God has sent a virus, COVID 19, to warn America that they have forsaken the Lord God of their fathers, and has given us an opportunity to humble ourselves and turn back to seek Him with all our hearts. However, I see no evidence of our turning from our self-centered desire to return to the unrestricted pursuit of pleasure which has been our focus for so many years.
Sadly, I have seen no acknowledgement by the leaders in our government that God even exists. Rather there are continued efforts to remove all mention of God in what was once a God honoring country. All mention of God has been removed from the media even though some patients, who were healed from serious cases of the virus infection, gave glory to God for His gracious intervention.
In many ways COVID is just a typical virus though about seven times as deadly as influenza. During the summer months we are experiencing relief from the Coronavirus like that which we have come to expect from the flu. The normal flu virus variants, that make it impossible to supply ongoing effective flu shots, are also exhibited in the Coronavirus. Seven different variants, for which there is an ongoing effort to develop vaccines, have been identified and others are anticipated.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House briefing on June 22 that the Delta variant is the “greatest threat” in the world’s efforts to contain COVID-19.
This makes it impossible to guarantee the effectiveness of the various vaccines already developed. The list now includes Moderna, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, Novavax, Johnson & Johnson plus about 15 more in various stages of testing. including Sputnik V and Sputnik Light from Russia, as well as BBIBP corV and others from China.
The effort to maintain the focus on what is called the necessity of getting tested and vaccinated generates ever more fear that our lives may be lost if we do not protect ourselves. Recognizing that this pandemic could be yet another call from God to humbly seek Him, repent, and return to Him is not embraced. We would rather resist and resolve to save ourselves while spending vast amounts of money to develop and dispense undependable vaccines.
Biden said. “We can’t get complacent now. The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family and the people you care about the most, is to get vaccinated.” He lauded the progress the nation has made against the coronavirus but warned about the dangers the highly transmissible delta variant presents.
In truth, most of us are tired of the lockdowns, the restrictions on the number of people allowed to meet together, the enforcement of social distancing, and the wearing of masks. All of this has been done in the name of keeping people safe. In spite of this, more and more requirements for testing and vaccinations are being put in place before one is permitted to travel, enter some areas, or participate in certain activities. The government is failing to acknowledge God’s existence and His ultimate authority. It is rather redefining what is good and evil. Our lives are in the hands of God, not science or government authority. God is the One we should fear!
Governments have been established of God and are to be agents of God for good, to praise those who do good and to cause those who do evil to be afraid. People are to have respect for their power, since they are the ministers of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil, (Romans 13:3-4) Our government has instead been focused for a number of years on increasing their power over the people, to control them, and to implant a deadly fear of something they can’t control.
There are Amish communities of God fearing people, living near us, who don’t listen to TV or connect to the internet in any way. In fact, their phones are outside their homes and use only a copper wire service. They live an active, hard-working, healthy life on their small farms. They are very likely to have been exposed to the virus, recovered, and now have natural immunity, one far better than the vaccine induced kind. With their focus on doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with their God, they are doing what God, in Micah 6:8, shewed man is good and required, rather than the empty worship rituals and offerings we bring before Him.
The inoculation rate among the Amish community is down near 1%. Have they no fear of what the government may require them to do? Their trust and confidence in God takes precedence over fearing what man can do. The humble acceptance of God’s will, and embracing the fact that if we live or die is not man’s decision, gives real peace if we have accepted His salvation offered through Jesus.
God, in His mercy, offers new life after the death of this body, a life we can have in Jesus. After Jesus died for our sins, taking the punishment we deserved, He conquered death and now lives as the one and only mediator between God and man, the only way to God.
The provision of a vaccination to reduce the chance of having a severe case of the COVID can at most only delay the death of this dying body. It does nothing for the soul. Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Our relationship with Jesus is the only way to receive the provision God made that will save man’s soul from the awful wrath of God against those who proudly reject Him. Jesus says, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
After the death of this body, which men so fear, all will be raised to be judged when Jesus returns. At that time every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. The destiny of their eternal soul will be determined. The sheep, those who follow the good shepherd, will be separated from the goats, those who refuse God’s provision. The righteous on the right are told “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” The ones on the left are commanded, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (see Matthew 25 :31-46)
What God’s prophet, Isaiah, was instructed to tell the people in chapter 55 verses 6 & 7 is still true today.
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
And it shall be answered, because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore, hath he brought all this evil upon them.”