I Can’t Hear You! God's Voice in Wartime

 

In one of the defining scenes of the Hacksaw Ridge movie, the combat medic Desmond Doss finds himself alone on the battlefield after all the other American forces retreated from the bitterly contested ridge on Okinawa. Feeling lost and overwhelmed by the horror, he cries out to God: “What is it you want of me? I don’t understand. I can’t hear you!” He then hears the cry of a wounded man calling out for help, and realizes that this was the answer – God’s way of directly communicating with him in the midst of the battle. With renewed courage, he gathers himself together and sets off in the direction of the voice of the wounded soldier.

Two months ago, I published a post about the spiritual warfare that has made the year 2020 one of the most difficult in living memory. This situation shows no signs of ending anytime soon, and we should expect it to intensify even more in the future. One of the greatest challenges in war is meaningful and trustworthy communication. They say that knowing is half the battle, but even this principle is difficult to apply in the fog of war due to the continuous and fierce clashes over the reliability of the information. In such times, there are three facts that we should keep in mind. 

First, God as our general does not miscommunicate with us, nor does he misread the battlefield in a way that needlessly jeopardizes the future victory or our own lives (unlike countless human generals over the centuries who could not see the whole picture at any given time). However, it is entirely possible that there will be times that God’s voice will be silent or will seem silent, and we will be tempted to believe that we have lost the connection. This understandably can lead to despair or panic in our hearts, and can cause us to take actions that are against our own interests. 

In times like these, it is wise to ask ourselves what the last command that we remember hearing was, and to remind ourselves of the overall calling that we know that God has placed on our lives. This stance is what allowed Desmond Doss to regain his footing and keep moving forward in saving the wounded, and it is also what kept David in the battle until it was over: “I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed” (Psalm 18:37).

Second, we need to remember that not all communication is verbal. Messages can be delivered visually as well – for example, by using a symbolic flag in battle: “Declare among the nations, proclaim, and set up a standard (flag); proclaim – do not conceal it – say, ‘Babylon is taken…” (Jeremiah 50:2). Something within the heart of the warrior is stirred to action with renewed courage simply by seeing the standard of his own side moving along the frontlines. We must follow the movement of the standard of our king expectantly, and move accordingly. 

Light is another ancient means of communication during warfare: “Then [Gideon] divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers… Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing…” (Judges 7:16, 20). This light not only startled the Midianite enemies, but also caused the darkness of night to glow. Interestingly, the breaking of the clay jars was what allowed the light to shine. Our human clay (2 Corinthians 4:6-7) often reaches the breaking point in wartime, but if our lives are in God’s hands then his light will shine through even then.

Third, the enemy will do his best to gain an advantage on the communication front – either by using psychological warfare to demoralize us (2 Chronicles 32), or by feeding us information designed to mislead us. In times like these we must never remove the helmet of salvation that guards our minds from the thoughts placed there by the enemy (Ephesians 6:17). It is the helmet that also identified soldiers in ancient battles, and simply seeing other believers wearing it as a identifying mark of salvation is in itself communication that cannot be valued too highly. 

These days can be particularly cruel when God’s voice seems obscured, but even in the fog of war there are messages from his word to which we can cling. During times of absolute silence, we already know so much of what he has told us. And even when we think that we are going crazy, he is capable of reminding us of just the right information at just the right time in order to keep us moving forward to victory.

Photo taken from NDLA site.

Plagues and the Last Reach for Control

 

What is the connection between the current pandemic, the control over all humanity through technology, and the ancient plans of the enemy of our souls? Looking back into biblical history will help us understand the events unfolding before our eyes.

Three thousand years ago, King David decided to take a census of all the men of fighting age. It was one of his greatest mistakes ever, and it cost the lives of seventy thousand Israelites who died in a plague that lasted three days. Joab, his nephew and military commander, was a man that often needed to be restrained from reckless actions but even he had warned King David against the move, saying: “May the LORD make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?” (1 Chronicles 21:3; see also 2 Samuel 24:3). 

Joab knew that taking a census was dangerous business, and he likely recalled the strict rules given by Moses for counting the people: “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them… The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves” (Exodus 30:12,15). 

What is the principle here? Counting the people was not just an issue of pride (like some suppose regarding David), but rather was also connected with control over them. This even greater danger is for human leaders to become all-knowing about their subjects, thus intruding into a realm reserved for the omniscience of God. After all, the true number of such things is for God alone to know – including the hairs on our heads and the stars in the sky (Matthew 10:30; Psalm 147:4), something that a later mention of the story of David’s census even hints (1 Chronicles 27:23). By the way, to this day many Middle Eastern grandparents do not count their descendants due to a superstitious fear of inviting disaster. 

David was a man after God’s own heart, but his blunder revealed the winning recipe for being struck with a plague. He took a census for the wrong reason of wanting to know too much about his subjects, while likely ignoring the requirement to pay a half-shekel ransom per person as a humble acknowledgment that he was treading in territory belonging ultimately to God himself. Therefore, it should not surprise us that his actions resulted in a plague. 

