understanding of God’s endtime agenda, the one world government is not yet in place, before the one world government would emerge, there must first be the birth of a one world religion, the book of Revelation 17:5 portrays her as “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Besides, the mark of the beast cannot be implanted until the middle of the tribulation period. The Bible says:
“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
(Rev. 13:16-17).
The ‘he’ in the above passage refers to the false prophet, who shall be the leader of the one world religion, he is the very man who shall implement the policy of receiving the mark of the beast. As we can see, W.H.O is not a religious body, neither is their DG a religious leader.
According to relevant Bible passages, the one world religion is yet to be formed, though the process is ongoing, a group of religious leaders are working towards achieving that goal.
Also, the Rapture of the Church is yet to take place, and must take place before the full manifestation of one world religion, then the antichrist and his one world govt. shall begin.
However, we must understand that the Rapture can take place any moment because all the signs indicating such are already manifesting, hence the need for us to be Rapture-Ready.
Therefore, the proposed vaccine is not the mark of the beast and would never be, because the mark of the beast is not a vaccine, but it’s going to be a substance or an object that can be engraved or implanted as a stamp. The Ancient Greek word describes it as ‘Charax’.
What should be the Christian attitude in times like this?
Our attitude in times like this, to a large extent, would depend on our understanding and perception of the circumstance.
Therefore, first and foremost, we should see this moment as a time of revival for the Church, and we must be properly positioned for it. Because in situations like this, the Lord seeks to manifest His Greatness and Faithfulness through His People (Christians), whether we gather in our places of worship or not, because those our buildings are not the Church, but we are.
I see the fulfillment of Isaiah 60:2-3 in and through the Church, where the Lord said:
“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”
It is a time for Christians to manifest sonship as declared in Romans 8:19. The world is watching and waiting for us, we must cease the moment.
A near similar pandemic once happened in 1918, history tells us that the Church made a remarkable and an unforgettable impact.
Therefore, there is need an urgent need for attitudinal change. We must all at this time become doers of the word of God if we are Christians indeed.
Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him:
“…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…”
(John 8:31).
He is saying the same thing to us today, and right now.
Hence, all Christians, regardless of our positions in the faith or ecclesiastical status, we should take heed to the scriptures.
It is written:
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”
(2 Peter 3:17-18).
In summary, we must all endeavor:
- Not to live in fear, but put our trust in the Lord.
- To show love and care to the needy. This is when our light must shine brightest.
- To abide in Christ and let His word abide in us.
- To walk with the Lord daily.