DIVINE PERSPECTIVE TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

DIVINE PERSPECTIVE TO A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

Today, I have decided to express some views on the present situation of things as regards the global pandemic named the COVID-19 or corona virus, and its effect upon the normal lives of humans upon the surface of the earth.

There have been many debates and contrasting views as to the origin of the COVID-19 or Corona virus. Some have opined that the deadly virus was the creation of certain 'military' scientists with a very bad motive; while others would prefer to stick to the generally publicized belief that it originated from bats. Whichever theories are right, no one can deny the very reality of the destructive tendencies of the COVID-19 virus on humans.

Crude oil price on the global oil markets has crashed to a record low! I can imagine how a nation like mine(Nigeria) which largely depends on crude oil revenues will survive, except something urgent as a rescue plan emerges. Businesses worldwide are gradually collapsing, panic is striking the hearts of men all across the nations & nobody knows how long. Several appointments and meetings have either been cancelled, suspended or postponed indefinitely, implications of which can not be quantified! Millions the world over are quarantined in different confines, indefinitely. Not just the poor and insignificant in the society are affected, but even the great, the nobles, the elite, are equally not spared. Many lives have been lost from Far East Asia to Africa, From America to Europe, From the Middle East to the island nations of the earth, as a result of the global pandemic! Many investors have been losing so much of their investments while many corporations have resorted to laying off of their staff. Statistics can be sought online for current and accurate figures of the global, country by country, casualties and effects of this pandemic. Governments of nations are shutting down schools from elementary schools to tertiary institutions. There is perplexity of the nations at this very time. Even religious institutions like the Church are also shutting down services and devising different means of reaching their adherents, from the confines of their homes, without physical contact! Many are presently engaging social media and other online streaming platforms to communicate with their members.

Scientists from various fields, economists, financial experts and our political policy makers have tried their best to curb this rising trends to no avail! I have also observed that even nations that recently were known to be at the brink of major conflagrations have mellowed down to focus their attention on how to curb this 'bigger' enemy! Even the deadly terrorists and enemies of the state and the free people of the world are also terrified at this time.

THE DIVINE PERSPECTIVE

It is obvious that man with all his scientific research findings and technological breakthroughs, is still limited in fixing all of his problems; hence, the need for the divine or supernatural dimension.

From the divine perspective, I would like to posit as follows on this global epidemic:

1. THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT WE ARE CLOSED TO THE END OF THE AGE. "They asked Him, "Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to happen?" "He said, "Be careful and see to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name [appropriating for themselves the name Messiah which belongs to Me alone], saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near!' Do not follow them. "When you hear of wars and disturbances [civil unrest, revolts, uprisings], do not panic; for these things must take place first, but the end will not come immediately." Then Jesus told them, "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom."  "There will be violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and [deadly and devastating] pestilences (plagues, epidemics); and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven." — Luk 21:7-11 (HOLY SCRIPTURES, AMP). From the scriptures referenced above, it was a clear-cut prophecy by the Messiah among other aspects of human life like wars, recession, natural disasters, that as part of the end-time signs, there will be [deadly and devastating] pestilences (plagues, epidemics), just like the COVID-19 VIRUS!
2. GOD WANTS THE NATIONS TO KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. ".....Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." -RM.1:24-32 (HOLY SCRIPTURES, KJV) "Look at you, setting yourself up in competition against the Master of heaven! You had the sacred chalices from his Temple brought into your drunken party so that you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines, could drink from them. You used the sacred chalices to toast your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone—blind, deaf, and imbecile gods. But you treat with contempt the living God who holds your entire life from birth to death in his hand. "God sent the hand that wrote on the wall, and this is what is written: mene, teqel, and peres. This is what the words mean:"Mene: God has numbered the days of your rule and they don't add up. "Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don't weigh much. "Peres: Your kingdom has been divided up and handed over to the Medes and Persians." DANIEL 5:23-28 (HOLY SCRIPTURES, MSG).                        I have intentionally selected the above scriptures from the Holy Book. Many in our societies today, including some nations, are tactically and practically discouraging the idea of a Supreme Being, 'God', somewhere in Heaven! Belshazzar the king of Babylon in ancient history, unlike his father, King Nebuchadnezzar, followed this same line of thought but eventually, the King of Heaven, gave a judgment against him and he lost his kingdom to the Medes and Persians! Don't we also think, like in the above story, that God has also weighed us all on the scales and we are found wanting, and He is giving the nations another opportunity to repent, acknowledge Him and seek His face? I can readily recall an account of a much older cousin, a professor of Engineering, who relocated from Russia with his beloved Russian wife and two kids in 1983, and had to put up with us at our residence for some time, before settling down in our country. I could vividly recollect when asked to join us to Church on Sunday, she would respond by saying, 'We are scientists in Russia and don't believe in God!' Thank God, today, she is a devoted believer! Atheism can never advance societies; rather, it brings down divine judgments upon a people or a generation who disregard the Almighty God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth! The depravity in our society today is largely due to this 'there-is-no-God' factor. God is calling the attention of the nations to His supreme existence and total dependency. Let the nations brace up for this noble challenge. I was particularly glad when i read that the President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump, declared Sunday, March 15, 2020, a National Day of Prayer! 
3. OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCOVERY AND INNOVATIONS THAT WILL AFFECT HUMANITY POSITIVELY. In this period, divine ideas and opportunities will present themselves to scientists, engineers, economists, researchers in different fields for new dimensions of discoveries that will help humanity in solving a whole lot of problems people are faced with today. Rather than allow ourselves to break down, we should start believing the Almighty to begin to open our eyes to all these opportunities and discoveries. In every adversity, there is always an opportunity! Quoting from the Holy Scriptures, "As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire. The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it." - JOB 28:5-8 (HOLY SCRIPTURES, KJV) 
4. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GLOBAL EVANGELIZATION BY THE CHURCH. The body of Christ at this time should know that a great and effectual door has been open, in this window of the global pandemic, to reach out through divine strategies and wisdom to a perishing world. Many across the globe are terrified already, and are aware there are no ready solutions to this problem. They are in need of a message of hope which the Church preaches; they are open for 'any other' option other than science and technology! The Church should arise and seize this opportunity by taking the initiative. The Gospel of Christ, preached by the Church will definitely serve to bring in a mighty harvest of souls into God's Kingdom while at the same time, bring healing and courage to a fearful and disheartened generation. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." - MATTH.28:18-20 (HOLY SCRIPTURES, KJV). "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.- MARK16:15-18 (HOLY SCRIPTURES, KJV).

In submission, all we need to do now is to seek the face of the Almighty God, the Creator of the Heavens, the Earth, the Seas and all that are therein, and humble ourselves before Him; and He will show us His mercies and pardon all our transgressions, and heal the earth! This is no longer the time to doubt the existence of God and His Son Jesus Christ, the Righteous, whom He sent to save the world from the power of sin, of death, and of satan. If you don't presently know Him, the true God, this is your opportunity. Accept the Lordship of His Son Jesus Christ, who was delivered for your sins and rose up on the third day for your justification. If you once knew God through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, but now, you have gone astray from Him, there is no better time than now to be reconciled with Him. 

Finally, let all those who still remain in Him be steadfast and immovable, and continue to abound in the work of our Lord Jesus, as we await His glorious appearing soon. The Almighty God will surely hear us when we call. 

Shalom.

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