So it was that Satan appeared before the Lord. The Lord asked Satan, “What are your works? What have you been doing?” Satan answered the Lord, “I have still been walking throughout the world, as it is mine, to see who I can claim for my own. I have been very successful in taking You out of many peoples’ lives. The world is indeed mine. Very few believe in You or fear You!” God answered and said to Satan, “You have claimed many souls but there are many who are mine and will never serve you. Just as in times of old, when you tested my servant Job, there are many who will forever be my servants.”
Satan answered, “The world indeed is very prosperous, many people have much abundance which has made it so easy for me to claim their soul. Even your people serve You because You have blessed them with many worldly riches. They have no real struggles. Allow me to bring calamity on the world and You will see how many people will forget You. They will forsake You!” Satan continued, “You will see how Your people will become so afraid. You will see their faith dwindle. I will put strange utterances in the minds of the leaders and of the people to make them afraid to be with one another. I know their strength is their relationship with one another. Allow me to take that away and You, Lord, will see. They will be afraid to assemble to worship you, to build themselves up as Your people. They will be afraid to be with each other and will become as hermits in the world. They will have so many questions and so many doubts. The sickness I will bring will cause Brother to speak evil of Brother and Sister to speak evil of Sister. I will cause much pain, suffering, and worry throughout the world, and bring bitterness to Your people. They will lose their jobs. I will cause tremendous strain on families and they will cower from the disease. Much depression will be sent over all of the world. Your creation will suffer mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to the point that many will not prevail. Your people will not escape! Your church will never be the same!”
The Lord said to Satan, “When it is time, I will allow you to test my creation and those who serve me. For now, you will depart.” And Satan left the presence of the Lord.
A period of time passed. Then the Lord determined it was time and He called Satan before Him. The Lord said to Satan, “You may go and bring your disease over all of the world. Those that lose not their faith, will be much stronger. Some will be weakened but the faith of many will grow.” And Satan scoffed as he left the throne of God, laughing in his breath “I will sift Your people like wheat.”
The above text is a work of fiction. I do not know the mind of God. We do not know if the current virus and accompanying fear is from God or from Satan. We know what Godly fear is supposed to be, and it has nothing to do with a virus. And, we absolutely know that God is sovereign and is in total control and has permitted what has come to the world recently. God is Holy and righteous! God has been testing, or allowing His people to be tested, since the beginning of time. Noah, Abraham, the Israelites, and Moses, are just a few of the people of old that endured the tests. Christians in the first century were tested, even to give their lives, in order to serve and worship Him. In some parts of the world, Christians still risk their lives in order to assemble and worship because of human persecution (not from a virus).
I was reminded in a recent sermon that Ezekiel was one of just a few people who were fortunate to see the throne of God. Read some of his words below from his first chapter.
“In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.“
Every time I read that passage in Ezekiel, the hair on my body stands on end. My God is an AWESOME God! My God is not afraid of a virus! He actually rules this world (not Satan) and has already conquered Satan through His only Son, Jesus the Christ. I wrote this article in hopes that it might be an encouragement to someone. The Chosen are to be the lights in the midst of darkness. In a world now filled with so much depression, the Children of God should offer wings of encouragement. As anxiety and fear have affected so many, those of us who are people after God’s own heart, should be there to offer hope, hope not only of things in this world but most importantly the heavenly hope we should have each and every day. We should only cower before God, just as Ezekiel did, “and when I saw it, I fell on my face”, and not cower because of a virus or fear of what sickness may come. Satan knows our relationships, and being with one another is so very central to our faith. Refute with gentleness when others tell you that healthy Christians should be afraid of being with each other to cherish, to hold, and to love. A divided, separate, and secluded people cannot stand alone very long.
As I already stated, I have no idea why the virus came. (I have my opinion.) I do believe the virus panic-demic is not something that God’s children should be involved with as it is counter to the things I already mentioned above. Sure, live cautiously, but not in fear of anything in this world. Fear God and keep His commandments. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
In closing, let me leave with the worlds of a song that we sang recently at church. You might already know the words but hopefully you can read them again. As we sang, tears swelled up in my eyes.
He leadeth me! O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where-e’er I be,
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me!
And when my task on earth is done,
When, by Thy grace, the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me:
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
Amen! And Amen!
8 Aug 2020 7:32 pm