Illustration by Alon ben Shefer
Preface
A Theo-political perspective of the unique role and calling of the Ancient Prophets of God and human ran national governments.
The most recent updates concerning the Coronavirus worldwide are the basis for this week’s blog post. Looking at the new findings:
- More than 53 million cases of Covid-19 have been recorded worldwide.
- The US has surpassed 10.7 million cases and 244,000 deaths as states continue to break daily records for new infections and hospitalizations.
In this week’s blog post, I wish to offer a biblical solution to what is now a moral and international healthcare crisis. The central biblical text and featured story will be lifted out of 2 Kings 4:1-7.
In this story, a woman is widowed, about to lose her sons, she is living through famine and she is in debt. She did not depend upon the government nor any social welfare programming, nor any man-made institution to empower her to overcome her crisis. She trusted in the power of God and His spiritual wisdom and His Kingdom’s economy toward victory.
We will examine this story later but for now, it should not be any surprise that we and our government have failed criminally to effectively acknowledge, plan, implement a national scientific protocol and program toward battling this COVID-19 crisis. As the above latest new findings suggest, America’s worst days are not behind us, they are ahead of us!
The below statement is a summation of just how I believe, correctly reflects our anemic National morality throughout this pandemic :
“The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” Hubert Humphrey, Nov. 1, 1977.
The apostle Paul surmises that the central role/function of civil governments is to be “God’s servant for your good” (13:4). Today we might say “the common good” is to be the focus and goal of government. Romans 13:4
The purpose of government, according to Paul, is to protect and promote.
Protect from the evil and promote the good, and we are even instructed to pay taxes for those purposes. [especially the poor, widow, homeless, unemployed, or those who are impacted by COVID-19]
If and when our government is disparaging in its role and function as well as becoming the central problem in society, that government is not a biblical organization, it is secular. [Gleaned from the article, “Caring for the Poor is Government’s Biblical Role.” Written by Jim Wallis, Aug. 30, 2013, Sojourners]
What are God’s sovereign purposes for using such terrible diseases?
The now infamous term “pandemic” is a modern term and is never used in the Scriptures, the Bible does use ancient Hebrew and Greek words for pestilence and plagues at least 127 times. While not every use of the words, pestilence, and plagues, in the Bible refers to a terrible, infectious disease, many of the references do.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of the English word pestilence is, “a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating,” or “something destructive or pernicious.” Likewise, the definition of the English word plague is, “an epidemic disease
causing a high rate of mortality,” or “a disastrous evil or affliction.”
Throughout the Bible, we see repeated examples of God using diseases to accomplish His divine and sovereign purposes. There are also Biblical prophecies that warn us that God intends to use terrible, infectious
diseases to accomplish His divine and sovereign purposes in the future.
Three reasons for God’s sovereign purposes for this COVID-19 virus.
• Executing divine judgment on an individual, a nation, or many nations for chronic, unrepentant sin.
• Warning other individuals and nations that they, too, could face divine judgment for chronic, unrepentant sin.
• Shaking an individual, nation, or many nations so that they will wake up from spiritual slumber or rebellion, repent of their sins, and turn in faith to a holy, personal, Biblical, healthy relationship with God.
Repeatedly in the Bible, God explains that in His mercy He will shake individuals and nations in a desire to get our attention and draw us to Him.
• In Amos 9:9, the Lord God says, “I will shake the house of Israel among all
nations.” (New American Standard Bible, NASB)
• In Haggai 2:7, the Lord God says, “I will shake all the nations.” (NASB)
• In Hebrews 12:26, we read, “And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” (NASB)
Lord Jesus Christ warns His disciples that “pestilences” will be one of the signs of the “last days” of human history, a time of shaking the world to wake up and realize that Christ’s return to judge and reign over the earth is increasingly imminent. [see Matthew 24:3-8, Luke 21:10-12] [The above data was the results of my reading, Factsheet-BibleAndPandemics, written by Joel C. Rosenberg]
Representatives of the Forsaken
2 Kings 4:1-7
A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets of Elisha, cried to the prophet that her husband was dead, and she was in great fear due to the reality that her household was greatly indebted.
As is the case, the creditor came looking for payment on outstanding loans. Being penniless her two sons would be taken as bondmen to the creditor to offset the debt.
The prophet Elisha is the one who helps the widow and sons out of their distress. While it is so inviting to focus one’s attention on the miraculous increase of the oil of the action of the prophet, the main point is that it is by the hand of God that delivers us out of distress, hardships, and catastrophes.
It was God in His wisdom that chose men who would obey Him faithfully and He gave them authority to speak on His behalf. Prophets were not chosen or elevated by man, and they were not permitted to inherit the title or regard it as an official post to be filled by a man specially trained for it.
Historically Elijah and Elisha both help and relieved a widow and her children has its spiritual foundation in the character and calling of the two servants as “Men of God!”
It is a well-known feature of the Torah, one which is distinctly prominent that it often and urgently commands to assist the widows and the fatherless and to care for them. [Exod. 22:22-24; Deut. 14:29;24:17,19; 26:12; 27:19]
22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24
These prophets were mentioned as Representative of the Forsaken, the Oppressed, and those living in the Shadows in society. [Isa. 10:2; Jer. 7:6; 22:3; Mal. 3:5]
6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm. Jeremiah 7:6
The Heavenly Father is the Father and Judge, Protector of the rights of the widows and the fatherless. [Deut. 10:18; Ps. 68:5; 146:9; Isa. 9:17]
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in His holy dwelling. Psalms 68:5
Neglect and contempt of them are counted among the heaviest offenses. [Ps. 94:6; Job 22:9; Ezek. 22:7]
7 In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; in you, they have oppressed the foreigner and mistreated the fatherless and the widow. Ezekiel 22:7
Just on the other hand, compassion and care for them is a sign of the fear of God and piety. [Job 29:12; 31:16; James 1:27]
27 The religious observance that God the Father considers pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world. James 1:27 [This segment concerning prophets was inspired by reading, Notes taken from the Series: The God who Speaks to Man. Bible.org]
Closing Thoughts
We require a Godly prophet instead of contaminated secular politicians to effectively represent God on behalf of all people in these uncertain times.
I am forever thankful for God’s eternal wisdom in that in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”- Hebrews 1:1–2
Christ is the last Prophet who is God’s chosen representative of all Nations throughout this world. Jesus replaces the ancient prophets not because He is entirely different from the prophets.
He replaces them because He is the fulfillment of all that the prophets anticipated. Not only does He speak to us the words of God, but He is the very Word of God made flesh (John 1:1–14). He not only teaches us the wise way in which to live, but He is the incarnation of God’s wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30).
