According to the Apostle John in the New International Version Bible,a pair of beasts will rule the Earth with cruelty. The number of people in China aged between 16 and 59 has been gradually declining since 2012. The question then arises as to why this wide mistrust in medical treatment has come.". They even have a greater sense of financial and material stability compared to those who dont attend church or engage with the Bible. So through all sorts of complicated gematria calculations in different languages, people have come up with all the names in the list above. So if we can find a religious-like feeling in political activism or spirituality in the entertainment industry or experience transcendence in art or make a god out of the family, then the Devil has won. All major Christian denominations There were priests and sacred rituals and officials insisting on the deity of the emperor. The righteous and believing have the Fathers name written on their foreheads, and the wicked and unbelieving have the name of the beast. However, COVID-19 vaccines help reduce the risks of severe illness, hospitalization and death caused from COVID-19. Some think the coronavirus is one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. "They get all their information off Facebook and get all this garbage. This beast is broadly representative of the religious sphere. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain (v. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead. He believes churches can use that information to make a difference in ministering to people. This could be because, even though many people were in lockdown, they built closer relationships with those in their immediate circles. Three of the largest online evangelism ministriesGlobal Media Outreach, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Cruall reported increases of people seeking online information about knowing Jesus. It has also caused major disruption of our economic That number is 666." (Revelation 13:15-18). "People read erroneous comments and believe they are true," he said. In the U.S., cases of Coronavirus have crossed 800and the death toll has risen over 20 with an even larger impact globally. Faith communities have demonstrated incredible resilience, innovation, and empathy through the pandemic, ABS president and CEO Robert Briggs said. It was used to express a complete period of time rather than expressions like many or some. It would be similar to referring to a number of years ranging from eight to twelveas about a decade. In this case, the number forty is being used instead of saying a few days or a few decades.. The findings are consistent with other studies on the impact of religious affiliation and human flourishing, according to VanderWeele. During the pandemic-necessitated lockdown, 48 percent of practicing Christians met virtually with their churches using a streaming service that allowed them to watch but not be seen or heard, according to ABS, and 14 percent did not participate in any Christian church services. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? Evans said he suspects that the"mark of the beast" popularity stems from an adherence to a social or political identity. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? The number of persons positive for COVID-19 and number of tests positive for COVID-19 reflect only South Dakota residents, regardless of where testing was conducted (in-state or out-of-state). https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-of-the-population-will-need-to-be-vaccinated-until-the-pandemic-is-over. LDS: Get tested if you are exposed or have symptoms of COVID-19; Medium impact level High impact level; News Flash. Three times, Revelation makes reference to the beast and the false prophet (16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Some people didnt lose their jobs and saved money by staying home, putting them in a better relative financial position, while others suffered greatly from the economic shutdown. The number of Covid-19 infections in Scotland has risen, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). [ This article is also available in From a Christian perspective, one often has growth through suffering.. The coronavirus pandemic has caused great suffering and even death for many 2 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), How to without symptoms, May 1, 2021, Retrieved from According to Romans 8:20-21, plagues are a consequence of Adams fall from grace in the Garden of Eden: For the creationwas subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. It certainly is the verse that has produced the most fruitless debate. All sorts of numerical schemes have been concocted in various languages to try to decode 666. Thats the good news. Most of the interpretations are not widely followed. "(Former President) Donald Trump tapped into American populism, and with that comes the disbelief of experts," Evans told USA TODAY. On the 1-to-100 scale, non-Christians scored about 50, non-practicing Christians scored 57, and Christians who regularly participate in the life of a local congregation scored 66. Sign up for our newsletter: She believes that God can take lifes adversities and work them out for His good; hence, she uses her writing voice to raise awareness of mental illness, as well as to spread the light of Gods love to those who are mentally trapped in the dark, and provide them with hope and encouragement. