“I’ve been seeing not a few articles and people saying that this pandemic is the most defining sign that the second coming or rapture is near.
First off, Christians know for decades that Christ is coming back, be that of whatever context. The point is not one man; pastor or not can tell when. This is a timeless topic but too much repetition of this may not do good to some, as different people will always absorb and perceive differently.
The second coming is all great but as with anything good or evil, too much or too often a topic may be more negative than beneficial. Notice that everything that was made by The Creator has balance.White against Black. Light and Dark. Good and Evil, so on and forth.I had that feeling of the rapture nearing way back in the 80’s. My mother had the same feeling; she’s been dead for years but never witnessed albeit she would still be a part of it.
Again, not one believer can truly tell when; no man minister nor priest.
The human mind cannot comprehend nor compute that which is for the Divine.
‘Show me a worm that can comprehend man and I’ll show you a man who can comprehend God.’
All the repetition that the second coming is near in fact may inflict trepidation and zealotry; psychiatrists will testity to this but this is not to say that Christians should not believe that Christ is coming back.
There is no need for the constant repetition though, not to say also that the rapture should be taken for granted nor is it of no importance but realistically in these times we all have other things to focus on as well.
As long as we are all still in this planet we need to remember the significance of balance, as God Himself manifested balance in everything.
There is nothing new here the statements were all said by pastors as early as when pastors came about; not that I do not believe in The Second Coming.
The use of earthquake as ‘God is shaking us’ , or the phrase ‘that person must die’ are called figure of speech or metaphors.
Sometimes statements like these inflict fear rather enlightenment because different people will always perceive differently.
Case in point; I know someone of decades past who desperately wanted to see his son before the rapture he intentionally impregnated his girlfriend at that time.
Also, God is Love and love should not cause fear nor fragmentation.
The bottomline is that not a single man in the planet can tell exactly when the ‘end’ will happen.
That which is mortal can contemplate on but could never fully comprehend that which is Divine.
“Show me a worm that can comprehend man and I will show you a man that can comprehend God.”
Lastly, when one says ‘believer,’ it does not necessarily follow that the individual is of the Born-Again Christian denomination.”