(PART 4): THE BIBLE VIEW OF: PLAGUES; EPIDEMICS AND PANDEMICS.

Historical records; News media; and various Medical Journals have preserved lots of easily accessible information about PLAGUES, EPIDEMICS and, or PANDEMICS. They are usually, easily summed up as CALAMITIES that have befallen HUMANITY and THE WORLD, they live in.

Information analysts have gone farther to categorize them either as MAN-MADE or NATURE INDUCEDED. Assuming these records are accurate and reliable, this article will try to draw your attention to GOD´ S ROLE concerning THEIR OCCURANCE, THROUGH HUMAN EXISTENCE.

Rarely have most of these experts said, they were GOD-PERMITTED CALAMITIES. And very often those who expressed this view came under HEAVY CRITICISM.

So, this article is introducing to you the often INTENTIONALLY or INADVERTENTLLY omitted, or unwanted Scriptural view. So, let us go into it.

If you are a Bible reader or scholar, you will not fail to see that the Bible BOLDLY and UNAPPOLOGETICALLY says that PLAGUES or PANDEMICS are GOD’S EXPRESSION of HIS WRATH AGAINST THE SINS OF MAN ON EARTH. This could either be caused by the sins of PREVIOUS GENERATIONS, or THE PRESENT. Read (DEUT.28:58-61).

If thou will not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear THIS GLORIOUS AND FEARFUL NAME, THE LORD THY GOD;

Then THE LORD will MAKE THY PLAGUES WONDERFUL, and The PLAGUES OF THY SEED, even GREAT PLAGUES, and of LONG CONTINUANCE, and SORE SICKNESSESS, 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.

Bear with me as we slowly show you where this is written in the Bible.

(LEV. 26: 21):

And if ye WALK CONTRARY unto me and will NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME; I will bring SEVEN TIMES MORE PLAGUES upon you according to YOUR SINS.

The entire world today is grappling with A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, called COVID-19, meaning: (CORONA VIRUS INFECTIOUS DISEASE – OF 2019). Several variants have been popping up, and now the most recent; (OMICRON 1921), has come with new waves of panic and uncertainty. Within a space of approximately TWO YEARS, COVID-19 has claimed over 5 million lives globally and over 240 million documented cases. This is not to say that those who died and those who got infected were them who sinned worse. Let us be clear about it from the onset. But here is what is true, (EXO. 20:5-6)

(… for I The Lord thy God am a JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOUTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME.

And SHOWING MERCY UNTO THOUSANDS OF THEM THAT LOVE ME and KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.)

(EXO.34:7):

(… Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and THAT WILL BY NO MEANS CLEAR THE GUILTY; ….)

Be sure, friend, that you will not stand guilty before the GOD OF JUSTICE AND TRUTH, JESUS CHRIST.

Jesus told his disciples, (JOHN 14: 15) and that applies to all generations:

“If you love me keep my commandments.”

Many deny the existence of COVID-19. Many have come up with their own alternative conspiracy theories. But let us listen to what The Bible says.

During the reign of PHARAOH RAMESSES II, Egypt suffered TEN (10), Catastrophic Calamities which affected its Waters, its land, its Crops, its Livestock, its Atmosphere, its Army and its FIRST-BORN HUMAN MALES and BEASTS. (Refer to Article #2).

The Bible language for all those TEN (10) ACTS OF GOD UPON EGYPT was plainly stated as PLAGUES.

(Exod. 11: 1):

And The Lord said unto Moses, yet will I bring ONE PLAGUE MORE upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt. …

 

DEFINITIONS OF PLAGUES BY VARIOUS RECOGNISED AUTHORITIES:

Let us now listen to some DEFINITIONS OF PLAGUES from a few reliable sources.

1. COLLIN’S DICTIONARY: Defines a PLAGUE as a fast spreading, fatal disease with a widespread infestation. He further says that it is usually very troubling; annoying; and continually vexing and unpleasant.