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. It is being given by local health Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. He convinces us that sex will be most fulfilling when it is most free of commitment and ethical norms. Im sure there are more. There are other scriptures in the Bible, where God declares plagues over nations as an act of divine judgment for disobedience. Statistics on COVID-19. The bad news is the human heart is an idol factory. No one knows exactly where this imagery comes from or if it even has allusion to anything in the first century. Why? That's a question you can ask when you have a dad who calls himself an apostolic prophet and leads a prophetic ministry. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. He lies to us about the lasting value of fame and power and professional success and academic prestige. The only name that has really gotten a strong following is Nero. In times of trial and trouble, many Americans turn to the Bible for encouragement. Some have been repeated by large media The prediction faded from public memory and the book's author, Sylvia Browne, died in 2013. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. In our day, the beast may not directly instruct us to worship the state or the president, but he still functions as the mouthpiece for the Devil. Thats more or less the approach most people take, and it yields a hundred different answers. citizens and noncitizens, even for people without insurance. Nero fits with the story line of Revelation better than the other alternatives. ; Coronavirus.gov: Public information provided by the U.S. government related to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19); CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Current public health and safety information on COVID-19. AFP. We are told that 666 is the answer to the question. They getting vaccinated to prevent accidentally infecting other people with a disease https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html The number forty appears many times in the Bible: Forty days and nights of rain during the flood Moses lived forty years in Egypt Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai The Jews journeyed through the desert for forty years to the Promised Land Jonah preached forty days to Nineveh But the most interesting data, from the viewpoint of ABS, was how the Bible, church, and Christian disciplines seemed to help people through this dark period. Whats happening now looks like society-wide response to trauma, in a way. safeguard themselves, others through immunization, US CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination, US CDC: Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines, https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/most-covid-19-cases-are-spread-by-people-without-symptoms, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fvaccine-benefits%2Ffacts.html, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/forgot-14-diseases.html, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-of-the-population-will-need-to-be-vaccinated-until-the-pandemic-is-over. Some people are at higher risk of more severe disease or outcomes from COVID-19 infection than others. Kevin DeYoung (PhD, University of Leicester) is senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, North Carolina, Council member of The Gospel Coalition, and associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte). Some PCR tests can differentiate between flu and COVID-19 at the same time. This data showed that the decline in the measures of human flourishing were less pronounced in people who were reading their Bibles regularly and participating in church, either in person or online. (1 Peter 5:7) 7. This figure uses a 7-day rolling average to show the daily number of all COVID-19 deaths and COVID-19 deaths among residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) over time. But the viral epidemic could yet spiral out of control if outrageous claims about the end of the world are to be believed. He acts on his behalf and leads people to worship him. As the delta variant of the coronavirus spreads, many Americans resist COVID-19 vaccines, some citing the uncertainty of long-termside effects, otherslacking trust in the medical field. For additional assistance or questions, call the ADH COVID-19 Call Center at 1-800-803-7847, or email ADH.CoronaVirus@arkansas.gov. We were created to worship God. Christian love requires that we do whatever we can to care for Share your feedback here. (since 30 January 2023)@. But putting a quick end to the I started this series when the whole world was talking about COVID-19, and some people were wondering if the signs of Revelation were unfoldingor would soon unfoldbefore our eyes. I think the State of the Bible showed me empirically everything I knew intuitively and existentially, Ross said. There is a summary of Bible teachings on the end-times, with references, in She said vaccines are not a magical shot that cures all, but they're one of many tools to fight the virus. The data covers the period from March 2020 until mid-February this year. Hotline: (314) 657-1499 Mondays-Fridays 8am-5pm More emergency resources and contacts COVID-19 Data New Cases 52.4 /100k 7-day total of new PCR positive cases per 100k people New Hospital Admissions 10.9 /100k 7-day total of new hospital admissions for COVID-19 per 100k people % Staffed Inpatient Beds 4.1% In June 13.1 million fewer Americans were Bible engaged than in January. Pope Francis urges people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, COVID-19 vaccination named missional priority, Evangelicals Vaccine Skepticism Isnt Coming from the Pulpit, Senior Church