Current world leaders have “improved” on his blunder, by exploiting a plague as an excuse to push measures far more invasive than a mere census. Instead of learning from the mistake to avoid the consequences, they have manipulated the pandemic (the biblical consequence) in order to make the mistake even greater! Believers can reasonably differ on the severity of the current pandemic and the appropriate response to it, but all of us should have noticed by now that many "solutions" proposed by the powers-that-be are pure evil and are leading towards the complete control over humanity foretold for the time of tribulation (Revelations 13:15-18). Whether we will be around to face that test or not is a passionately debated question, but the fact that humanity is being taken in the wrong direction should be clear.  

This is the beginning of Satan’s final campaign to ensnare all people. He seeks to control human beings by monopolizing all information about them, thus attempting to compete with God’s omniscience. His strategy focuses on forcing everybody into a position where he can identify those who refuse to deny the God who created them. A foretaste of the Mark of the Beast is already present in China’s surveillance state and social credit score, a model that many other countries may soon follow. 

By the way, the mark on the hand and the forehead are planned diabolically as a direct counterfeit of the command: “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deuteronomy 11:18). It is no accident that these are the same places on the human body being discussed today.  

During the height of the first COVID-19 lockdown, I noticed powerful lines in the song “Is He Worthy?” which has been the anthem of countless believers: “Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll? The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave. He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave. From every people and tribe, every nation and tongue, He has made us a kingdom and priests to God to reign with the Son.” 

Suddenly I saw the passage that inspired these words (Revelations 5:1-10) in a new light. Many believe that this scroll is the deed to the earth handed over to Jesus, but the same Greek word most often describes the Book of Life later on in the same book (17:8; 20:12; 21:7). This concept of a list of those with eternal life is also found in other passages (Exodus 32:32, Malachi 3:16, Daniel 12:1, Psalm 69:29). Could it be that the enemy is making a last desperate effort to harm those whose names are written in the scroll, and perhaps is even trying to peek inside himself by forcing everybody into a position of having to choose? I believe that this is exactly what is happening. 

We can do nothing to stop events foretold for the end of time, nor is it our role to try. People who are under Satan’s dominion may be shaping current world events, but ultimately they and their master will fail utterly in the attempt to control all of humanity including those that belong to Jesus. In the end, we know that Jesus alone will open the Book of Life with all of our names, for He alone is worthy. And, thanks be to God, no plague or pandemic will accompany that final census count since we are covered by the ransom of the blood of the Lamb. 

Photo taken from Flickr. 

This Is War - September 2020

 

At the end of this week, the ram’s horn will sound all across Israel marking the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25; Numbers 29:1-2). One of the main reasons to blow a trumpet, according to another passage, is an outbreak of war: “When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies” (Numbers 10:9; also 1 Corinthians 14:8). 

This is war. By now, it is clear we are at war and that 2020 will be remembered as the year in which a fierce spiritual attack was unleashed upon us. A declaration of war by the enemy leaves us with no choice but to sound the alarm before our king and to enter the battlefield. As you prepare, pay attention to this spiritual briefing. 

VICTORY. Your ultimate victory in Jesus Christ is already secured, since the outcome was determined on the Cross. The devil may succeed in advancing on some fronts temporarily, but he will be routed in the end. If you are not deeply convinced of that truth, then you will be of no use in the war and it is best for you to retreat instead of enlisting (Deuteronomy 20:8; Judges 7:3). You must remember that God has chosen you to fight at this time in history on the front that he assigns: “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience…” (1 Timothy 1:18). Your role in the victory has already been prophesied, for such a time as this!

OBJECTIVES. Here it is actually worthwhile to consider the objective of the enemy first in order to understand our own. He hates the sound of the trumpet. He hates the sound of your voice lifted to God in a faith-filled declaration of triumph while the battle still rages. He hates the choir of the redeemed singing praises to the Lamb: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelations 12:11). The devil knows that our heartfelt praise in our darkest hours foretells his defeat ahead of time. Need I say more? You know what to do!

ENEMIES. Know your enemy: the devil and his angelic hosts. There are countless hostile human beings who are under their influence, and their deeds and ideologies must be confronted boldly – but they themselves are not our primary enemy: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12; also 2 Corinthians 10:3-6). It can feel that humans are your enemies, but there is still hope that at least some of them will abandon the enemy of their own soul once they realize the trap.

SURPRISE. The element of surprise is a crucial weapon. The story is told of a World War I attack that went so deep into enemy territory that the defenders began surrendering even though they far outnumbered those who launched the offensive. This tactic is particularly useful when it comes to loving our enemies and blessing those that curse us. It sends shock waves through the spiritual world every time, and there are few things that the devil hates more than having his own soldiers start believing in the love of King Jesus. Use that weapon of surprise boldly.

VENGEANCE. God does not forget your suffering at the hands of the devil and his servants, and he will avenge (Romans 12:19). In human wars, the attacks by one side often justify an assault that was already pre-planned by the other side. Leave the decision on how and when to him, but know that he often uses spiritual attacks on you in order to launch his own retaliatory campaign to gain even more ground back. Take comfort as he takes up your cause. 