2. WEBSTER COLLEGE DICTIONARY:

It is any widespread affliction, calamity or evil cause of calamity or trouble full of annoyance and vexation and torment.

3. FUNK AND WAGNALLS: STANDARD DICTIONARY: States that a PLAGUE is any of various forms of a VIRULENT, (extremely harmful), HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS and often PANDEMIC DISEASES, such as BUBONIC PLAGUE, The BLACK DEATH, or the informal nuisance or bother. He also alluded to that which vexes, annoy or afflict with suffering.

4. THE NEW UNGER’S BIBLE DICTIONARY:

This dictionary describes a PLAGUE as A JUDGMENT or Calamity that GOD SENDS upon SINNING MAN, with an expected objective of inducing repentance and or turning away from evil and back to GOD’S ways.

Unlike UNGER’S, all the other Dictionaries do not link PLAGUES to SINS OF MEN, nor to JUDGMENT OF GOD.

So, this article, going forward introduces you to the reality that SINNING AGAINST GOD has DIRE CONSEQUENCES.

As already outlined in (Pt. 1) and (Pt. 2) of this article, God judged Egypt as a Nation, with ten (10) consecutive vexing, fatal, continual, devastating PLAGUES. He was proving himself to be: The ALMIGHTY GOD (Exo. 6:3), the OMNIPOTENT, the OMNICIENT (John 18:4), the CREATOR of all things (Col. 1:16) and The ONLY POTENTATE, KING of kings and LORD of lords (1TIM. 6:15).

He achieved HIS PURPOSE and GOAL both upon EGYPT and upon ISRAEL in their EXODUS by means of ALL THE TEN PLAGUES that were loosed upon them.

Pharaoh’s relentless stubbornness cost him HIS POWER, HIS ARMY and THE GREATNESS OF PHARAONIC DYNASTY.

Here is a question for US ALL and our CURRENT and ASPIRING RULERS. CAN WE LEARN SOME LESSONS FROM THESE RECORDED, PRESERVED INFORMATION ABOUT THESE EVENTS?

THE HEBREW CHILDREN rejoiced with dancing, singing and jubilation at seeing their adversaries drowned in the Red Sea. (EXO. 15: 20-21). But hardly did they realize that THE SAME GOD was going to judge them with OTHER DIVERSE PLAGUES for provoking this MERCIFUL, JUST and RIGHTEOUS GOD.

THE JUDGMENT OF KORAH, DATHAN, ABIRAM, THE 250 PRINCES AND 14,700 OTHERS.

(READ NUM.16:46-49)

These groups OF HEBREW CHILDREN provoked God’s wrath upon themselves.

• They questioned the Authority of Prophet Moses and Aaron’s leadership over the Pilgrims.

• Some of them died, being buried alive in the ground under their feet opening and swallowing them. That was not a natural death and burial
  

 

• The instigators of the rebellion and insurgency were consumed by fire directly from heaven. ( 16:35)

 

• The 14,700 individuals accused Moses and Aaron for the death of those buried alive and those consumed by fire from heaven. God just dropped a PLAGUE UPON THEM, and they died having provoked God to wrath.

… for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the PLAGUE IS BEGUN…

 

Now they that died in the PLAGUE were fourteen thousand and seven hundred; (14,700) beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

WHAT LESSON DOES GOD EXPECT US TO LEARN FROM THESE INCIDENCES?

• That DISRESPECT and REBELLION against God’s chosen, called, ordained leaders have swift consequences.

• It often provokes God’s wrath to drop A JUDGMENT PLAGUE upon THE PROVOCATEURS and their SYMPATHIZERS.

PARTICIPATION IN BIBLE-FORBIDDEN FORMS OF WORSHIP AND WHORDOM.

(NUM. 25:3, 5, 9)

• Along their journey, at Shittim, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL participated in IDOL WORSHIP, CAROUSING and a moment of some form of DISCO DANCE.

