REPENTANCE (CONTINUED)

All the wise men of Egypt were summoned when Pharoah had a problem and yet they couldn’t help him. Likewise, Nebuchadnezzar attempted to obtain help from his soothsayers and astrologers. But no appropriate help was forthcoming. The world certainly hasn’t changed. To date, since the beginning of the Covid-19 plague. I have heard no authoritative message from any government or religious leader worldwide. Inviting the populace in any country. To repent and turn to The Lord Almighty. For divine guidance and intervention. King David was a godly man so when he had a serious problem he didn’t waste time running around in futility. Seeking human aid. Because we are already forewarned in scripture that human help will fail. “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come.'” (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

The stated objective of the medical community and other experts is to achieve herd immunity in the countries of the world. By vaccinating enough people. To retard the spread of the virus and weaken its mutation potential. How can this goal be achieved, however, if anti-vaxxers are on the increase? Because there is real and fierce opposition to vaccination mandates not only in North America but right across Europe. For example, “Violent protests have broken out against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdowns across Europe amid new tough rules to curb winter waves of the virus. Demonstrators, angry about the new measures gathered in Austria, Croatia, Italy, Northern Ireland, the French territory of Guadeloupe, and the Netherlands to protest the moves. In the Netherlands, the second night of riots broke out Saturday over a partial lockdown, one day after police opened fire on people protesting the rules in Rotterdam. Protesters hurled fireworks at police and set fire to bicycles in The Hague, as cops used horses, dogs, and batons to chase the crowds away the BBC reported.” (New York Post November 21, 2021).

There are also other troubling and possibly catastrophic developments. “During the pandemic, an international movement opposed to Covid-19 vaccines and restrictions has grown on social media, often muddled with conspiracy theories and dangerous falsehoods. Now some committed activists are pursuing a new direction – organizing online dating, house shares, and possibly even blood banks just for the unvaccinated. It’s one of a number of similar networks that we’ve discovered online. They are hubs of conversation punctuated with videos and posts containing dangerously misleading and unfounded claims about Covid jabs. Many in these groups share a belief that the coronavirus pandemic has been concocted by a shadowy global elite for sinister purposes. Concerns about vaccines – including totally unfounded beliefs that simply being near a vaccinated person can make you ill – are driving them to try to build online and offline communities away from the mainstream. Activists are trying to establish elements of a parallel culture as an alternative to vaccinated society.” (BBC NEWS 13, August 2021). If the medical community’s hypothesis of herd immunity is correct. Without international social cohesiveness and the cooperation of the citizenry of each country, such a goal will be unattainable. Accordingly, Planet Earth will be stuck with Covid-19 for many years to come.

Another cause for great concern is that although millions of people in Europe and North America are being vaccinated. Breakthrough infections are also on the increase. Our physicians, pharmaceutical companies, and scientists are doing their very best to save human life and mitigate the effects of this pandemic. But will their best efforts be enough? Many people worldwide are praying but many more need to do likewise. The spiritual eyes of David were opened and he saw God’s messenger of destruction. “…And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people and said, “Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.” (2 Samuel 24:16-17 NKJV).

The king of Israel was fully persuaded in his own mind that the plague had been sent because of his own sin in conducting a census of the nation. But his belief was far from the truth and contrary to divine revelation. That catastrophe had resulted because of some secret sin among the people, of which David was completely ignorant. Whether it was secret persistent idolatry. Or some form of continuous seething rebellion against the divinely appointed government. We don’t know because the cause has not been revealed. Furthermore, we are specifically informed in scripture, “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4 NKJV). The Lord Almighty is not looking anxiously over our shoulders and trying to catch us unexpectedly in some transgression for which he can mete out punishment. The Lord Almighty is forever a God of love and mercy. We are counseled, …”Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.  Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32).

Since David was playing the role of a priest on behalf of the nation. By expressing penitence and pleading for mercy for the benefit of his people. The Lord Almighty responded by sending the prophet to him with a message. “And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded.” (2 Samuel 24:18-19 NKJV). Kindly note that The King of The Universe is not withdrawn and secluded in some remote ivory palace outside of our solar system. As a matter of fact, He is in this land. Indeed, He is very near. We are counseled, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV). Moreover, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 135:18 NKJV). Furthermore, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16). The king responded obediently and with immediacy.

Israel’s leader headed over to the threshing floor accompanied by a retinue of his servants. The Jebusite saw them coming and went out to meet them. After extending the customary courtesies acceptable for that day and age Araunah questioned, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.” (2 Samuel 24:21 NKJV). The Jebusite offered the threshing floor along with wood and oxen to king David for free. The Monarch refused, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.” 2 Samuel 24:24-25.

Israel’s leader built the Altar of Burnt Offering himself. This act was both personal and communal. Since it was also on behalf of the people. The Altar represented God’s people. By doing so he was rededicating, recommitting, and reconsecrating the people of Israel and also himself to The God of Israel. The Burnt Offering represented the righteous life of Christ The coming Messiah. Every penitent sinner needs to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ The Saviour. When he stands before God’s throne of judgment. So that he may appear spotless and blameless before God’s high bar of jurisprudence. The Peace Offering was eaten by the penitent worshipper and the priest. Symbolizing the fact that through Christ alone every repentant sinner has peace and fellowship with God. The blood of the Peace and Burnt Offerings were sprinkled upon the sides of the Altar of Burnt Offering. Indicative of the solemn reality that unless every sinner is cleansed and purged from all sins, both known and unknown, by the blood of Jesus. Then he can neither be covered with the spotless life of Christ. Nor enjoy peace and fellowship with God.

If the Covid-19 Pandemic has come upon us by virtue of a divine decree, and I suspect it has. Then it will only end by another divine decree abrogating it. Will I sound judgemental if I assert that there are many sins of which we need to repent? Because God does not change. He has always been and will always be a proponent of righteousness.