Gods promise to king Solomon (3rd King of Israel) 2,900 years ago that if people sinned they would be pnished but there is always redemption for those who seek it.
At times I might shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land, or send a plague (pandemic) among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles Chapter 7 v 13-14.
CORONAVIRUS
Nature gone rogue, warning, or judgement?
Nature gone rogue?
The origins of the current Coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world have been fairly clearly traced to a wet market in Wuhan, China, with transmission from animals to humans. Having been to China 46 times since 1975 and having visited many markets (wet and dry) I can understand it. Transmission since then has been through human contact in our highly interconnected world.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and every living thing in its species....... And God saw everything he had made and it was very good. Genesis chapter one (The Bible).
God created the first humans, Adam and Eve, with a unique ability and responsibility to understand the difference between good and evil and the responsibility to choose the good. They chose to disobey God and sin came into the world and the perfection of creation was broken. It is from this sin that epidemics, earthquakes, famines, droughts, cyclones, violence, and all evil comes. When God steps back into human history and creates the new heavens and new earth as the eternal home for his people all evil will cease (see Revelation chapters 21-22)
Warning?
We should take the pandemic and all the other problems in the world seriously. They fit the signs Jesus told us to look for to indicate that his patience with humanity is running out and he is coming back soon. Jesus gave us many warnings to be ready for his return. See below.
Judgement?
Is the pandemic judgement on particular nations or people? Jesus addressed this problem in the gospel of Luke chapter 13: What about the 18 people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish too.
However the time of judgement will come when God's patience finally runs out and the horrendous events portrayed in the book of Revelation will take place. - but "God is not slow concerning His promises to come back but is long suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and knowledge of the truth". (2 Peter chapter 3)
As it was in the times of Noah so shall it be at the coming of Jesus Christ. God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence, and it broke his heart. So he sent a great flood to destroy all humanity except for 8 people and start over again. (Genesis 6 v 11).
When Jesus returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People ignored Noah's warnings and didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. (Matthew 24 v 37-39).
The prophet Isaiah summed up the situation in Israel 2500 years ago - sounds too much like today for comfort
"No one cares about being fair and honest. The people's lawsuits are based on lies. They conceive evil deeds and then give birth to sin. .... we have turned our backs on God. We know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies. Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. Isaiah 59, v 4, 13-15
Many bible writers referred to Noah - they believed in the great flood as the first evidence of God's hatred of sin and eventual judgement of it.
To understand how God works we have to go to the Bible - his instruction manual. Read 2 Chronicles chapters 6 and 7 in regard to the dedication of the first temple in Jerusalem some 2,900 years ago. After the dedication of the Temple God appeared to King Solomon and said
"I have heard your prayer and have chosen this temple as the place for makiing sacrifices. At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 2 Chronicles chapter 7 v 2-14.
THIS LIFE IS NOT ABOUT THIS LIFE
It is just the preparation ground for the next life!
Jesus Christ made a beautiful promise to his followers almost 2,000 years ago on the night before he was betrayed and crucified: "Don't let your hearts by troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If it were not so would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am". (John 14 v 1-3)
There is a fabulous never ending future offered to you in the eternal Kingdom of God. Jesus gives you the invitation to become his child and a citizen of his Kingdom. It is an invitation, It is up to you whether you accept it. There is a time of enormous trouble coming on the world before the Kingdom of God will be established. Read the last 3 chapters of the bible to see how it all ends with an eternal heaven and earth. Don't miss out!
The apostle Peter wrote over 1900 years ago.
In the last days scoffers will come mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say: “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” Peter 3 v 3-4
The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. 2 Peter 3 v 9-10
The disciples of Jesus asked him almost 2,000 years ago when he was going to come back. He made it very plain that he was not going to tell them but gave signs to look for.
“You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Nation will go to war against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.......... When the Son of Man (Jesus) returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered the boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. Matthew 24 v 6-7 36-41.
Nation will go to war against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands. And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. Luke 21 v 10-11 and 25
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:
In the last days there will be very difficult times. People will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving, they will slander others and have no self control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 2 Timothy 3 v 1-4
Daniel wrote 2,400 years ago referring to the time of the end: Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase. Daniel 12 v 4
Jesus also said "You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected".
For the Day of the Lord (end of the world) will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed - the one who brings destruction..............He can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2 v 3-12 (abridged).
The bible gives graphic details in the book of Revelation (the last book in the Bible) about the traumatic events to happen on earth at the time of the end when God's patience finally runs out and he acts in judgment. Much we see happening in the world today in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, and Asia begins to fulfill these prophecies.We must take this seriously
If Jesus Christ comes back today are you ready to meet Him? If we belong to Jesus Christ we have no need to worry about whether he will return today, tomorrow, or not for another 2,000 years.
To understand how God works we have to read and understand the Bible. It is the amost amazing work of literature every produced. Sixty Six books in one written by about 40 authors over a period of 1500 years - with one overriding author - the Holy Spirit. It is one complete story of the earth and God's purposes for humanity from creation to final destruction and the creation (re-creation) of 'new heavens and new earth. it is God's handbook, His instruction manual, to us.
4,000 years ago God chose Abraham to start a new race of people - the Jews. He was told to move from what is now Southern Iraq to the land we now call Israel (the name given to Abraham's grand son) and he commenced living in Hebron - where he and wife and sons are buried. Abraham's grandson Jacob took his family to Egypt during a massive famine at a time when his son Joseph had become Governor of Egypt. The Jews lived there for 430 years and eventually became slaves. God heard their cries for rescue and Moses was sent to lead them out of Egypt and they spent 40 years in the desert before returning to the land of Israel. During the time in the desert God gave Moses detailed instructions as to how they were to live and that they were to be a 'light to the nations". They were promised that if they obeyed the laws God set they would flourish and be protected as a nation, If they disobeyed they would be punished.
