I have enjoyed going through last year’s messages when we were online. I did two weeks in a row on ICU, Home Quarantine, Border Crossings, Curfews, in both HoH and last Wednesday at our staff meeting. I understand we had no SNL last April, and no doubt not all people heard, or took note of what was said, so, as I enjoyed a lot the past few messages at HoH and Staff meeting, I thought; why not make a refresher or new study for most, so we can again see, there is nothing new under the sun. Let me start with ICU- that is room isolation. Is 26: 20 go into your rooms. Shut the door behind you. This is Isolation. Normally in ICU it is the one inside who is sick, and to be protected from germs from outside. Here, the individual is to hide from the sinful infection of the world. God was bringing a plague, on the firstborn of all Egypt. The LORD makes a command, there must be a curfew. The people are not to come out of their houses at night Ex 12: 22b all night curfew……….if you go out, you die. We go back to Home Quarantine. Noah and family had to stay in the ark for 1 Year and 10 days quarantine. They went in in Gen 7:11 and out Gen 8: 13-14. They were not permitted to come out, until all the previous life was destroyed. Judged. Punished. Gone. ICU and CURFEW and HOME QUARANTINE were all judgements God made on the world, but protected his people. Sin, in all it forms, sexual immorality, rejection of God, fear of all but God, idolatry - are all currently being judged by God. But God’s people are safe Pro 18: 10 the LORD is the refuge for his people. God then enclosed the people in. Mountains and rivers and seas. Checkpoints. The Israelites were not permitted to pass their boundaries, of the desert, for 40 years. Deut 8: 2 for 40 years. Borders closed. Can’t leave the desert. This judgement was on the people for lack of their faith in God to make a way for them, and fight their fights. So, guards were placed around the desert. No release from desert. And all of these say the same as 2 Sam 24: 13 - there is a designated time. A day, 3 days, a year, 40 years. God’s people were led away in chains, shackled, tortured, imprisoned. We call that the exile to Babylon. That is, prison in Babylon for 70 years Dan 9: 2 knew from Jer 25: 11-12. Borders Closed. Why? Judgement again. In all the above situation, the common thread is judgement. Judgement for sin. On God’s people and on all people. How long is covid here to stay? I keep asking that question, and everyone says “no one knows”. Really? You can’t extend your mind back, to when measles first came, aids first came, influenza first came, TB first came, cancer first came, etc, etc, etc... And when will they end? It is so simple. They will not end. Here to stay for the life of the earth. Swine flu here and there. Then bird flu here and there. It is so clear (to me) here corona, covid crown, Wuhan China virus, Brazilian strain, African strain (not yet Philippines strain) is here till the earth ends. Then in captivity, Ps 137: 1 the captors required of them a song, from Babylon, about their freedom they had. And do it with a smile (see Boney M - By the Rivers of Babylon). Jer 29: 5 build houses, settle in. Jude 20 Build your souls up. 3 John 2 is about your soul’s prosperity. Then, they were to plant houses and build gardens. In Jude we are to build ourselves up, in faith in Jesus, so all the storms that come against us, we stand strong. Fear has no part of a Christian’s life. Faith does.
MCC Admin
23 Adar 5781