Is Corona Virus The Pale Horse?

Even people who know very little about the Bible will recognize the term "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" from the book of Revelation. And most people know to associate the fourth horse, the Pale Horse, with death and disease. The Corona Virus COVID-19 looks like it could fit that description. Let's see.

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 What Is The Pale Horse?

In Rev 5, Jesus Christ is given a scroll with seven seals on it. The first six seals are opened in chapter six. The seventh seal is not opened till chapter 8, and it takes until chapter 19 to be finished. The first four of the six seals are the Four Horsemen. How do we know what they represent? Because they line up with a prophecy that Jesus gave, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

White Horse - False Religion
Red Horse - War
Black Horse - Famine
Pale Horse - Plagues

Here's what the Bible says about that Pale Horse. Does this match the corona virus?

Rev 6:7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” 8 I looked, and behold, an ashen* horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. NASB



*also translated pale, pale green, pale colored. From the Greek word chloros.

Kill a fourth of the earth! That would mean nearly two billion people. Estimates of the corona virus fatality rate are less than 5%, some estimates are much lower - Slate [1]. The Corona virus COVID-19 does not fit the Pale Horse. That could change if it mutates, but as it is now, no, it is not the Pale Horse.

WHEN???

Timing is also an issue. Authors don't seem to have a consensus on WHEN the Four Horsemen ride.

• Some say they have already ridden - Life, Hope, and Truth [2], Voice In The Wilderness [3]. 
• Some say only the White Horse has ridden - Christian Biblical Church of God [4], Continuing Church of God [5]. 
• Some say the White Horse is the Anti-Christ, who has not been revealed, so none of them have ridden -  John Walvoord [6], End Times Prophecy Research [7].

The disciples wanted to know when as well.

Matt 24: 3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, WHEN will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines* and earthquakes. 8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs**.

* Luke 21:11 adds Plagues or Pestilences
** Also translated as Sorrows or Travail, birth pangs appears to be most accurate.

Prophecy In The Headlines

Weather.com [8]

The problem in nailing down the timing is that false religion, war, famine, and plagues have been part of human history for a long time.  But all four appear to have intensified in the 20th century, and intensified again in the 21st. We ARE living in the end times. ALL of the things mentioned in Matt 24, false religion, war, famine, pestilence (Corona Virus, locusts), earthquakes, are happening now like never before.

Washington Times [12]

Be aware that prophecies have dual or even multiple fulfillments, echoes in advance if you will - United Church of God [9]. For example, Antiochus Ephiphanes was a fulfillment (in type) of the end time Anti-Christ - Prophecy Proof [10], Prophecy Forum [11]. A plague happening now could be seen as a fulfillment in type of the ride of the Pale Horse. The real thing will be much, MUCH worse. No matter how one interprets the timing of the Four Horsemen, remember "the end is not yet, these are the beginning of birth pangs". The Four Horsemen are only the first four of seven seals. In my opinion, we have crossed into the time of the beginning of birth pangs. But along with the warning, there is hope:



2 Chron 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the LOCUSTS to devour the land, or if I send PESTILENCE among my people;
14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.



References

1. https://slate.com/technology/2020/03/coronavirus-mortality-rate-lower-than-we-think.html
2. https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/four-horsemen-of-the-apocalypse/
3. http://www.avoiceinthewilderness.org/prophecy/revbook/seals1-4.html
4. https://www.cbcg.org/prophecy/order-of-events-in-the-book-of-revelation.html
5. https://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/covid-19-is-not-the-end-of-the-world-but-could-it-be-teotwaki
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Horsemen_of_the_Apocalypse
7. https://endtimesprophecyresearch.com/have-any-of-the-7-seals-been-broken
8. https://weather.com/news/news/2020-03-31-earthquake-boise-idaho-montana
9. https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/the-united-states-and-britain-in-bible-prophecy/dual-fulfillment-in-bible-prophecy
10. https://www.prophecyproof.org/multiple-fulfillments-in-bible-prophecy/
11. http://www.prophecyforum.com/antiochus.html
12. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/25/this-is-huge-locust-swarms-destroy-crops-in-east-a/