End Times
Over the last year or so, there has been a scramble within the pharmaceutical world to produce a vaccine for Covid-19. This is seen as the great hope in combatting this virus and returning to a sense of normality. However, vaccines are seen as controversial by some people – should the discerning Christian take a Covid-19 vaccine?
Why are vaccines controversial?
There have been some safety concerns over the side-effects of vaccines in recent history, the most notable example being the suggested link between the MMR vaccine and autism in the 1980s (which has never proven despite a huge number of studies).
The reality is that there are likely to… Continue reading
The book of Daniel is one of the most incredible in the Bible for those with an interest in prophecy. However, there are also some interesting passages about the lifestyle of a faithful follower of the Lord. Daniel 1 outlines the extreme faithfulness of Daniel and his three companions who refused to compromise on the tiniest details of their faith when taken in exile to Babylon. This even included following a religious diet, despite the fact that the temple and holy city were completely destroyed and they had every reason to believe their God had abandoned them.
The account in Daniel 3 contains another example of faithful living in an… Continue reading
During these end times, it’s important to watch worldwide events for key markers that indicate the return of Jesus Christ is even closer. Events concerning Israel are particularly important and so the recent news where the UAE and Israel agree to sign peace agreement is getting some attention. This surprise ‘historic deal’ certainly changes things in the Middle East where tensions have always been on a knife-edge. Perhaps we are witnessing a significant piece on the Bible prophecy timeline being put into place.
The deal is seen as historic because previously only two Arab nations – Egypt and Jordon – have had agreements with Israel. The last one being over… Continue reading
Over recent weekends, we have witnessed violent protests as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement responds to the tragic and indefensible death of George Floyd in the US. As the fallout spills into the UK, last weekend’s protests were met with counter-protests this weekend which also ended in violence; a situation made worse by the unqualified endorsement of BLM by most of the mainstream media. The sight of the UK police ‘taking the knee’ before BLM protesters and the defacing of symbols of British history has added to the sense of unease and polarised an already volatile situation.
Although we unequivocally support the notion that black lives matter, we fear… Continue reading
One of the recommendations in the fight against COVID-19 is to use cashless payments. It makes sense as exchanging notes and coins can help spread the virus, so reducing the contact reduces the spread. One future event that the Bible prophesies is a One World Government where there will be a system in place to control people’s spending, and maybe, the current coronavirus pandemic is pushing us towards a cashless society, and this future world government in a subtle way.
Becoming cashless is nothing new. Sweden has been moving cashless for many years now with many other countries already heading this way before the pandemic hit. Predictions have Britain on… Continue reading
In the UK, we are now many weeks into the lockdown and we get the sense that the gradual easing of the restrictions is not too far away. With the benefit of time, we are now far enough into the pandemic to begin to tentatively answer some questions we have heard in Christian circles – questions like is Covid-19 is an act of God? So, let’s cautiously unpack the answers to some of the questions that are common within the church landscape.
Is Covid-19 an Act of God?
The answer to this is ‘yes’ and ‘no’ but mostly ‘no’ given the way the question is usually framed. In a very… Continue reading
It has been very interesting to observe the behaviour and levels of compliance of the public during the Covid-19 lockdown. As residents in the UK, one of the most intriguing factors has been how the power of fear has proven to be such an effective tool in controlling the behaviour of the population. This episode must be a very useful case-study for governments who want to consider how best to control the behaviour of their populations around the world!
In the space of just a few days (and even hours), the prospect of becoming infected with a virus has led not just to immediate compliance with government advice (which is… Continue reading