See that ye be not troubled—the Coronavirus
Matthew 24:6-8
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples foretelling what would befall mankind before the end days when Jesus would return. He spoke of nations rising up and wars and of famines, earth quakes and pestilences. Fear not for the end is not yet, but know that these things must come to pass in the time before Jesus returns.
Exactly when Jesus will return is not known, but it could be soon in our not so distant future.
For now, we must live as best we can and cope with the latest trial, this frightening Coronavirus or COVID-19, which has spread from an outbreak in China likely from bats to humans into a worldwide pandemic.
We are now several months early into the pandemic spread of the virus and to date more than 4,600 people have died of the Coronavirus. Since spreading from China to other regions of the world, entire regions have been quarantined and locked down to try to stop transmission of the virus. In many countries they are being forced to undertake extreme measures such as closing down any event where large groups of people are gathering. This has led to the closure of mass events. Sporting events, auditoriums, museums, tourist attractions, places of worship and anywhere a large group of people would commonly gather are now being closed. In some cases restaurants and shops are forced to be closed. Only essential businesses such as banks, food or grocery shops and pharmacies and health centers are open in these regions.
One by one all of the major sporting events began closing down. In addition to sporting events, television studios began scaling back production of every day watched TV programs so viewers will see only reruns of their shows on some networks. Major attractions for tourism are closing down and due to the nations conducting quarantines, the airline industry is particularly hit very hard as will the tourism industry.
Every aspect of man’s usually preoccupation with things of the world—work, sports, entertainment, vacationing, touring, and other interests that man has been used to --are now drastically interrupted.
It’s as if God is sending a wakeup call to the world which has taken little interest in God or his existence.
The question is, will man recognize this wakeup call and turn to God?
God certainly has my attention. As I write this article, I am wearing a cloth face mask not because I fear of getting the Coronavirus, but because I have already caught something. I don’t believe it is the COVID-19 virus, but to prevent spread of the cold, or whatever I have, to others I will wear a mask.
I am aware that my life is no different, no less important than anyone else’s and only God has all the hairs of my head numbered and only God knows whether I am on his list to be the next victim of the Coronavirus. After all, Jesus holds the keys to death and hell and he gave his disciple Peter the keys to Kingdom of heaven.
Jesus, our Lord said:
Revelation 1:18
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
To his disciple Peter, Jesus said:
Matthew 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
I have tried to study to the best of my ability to very ‘keys of the kingdom.’ To learn about ‘the keys’ we must study the disciple who was given those keys-- Peter.
Peter actually used those keys on the Day of Pentecost when he gave his first sermon filled with the Holy Ghost to start the Church, the body of believers of Jesus the Christ.
Acts 2:14-41
¶ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Today, people are looking to scientists and medical professionals asking the same question “what shall we do?”
They should be asking God the question “what should we do?”
There was once a man who went to seek answers from Jesus; his name was Nicodemus.
John 3:1-21
¶ There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Today many millions are worried about getting this contagious virus.
Jesus also spoke about worrying or being anxious about the things of life.
Matthew 6:25-34
¶ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
What was Jesus saying here? Jesus said your Heavenly Father knows all your needs and that we should seek first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness and all our needs will happen.
Millions of people now are worried about themselves, perhaps they would do better if they thought about God first and sought his healing and promises of Life everlasting.
There are millions, if not billions, of people who do not yet have the salvation of God through Jesus the Christ --their needs will not be met by man, but only by God.
Jesus said the only way to God, to the Father, was through him.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Therefore one must come to God, almighty YHWH, through Jesus. One must learn of Jesus and what he said and commanded his disciples.
Mark 16;15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
There are millions of if not billions of people who do not yet know or believe in Jesus and are in a very desperate situation now with this virus and putting their faith and trust in man and his medicine.
Psalm 4:5
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in YHWH.
Psalm 37:5
Commit thy way unto YHWH; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 118:8
It is better to trust in YHWH than to put confidence in man.
For those who believe in Jesus, we have a better greater promise; that even should we fail to make it through this time of pestilence and die, we have hope in Jesus our Lord.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Jesus said that He is the resurrection from death to life and the life; that those who believe on Jesus, though they were dead, shall never die.
The apostle Paul said it another way in speaking of the love of Jesus towards his believers.
Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So for those in Christ, we have a great hope even after death.
1st Corinthians 15:50-57
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 ¶ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have a great hope in Almighty God and his plan for us. This plan is only found in the pages of the Holy Bible-- God’s holy plan for mankind.
Jesus also said:
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
For those not yet in Christ, I call out to you now in the hope you will listen to this wakeup call that God has now chosen to give to all mankind upon the earth.
Learn of Jesus and read the Holy Bible learn what God has instore for you and your family and friends.
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and put your trust in the only One who can save you!
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Put your trust in God!
Call out to the one true living God who can save you!
Call out to Jesus! Put your faith in him!
Call upon YHWH for his holy wings of protection in Jesus Name!
Only Jesus can give you the peace of mind you need at this trying time and age.
Won’t you heed that call of God now, and reach out to God!
Believe in his Son Jesus and the miracle of his birth, death and resurrection!
If you don’t yet know of Jesus I invite you learn of him now.
Do You Know Jesus?
Do you believe in his holy name?
Are you washed in his Blood sacrifice?
Are you ready to be saved from your sins?
Have you the faith?
Have you been baptized for the remission of your sins?