leaders receive COVID-19 vaccine, encourage members to Open. people are more hopeful when they read Scripture more frequently, National Well-Being Measures Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Online Samples, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal, A Christian Approach to Social Justice Is Slow, Careful, and Self-Reflective, Our Attraction to Idols Remains the Same, Even When the Names Change, Turkish Christians Plead: Dont Distribute Bibles After Earthquake, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. The company received its full stamp of approval from theFood and Drug Administration late last month. So if 666 isnt code for Nero or anyone else, what does it mean? The first survey was in January and the second was in June, when the total number of confirmed cases passed 2.5 million and the World Health Organization tallied more than 125,000 American deaths. vaccinated against COVID-19. First, it is far from certain that most of Johns audience would have known Hebrew. The same journal published that the Johnson &Johnson single dose shotprovided protection against the virus and was effective against hospitalization and death. Jan 13, 2021 issue. Meanwhile, the Dean of Gloucester Cathedral says suffering is part of human life: Jesus suffered pain on the cross, as we suffer pain. compared current events to Bible prophecies and predicted the end was near. Women lost more ground than men in Bible engagement, and levels of engagement evened out among the genders for the first time in the surveys history. What have we seen with this second beast? Misinterpretations ofRevelation13:16-18 can stem from social media where people can spread unreliable information, according to Laurie. The researchers have not shown that Bible reading or Christian worship causes human flourishing, only that the two things happen in related ways. Dont be impressed with mere signs unless they point to the Son that you might be impressed with him. Why do people callCOVID-19 vaccine the 'mark of the beast? The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Government's COVID-19 Vaccine/Therapeutics Operation (formerly known as Operation Warp Speed), to ensure the BOP administers the COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with available guidance. On a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the most hopeful, Americans who report reading the Bible three or four times per year scored 42; people who read monthly scored 59; weekly, 66; and multiple times per week, 75. Neron Kaiser transliterated in Latin gives you 616, which is the number of the beast in some alternative manuscripts (also the area code for Grand Rapids, Michigan). In verse 11, we saw the second beast as a false Christ. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. No wonder wisdom is required! 21:17). https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fvaccine-benefits%2Ffacts.html Bible readingalong with other forms of community and discipleship, such as going to church or participating in a small groupappear to contribute to peoples sense of well-being and happiness, said Tyler VanderWeele, director of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard Universitys T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dont let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah, and saying, The time has come! But dont believe them. The. When the pandemic hit in March, there were initial signs it might be having an overall positive effect on American spirituality. ', "There is a small group of people who believe in 'the mark of the beast,' and I think what's driving that thought process is starting with various concerns about receiving the coronavirus vaccine that are not specifically religious.". Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! ABS plans to publish additional analysis of Americans Bible engagement each month between August and December. Measuring the pandemics affect on American spirituality was a major reason ABS supplemented its January survey of 2,010 people, conducted alongside Barna, with a June poll of 3,020 Americans. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT: Image: State of the Bible 2020 / ABS and Barna Group, Turkish Christians Plead: Dont Distribute Bibles After Earthquake, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest, I Was the Proverbial, Drug-Fueled Rock and Roller, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence. God made us for God. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived (vv. Diseases You Almost Forgot About (Thanks to Vaccines), May 8, 2020, And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain (v. 15). Thats consistent with previous findings that practicing Christian millennials know the Bible as well as or better than their parents and grandparents. But there are questions to ask of his critique as well. Everyone 12 and He leads people into false religion. So the number of the beast could refer to Nero. Its just not reasonable or logical to presume such a wide conspiracy is even possible. adults without any controversy Vaccinated Until the Pandemic Is Over?, May 5, 2021, Retrieved from Gretchen Whitmer encouraging vaccines in Michigan:"Diabolical Michigan Governor Whiter wants her citizens to get the Mark of the Beast to participate in society.". This treatment is now widely available in Louisiana. might get very sick or die from COVID-19.1,2, Jesus taught that one of the most important of all commandments is, "Love African Americans have the highest level of Scripture engagement among racial groups in America, another