• That was inevitably followed by UNRESTRAINED SEXUAL PROMISCUITY, induced by the scantily dressed SEDUCTIVE MOABITE’S GIRLS.

• God’s wrath was kindled, causing him to DROP A PLAGUE upon them.

• The PLAGUE took a toll of twenty-four thousand (24,000) MEN and

• God does not condone or tolerate SUCH CONDUCT by men and women. They died for it.

What happened during that event was an equivalent of TODAY’S STRIP TEASING. It is A LEGALIZED ACT of ENTERTAINMENT among SOME NATIONS in these so-called MODERN TIMES. But remember, THEY REAPED WHAT THEY SOWED. You are just a part of HIS CREATION TODAY as they were then. He remains THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. He has not changed. He does not change; He will not change. It is us to AMEND OUR WAYS.

 

(MAL 3:6)

“For I am The Lord, I change not; … “

Now CAN WE SEE how the Bible explicitly connects THAT PLAGUE with ISRAEL’S PARTICIPATION in those BIBLE-FORBIDDEN function of BAAL-PEOR?

(NUM. 25:18)

“For THEY VEXED YOU with THEIR WILES wherewith they have BEGUILED YOU in THE MATTER OF PEOR, and in THE MATTER OF COZBI, the daughter of a Prince of Median, their sister, who was slain in the day of THE PLAGUE for PEOR’S SAKE. “

Are you now able to see GOD’S ROLE in these devastating, global, quick and massive deaths? If man continues to SHOW INDIFFERENCE to GOD’S WAKE UP CALL in this ISSUE OF GLOBAL PANDEMIC, HE will have no choice but MAKE IT WORSE SEVEN TIMES as it is written in (LEV. 26:21)

“And if ye WALK CONTRARY unto me and will NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME; I will bring SEVEN TIMES MORE PLAGUES upon you ACCORDING to YOUR SINS.”

Please, let us wake up from OUR SLUMBER, and SELF-IMPOSED IGNORANCE to THIS TRUTH. If you have this Bible on your bookshelf or Table in your house, CROSS-CHECK what I am showing you my brother, my sister, my friend. Then ask for God’s mercy. You will no longer have any excuse, that you did not know. Now you have the knowledge. Do not plead ignorance on that day. Amend your ways.

This would be God’s call to us today, (JER. 26: 13).

“Therefore, now AMEND YOUR WAYS and YOUR DOINGS, and OBEY THE VOICE THE LORD YOUR GOD; and THE LORD WILL REPENT him of THE EVIL that he hath PRONOUNCED AGAINST YOU.”

Though that was a call for THE NATION OF ISRAEL, it is as much A CALL FOR US GENTILES today.

 

GOD ALWAYS WARNS MAN BEFORE HE BRINGS JUDGMENT.

(LEV. 26: 3; 4-13):

“If ye WALK IN MY STATUTES (authoritatively declared rules) and KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS and DO THEM then;

• I will GIVE YOU RAIN in DUE SEASON.
• The Trees of your field shall YIELD FRUIT.
• You shall eat YOUR BREAD to the full.
• You shall DWELL IN YOUR LAND SAFELY.
• I shall GIVE PEACE IN THE LAND, and none shall make you afraid.
• You shall CHASE YOUR ENEMIES, and they shall FALL BEFORE YOU by the sword.
• I will MAKE YOU FRUITFUL and MULTIPLY YOU.
• I will ESTABLISH MY COVENANT with you.
• I will WALK AMONG YOU, and will BE YOUR GOD, and ye shall BE MY PEOPLE.

(LEV. 26: 14).

But if ye will NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME, and will NOT DO ALL THESE COMMANDMENTS, and if ye shall DESPISE MY STATUTES, or if your soul ABHORS MY JUDGMENTS so that ye will NOT DO ALL MY COMMANDMENTS, but that YE BREAK MY COVENANT.

