What is faith? It is the belief in something we cannot see based on the evidence that we can see. So it is with this Corona Virus, plague that is sweeping the globe. This is the unseen enemy that stalks in the darkness. We cannot see the plague, but we see its effects. This Covid19 plague is causing untold amounts of sickness, suffering, fear, panic, and death. Staight from the pits of hell, we see the effects of this plague that also appear to include a very soon coming economic collapse. Nations are completely shutting down in an effort to combat this unseen enemy. Everyone feels vulnerable. Where should we put our Faith? Should we focus on the invisible enemy’s ability to kill, steal, and destroy? Or should we focus our FAITH on JESUS CHRIST’S ability to HEAL, PROTECT and DELIVER.
Because this plague originated in the pits of hell, it follows a similar pattern to sin. Sin also originated in the pits of hell. Sin means to “miss the mark” and comes when we reject God’s Word (God’s laws and ordinances which are clearly spelled out in His Word) and replace it with our own concept of right and wrong.
Isaiah 5:21: Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
Proverbs 14:12: There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Sin and hell are not something we can physically see (yet)…but like the Corona Virus, sin causes sickness, suffering and death on this planet. In-fact, it is because of our sin that this virus was ALLOWED to be unleashed on the planet. God is still the owner of this earth and everything on it; however, the enemy is the landlord. Satan is PERMITTED by God to wreak havoc on this earth BECAUSE of our sin.
Sin opens doors to the enemy, granting him legal authority to do his dastardly deeds that include stealing, killing, destroying.
This world thinks that sin is all fun and games with no consequences, no day of reckoning. People do not realize that it is our very sin that is causing all of the death and destruction on this planet, and without repentance, will ultimately lead to the 2nd PERMANENT death. Of course, most people would reject this because they do not believe that there is such a thing as “absolute truth”. They either do not believe that God is “real”, OR they think that BECAUSE God is LOVE (and He is)..that He also EMBRACES all lifestyles, all choices, even sin itself. People that hold onto these false beliefs are attempting to make God into man’s image and not the other way around, whether they know it or not. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that is also a lie from the pit of hell. In-fact, it is the same lie that was told to Adam and Eve back in the Garden of Eden…
“Do what thou wilt”.
The Lord has also placed another analogy into my mind regarding this insidious and relentless unseen threat. I’m now thinking of “The Law”, man’s typical response to the sin problem. God chose Israel to be keepers of “The Law” so that we can SEE our sin. Without “The Law” we wouldn’t even have a concept of what sin really is. The Law is like a mirror that shows us our sin. For instance, we would not understand that coveting is a sin (Law breaking)..unless we had been told NOT to covet. (Coveting is yearning over someone else’s posessions..wanting them for ourselves). We read in the book of Galatians that the Law is GOOD and HOLY, but it lacks the POWER to SAVE because we CANNOT OBEY it perfectly. ALL mankind has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Now this analogy really works with the Corona Virus. We can take all measures of precautions. We can wash our hands until they are raw, we can make every reasonable attempt to isolate ourselves, we can wear masks and gloves and use hand sanitizer (if we can find any)...but we cannot GUARANTEE that we will be SAFE. This unseen enemy can sneak into the cracks. It only takes one tiny little germ to cause sickness, suffering, and even death. How can we fully protect ourselves? Truth is…we can’t.
The Hebrew word for atonement means “covering” (kaphar), also matching the Greek word (hilastērion) for Propitiation in Romans 3:25, 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10. Jesus’ shed blood is the propitiation or covering for our sins. A word that is closely associated with the word covering is the Hebrew word bitumen. Bitumen is a tarry pitch that was used to fill in (cover) the gaps and holes when Noah built the Ark.
Genesis 6:14: Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall COVER (kaphar) it inside and out with PITCH (bitumen).
1 John 2:2: and He Himself is the PROPITIATION (covering) for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
1 John 4:10: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the PROPITIATION (covering) for our sins.
Noah’s ark was an architectural masterpiece in its day, but it would not have stayed afloat without the BITUMEN filling in the gaps. No matter how tightly and perfectly Noah attempted to build the Ark, there would ALWAYS BE GAPS. Without the BITUMEN filling in the gaps, the boat would SINK. So it is with sin. We can make every attempt to FOLLOW the LAW by our own strength, but there will ALWAYS be GAPS. We cannot fill these gaps ourselves, in-fact, we often cannot even SEE the gaps because they may be small or HIDDEN. However, even numerous small gaps, hidden gaps can sink a BOAT! Sin kills, steals, and destroys. We cannot fill in the gaps by ourselves, we NEED the BLOOD OF JESUS to fill in the gaps, to be our PROPITIATION for sin! Without it we have no shot...our “boat” will sink! This also reminds me of this satanic Corona virus. Even our most dedicated efforts at cleansing our hands, at covering our faces CANNOT keep the virus out of our mouths, noses, or lungs. Only the blood of Jesus can FILL IN THE GAPS and keep us safe!
In the days of the Passover, there was a plague of death that swept through the land of EGYPT. Egypt is also a metaphor for sin and the world. Only those homes who had applied the BLOOD OF THE LAMB over their doorposts and lintels were “passed over” by the plague of death. We must apply the blood of the Lamb DAILY to the doorposts and lintels of our hearts, of our bodies, and our homes and families. How do we do this? BELIEVE in Jesus! Believe in HIS WORD! BELIEVE in His REDEMPTIVE WORK at the CROSS! Believe that He has the POWER TO SAVE, to HEAL, to PROTECT, to DELIVER! Yes, we also need to REPENT from sin, TURN from sin and allow the Holy Spirit to lead…trusting that JESUS will guide us through this QUAGMIRE. We need to BELIEVE what God tells us in His Word about right and wrong, and NOT lean on our own understanding. But most importantly, we MUST REMEMBER that we cannot SAVE ourselves! We cannot fill in every crack with our “good works”, even with our obedience no more than we can be ASSURED that every crack and crevice of our body is not exposed to the virus..we NEED the blood of JESUS!
The blood of Jesus is more powerful than anything that the enemy can throw at us! The blood of Jesus is the most powerful substance in this world! Even a single drop of His precious blood not only HEALS and RESTORES, but also GIVES LIFE ETERNAL. Jesus’ precious blood, shed for you and for me, is the ONLY SUBSTANCE that can PROVIDE ETERNAL LIFE! If you do not know Jesus, NOW is the day of Salvation! Now is the time to get under HIS TENT, HIS COVENANT of PROTECTION!!
Give your heart to Jesus..you will NOT regret it! Be strong, and courageous! The Lord Your God goes with you wherever you go! Spiritually apply the blood of Jesus over your hearts and homes each day to stay protected under HIS NEW COVENANT of GRACE!