ROLE. Each soldier receives his commands from the top. It is your job to do exactly as you are told on the battlefront that you are assigned. In World War II, most heroes had no idea that someday the stories of their valor would be told. We see the bigger picture today, but at the time they could not see further than one step ahead in the fog of war. They felt incredible loneliness. They had no idea how much their service made a critical contribution to the cause. Such is war, so be ready to fight on in a lonely corner – and may it later be said that you were among those who "escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11:34)

EXPECTATIONS. Now that you have enlisted, your days as a civilian are over: “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). All sinful pleasures must be tossed aside, since they simply open up the door to the enemy (1 Peter 2:11). Even harmless peacetime pleasures may now become scarce. Lower your expectations regarding what to expect. Life will be hard, so drink deeply of the simple pleasures that you still receive: a cup of water, a glorious sunset, a bird singing, the friend who calls you to check in. Those little joys will refresh you, even if almost everything else is taken. 

IDENTITY. You are not just cannon fodder, but rather a warrior who is also a beloved son or daughter of the King. In human wars, there are countless casualties that seem absolutely senseless and without reason. Such is not the case in this spiritual war. Even if you lose your life, you will not be consigned to a mass grave to be forgotten forever, but rather will be ushered directly into the presence of the King. Even on your most difficult days, you are also given spiritual rest in Christ. “Whoever goes to war at his own expense?” (1 Corinthians 9:7). You certainly do not, since he will supply all your needs as your faithful commander. 

This is war. Arm yourself in his strength, and get out into the battlefield.

Illustration taken from Zedge

The Privilege of Being Underprivileged

There are times when we cringe at the tactless words of others. For the honest believer, this may happen even with the words of Jesus himself on occasion – especially in the story of his encounter with the Canaanite woman who came asking for help during his visit in the region known as Lebanon today (Matthew 15:21-28). At first, he ignores her determined cries for help: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” When he finally responds, we are stunned to hear him say, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Undeterred, she persists, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Nobody with even the slightest inclination towards justice – let alone social justice – can help but recoil at this exchange, especially in an era when privilege is a topic of discussion. Not only does Jesus remind the Canaanite woman of her status outside of the chosen people, but he also uses a seemingly degrading analogy to dogs in order to rub it in. We are offended on her behalf, and cannot understand why she accepts the implicit comparison (although some try to lessen the blow by noting that Jesus uses a diminutive, perhaps endearing form of the word). Explaining away the insult is still difficult even after hearing his parting words: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” 

Why does this story offend us so powerfully? What hidden truth could we be missing here? The analogy that Jesus uses contains several characters: the little dogs, the children and the masters (though the latter two may be the same). The humans are parallel to the Nation of Israel, while the dogs are comparable to the Canaanites. We may not have noticed the most important character in the analogy, however: the crumbs of bread. This Canaanite woman seems to have realized the value of those crumbs, and may even have made the connection between them and the Bread of Life who was standing before her. 

This picture is rooted deep in Middle Eastern culture. To this day, people treat bread with utmost respect. Stale loaves or morsels that have fallen on the floor are not thrown away but rather are gathered up and placed on a ledge where animals can benefit from them. 

Against this backdrop, the analogy becomes clearer. Those sitting in luxury around the table had the privilege of filling themselves with the finest pastries, but they treated the Bread of Life with contempt by carelessly dropping crumbs on the floor. The Canaanite woman realized that one crumb of the Bread of Life was worth more than a life full of earthly honor and privilege, and she was not going to let the comparison to a dog stop her. I submit to you that she is the one to be envied in this story, not the privileged diners at the table. 

Jesus never promised that this world would be fair. Indeed, he said that the poor would always be present (Matthew 26:11) and that the natural order of the fallen world is a hierarchy based on the abuse of privilege (Matthew 20:25-26). He in no way justifies such treatment of others, and says that it should not be this way between his followers. Even so, he does not promise an end to privilege in this life. 

If we as believers find ourselves in a place of being underprivileged, let us remember our true value in the eyes of God rather than seeking validation from other humans, and may we learn to value the crumbs of the Bread of Life that fall down around us more than life itself. If we are in a position of privilege, let us remember the words of Job who realized that he would have no ability to stand before the Creator God if he was not willing to respect those of a lower status than him and even hear their complaints against him (Job 31:13-15). Taking advantage of the underprivileged is a serious sin that must be confronted within each heart; still, it is better to be on the receiving end than the giving end. 

Jesus without privilege and equality is a greater treasure than privilege and equality without Jesus. As we see in the painfully raw yet beautiful story of the faith of the Canaanite woman, if being underprivileged brings us to a place of valuing even crumbs of the Bread of Life then it is actually a privilege in disguise. 

Dodging Snipers, Daring to Push Forward

During the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943), one Russian sniper named Vasily Zaitsev is reported to have killed scores of enemy soldiers and even a dozen rival snipers while surviving every ambush. Although the scope of his success (pun intended) cannot be verified independently, his story – portrayed in the film Enemy at the Gates – strikes a nerve at the core of our human psyche. The threat of a hidden yet nearby enemy who targets victims with precision has terrorized humanity for millennia. Although the weapon of choice in ancient times was an arrow instead of a bullet, the same basic fear existed – as seen in the psalmist’s words: “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day” (Psalm 91:5). 