Read the full story in Deuteronomy chapter 28 - 5th book of the Bible).
"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God.... The Lord wil conquer your enemies when they attack you.... The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain.... The Lord will establish you as his holy people....and the nations will stand in awe of you....The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops.. The Lord will send rain at the proper time. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them.
BUT
if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: The Lord himself will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you do. .... The Lord will afflict you with diseases.... fever and inflammation.... with scorching heat and drought...with blight and mildew...the skies above will be as unyielding as bronze... the Lord will cause you to be defeated by your enemies ....The Lord will strike you with madness, blindness, and panic....you will be opressed and robbed....you will experience infidelity, homelessness, food shortages, theft, slavery, a foreign nation will eat the crops you worked so hard to grow. You will suffer under constant oppression and harsh treatment. You will go mad because of all the tragedy you see around you. The Lord will exile you and you will become objects of horror, ridicule, and mockery among all the nations. You will plant much but harvest little. You will have sons and daughters but will lose them. The foreigners living among you will become stronger and stronger, while you become weaker and weaker. They will lend money to you but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, and you will be the tail. If you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and to obey the commands and decrees he has given you, all these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. The Lord will scatter you among the nations. There among those nations you will find no peace or place to rest. And the Lord will cause your heart to tremble and your soul to despair. Your life will constantly hang in the balance. You will be terrified by the awful horrors you see around you"
End of excerpts from Deuteronomy 18.
The same principles apply today. We western nations were given the task of being a 'light to the nations' and showing a troubled world the way of peace and love taught by Jesus Christ, as well as to obey the laws established in the Old Testament. When Britain followed the laws of God it rose to become the greatest empire in the world and brought the gospel (Good News) to the furthest parts of the world - including New Zealand. When the United States became a 'nation under God' it flourished and became the most powerful and wealthy nation in the world.
For the past few decades we have tested God's patience to the limits, and probably beyond. We have disobeyed the laws he set for us. Instead of being a 'light to the nations' we have led other nations astray. Britain and America (and New Zealand) were once respected for their probity, freedom, creativity, justice, stability, and ability. Now we have disobeyed the laws of God and are heading for the curses given in the latter part of Deuteronomy 18.
The nation of israel disobeyed God more than obeyed and were punished severely including exile to Assyria and Babylon before being brought back to the land again. They didn't learn - any more than we do!
In New Zealand we are attacking at both ends of life with abortion and euthanasia killing the life that God created. We have denigrated christianity and the bible and those who try to live by its precepts, while glorifying what is wrong, We have promoted promiscuity and homosexual acts. The whole concept of so called 'gay marriage' is grossly offensive to the God who created the first man and woman and the beauty of marriage between them to show the covenant relationship of God with his people. "God is not mocked, whatsoever a person (or society) sows, that shall they also reap" (Galations 6 v 7). We are reaping the harvest in broken homes, STD''s, casual relationships, infidelity, heartbreak, depression, hopelessness, despair, mental health issues, suicide, violence, theft, drunkenness, lawlessness, greed, dishonesty, addictions, disease epidemics recurring, drought, floods, storms, forest fires, economic problems, etc. They will only increase if we do not return to the ways of God.
No matter what we may think of it God still loves his special nation - Israel. God promised 3,000 years ago that He would bring his people back from among the nations and re-establish them in the land he promised Abraham 4,000 years ago. This is the only reason Israel has survived amid the hatred of its neighbours. God promised that nations that supported Israel would be blessed - those that did not would be cursed. New Zealand has sponsored grossly unjust and biased United Nations resolutions condemning Israel. (The fact that God still has purposes for Israel does not make me a sycophant or apologist for all that Israel does!!)
God does not sit in the heavens deciding to send a Coronavirus Pandemic, storms to the West Coast, a mosque massacre to Christchurch or church massacre to Sri Lanka, volcanic explosions to White Island, raging forest fires to Australia, riots to Hong Kong, continuous bloodshed in the Middle East, floods in many countries but he does expect us to be smart enough to realise that we "are not the master of our fate, nor the captains of our soul" - God is. Hundreds of people set off on the roads throughout the year with hopes and dreams for the future - and fail to arrive alive.
John Newton, the author of the famous song "Amazing Grace" was brought to his senses (his words) while reading the book "The Immitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis with these words:
Life is short, take care how you use it. treat every word, every thought, every action, as if it were your last and you were about to die and give an account of yourself to God".
We need to understand the times we live in. The time to make a decision as to whether we will become sons and daughters of the living God may be very short. His invitation to become His child and a citizen of His Kingdom is still open.
I beg and implore you to choose the life and peace that only God can give. I would love to meet you in heaven. Read John chapter 3 verse 16-18 and the other parts of this web site "The Secret of Success in this life and the next" and "The Secret of a Successful nation.
To learn more of the life and teachings of Jesus and the 4,000 year history of Israel why not join me on location on my 17th tour to Israel departing Auckland 08 April, 2022 - (subject to Covid restrictions being lifted). Fly direct to Tel Aviv and join me there if you wish.
https://www.newzealandtours.co.nz/tours/discover-your-world/israel-jordan-cairo-greece?p=1
For more information click on MORE INFO below to download THE SECRET OF PERSONAL SUCCESS IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT.
Stephen Greenfield
An imperfect but forgiven child of God and citizen of His perfect Kingdom.
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