As mentioned in the first article, it is best to “walk with” a friend through scripture – especially if they aren’t as familiar with the passage. The intent of this paper is to email it to a friend (or have them access spiritualgym.life blog then select the article). It can be effective to have one read from this, while the other reads from scripture. Both should also have a Bible either in print or digital.
WHAT IS GOD’S ROLE REGARDING THIS PANDEMIC?
AND… WHAT SHOULD OUR ROLE BE?
Many refer to the book of Deuteronomy as Moses’ last speech to the nation of Israel. Near the end, in Chapter 28, he relay’s God’s promises of blessings IF Israel obeys God’s commands. Unfortunately, the chapter also lists God’s promises of curses if they don’t. It isn’t necessary to read the whole chapter – the first 25 verses should be plenty. Note there are 10 verses of blessings and 52 verses of curses! Key verses of blessings are 7 and 12. In verse 7 God promises safety and security in Israel. In verse 12 He promises rain to maintain the land as “flowing with milk and honey” – a description God used 18 times in the Old Testament! Clearly at one time, the land was very lush. Most of the blessings and curses center on food and safety. (Something all of us are looking for today!) Verse 15 is a major pivot point. (Always note transition or qualifying verbs: If, But, Therefore, etc.) Note verses 20-22. They each begin with “The Lord will…” It doesn’t say He “allows” it. It doesn’t say demons will do it. It clearly says “The Lord will…” Verse 25 says one of the curses will be lack of safety and security from God.
Unfortunately, the day Moses died God said to him in Deuteronomy 31:16:”You are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with strange gods of the land… and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them”.
One look at the nation of Israel and you can clearly see that the rains have been withheld. It would not be described as “a land flowing with milk and honey”. Anything they grow there is due to extensive irrigation. In fact, the Jordan river is a fraction of its size where it ends at the Dead Sea compared to where it flows out of the Sea of Galilee. Most rivers naturally increase in size as they add water from springs and tributaries. The Jordan gets smaller due to irrigation.
Regarding safety, in 1951 as part of their civil defense law, Israel mandated “all homes, residential buildings, and industrial buildings are required to have bomb shelters”. Israel is one of the least peaceful places on earth. Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured or recaptured 44 times! (Wikipedia) There are vast tracks of land that are fenced off allowing no one to enter because there are still land mines buried. 100% of teens 18 and older who qualify are drafted into the military. Every nation in the vicinity wants to wipe Israel off the map. God is sovereign in ALL things!
The remainder of the Old Testament is primarily the story of Israel’s failure to obey God. Is the point here that Israeli’s are a bunch of terrible people? No, not at all. In fact, the story of the Bible is that every people group since the fall of Adam fails miserably at obeying God. (A great read on this is the Apostle Paul’s struggle with sin described in Romans 7). That is why we so desperately need the Gospel! Which literally means Good News! It simply means that ALL of us are sinners, separated from God by our sin. God is Holy which means He is apart from sin. He sent His perfect Son (sacrificial Lamb) to die in our place and allow His blood to wash away our sin. Like always, there is a catch. We just have to believe that it’s true. No belief, no salvation. Believe its true, and have eternal life in perfection (no sin) with God. Period. Once we believe, we have become “Born Again” (John 3:3). There is NOTHING else we need to do, or can do, for salvation. Anything else we do for the Lord is to serve Him.
So, now that we know that Israel failed, what is our “takeaway” from Deuteronomy 28? That God is as serious as a Heart Attack!!! He means what He says! When He says He will do it – He will do it. When He promises condemnation – He will condemn. When He promises salvation – He will save. He is also Sovereign in all things. Sovereignty means He has control over everything. He is running the show. Nothing happens outside of His “sovereign plan”.
Also note. In Deuteronomy 28, we are “reading someone else’s mail”. The Law (the first 5 books of the Bible) was given only to the nation of Israel – but “all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Those promises of blessings and curses were only offered to Israel, but all scripture has application for all of us. The key here is to NOT miss the point that God was willing and able to unleash “confusion”, and “fevers”, and many other curses on His own people!
And, He did.
The New Testament tells us we now live in the period of Grace (not under the Law) and God is withholding His “judgement” until the end of times. This virus probably isn’t “the end of times”. In fact, the New Testament tells us we will have many wars, floods, epidemics, etc. The reason is that from the original sin, the entire earth is “under a curse”. Sin brought death and destruction into all the world. We simply experience that as we live on this ball – which is why those of us who put our hope in heaven – look forward to being there! The book of Genesis also tells us that God finished all of His creation. That means He also created viruses and biological entities that if they inhabit mankind can wreck havoc. It is true they can mutate – as can many of His creatures, but know that He created it all from the beginning.