Sniper activity, which simultaneously seems anonymously random and personally aimed at the victim, is nerve wracking for even hardened soldiers. The battle is effectively over when an army comes to a standstill, since victory without movement forward is all but impossible. It has been said that snipers can capitalize on fear by consistently picking off either the first or the second person in an enemy unit. If such tactics become common knowledge in the enemy ranks, the result is demoralization or complete paralysis. In the first case, nobody will want to lead; in the second case, nobody will want to follow. It is very tempting to simply “shelter in place.” 

The current spiritual war surrounding the COVID-19 crisis has much in common with a sniper situation. Movement has ground to a halt, with countless millions fearing to come and go even within their own neighborhoods. Others may not greatly fear the virus, but simply try to avoid unintentionally meeting an infected individual – since this could lead to quarantine for themselves in places that have enforced contact tracing. These days the very act of going out of the house can feel just a bit like risking exposure to a sniper, as I myself realized recently when a person with whom I spoke received a message minutes later requiring him to enter lockdown after having been near a virus carrier some days earlier.

God may be preparing us through this crisis for persecution, war and societal upheavals during which we will be exposed to “spiritual snipers” at every step. Let us remember that we need not fear the terror of the arrow, since even in the “worst case scenario” being struck means going to be with God. As long as we are still here, let us live with the expectation that God wants to work miracles for us and through us in spite of the snipers, and let us reject the temptation to “shelter in place” spiritually. 

Two things amaze me about the story of Vasily Zaitsev. First, he survived! And this, even after being himself targeted ruthlessly by snipers! That alone is a miracle. Second, he did not let the fear of the enemy paralyze him as he himself inched forward in battle cautiously yet boldly. His remarkable feat reminds us that, although death is possible, God will preserve us miraculously for as long as he wants us on this earth. Just think of it: by God’s grace, we just might survive and triumph!

I am reminded of the incredible story of Gladys Aylward, a British woman who moved to China several years before the Japanese invasion of the 1930s. The wartime conditions left countless children orphaned, many of whom found refuge with her. The Japanese advance caused her to flee with approximately one hundred orphans, and she just barely escaped death by enemy gunfire as she left the newly captured city. She and her band traversed mountains and rivers on a trek deeper into China that lasted a month. Their safe arrival was nothing short of miraculous – an answer to prayers made by a little woman to a great God. 

The eyes of the Lord are always searching for people whose hearts are complete in him, so that he can show himself strong through them (2 Chronicles 16:9). In the difficult days that are bearing down upon us, why shouldn’t one of them be you?

Partisanship and the Role of the Prophets

When we as humans face a war for survival, we fight to the death and we fight to win. In existential struggles, those who “play nice” or insist on following the rules are considered weak and naïve, or perhaps even guilty of collaboration with the enemy. After all, we need to win at any cost, don’t we?

The people of Jerusalem faced the same burning question during Jeremiah’s time. The nation was ripe for judgment after decades of ignoring prophetic calls to repentance. The situation had actually passed the point of no return and the threat of Babylonian conquest was imminent, but the people believed that the presence of the Temple would prevent any harm (Jeremiah 7:4, 16; 11:14; 14:11). The same sentiment existed among the people a century earlier: “Is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us” (Micah 3:11).  

These words reflect the natural response of religious societies to any criticism of their actions, let alone even the mention of divine judgment. Such a prophetic message is offensive on several levels. First of all, it reminds us that good works and religious observance are not enough to outweigh the consequences of rebellion in other areas of life. Secondly, it undercuts the idea that humanity cannot control the ultimate timing of judgment by rushing to “repent” every time just before the ax falls. Thirdly, it challenges the circular reasoning that “we are right because we are right” which views God as obligated to grant the victory. And fourthly, the message is seen as a demoralizing act that plays into the hands of those evil Babylonians who are, after all, the enemies of God himself. 

Jeremiah paid a high price for his critique of the spiritual condition of the nation, and he was even accused of cooperation with the Babylonians (Jeremiah 26:7-11; 37:11-15). He faced what today we could call partisanship. Everything about Judah had to be defended, and every other voice had to be silenced. The nation believed that Jeremiah’s message was a betrayal that undermined the fight for survival. They rejected the idea that Jeremiah’s prophetic criticism could be from God since their enemies were obviously so much worse. 

Today we face a fight-to-the-death over the future of entire societies and humanity itself. Many of us fear that it would hand victory to the “other side” if we ever admitted that anybody on “our side” could ever be in the wrong. This is an understandable defensive reaction to an emergency situation complete with hordes of foes at the gates who are bent on destruction rather than constructive criticism. However, this response is perilous because it feeds the concept that “we-are-right-because-we-are-right” and it cripples the role of the prophets in our lives.

Sometimes the last defenses that still seem to be standing are political leaders who at any other time would be considered unfit to represent the cause of believers. Many cling to them and defend their words and actions as though life itself depended on it. The fight to protect their reputations may seem necessary in the current crisis, but it leads us into a twilight zone of self-deception if we silence any critique that deviates from the partisan position. Unwittingly, we reject the fundamental right of God to hold all of us to account and to correct even those who are closest to him.

