Strange message in these strange times!

 

This is not a research study on the Covid19 virus. My interest is to trigger the consciousness in each one of us as to "Where is God in a coronavirus infected world?". The pandemic has been perplexing and unsettling, making us clueless as to how to cope with it. In a time of crisis like this, hope is what we are looking for.

Coronavirus is confronting us all with the problem of pain and suffering, which are life’s greatest challenges today. But I would like to slightly shift our focus towards God’s judgement and sovereignty. Plague and pestilences in the Bible were usually connected to God’s wrath and judgement. In Deuteronomy 28 and other passages plagues were the consequences of forsaking the Lord. Let’s note that plagues in the Bible are represented as divine judgements of God. During this season, leaders, pastors and Christians have varied views in regard to this pandemic. Some believe Corona is a fake news, while some credit it to Satan, some asserted God cannot bring this on Christians as we are praying, but surprisingly most of  Christendom has failed to acknowledge that it could be the judgement of the Lord. Why is that?

Let's analyze few incidents of plague from the Bible and people's response to this major crisis. They are as follows:

1. The 10 Plagues in the city of Egypt: We are all aware of the ten plagues God brought against Pharaoh and Egypt to demonstrate His power against the enemies of Israel. Consequently, the people were reminded when it says in Deuteronomy 26:8, “The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong arm, terrifying power and with signs and wonders.”.

2. Outbreak of Plague in Israel tent (Numbers 25). It is said in verse 9, “but those who died in the plague numbered twenty four thousand.”. If we read the whole chapter, we understand that the Israel fell to the charms of Moabite women and was prostituting itself with them. They sacrificed to their gods. It is said in Verse 3 that Israel aligned itself with the Baal of Peor. The leaders were held responsible by Moses who were later executed in broad daylight.

3.Outbreaks of tumors when Philistines, captured the ark of the Lord (1Samuel 5). Israel was defeated but the Philistines, the people of Ashdod suffered miserably. It is said in 1 Samuel 5:9, “After they have moved it the Lord’s hand was against the city of Gath, causing great Panic. He afflicted the people of the city from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.”.

4. God sent a three-day plague to wipe out 70,000 men after king David sinned by numbering the people of Israel (2 Samuel 24:10-17).

5. God sent several judgements against the nations of Judah including a plague, when he sent king Nebuchadnezzar to sack Jerusalem (Jeremiah 21:7, 24:10, 29:17).

6. The plagues described in the Book of Revelation including those sent by the two witnesses (Revelation 11:6) and the seven final plagues sent by God (Revelation 15:1).

So the learning could be that Biblical plagues can be categorized into two. First is God’s judgement against sins of His own people and the second category against unbelievers when they enslave and oppress His people. 

Having said this, it's clear that God is in a pruning process too, gauging our faith and trust in Him. There is an incident that talks about King Hezekiah's rule and dependency on God. When Sennacherib of Assyria entered Judah and laid siege to the fortified cities to break into them, Hezekiah was able to demonstrate His faith on Him. But at one point the second part of the verse in 2 Chronicles 32:21 says, ".... God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.”. May we all demonstrate our reliance and be an example in this time.

It is time in Christendom to analyze and confess our personal and corporate failures to obey God and trust Him implicitly. It is a wake-up call to return with obedience to the mission of God. It is time we stop satisfying ourselves and people with endless spiritual activities and start pleasing God (1 Thessalonians 2:4). Let us strive to find God’s purpose in our lives. Let us apply this verse to our existence in these trying times, "and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14 CSB .

Let us go and reach out to the Non-Christians and build their broken lives. May God be merciful to us as we cling unto Him and plead for His mercies. Needless to say, be aggressively involved in taking the good news to heal the nation and world at large.

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