On Tuesday, May 19 Lowell Elementary School in downtown Phoenix, was shut-down for a week due to schools officials noticing that school absenteeism rose nearly 20%, up from the average of 5%! No...kids weren't trying to get an early summer break, rather it was shut down by the Maricopa County Department Public Health after the absences were attributed to possible swine flu symptoms. This is not a major concern with department health officials but instead is just a cautionary measure to the help prevent the spread of the flu.
According to the CDC, as of May 26, 2009, Arizona has 531 confirmed and probable cases and at least three deaths. These figures are just a sample of the problem that is affecting not only our State but the nation as the whole and many parts of the world. Now although the swine flu frenzy has seemed to have currently fallen under the media's radar, there is still speculation that we are not out of the woods yet. The World Health Organization has come out and publicly said that the worst of it is yet to come.
These warnings have created much speculation and many questions regarding the origins of the swine flu. Was the swine flu genetically engineered, did Obama's trip to Mexico which coincided with the outbreak have anything to do with it, was it created to control the world's population, or was it to give an excuse to institute martial law? We may never know the answers to those questions but in my opinion whether or not the swine flu is an evil conspiracy or an act of nature is irrelevant. The fact is that this world has just been struck with yet another "plague" to be added to a list of many others and gives support to the prophecies of the Bible. Jesus in referring to the "end times" says that "...nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." (emphasis mine) Matthew 24:7 KJV (cf. Luke 21:11) The greek word for pestilences is "loimos" (loy'-mos) meaning plague, or disease. In Revelation 6:8 (NASB) we also see that the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse brings death through sword, famine and plague and wild beasts (swine?) of the earth.
Is the swine flu here to stay? Possibly, but whether it sticks around for awhile or if we find some way to eradicate it, one thing is for sure, this flu will certainly not be the last of these plagues. If the Bible is correct, which it has been so far, we will continue to see an increase of plagues and other diseases that will lead us to the end of the world as we know it...so start stocking up on your Vitamin C!
For CDC Updates on the Swine Flu click here.
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