Perhaps God is leading us to a place where we trust him to be our only true defense – even as every safe space is being torn away and even though it seems that the enemy is winning one victory after another. Friends, the leaders and institutions in whom we have trusted will soon disappear. The “Babylonians” about to replace them are truly evil in every sense of the word. But God himself promised to fight our battles – even if it is not in a way that we would have chosen (Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 20:4; 2 Chronicles 20:17; Romans 8:31-37). If we lose everything in this world, we still have him. Maybe these losses for “our side” – as painful as they might be – are preparing us to embrace a future much brighter than what this fallen world could ever have offered.

Beware the Raging River of Rebellion

By now it should be clear to everyone with critical thinking skills that the COVID-19 crisis has been used skillfully to advance increased control over humanity – whether or not the virus is as dangerous as claimed. However, even before information that undercut the official narrative began to accumulate, countless voices began calling for civil disobedience against the lockdown. Many of these voices belong to believers who reject mask-wearing and social distancing rules while claiming that such regulations are a dry run leading up to totalitarianism. 

Let me be clear that they might be right in their overall analysis. After all, many of those same leaders who insisted on the lockdown also openly encouraged the recent wave of unrest as if there was no pandemic. However, since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdowns something has troubled me in the attitude of many Christians – including some whom I count as friends. Their responses even made me wonder if they could be trusted to take precautions that infringed on their “rights” if ever there was truly extreme pandemic. 

Could it be that a spirit of rebellion has swept many believers away in these perilous times? I can almost hear the question of countless readers: “How can you call it a ‘spirit of rebellion’ if we are rejecting the unjust dictates of evil men?” Many would also remind me of the words of Peter and the apostles: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). We will return to that particular verse towards the end.   

I have heard more than one person say that we need to reject the regulations now in order to push back already against the even stricter regime yet to come. This idea may sound logical, but I submit that it is based more on human wisdom than on the Word of God. Two examples are the relationships between David and Saul, and between Jesus and the Roman authorities. We see that both of them not only refused to rebel against obviously unjust rulers, but also encouraged others to submit wherever possible (1 Samuel 24:1-7; Matthew 22:15-22). 

A spirit of lawlessness is flooding the world today, and the enemy is doing his best to sweep believers away in the same roaring waters. Identifying his plot may be more difficult when it is tailored to your own bank of the river – that is, when it is disguised by language that appeals your own side of the societal divide. He wants to draw us out to a place where we fight the raging current alone and by our own authority.  

The day may be near when a vaccination that includes fetal tissue and a computer chip passport will be imposed upon humanity – forcing all to decide whether to obey God rather than man. We know that this will be connected to the coming “lawless one” and the “mystery of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9), but a preemptive response of rebellion on our part is not the solution even when it is directed towards a world that itself is rebelling against God. Indeed, it simply lures us out to an unprotected position like a small group of soldiers independently declaring war on an entire army. God wants to protect us from the spirit of rebellion in order to spare us being taken down by a world in rebellion. 

Our primary calling in this battle is to obey God and to submit to his authority. When human authority asks us to disobey God, we must refuse. However, this is not done in a spirit of rebellion towards man but rather in a spirit of obedience towards God. The distinction may seem trivial if the practical decisions made appear to be the same externally, but the difference is profound on the spiritual level. We must not join in the spirit of lawlessness and rebellion, but rather must prepare ourselves for future potential conflict with human authority by practicing obedience towards God. His authority will be our refuge in times when obeying God and man cannot possibly both be done.

The Coming Worldwide Hunger

Mark Twain once wrote that foretelling wars and famines “was not so hard, for there was always a war, and generally a famine somewhere.” For Westerners who have grown up in an age of unrivalled abundance, that “somewhere” has always been “somewhere else” – never “here” and never closer than the television screen which could be switched off conveniently. The very idea of worldwide famines of “biblical proportions” has seemed to be more appropriate for a fictional drama series than the reality of everyday life in Europe and North America, but those days may be over. 

The experts have been wrong on many aspects of the Corona Virus and its fallout, but the warning from the UN’s World Food Programme that the economic upheaval from the health pandemic could result in a hunger pandemic is not necessarily an exaggeration. Countless masses in many nations already lack the resources to feed themselves properly, and the situation continues to deteriorate. If society continues to unravel in America and other nations, the previously wealthy could soon be preoccupied with basic survival as well. Hunger is coming, and it will not be a game. 

The worldwide wave of hunger will not be a pleasant sight, but we were forewarned and given instructions on how to respond. Jesus predicted that famines would be part of the events leading to the Last Days. In the same Olivet Discourse, the final parable promises that whoever feeds the least of these would be rewarded as though he had done it for Jesus himself (Matthew 24:7; 25:31-40). This care is not limited to those considered friends: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink” (Proverbs 25:21). 

There is a passage in Ecclesiastes that speaks about times like these: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth… He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap… In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand…” (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6). Now is not the time to recoil in hesitation. A hungry world will soon be at the gates, and the fact that we do not know how much evil will be on the earth is an even greater reason to serve as much as possible now. 

The empty stomachs of the masses may lead millions to their first taste ever of the Bread of Life. “Behold, the days are coming… that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD” (Amos 8:11). Physical hunger for a season can even be part of the God’s plan to satisfy the hungry soul for all eternity: “So he humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3). 