So, is the point of all of this that we should “fear God”? ABSOLUTELY!!! Jesus said “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
So, should we fear this virus or a recession? Well, we should certainly take both very seriously! No one wants to get sick or infect others, and no one wants to lose all they have! God knows that, which is why He uses all these “maladies” to get our attention. Not because He wants to punish us – but because He loves us! We all know the most famous verse from the Bible “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life“ (John 3:16).
When you are teaching your 3 year old not to run into the street, is it best that they take the directive “under advisement”, or is it helpful if you “scare the hell out of them” if they don’t obey? Where do you think that term came from? It is God’s desire to “scare the hell” out of each one of us! God wants us to fear Him – and Nothing else!
Psalm 78 is a very brief recap of 40 years of Israel’s constant failure during the “Wilderness Wandering”. Read verses 1-39. Key verses are 1-8. Read verse 7 and 8 – two or three times. It is totally worth it. If we forget how amazing God is, through His miracle of creation, and His miracles of leading Israel out of Egypt and during the Wilderness Wandering, we will forget Who our God Is. Israel did it, and we are no different. We must generationally teach it to our children. Now read verses 31-39. Unfortunately, verses 34 hits very close to home today. “When He killed them, then they sought Him, and returned and searched diligently for God.” Sound familiar?
Now for good news! Read all 11 verses of Psalm 46. Thank you Lord!
Matthew 6:19-34 is next. Amazing Truth from Jesus in only 15 verses!
Philippians 4:4-9 was the most selected passage in 2019 on one of the biggest online bible apps, and with good reason. Note that the peace that God provides “surpasses all comprehension”. It is above our ability to grasp. Also note verse 9:”The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” The peace of God is conditional. Unfortunately, the Christmas songs singing “peace on earth” aren’t totally accurate. Luke 2:14 doesn’t say “peace to everyone”. The angels were saying “And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Paul said “practice these things”. He didn’t say be perfect to have peace.He didn’t say never sin to have peace. He said “put these things into practice” – then the God of peace will be with you. No different than parents, it pleases God when we do what He says. He knows we will mess up just like parents know their kids will. The key is we need to know His instructions (and the only place to find them is in the Bible), and we need to work at obeying them to please Him. As we do, we will have “the peace of God”.
There is a saying “No Jesus, No Peace – Know Jesus, Know Peace”. It is very biblical, but doesn’t answer the question of what does it mean to know Jesus. Did the criminal on the cross who Jesus told “today you shall be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) know Jesus very well? Obviously well enough to believe Who Jesus was for salvation, but that doesn’t mean he knew Him well enough to be at peace in any circumstances. No doubt, a new believer experiences a greater amount of peace than a non believer, simply due to the presence of the Holy Spirit now resident within him. But scripture tells us that our level of peace is connected to how well we know God through scripture (like understanding Deuteronomy 28 and Psalm 46) as well as how we “practice these things” (obey). Unfortunately today, many Christians are as worried and stressed out as non believers because they don’t know the Bible either.
In addition to knowing the Word of God, and being obedient to it, Prayer is crucial. In Colossians 4:2 Paul says “devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving”. Most people know what it means to be devoted to a basketball team, or golf, or fishing, or whatever. What if the Christians who can’t do those things right now would be devoted to prayer for the amount of time they would have spent on those activities. God could wipe out this virus in a day!!! Stew on that thought.
Paul told the people of Thessolonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. It would appear that since we’re always telling God we wished we could pray more but we are so busy… maybe He fixed that problem? (Hopefully only long enough that we can build some good habits!)
Belief in Jesus is paramount. Without that, none of the above matters. When you do believe, He promises the Holy Spirit will take up residence in you and “guide you into all Truth” (John 16:13). That assumes you actively pursue the Truth… which is found in the Bible.
God created us in His image. That means that a good father of a young child understands that the child must fear him – as well as know that he is loved. Our sinful nature is so great that without death, disease, financial problems, relationship problems, natural disasters, and plagues, God would have no ability to get our attention. We are all little control freaks. We think we are in control of our situations. Really? How’s that working out for you today? Reread Psalm 78. Look at all the love (via miracles) God gave Israel and look at how quickly they no longer feared Him – and even turned their backs on Him.
Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can possibly comprehend. He wants us to know that. He wants to reestablish with each one of us the relationship He started with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. That can only happen when our sins are washed clean through faith in Jesus, and we have left these earthly bodies, and are with Him in heaven. Until then, He will continue to get our attention. Has He gotten yours?
This “Free Care Package” was created because God cares! He cares deeply! The “cure” contained in this Package is way better than any vaccination. It lasts for ever! And it’s Free! Please share it with everyone you love…and hopefully with some people you don’t.. because God does!
God Bless, stay well, and may the Peace of Christ be with you all.
And Stay in the Spiritual Gym!
Spiritualgym.life
Wow; I believe EVERY word. I received your article from my wonderful nephew Shane, who has been gobbling up The Word of God for at least a year now. And THANK GOD that he has because he’s the only one in his immediate family that really KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON and more importantly, is SPIRITUALLY PREPARED.