finding consistent with longstanding trends. He just doesnt want people to believe in and be satisfied in Jesus Christ. With that as a basic outline, lets go verse by verse through the second half of the chapter. The Devil doesnt care if people believe in God. Of 8,545 Covid-19 deaths in Ireland, 2,323 or over 27% were in nursing homes. The onset of a plague in the Bible has always been a portent for the destruction of civilization or way of life, brought about by the hands of a wrathful God in response to acts of apostasy and other acts of disobedience against Him. Protect Yourself & Others, August 13, 2021, Retrieved from The World Health Organization has given this particular coronavirus the acronym COVID-19 for "coronavirus disease 2019". In order to understand the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:18, we need to see what is happening in the rest of the chapter. See something we missed? 16-17). Nicole Williams, a traveling intensive care unitnurse, said she has heard the "mark of the beast" as a reason not to get vaccinated many times. We should expect other religions to talk about love and morality. The second beast is an accomplice to the first. In January 2020, Plake and his colleagues at the American Bible Society decided to expand the number of questions they asked in their 10th annual State of the Bible study. The churches have an important and profound role in contributing to peoples well-being in generaland especially so during this time, he said. If, however, doctors or politicians or members of the media or anyone else, for that matter, elevates himself to a position of Godlike authority and knowledge, then that is what Revelation warns Christians against. Turn! When it says, let him calculate the number, the solution is given in the next line. Some of the names in the list are absurd. Peer-reviewed data has deemed theModerna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines safe, and they demonstrated 94% to 95% effectiveness against the virus, according to a study published intheNew England Journal of Medicine. It is normal to question God's goodness during this time when millions of people are suffering as a result of the health and economic consequences of this pandemic. Emergency roomphysician Stephen Smith at Hennepin Healthcaretold USA TODAY he hasn't heard the 'mark of the beast' as a reason to not get vaccinated but a few other outlandish reasons. But that changed when the pandemic hit. In doing so, we will publish COVID-19 data once a week, on Thursday. Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. Daily engagement had already been declining, but worsened during the pandemic, according to the annual State of the Bible report. COVID-19 has exposed numerous inequities in our system, where low-income residents and people of color have higher risk of death from COVID-19 than whites and areas of low poverty. With a current world population of approximately 7.8 billion, the death rate for COVID-19 would have to reach approximately 1.95 billion people, in purely mathematical terms for this prophecy to come to pass. According to Evans' studies, the majority of "mark of the beast" believers appear to be politically conservative and from Protestant Christianbackgrounds. National Well-Being Measures Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Online Samples shows that happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, feelings of meaning and purpose, and financial and material stability all declined sharply between January and June. A lack of in-person connection with churches and small groups also could have played a role, according to the report. It is calculated by dividing the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations with a hospital admission date within a 7-day period by the state population (county population is used in county view) and multiplying by 100,000: He is entirely content to have all of us on a spiritual journey looking for transcendence. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast. In other words, the second beast persuades the world that the image of the first beast is truly God. More details on the reporting schedule. The connection is only a correlation. (Romans 13:10), Pranksters, mischief-makers, and attention-seekers have made up many untrue By the end of September, 56% ofpeople in the USAare projected to be fully vaccinated and 59% by Jan. 1, 2022, according to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. I think that this period has showed a period of reflection of what really matters in life, VanderWeele said. So relying on your readers to not only know gematria but also transliterate a name into another language they may not have known seems like a poor way to communicate, unless John wasnt interested in his audience knowing the answer to the puzzle. Pope Francis urges people to get vaccinated against Covid-19 Why Did Pharaoh Tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat of the Land'? Some 27 percent of African Americans are Bible engaged, compared with 24 percent of Hispanics, 18 percent of Asians, and 17 percent of Anglos. And with good reason, according to a new study. Pastor Darin Wood of First Baptist Church in the oil townof Midland,Texas, wrote anop-ed in August for the Midland Reporter-Telegram that said, "One of my church family posed an honest question: 'Pastor, is the COVID vaccine the mark of the beast? All rights reserved. The annual report also showed that millennials read the Bible more frequently than any other generation, with 26 percent reading it multiple times each week.