Outbreaks of Disease
Jesus next prophesied this world would know "pestilences" such as never before!
According to U.S. Red Cross officials, the last 10 years have been the worst in the entirety of human experience by way of natural disasters which always bring with them the threat of disease epidemics.
In the meantime, dread diseases of all descriptions — long thought to be conquered by medical science — have made their sinister reappearance in all parts of the world!
A Dr. Harry Lillie, who is a British physician and surgeon, said that modern drugs are "99% useless!"
He expects a world epidemic of the worst virus yet within the next 10 years — and that it will be the result of the wide use of penicillin and other antibiotics which, Dr. Lillie says upset the bacterial balance of the body.
Dr. Lillie concluded, "In my opinion, this danger (of a virus epidemic) completely overshadows any threat of nuclear war!"
It was recently reported that over 15 Western states in the United States of America are potential danger areas for the dread BUBONIC PLAGUE which wiped out so many millions in Europe and Britain hundreds of years ago.
Alan Phillips, writing in Canada's National Magazine "Maclean's," said, "Flushed with recent victories over our deadliest foe, the microbe, we no longer see ourselves as engaged in a struggle for survival. But in truth, a task force of medical detectives is discovering, we have merely traded old epidemics for new ones — and even the old ones seem to be coming back in new ways!"
He said, "All the genius of medical science has failed so far to produce a drug to curb the more than 200 known viruses!" Old germs — like old soldiers — never die! Mr. Phillips said, "We have not rid the world of a single PESTILENTIAL disease!"
And so it goes. From all parts of the world, new outbreaks of dread diseases formerly thought "conquered," in this modern era of medical science, come filtering in! The U.S. Public Health Service ordered strict enforcement of quarantine rules recently when it was learned that a new epidemic of deadly CHOLERA was raging in the Asian-cholera belt! The dread disease had jumped from China, where it had long been confined, to the Philippines, Sarawak, Borneo and Pakistan.
Hardest hit was the Philippines, where 15,000 cases had been reported with a total of 2,000 deaths!
The World Health Organization said this fearsome outbreak could turn into a super-epidemic "unprecedented in modern times!"
What you need to realize is that these FACTS are real!
They are daily factors in our life on this earth!
They fit precisely with the exact words of Jesus Christ of so many centuries ago. We are, truly, LIVING in the exact times of which Jesus spoke!
Great "Natural" Calamities
MANY past articles in The PLAIN TRUTH magazine have shown the increasing, alarming incidence of great "natural" disasters! This world has entered an era of unprecedented earthquake and volcanic activity!
Something is wrong. Something BIG is brewing! In the last issue, you read of the great "ring of fire" all around this earth — and of what Bible prophecy says is going to occur. If you have not yet read our free booklet entitled "EARTHQUAKES!" then write for it immediately.
The last single decade has seen more loss of life, and more imagination-defying calamities than at any other single time in the recorded history of man! It would require many articles to cover only a few of them.
Only the Beginning
But all these MAJOR EVENTS — every one of which is poignantly real — RIGHT NOW — Jesus said were only the beginning!
As each of these major world-wide conditions grow and GROW in intensity, Jesus said a great "SPIRITUAL," a great "RELIGIOUS" event would begin to take place! He said this great event would lead to the PERSECUTION — as never before in history — of His true servants, or of any who would not actually bow down to WORSHIP this great false system which He predicted!
He said, "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake!" (Matt. 24:9).
This great religious martyrdom is the last climactic phase of what Jesus called the GREAT TRIBULATION! To understand these prophecies more fully, and also the alarming portent of what is just around the corner, you need to write in immediately for the booklets "The Key to the Book of Revelation," and "The Book of Revelation Unveiled At Last!" The booklet on the KEY to the book of Revelation shows how these events, as Christ outlined in the 24th chapter of Matthew, actually interpret and enlarge upon the events John saw IN VISION in the 6th chapter of the book of Revelation!
Then, after describing this terrible time of religious persecution — when even brothers, fathers and sons, and members of families would begin to horribly persecute one another — Jesus pointed to the one BIGGEST and most vitally important event of all!
Why important? Because this one great event was to be the SIGN for God's true people to FLEE — in order to escape the great tribulation which was to befall all those who had not been watching! If there is any one major world event you need to thoroughly understand — this is it!
The Abomination of Desolation
This GREAT event is one which is beginning to develop right now — before your very eyes!
Jesus gave a stern warning. He said, "Whoso readeth, let him understand!" (Matt. 24:15).
This interjected warning — sternly positioned in this seemingly "vague" reference to a great world event, is too clear to ignore! Jesus meant this great, event, which your Bible calls a great "ABOMINATION" — an abomination which is going to make desolate — is too significant co ignore!
Let's notice it! "When you therefore shall SEE the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the HOLY PLACE (whoso readeth, let him understand) THEN let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains . . .
Matthew records a great abomination, which was to "make desolate," which would be standing in the "HOLY PLACE!"
In Luke's account, Luke describes, "And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh!"
So, once again, the warning is dual!
Matthew's account, inspired of God's Holy Spirit, includes the "spiritual" event which is to take place — the great "religious" event which will actually stand in what is called the HOLY PLACE!
Luke's account, JUST as inspired of God's Spirit, talks of a military action — Jerusalem surrounded with armies!
What does it mean? Few seem to know! Theologians of past centuries have tried to assign this GREAT event to the standards of Roman Soldiers occupying Jerusalem, the desecration of the Temple by the Zealots, who seized it, and made it into a stronghold just before the armies of Titus attacked, or the attempt of Emperor Caligula to have his own statue set up in the Temple and worshipped!
But NONE of these events happened as a CULMINATION OF SUPER-WORLD EVENTS AS CHRIST FORETOLD!
The sacking of Jerusalem and the Temple WAS a PARTIAL fulfillment of this great DUAL prophecy — but only a forerunning TYPE of the really AWESOMELY GREAT event Jesus said was to come!
Scholars have not understood the absolute AUTHORITY of Scripture — the absolute ACCURACY of it! Just as with nearly ALL prophecy — this major Prophecy of Christ is DUAL!
This great warning is for us — NOW! First, then, where is this event to occur?
Jesus said to watch for JERUSALEM being surrounded by ARMIES, and to watch for a great ABOMINATION in God's sight being set up in the "Holy Place!"
Could anything be clearer? The ancient Tabernacle, and then the Temple, were partitioned into two rooms, beside the outer courts, porches and living quarters.
There was the outer court, in front of the Holy Place, where the priests made continual offerings and sacrifices. The innermost room was typical of God's own throne, called the "Holy of Holies!" or the MOST Holy place. Into this innermost room the high priest could enter only ONE TIME EACH YEAR, on the Day of Atonement, picturing mankind made "at one" with God. The outer room, through which the priest had to pass to enter the Holiest Place, was known as the HOLY PLACE. In it were located the table for the shewbread, and the golden candlestick.
It is in this precise room of the Temple Jesus said a great ABOMINATION is to be set up!
The PLACE of this great abomination couldn't be clearer!
It must take place in the city of Jerusalem, inside of a TEMPLE which apparently must. YET BE BUILT, in a room called the HOLY PLACE! That, at least, is HALF of the ABOMINATION of which Christ warned!
The OTHER half, explained in Luke's Gospel, is the warning of imminent MILITARY TAKEOVER OF PALESTINE?
But by whom? When? Why?