Did the Bible Predict the Coronavirus?

Did the Bible predict the Coronavirus – what a question!

It’s now been two weeks since Schools closed and virtual lockdown imposed on our nation. Is it just me or has it seemed WAY longer than two weeks? I don’t know but what we do know is that the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak is fundamentally changing how we view the world, and the death toll continues to rise each day.

Some of the disruptions on this scale were hard to imagine even a month ago. I mean, who would have thought that Google would be asked to track our movements this weekend so that we don’t go out for a longer walk than we are supposed to? Or, within days, churches have been forced to move entire congregations into virtual communities online? We are certainly living in strange times.

Of course, there is still the odd nutjob around claiming one conspiracy theory after another … “COVID 19 is a ploy by Disney because the tv channel Disney plus was launched at the same time” … or “5G towers are, in fact, the cause of Coronavirus” or “Greta Thunberg caused Covid-19 to help with her global warming campaign.” Or how about the “minister” (more like fleecer of the flock) and head of the Kingdom Church in Camberwell, south London, who has promised his followers that if they purchase a small bottle of oil and piece of red yarn from him (at inflated prices) it will protect them from Covid-19.

Whatever

I don’t even want to disrespect this blog and you, my reader, to make a comment suffice to say .. no, jut no.

So here we are

Here’s a question I bet you haven’t asked yet: “What doe she Bible say about Coronavirus?”. Glad you asked because it’s an easy answer: nothing. Absolutely nothing. Well, kind of nothing. Although the coronavirus is not mentioned by name in the Bible, it does, of course, talk about the environmental conditions that are indicators that Jesus is coming back soon.

A commonly mentioned passage is Matthew 24.

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places .. All these are the beginnings of sorrows.”

Ok, so there will be “pestilences” or plagues before Jesus comes back. Now the question is whether COVID19 is one of those said pestilences. Who knows? Really, whether COVID19 is a “pestilence” or “plague” probably remains to be seen. It’s certainly not clear. However, whether it is or it isn’t, what IS clear is that God has given us a way to behave – even in times of pestilence or peace.

  1. Don’t assume that you know God’s intentions. From a Biblical perspective, God has many reasons to judge us. He doesn’t need a virus but don’t assume that this virus is a harbinger of doom. There are many real and tangible opportunities that this crisis brings – an opportunity for society to reset, for communities to value social interaction, for questions about spiritual things to be asked and answered. Don’t ever assume that we know God’s intentions outside of what the Bible actually says.
  2. Don’t assume that God will withhold his judgement forever. Paul said that God has “fixed a day” when the will judge the world. I don’t believe that day has come, and I can’t even tell you if it’s close, but what I can tell you is that we should not consider that God’s patience is qual to His acceptance.
  3. Don’t waste this opportunity to do good. Paul wrote to exhort us that “as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith”.  I was reminded this week that the way we reflect the glory of Christ most vividly to the world is to be people who are growing in love for one another.
  4. Don’t walk by sight but by faith. Huge huge huge! We are being bombarded on every side right now with thoughts and images and the immediate danger. and make no mistake, there is a very real and present danger. However, I’d ask you today .. how is your faith? Are you able to see past creation and chaos, to the Creator and His care? Where does your spiritual vision most readily run to?
  5. Don’t forget to seek God. Job was a prophet who experienced severed trials in life. He said “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). Even when it seems like the world is falling apart, God is still in charge.

So, did the Bible predict COVID19? Maybe. Maybe not …  Probably not.

Does the Bible give us ANY guidance on how we are to live – pestilence or no pestilence? Absolutley

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