For a long time, God has been trying to get the world’s attention. There has been a growing sense in the nations that things cannot continue the way they are going - that we are hurtling towards global meltdown – whether politically, economically, ecologically or spiritually.
By allowing the world to be brought to a virtual standstill by something we cannot even see, God is encouraging everyone to sit up and reflect on where the world is heading, and calling the Body of Messiah in particular to listen to him in these crucial days leading up to the Messiah’s return.
‘Are you hearing me?’ cries the Shepherd. He wants us to be able to speak prophetically into these momentous times, but to hear him clearly we must listen purposefully.
What is God trying to say to his people? There will doubtless be various answers to this question, but among them must surely be the following:
1. GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE
There is enough rebellion in our nation to place us under the judgment of God - and yet God longs to be merciful to all. Our Heavenly Father does not desire anyone to perish, but he wants to draw everyone back to himself in love, in order to bring us through the Valley of Achor (Hebrew for ‘trouble’, see Hosea 2:14-15) in which we currently find ourselves.
More than this; he is preparing a people for himself out of every nation: a faithful remnant, a beloved people through whom his glory is revealed and with whom he desires to tabernacle (i.e. dwell). He wants to know that he has our attention for the challenging days ahead. And we need to be able to rest in the peace and security of his unfailing love, even while crisis rages around us.
2. RESTORING THE FEAR OF THE LORD
We desperately need wisdom to deal with the current coronavirus crisis. But where do we get this wisdom? Proverbs 1:7 tells us “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and along with wisdom comes insight.” God’s Kingdom people, the Body of Messiah, his ekklesia or ‘called-out ones' (i.e. his Church), need to regain the fear of the Lord, so that the glory of God and the honour of his name once again become our priorities and so we can access his wisdom.
If God promises to ‘utterly despise’ those who ‘lightly esteem’ his chosen people (the descendants of Abraham), as a more accurate translation of Genesis 12:3 tells us, how much more strongly must he feel about those who lightly esteem him and have scant regard for his glory and the honour of his name?
God is crying out to us - especially to those within the institutional Church where the fear of the Lord is all too often absent. We need to rightly acknowledge who he is - otherwise meaningful relationship with him is impossible.
God wants us to be able to speak prophetically into these momentous times, but to hear him clearly we must listen purposefully.
3. DO NOT BE AFRAID
In a world gripped by fear, God commands his people throughout his word to not be afraid. After Moses had received the Ten Commandments he emerged out of the thunder, lightning, smoke and the sound of the shofar - and the people trembled with fear. The response of Moses comes in Exodus 20:20 – perhaps an important word for this year of 2020 - “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” When we fear God, we need fear nothing else.
Whilst the whole world fears the virus, God wants his people to have a proper perspective as found in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Psalm 34:7 says: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” The entire word of God is replete with exhortations to fear him - not so that we can sit and tremble, but so that we might be freed from all other kinds of fear and able to represent him rightly and boldly to those who don’t yet believe. When this attitude prevails in God’s people, it will be a testimony to the world of both the power of God and the goodness of God.
Focus on the Gospel
Today, the attitude that prevails around the world is one of ungodly fear. The Apostle John tells us that “fear has to do with punishment” (1 John 4:18). Why are people afraid of being punished? Usually because they feel guilty. But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to remove the two giants of fear and guilt from our lives by shedding his precious blood for us, so that we can enjoy his perfect forgiveness and freedom from the fear of condemnation (Rom 8:1; 2 Tim 1:7).
As the world struggles to make sense of the effective global lockdown, God is giving his ekklesia a tremendous opportunity to reach out to the multitudes who face an uncertain future without Christ.
In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus refers to two occasions during his ministry when disaster struck leading to loss of life. Yet even the Lord himself refuses to blame the calamities on the sins of the victims. Instead, he twice says, “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” There are no easy answers to the coronavirus crisis, but Jesus certainly wants it to focus our minds on the need for repentance and above all our need of him.
God is giving his ekklesia a tremendous opportunity to reach out to the multitudes who face an uncertain future without Christ.
Maranatha!
Many commentators have spoken of how we might get back to normal once the virus has left us. But deep down there is a growing sense that life will never be the same again and that we need to be prepared for a whole new way of doing things. Such a prospect can so easily fill us with fear. But those who know their God will be strong, stand firm and take action (Dan 11:32).
The world is moving inexorably towards the return of Jesus, just as he promised, when he will finally and fully establish his Messianic Kingdom of perfect peace, justice and righteousness (as described in Isaiah 11 and many other places). Let all those who love him and long for his appearing share the good news of his salvation and soon return!
