We Live In Interesting Times
The Pastor’s Ruminations during the Coronavirus, COVID19

April 18, 2020

I puzzle greatly wondering“What on earth is happening?”

Perhaps the better question is “What is happening in heaven?”

I do not know. I am asked, “Is this pandemic Divine judgement?” I don’t know. I know our country and our world lives as if there is no God. We kill the unborn, sanction perversion (even in marriage), scoff at any morality, educate our children without absolutes while insisting they practice absolutes, we live without a concept of repentance and more. There is no lack of reason for Divine judgement. Again I say, “I do not know.” I’ve told you (in regard to questions about COVID19) that I’m neither an epidemiologist nor the son of an epidemiologist. Further, I’m neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet (Amos 7:14).

One of the things I have said since this began is how amazed I am about how the entire world has basically rolled over to accommodate political leader’s demands. Government leaders must be looking at one another with amazement saying things like, “We never realized how easy it would be to get people to just do what we say.” Having observed that, I’ve also said since the beginning that this entire episode of COVID19 is, in my thinking, a test case to see how the world will react to anti-Christ (II Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13). When there is a crisis that will eclipse COVID19 beyond imagination (think Ebola all over the world!) we’re seeing in this that humanity will then roll over to follow some man who will promise resolution to all.

Our lives are inconvenienced. It is increasingly frustrating to me, even irritating, that we cannot meet as a church family. Governor Evers’ diktat about extending the “safe at home” mandate ‘til May’s end is an aggravation.

These inconveniences make me wonder, “How will the church respond at a time when meeting might (will?) result in arrest, imprisonment or death?”

Dear Church Family, I ache to be prepared for just such a possibility. Read Peter’s letters. I Peter 1 should resonate with you, especially verses 3-9. The heart of what is in my heart during COVID19 days is in II Peter 1:

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Briefly, knowledge of the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ (v2) and knowledge of the Written Word of God, the Bible (v3 – our knowledge of Christ comes through the Bible) are our sufficiencies for all things we need to live Godly lives. We want circumstances to be “our way.” God says (I Peter 1) we are to rejoice in grievous trials because they are testing the genuineness of our faith! How unlike the outlook of the world. How unlike the world we are to look at life.

Where are we going in the next month or two. I do not know. I do know that our world is like Psalm 2 (the world has always been like Psalm 2):

Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.

5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:

6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”

God laughs at mankind’s rebellious shenanigans rather than being hampered by them. Then, He assures us that the King is ruling from Heaven!

In tomorrow’s service we will emphasize that, from the very beginning. The prelude will remind us that Our God Reigns, therefore we are to Rejoice, the Lord is King! The Quarantined Social Distance Quartet will lead us in singing Crown Him with Many Crowns (words are below). We will consider what blessings are our’s because Jesus Christ has ascended into Heaven to reign. My prayer is the result will be confident hearts, even during COVID19 days.

* * * * * * *

Page 223 in the Celebrating Grace Hymnal.

1 Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne;
hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own:
awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

2 Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;
His glories now we sing
who died, and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

3 Crown him the Lord of peace,
whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
absorbed in prayer and praise.
his reign shall know no end,
and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.

4 Crown him the Lord of love!
Behold His hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified:
all hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me!
thy praise and glory shall not fail
throughout eternity.