Evening shadows are falling all across the world, and it can be tempting to “withhold” our hands in fear, despair or apathy as the humanitarian and spiritual disaster approaches. However, it is written: “If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday” (Isaiah 58:10). If you are a true believer who has tasted of the Bread of Life, this is your job description for as long as you are still on this earth. The hungry will soon be knocking, but the bread is already in our hands. 

Contact Tracing and the God of Contact

The phrase “contact tracing” was practically unknown before the COVID-19 crisis. The concept is not new, but human history is about to be changed irreversibly by the combination of (1) groundbreaking technology for tracking human activity and (2) the political will to make contact tracing universal and preemptive. Worldwide trends of the past two decades pointed clearly in this direction, and so it should be no surprise that many proposed measures in response to the crisis would all but end privacy.

No society can remain truly free while abolishing privacy. Reasons of security and public health cannot change that fact – even if they often appear logical and justifiable. This is not the time for the legitimate discussion on finding the balance between these conflicting principles in the modern age. However, it is fascinating to compare the character of God with the conventional wisdom of world elites when it comes to “contact tracing” and privacy.

At first glance, it would seem that God was the inventor of contact tracing: “O LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:1-4).

God sees and counts our steps (Job 31:4; 34:21). He searches our heart and knows its intents (1 Chronicles 28:9; Hebrews 4:12-13). There is no place out of his reach: “‘Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?’ says the LORD… (Jeremiah 23:24). What, then, is the difference between God’s omniscience and contact tracing by governments or social media giants?

Before addressing that question, let us consider an aspect of human character that reflects the image of God. If the era of social media has taught us anything, it is that human beings have a deep inner longing to know and be known. Establishing these deeper relationships cannot happen without relinquishing at least some privacy, but the individual must have the freedom to do so voluntarily in order for the connection to be meaningful. There can never be a true sense of security if others control to what extent and under what conditions this knowing and being known takes place.

In the new world being created before our eyes, there is no room for individual choice regarding personal information. Human beings are under constant monitoring – with no accountability for those managing the data collection, and certainly with no intent on their part to be open about their own lives. This is the way of the world, and we should not be surprised. After all, Jesus said: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them” (Matthew 20:25).

It is precisely here that we see the contrast with the character of God. He indeed knows everything about us – more than all surveillance technologies put together – but his motivation is strikingly different. God uses that information for our own good, while building a relationship of trust with us. Amazingly, his ultimate goal is to bring us into a place where the knowing is mutual! “Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12; also 1 John 3:2).

I find it simply astounding that the God who knows every detail of my life wants me to come to know him in the same way in eternity. In a world that is rapidly approaching the abolition of relationships in favor of the dark abyss of data collection, the thought of that friendship complete with reciprocity is an incredible comfort. He is not like the rulers of this world, my friends, and it is with him that we will spend all eternity. 

Crowned with Favor during Corona

The losses surrounding the Corona Virus are incalculable: hundreds of thousands dead, tragic stories of victims dying and being buried with no family present, countless weddings cancelled, bans on gatherings, a halt to travel, and hundreds of millions unemployed. The devastation will never be fully known, and there is, unfortunately, a distinct possibility that the worst is yet to come should the economic and societal aftershocks worsen.

Can these traumatizing events be anything but a curse for all those affected? I have yet to meet even one person who is enjoying the Corona Virus, but it is already clear to me that what the enemy meant for evil, God intends to use for good (Genesis 50:20). The suffering he allows has a way of softening the heart to receive reproof and instruction, giving us a chance to reprioritize our lives. A response of faith leads to spiritual growth that otherwise would not have occurred. Our “spiritual muscles” may ache with pain, but the resulting godliness is great gain (1 Timothy 4:8).

They say you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, a lesson Corona has taught us well. We will value many blessings more than ever before should we regain them in the future, and we are learning now to appreciate blessings that we still have which could disappear someday. Food and shelter may be obvious, but those of us who grew up in free societies never knew how valuable unrestricted movement really is. Another blessing is the vibrant human bond with family, close friends, fellow believers, and even strangers in the street. I wonder if I ever would have realized without “social distancing” just how precious this interaction is to me.

There is much talk about this being a “dry run” for a reimagined world. Sadly, that may be true. However, I believe that God has not been outmaneuvered on this front. With seriousness and urgency, he is using this crisis to make ready the hearts of his own for any troubles ahead. Experiencing this worldwide emergency allows us to get at least a little idea of what it is like to be prisoners without freedom, and also prepares us for being refugees subject to uncertainty and lack.

The people of Israel faced the threat of a curse by Balak and Balaam just before their entry into the Land, but Balaam was compelled to admit the true state of the nation: “The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them” (Numbers 23:21). A similar spiritual battle is raging in our time as we approach the end, but God gave us the quarantine to prepare. This crisis not only will strengthen our longing for God’s presence in heaven, but it will also remind us that our relationship with Jesus Christ is the one thing that can never be taken from us even in our hardest of days on this earth. We are in a triumphal procession through the trials, and name of our king is on our lips.

Just like the psalmist, we face countless enemies and evildoers – but we can confidently declare with him: “For you, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor you will surround him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12). It is fascinating to discover that the Hebrew word translated here as “surround” resembles a word with the meaning of “crown” at a later stage of the language. The implications are inspiring. We not only march in the triumphal procession of the king; we also are “crowned” by him with favor during trials. God is using the Corona Virus to fit us for the crown of life and righteousness (James 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:8) – a crown that will be revealed in eternity.

