What Kind of God would ---?

I know that a lot of folks are saying, in their hearts at least, “What kind of God would allow something like Covid-19?”. But have they read the Bible? God never promises Christians a life of ease and prosperity. There has always been disease and death since the Fall corrupted everything. God did promise the nation of Israel protection from the diseases suffered by the Egyptians – if they obeyed the Law (Exodus 15:26). But no one has ever kept the Law (Gal. 3:21), nor can they do so (James 2:10). Christ is the only way: John 14:6.

Since the time Jesus Christ walked this earth, Christians have suffered the diseases, economic setbacks, losses of worldly goods, natural disasters, famines, injuries, and wars common to man – plus in addition they have been persecuted for following Christ by those worshiping other gods and by those pretending they are God. Jesus never promised we would be exempt from all that, but He did promise to go through those things with us.

So why at this time are we in America undergoing this particular trial?

Trials aren’t always punishments for sin. Jesus pointed that out in Luke 13. But sometimes nations are punished for sin, and Christians suffer along with the rest of their nation. I believe this may be the case here, though I do not pretend to speak for God. When Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt, God brought various plagues and disasters on them until they repented and allowed the Israelites to leave. Most all of these disasters targeted particular false gods of the Egyptians.

What became the nation of America was first settled by men and women looking for a place to worship God freely. While not perfect, their lives were focused on God and His word. Since then the nation has drifted far away, though it has been revived a number of times. But false gods are now worshiped by most Americans. Mammon and Maoz (Mars) are the two principal gods of America and have been powerful ones in the 19^th, 20^th and early 21^st centuries – wealth and military power. Government would be the new rising god of the nation – looked to to solve all problems and provide for everyone. The present major division in America is over the role of government. There are other minor gods and goddesses of course: sports, science, entertainment, work, social status, etc. Anything that takes prominence over the true God is a false God.

So look what is falling victim to Covid-19! Economic collapse as businesses shutter and workers are fired and laid off, and customers stay home. This is only beginning to hit home, it is going to get far worse. Common items are becoming increasingly hard to find. Food shortages and empty shelves make a mockery of American “exceptionalism”. World trade is collapsing as demand collapses and borders become important again. Wealth is fleeing America rapidly.

Military power has been bankrupting us for years now, with little to show for it. We easily win all-out military conflicts, but then lose the “peace” following. We spread our power out all over the globe building an “empire” but then don’t have enough power concentrated in any one location to make a difference. The military is now beginning to be impacted as sailors and soldiers fall sick, ships have to return home, anchor, and be emptied out. There will soon be a much bigger decline in military power as economic collapse forces big cutbacks.

Science has so far been unable to come up with anything other than social distancing and lockdowns, things already well known in the Middle Ages long before science came to dominate our thoughts. (Even known in Bible times!) And there is a good possibility that “science” created the present problem.

Without God ethics are just a matter of opinion. “Everything is relative”!

Sports have been almost totally shut down, and for the foreseeable near future if events are held at all only the players will participate in person while others watch on TV or the Internet.

Some forms of entertainment are booming, but entertainers are not doing well, especially musicians and others that perform at small venues ordinarily. Movie theaters are shut down and few movies are being made at this time.

Work is becoming less valued, as millions become dependent on government aid and those who do still work take a big risk while making less than those who stay home and don’t work.

Social status and flaunting of personal wealth are becoming increasingly unpopular as debt and taxation increase and ordinary folk do without.

Will these things bring America (and the West) to repentance and return to God? Hopefully they will, but there is little sign of it so far. It is a great opportunity for us to evangelize those whose hearts are not yet hardened, though. But first we need to get on our own knees, confess our own sins, repent, and turn to God. We cannot win people to Christ by telling them to “do as I say, not as I do”. God’s own people turning back to God and practicing righteousness (real righteousness, not self righteousness) may well start revival in our nation.