Americans think God is sending serious message with coronavirus

Nearly half of American adults believe that the coronavirus pandemic is a "wake-up call" from God, according to a new poll

More than 186,000 people have been infected by the virus in the United States and more than 3,000 have died. The shutdown of the economy in response has cost millions of people their jobs and threatened many businesses.

The survey commissioned by Joshua Fund found 44% believe the crisis is a "wake-up call for us to turn back to faith in God" and also "signs of coming judgment," reported the Washington Examiner's Paul Bedard.

It found nearly a third see the current crisis as the part of the "last days" predicted in the Bible, and there is a feeling in the country "that Americans need to embrace faith and return to religion."

Learn astonishing Bible truth on a higher level than ever before with the Holy Spirit-filled books by Joe Kovacs

Joshua Fund was created by best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg and his wife, Lynn Rosenberg.

Joel Rosenberg told Bedard: "Americans in near full lockdown are anxious, and understandably so. Yet millions are turning to God, the Bible and Christian sermons for answers, some of them for the first time. That may be the most important silver lining in this crisis so far."

The poll, conducted for Joshua Fund by McLaughlin & Associates, found 29% believe the crisis suggests "We are living in what the Bible calls the 'last days.'"

It found 22% of self-identified non-Christian respondents and 40% of Christians said the crisis has resulted in more interest in God and spiritual matters.

Rosenberg told the Examiner: "The results are clear: this unprecedented global crisis is causing Americans to start reading the Bible and listen to Bible teaching and Christian sermons online, even though the usually don’t; search online for teaching on Bible prophecy and God’s future for mankind; and/or engage in more spiritual conversations with family and friends."