Hope in the Age of the "New Normal"

If one phrase could define the COVID-19 era, the “new normal” would likely be a leading candidate. This phrase has a suffocating ring of finality to it, as though it will be impossible to go back fully to the “old normal” ever. That old paradigm encompassed things we took for granted – such as unrestricted human physical contact including handshaking and hugging, unlimited mass gatherings for prayer or for pleasure, and largely unhindered movement whether merely outside of the house or between countries and continents.

For just a few minutes, let us set aside the ongoing debates on what the response to the Corona Virus should have been from the beginning and what it should be going forward. For the sake of the discussion, let us even assume that steps such as “social distancing” and the usage of facemasks are the correct response to a public health crisis (at least at some point on the timeline). While I realize that many question those policies on philosophical and scientific grounds, my intent here is neither to attack such measures nor to silence the concerns of those opposed to them – but rather to reflect on the situation from an eternal perspective.

What strikes me more than anything else about the “new normal” is the underlying message that this is the unavoidable fate awaiting human beings here on earth. There is no hope for a brighter future in this new world, with the only viable option seeming to be complete surrender to the certainty of increasingly restrictive controls as envisioned by the experts as the only way to battle the possibility of unending and unpredictable outbreaks of disease. Hope in the human heart suffers “death by suffocation” when it is overwhelmed by a worldview that depends on human manipulation for survival – instead of submission to the source of life himself.

To quote Dostoevsky, to live without hope is to cease to live. Make no mistake, friends; the enemy himself is the true author of the underlying philosophy of the “new normal” – for he realizes that his time is short. He knows that the extinguishing of hope is one of the most powerful weapons in his arsenal, and he will stop at nothing to “spiritually isolate” the believer from the living hope that has already been given to him or her (1 Peter 1:3). This spiritual principle applies to the overall situation, whether or not wearing a face mask is a reasonable response to this specific virus.

Even as the shadows deepen around the world, the hope of the true believer cannot be extinguished. Even if the circumstances of this life worsen, we cling to the promise that “surely there is a hereafter, and [our] hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18). Even though the enemy taunts us with the utter impossibility of it all, we can “rest [our] hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to [us] at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13). And even if we never fully recover those human blessings of physical connection and coming together in this present age, we know that “we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Someday the “new normal” will become nothing but distant memory – conquered by the God who not only gives the human heart hope, but is our hope (Psalm 71:5). Let us fix our eyes on him unswervingly in whatever time we have left on this earth.

Fear and Punishment ~ Two Peas in a Pod

The second-to-the-last chapter of the Bible has a verse that makes the heart skip a beat: “But the cowardly (or fearful)… shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone…” (Rev. 21:8).

The cowardly? Isn’t that a little harsh? Isn’t fear a normal reaction, and even healthy sometimes? What if I cannot help but be fearful – especially if the things that I fear are not just my imagination? Can’t God just give me a medical exemption out of compassion for those diagnosed with weak hearts? These are valid questions, and we will come back to them at the end. Just to be clear, the subject here is not natural human caution in the face of real danger, nor a reverential awe towards God. Instead, we are talking about a way of life characterized by paralyzing and panic-inducing fear.

The Coronavirus, the response to it and the repercussions from it have instilled a deep fear in humanity. Many are fearful of the intentions of other humans, based on the track record of human history and the actions of leaders prophesied in the Bible. Others find the very nature of God to be frightening, either because he allows such evil individuals to be victorious (if only for a time), or because of the judgements that he himself pours out (especially at the end of time). It is no wonder that many people can identify with the wicked servant who received the single talent: “For I feared you, because you are an austere man” (Luke 19:21).

In this spiritual war, fear keeps us as soldiers from being effective in battle. For this reason, Moses gave command to discharge all of the fearful and fainthearted (Deut. 20:8), and Gideon sent all but three hundred of his men home (Judg. 7:3). We could be tempted to think that God is merely interested in maintaining an army of warriors when he commands us not to fear. Battle-readiness is indeed a major goal, but God has a motive that reveals his long-term and personal care for each of his warriors.

We find the key in the following passage: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19). As God prepares our hearts to spend eternity with him, removing fear is on the top of his list. The Bible is full of commands not to fear, but rather to trust.

This work of fear removal is for our own good, because we never will feel at home with him if it is not replaced by his love – which is, interestingly, the opposite of fear. Indeed, fear is like a foretaste of the torment and punishment of hell. If we doubt the goodness of his motives or fear what he allows in our lives, arriving in heaven would not solve that very basic breakdown of our relationship with him.

So, are we punished for being fearful? Is there no compassion and understanding? I would suggest that these are the wrong questions. Undoubtedly, cowardly fear is one of the traits of the unbeliever when he stands before God, but the believer is in a lifelong process of preparation for heaven – which includes the uprooting of ungodly fear. The Lord would actually be unloving to allow us to continue suffering in the torment of fear – whether in this life or the next. God works in our hearts to remove the punishment of being fearful with the goal of ultimately rescuing us from the punishment for being fearful. These days are an unparalleled opportunity to allow that work of mercy continue – whatever lies ahead. 

