From new plagues to pestilences, outbreaks of strange and deadly diseases have long been seen as part of the signs Jesus warned would appear before His return. A rise in flesh-eating bacteria along the Gulf Coast and the reemergence of pneumonic plague in Arizona are the latest reminders that even in an age of modern medicine, the world remains vulnerable to ancient scourges described to us in the Bible.
As reported by Israel365 News, “a recent surge in deadly infections, including flesh-eating bacteria along the Gulf Coast and a rare case of pneumonic plague in Arizona, has drawn eerie comparisons to the biblical plagues of Egypt and prophetic descriptions of the end-of-days War of Gog and Magog.”
While Jewish scholars have noted parallels to Zechariah, we as Christians can also point to Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:7 that “there will be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in various places” as signs of the approaching end of the age.
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Public health officials have confirmed a sharp rise in cases of Vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous strain of bacteria commonly found in warm saltwater and brackish environments. “So far in 2025, at least eight people have died and 22 others have been infected by the bacteria, which thrives in warm coastal waters,” the report said.
The Louisiana Department of Health noted that 17 cases required hospitalization, with four deaths, more than double the state’s annual average for the past decade. Florida reported 13 cases and four deaths as of late July.
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The Cleveland Clinic warns that infections can progress quickly and cause “blistering skin lesions, fever, sepsis, internal bleeding, organ failure, and in some cases, necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection that kills flesh around an open wound.” Health officials urge beachgoers to take precautions, such as avoiding raw shellfish, not entering the water with open wounds and using protective footwear.
Alongside the Gulf Coast outbreak, plague has also resurfaced in the American Southwest.
“A person died from pneumonic plague in Arizona last week, the first death from the disease in this region in nearly two decades,” according to the report. The bacterium, Yersinia pestis, was the cause of the Black Death in the Middle Ages, killing tens of millions. The World Health Organization now categorizes it as a re-emerging disease, with nearly 50,000 human cases worldwide in the past two decades.
We must use biblical discernment to see such events as reminders of the brokenness of creation since the fall of man in Genesis 3 and warnings of the times to come. Scripture speaks of pestilence as part of God’s judgment, yet also as a call to repentance and faith in Jesus before the fullness of the Great Tribulation unfolds. Revelation describes devastating plagues that will strike the earth during the end times (Rev. 6:8; 16:2-21).
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While medical experts emphasize prevention and treatment, we must interpret these “wake-up calls” as opportunities to return to the hope of the gospel message. As pestilences reappear even in an age of advanced science, believers are reminded that Christ’s words remain true and that His return is drawing near.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
