ISIS and Ebola

If one were to ask what ISIS and Ebola have in common it seems that both are deadly, strike fear into those who know about them, and their reputation is well known.  It’s an unseemly but congruent parallel with how God worked in the OT to give the children of Israel victory over wicked nations.

We can first understand the message Moses gave to Israel about why God was going to give them victory over nations mightier than they; “Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deut 9:5). And so it was when the spies came to Jericho, Rahab said, “…I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed (Jos 2:9-10).

When you read about the extent of God’s punishment for the nations that He destroyed, it demonstrates just how little we understand of God’s work and way.  His message to Saul, “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1Sam 15:3). It’s hard to understand the reason behind this direction but we know it was for His purposes and when Saul disobeyed, he was taken from power.

But there were also terrible diseases that God used for destruction and in fact, it’s interesting He told Israel that He would protect them, “And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee” (Deut 7:15). And later He promised to punish them with disease if they did not observe His commands, “Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed” (Deut 28:59).

When you read messages from God you’ll see the direction to “fear not”; the only exception being to fear Him. Samuel’s admonition would serve us well today, “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you” (1Sam 12:24). Jesus commanded us to do the same, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:2). I don’t know how God is working all things today, but we should know that He rules in the kingdoms of men (Dan 4:32-35), that Christ has all power in Heaven and earth (Mtt 28:18), and that all things are working for good to those who love God (Rom 8:28).  Let’s be guided by faith and fear of God, rather than of man or disease.

–Matthew Johnson

 

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