There is no doubt that people are greatly disrupted and many are just panicking. And the press does not help. The press feeds the panic. So, this SNL is about PAN-dem-IC. People panic when there is a pandemic. Corona virus we are all aware of. People are panic buying. Masks. Alcohol. Toilet paper. Social separation will soon be social isolation. To the extreme. It is clearly from China. The reason it was released, only the Chinese government and God knows. But it is here. So we must deal with it. An epi (on, at, near, upon) and demos (people of a district and pan (worldwide). Epidemic such as bird flu in Cebu. Pandemic such as corona virus. Pandemic and epidemic are not the same. All of these bring to a certain degree - a panic. People are terrified of dying, but the Word of God is the same and it does not change. So let us see a few lots of panic that hit people in the Bible. Zech 14:12-13 is a pandemic. The LORD struck all nations. Verse 12 physical side to the pandemic and verse 13 the emotional side as people panic. 1 Sam 5:9 is a city - an epidemic, as the LORD’s hand was upon them in punishment. 1 Sam 14:15 a panic sent by God. This is a panic just to the army. Emotional panic sent by God. Jer 49:24, a city become weak and feeble. A panic sent by God. People do not like these verses. And it makes it very difficult to say - LORD take it away, when it is abundantly clear it is a panic, sent by God, for the sins of nations, or cities, or armies or people. It is an undeniable truth, whether we like it or not. Yes, it was because of some sort of primary issue at Wuhan. We do not know what. But we do know Is 37:26. So what is a right prayer? LORD, take it away? And yet it has not yet reached its peak Gen 15:16. These things must come Mth 24:6-8. We cannot pray LORD take away the thing that you said must happen. A pointless prayer. It must happen. It is decreed. We can’t say change your plan. And one day, this plan will totally consume the earth 2 Peter 3:7. However, as sure as it must come, and if it is not the end of the world, then there is also 2 Sam 24:16ff where it is the LORD that says “it is enough!”. Then the corona virus will disappear as quickly as it came. As man continues to scientifically advance and get more innovative, the LORD shows he can do a new thing, out of nothing. People are forever trying to cure diseases and sickness. Or extend life say through insulin. Then the LORD throws a curve ball and is saying “I can do what I want”. You cannot build your tower of Babel of medicine. It is a reminder, to us, if our hearts are open, that God is God. And we are but under his rule, decree; whether we admit it or not. Leaders who are as pagan as they come, encourage people to pray. A funeral is an opportunity to share of the hope of life after death for the believer. A virus is a reminder that God is in control and he does what he wants whenever he wants. Through a pan or epi demic. So, a PAN dem IC is a panic, sent by God, to try to get people to realise how fragile life is. Let us be strong at this time of testing. Unless it is the end of the world, and I have neither seen global fires, nor Jesus coming down, then this will pass. Faith. Not fear.
MCC_Admin