Conspiracy Theories and the Believer

If ever there was a man who had a right to believe in conspiracy theories, it was David during the years that he was forced to evade King Saul's attempts to kill him. I was minding my own business teaching an online class recently, when we ran into the following verses:

"Now an evil spirit of the LORD came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music by hand. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall..." (1 Sam. 18:9-10)

As a student of mine noted, the coming of this spirit was not because the Lord actually wanted to get rid of David, neither was he apathetic to David's fate. Rather, he allowed this spiritual battle to rage with the full intention of rescuing David as many times as necessary from the enemy. Indeed, this attack may have been part of his plan in speeding up the judgment against Saul (see 2 Thess. 1:5-10).

The spiritual warfare for our hearts and minds is perhaps as fierce as it has ever been, with an unprecedented frenzy both in regular and social media. Conspiracy theories are spreading almost as quickly as the Corona Virus itself, and deep-seated suspicion of various institutions provides fertile ground for their growth and mutation. Many of the theories even contradict one another — although that does not stop some people from trying to hang onto all of them at once, even if they cannot all be true.

On the "other" side are people who label every question and critical analysis as a "conspiracy theory" — thereby delegitimizing any opinions that do not maintain the party line. The impression given by these people is that even suggesting that there are evil people in high places is a sign of a demented mind belonging to someone who ought to be pitied or treated as a menace to society.

Surprisingly, many on both sides share a common denominator: a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of evil and where it dwells. In the second group (the "anti-conspiracy theorists"), many tend to reject the idea of people being capable of committing unspeakable evil — except, of course, "those" people who believe in such theories. In the first group (the "conspiracy theorists"), everyone believes in evil, but many tend to point to certain groups and institutions as the source of the problem of evil — which would be solved if only "those" people could be exposed and dealt with severely.

Both types fail to fully recognize the fallen state of all mankind — including the evil in their own hearts. The fear on both sides — from the conspiracies, or from those who believe in conspiracies — is connected with an even greater problem: the downsizing of God in the current crisis.

Here I am speaking particularly to the group that believes in conspiracy theories of some sort in this crisis. Let me clarify that I do not use that term to silence open discussion. While many of the details are still unknown and I am not a physician, my sense is that the virus itself should be taken seriously. However, this does not contradict the strong impression I have that something is very wrong with some of the measures already taken or yet being planned in response to the virus.

Many of the worst theories about the crisis may be true. Even so, may I suggest that there is a serious problem if the power you ascribe to the people behind the conspiracies in which you believe is greater than the power of the God in whom you believe. Recounting the abilities of evil men constantly can lead to this type of imbalance and can easily turn into a perverse "praise" of their power, even if it is done out of fear and loathing. I believe that the line is crossed where our alarm over the nefarious plans and deeds of others — high-ranking and evil though they may be — is greater than our confidence in the power of God and in his ultimate victory over them.

This, my friends, is the real test of the believer in this crisis. David faced a conspiracy against his very life for many years — and it was not just his imagination. It was a terrible and painful situation, and he did not hesitate to point out the evil of the plots against him. But let us not forget that many of the richest psalms of faith that he wrote also came out of that time. May the same be said of our lives today...

The Edge of the Grave

10 April 2020 - A Sprouting Seed

Sometimes the farthest horizon we can see is the edge of the grave. Or so it seems. Yesterday, I saw one small phrase in Ruth’s declaration of loyalty to Naomi that I had never really noticed before: “Where you die I will die; and there I will be buried” (Ruth 1:17). The grave was the most distant earthly landmark that Ruth could make out as she looked forward into her future – and, even so, she stepped out in faith.

This weekend we mark the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and this year the opportunity to identify with his burial is unique. Sorrow and suffering have always existed on an individual and even communal level. They will always exist until he returns. This, however, may be the first time in eighty years that an entire generation has been buried by an avalanche of suffering at one time and on a worldwide scale. The situation may not be as dreadful as the two world wars were (yet), but the scale of fear and pain and frustrated plans is unprecedented for almost everyone alive today.

I myself have felt buried in this crisis, even smothered to the point of being unable to express everything “dying” inside. The deepest pain is not the loss of the meaningless or material things of life, but rather the sense that even my best and noblest plans were swallowed by the earth. It is at this time that two verses in particular stand out to me:

First, Jesus told us this would happen: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24). Could it be that he is preparing a season of fruitfulness in my life that will surpass anything that would have happened in a time of peace and comfort? I believe this to be the truth, even if the situation goes from bad to worse.

Second, Jesus himself went through this same experience: “He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay” (Matthew 28:6). I am no Greek scholar, but I was fascinated to discover that the verb is in a passive tense here (“he has been raised”), and not the more active sense that most of us remember by heart (“he has risen”).

This is no small grammatical issue here, but rather a truth that applies to our lives today. Jesus placed himself into the hands of the Father while going to the grave (Luke 23:46), trusting that he would be raised up by the him. He paved the way in this path of faith, and he promises to raise us up himself on the last day (John 6:40). And that, my friends, is something we can celebrate this weekend – no matter how deep our grave feels in this fleeting moment.