Our Christian Response To The Coronavirus Plague
“Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place - the Most High, who is my refuge - no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
The current novel coronavirus epidemic is seizing and paralysing people with fear. It broke out of China and quickly spread to other countries. This plague lurks invisibly. Unlike SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), infection can take place without the person carrying it showing symptoms, thereby making detecting, and thus containing the plague more challenging.
As of now, the plague is showing no sign of abating. People are understandably concerned with the situation. It is a new strain of virus with no known vaccine. The cure may be sometime away. All that the doctors and medical specialists can do now is to treat the symptoms and hope that the infected person’s immune system would be strong enough to fight and overcome the virus.
Amid fear and panic, how should Christians respond?
Faith Over Fear
The kneejerk reaction is to give in to fear. However, we must be careful not to allow fear to grip us and have a hold on us. Fear is not just the antithesis of faith;the danger lies in the fact that fear erodes faith.
We are believers of the Almighty God. Therefore, we should not react in fear. Instead, we ought to respond in faith. God is in control despite the chaotic situation. God is always in sovereign control even in earth’s darkest hours.
I am not belittling the seriousness of coronavirus plague, but putting the matter in perspective, there were worse pestilences that happened in the past. For instance, the Black Death, which occurred in the middle of the fourteenth century (1346-1353), killed an estimated of over one hundred million people in Europe and reduced its population by forty to fifty percent.
Then, there is the Ten Plagues, which God inflicted upon Egypt to force Pharaoh to release the Israelite slaves. Water was contaminated as the Nile River turned into blood. It was quickly followed by plagues of frogs, then, flies and then, gnats. Next, all the livestock belonging to the Egyptians died mysteriously. After that, the Egyptians were inflicted with painful boils, their properties utterly devastated by heavy hailstones and farmlands by locusts. Complete darkness then enveloped the land. Finally, the death angel struck the firstborn of all the Egyptians, from humans to animals.
You can imagine the extent and scale of the destruction. Every aspect of the nation and the life of the individuals were severely affected. It was an unprecedented national disaster, which is yet to be repeated in history, perhaps until the time of the Tribulation.
The fascinating thing is while all the lands of Egypt were affected, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelled, was left unscathed (Exodus 8:22; 9:26). The judgement of the Ten Plagues did not touch Goshen at all. The Israelites were sheltered and protected. The LORD set apart the land of Goshen from the rest of Egypt. It is repeatedly said in Exodus that God made a distinction between His people and the Egyptians (Exodus 8:23; 9:4; 10:7).
Here is my point. I believe that this coronavirus pestilence is part of a series of God’s judgements on the sinful and corrupt world as we race toward the end of the Last Days. Like many natural catastrophes that have been occurring and increasing in both frequency and intensity, these are signs of the impending return of Christ.
Things are going to get worse. There will be three series of judgement during the last seven years according to the book of Revelation – the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven bowls judgements. Beginning with the opening of the sixth seal, the judgements are described as the “wrath of the Lamb” and for the inhabitants of the earth, it is the beginning of the “great day of their wrath” (Revelation 6:16-17). The last trumpet judgement is described as the “seven angels with seven plagues” (Revelation 15:1, 8), and the final series of judgement is known as the “seven bowls of the wrath of God” (Revelation 16:1).
Saying all these things about the wrath of God and judgement and associating them with the current crisis may not seem to be the most sensitive thing to do, but this is the truth. It is my conviction that the truth must not be withheld for fear of political incorrectness. We must present the truth and trust the Spirit of God to convict and convince people. Only the truth can set people free from hopelessness in a time like this.
Here is the hope that the bible is holding out to us – “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). These two verses are couched in the context of the “day of the Lord,” which refers to the last part of the Last Days.
So, what is our assurance? That God has not destined us for wrath! These judgements are not meant for those who walk closely with our Lord Jesus Christ and who put their trust in Him!
The basis for my trust in God’s protection is that God has not destined us for wrath!
But be careful. Do not allow fear to drown your faith. An entire generation of Israelites died in the wilderness because they listened and believed in the words of the ten spies, which resulted in fear. Only Caleb and Joshua, who believed and trusted God, made it to the Promised Land.
Faith is a critical factor in such a time as this.
The words in the first two verses in Psalm 91 is most appropriate for our current situation. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Then, the psalmist goes on to say, “I will say of the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”
My God in whom I trust. Do you trust God?
Trust in God puts you in the shadow of His wings. This is the “land of Goshen,”which is the shelter that is reserved for those who have faith. On the contrary, fear banishes you from God’s promise.
Do not fear. Didn’t Jesus say that not one sparrow would fall to the ground unless it is the will of God (Matthew 10:29)? In other words, you will not die unless it is the will of God. Let me put it bluntly. If you die during this period, it must be God’s will. Even if there is no coronavirus epidemic, you will still die of another cause.
Going back to Psalm 91, one of the specific promises is protection from deadly pestilence (Psalm 91:3, 6).
In the middle of the psalm, the psalmist asserts emphatically, “Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:9-11).
No evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. These are the amazing promises for those who exercise faith and put their trust in God by making Him their dwelling place.
Precautionary Measures
Putting our faith in God does not mean that we do not take precautionary measures.
At the personal level, we ought to be more careful than usual concerning our personal hygiene and social interaction. Wash your hands more often. Avoid rubbing your eyes. Avoid going to crowded places unnecessarily. I am not suggesting that you withdrawyourself. Please continue with your normal activities but be careful.
At the church level, we are taking all the necessary precautionary measures to ensure a safe environment for worship and interaction. As a guide, we will follow the health guidelines and best practices suggested by our government and health authorities.
Church members should take their own initiative and exercise discretion. Those who are unwell should avoid attending services and Community Group meetings during this period.
As for our Sunday services, we will continue to function as usual. If the situation in Singapore were to escalate and the risk assessment is raised to DORSCON red, or there is a situation in our church, we will suspend our Sunday services and do live streaming.
Meanwhile, we require both members and visitors to fill in their names and contacts at the entrance to our church premise and have their temperature taken. Anyone with temperature exceeding 37.5 degree Celsius will be politely asked to go home.
Concerning Rock Kids, our children ministry, we will operate as per normal. We will follow the guidelines from the MOE (Ministry of Education). It does not make any sense for us to suspend our children ministry activities when the MOE allows the schools to continue with their classes. It makes no sense that we let our children go to school but stop them from Sunday School. We will be sending the wrong signals to them. It also says something about us and our faith. However, we will cease the children ministry activities should the MOE suspend classes in schools.
Distinction Between God’s People & Others
Finally, here is my final thought. Just as God made a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians during the Ten Plagues, it is my conviction that God will make a “distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him” (Malachi 3:18) in this crisis and the plagues to follow.
Remember, we are not destined for wrath, but salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, have faith and not fear!
Shalom!
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua