09 Mar THE PANDEMIC: COVID 19 (The Biblical Perspective)

“The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider (Is. I:3).” Even the stork in heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtle dove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgement of the Lord” (Jer 8:7. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos. 4:6). Don’t you think, in what way the title has a relation to the verses quoted? I know, you did think. Will you please continue reading till the end?

Holy God is not only Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent, but also Loving and Righteous. Disobedience to the word of God being a very great sin, brought condemnation and curse to mankind through Adam and Eve. As such, when God saw the wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, He saved Noah, the just and perfect in his generation., And his family alone escaped the great disaster of the flood, paving way for a new generation. But in the days of Abraham, when the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah was very great and because their sin was very grievous, the Lord complied with the intercessory prayer of Abraham, saved Lot, the righteous man and his family resulting in the destruction of Admah and Zeboiim and the surrounding cities by fire (Deut. 29:23; Jude 7).

To everything there is a season. (Ecc 3:1a) In God’s plan, the seasons follow one after another. In fulfilment of prophecies, God the Father sent His only begotten son Jesus to the world to redeem us from the power and penalty of sin showing His divine love.(Jn 3:16) Now we are in the period of Grace. But most of the people in the world now dare to worship the creation rejecting the Creator and disobeying the call to respond to Him. God being righteous has to come again as a judge. But He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). On the contrary, because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil (Ecc 8:11). The righteous God because of His loving kindness, has foretold the signs for His second coming so that all may repent.

As we find, most of the prophecies are being fulfilled and the signs foretold by Jesus himself are quite prevalent unlike in the past. Some that were mentioned are frequent wars, severe earthquakes, severe drought and famine, , all kinds of immoralities-homosexual marriages and adultery legalized in some countries – false teaching and teachers, false prophets, false worship, prevention to preach the gospel, famine to hear the Word of God, knowledge explosion, the love of many grows cold, signs in the heavens, pestilence /pandemic diseases etc. Are we not aware of all these things in our days?

Let us bear in our mind one thing. The Lord reigns and is in control. Nothing in this world happens automatically or accidentally. ”…If there is a calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it? Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets”(Amos 3:6, 7). “Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, when the Lord has not commanded it?” (Lam 3: 37) says Jeremiah. So undoubtedly, the Pandemic Covid19 is a God-permitted one although it is not His wholehearted will. Also please read Lam 3:31-41. We should know that our Lord does nothing without a cause (Ezek. 14:23; 1 kin. 12:24; 2 Kin. 19:25; Is. 37:26).

Unlike the common sickness and diseases, this pandemic spread among crores of people and cause the death of lakhs all over the world. When a land sins against God by persistent unfaithfulness, He will stretch out His hand against it and His anger will bring forth severe judgements- the sword and famine, and wild beasts and pestilence (Ez. 14 : l2-23). When David the king sinned against the Lord, the people of the land suffered due to pestilence, and when he repented the land was saved (2 Sam 24:1-25; 1 Chr. 21:1-19). The above are written as examples for us.

Thus the solution for all the calamities is mostly laid upon us, the believers – Christians, His disciples (2 Chr 7: 13,14).People of other faith will hardly understand, whose minds are blinded lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should shine on them.(2 Chr. 4 :4). Also please read Act 17:27-31. Now we see as it was in the days of Noah and Lot. (Mt 24:37-39; Lk 17: 26-30). History repeats itself.

Therefore, instead of probing into the reason as to how and where the coronavirus was created, and how the pandemic Covid19 has come, (Ref: Deut 29:29) let us prepare ourselves for the return of the Lord, preach His righteousness like Noah and warn the people like Jonah. Let us bear 1 Pet 2:9 in our mind and once again recommit ourselves to the Great Commission of our resurrected Saviour Jesus who is coming very soon. Are we ready to meet Him?

Mohanadoss R L, retired teacher lives with his wife in Pudukottai. As family they are very active in EU and EGF ministries.