I also will do this unto you:

• I will appoint over you TERROR, (an overwhelming impulse of fear)
• CONSUMPTION (Tuberculosis, disease caused by bacteria that will usually attack the lungs, and often leading to death
• And THE BURNING AGUE, (a fever as malaria), marked by sudden and violent outburst of CHILLS, and SWEATING that recur at regular intervals.
• Or A FIT OF SHIVERING: Chill, that shall CONSUME THE EYES, and cause SORROW OF HEART.
• Ye shall SOW YOUR SEED IN VAIN, for your ENEMIES SHALL EAT IT.

(Lev.26:18-20)

“If ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, ….”

And (Lev.26:21):

“And if ye WALK CONTRARY unto me and will NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME; I will bring SEVEN TIMES MORE PLAGUES upon you according to YOUR SINS.”

Could it already be that THE WORLD is being buffeted by ONE VARIANT OF PLAGUE mutating into ANOTHER WORSE VARIANT because of THEIR STUBBORNNESS TO GOD, not willing to recognize HIS DEMAND FOR REPENTANCE for their sins?

Let me repeat the reminder again! (LEV.26:21):

“And if ye WALK CONTRARY unto me and will NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME; I will bring SEVEN TIMES MORE PLAGUES upon you according to YOUR SINS.”

Friends, PLAGUES don’t just fall upon the nation for no cause. SIN MOVES GOD to allow PLAGUES to judge SINFUL LIVING, and ABUSE OF HIS CREATION. GOD hates INJUSTICE, CORRUPTION, BLOODSHED, UNGODLINESS, FORSAKING GOD, IDOLATRY, ALL ABOMINABLE PRACTICES, PROMISCUOUS LIVING, LIES etc.

God has always judged and will continue to judge, INCLUDING THESE FORMS OF UNGODLINESS, SORCERY, WITCHCRAFT and ALL OCCULT ACTIVITIES. READ FOR YOURSELF: (DEUT.18:9-12); and (Isaiah47:9-14)

LET US TRACE A FEW EXAMPLES FROM BIBLE RECORDS:

(i). JANNES and JAMBRES. (2TIM. 3: 8-9); GOD’S POWER PARALYZED WITCHCRAFT POWER

“Now as JANNES and JAMBRES withstood Moses, so do these also RESIST THE TRUTH: men of CORRUPT MINDS, REPROBATES concerning the faith.

But they SHALL PROCEED NO FURTHER: for THEIR FOLLY shall BE MANIFEST UNTO ALL MEN, as theirs also was.”

(EXO. 7:11-12).

“THEN PHARAOH also called THE WISEMEN and THE SORCERERS. Now the MAGICIANS OF EGYPT, they also DID IN LIKE MANNER with THEIR ENCHANTMENTS”

For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: BUT AARON’S ROD SWALLOWED UP THEIR RODS.

(EXO. 9:8-11).

“And The Lord said UNTO MOSES and UNTO AARON, take to you HANDFULS OF ASHES of the furnace, and LET MOSES SPRINKLE IT toward the heaven in the SIGHT OF PHARAOH.

And it SHALL BECOME SMALL DUST in all the land of EGYPT and SHALL BE A BOIL breaking forth WITH BLAINS UPON MAN and UPON BEAST throughout all the land of Egypt.

And they took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh; and MOSES SPRINKLED IT UP TOWARD HEAVEN, and it BECAME A BOIL BREAKING FORTH WITH BLAINS upon man and upon beast.

And THE MAGICIANS could NOT STAND BEFORE MOSES because of the boils; for THE BOIL WAS UPON THE MAGICIANS, and UPON ALL THE EGYPTIANS.

(ii). KING SAUL and THE WITCH OF ENDOR.

(1SAM, 28: 7-8).

THEN SAID SAUL unto his servants, seek me a woman that has A FAMILIAR SPIRIT, that I may go to her and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, behold there is a woman that has a familiar spirit at Endor.

And SAUL DISGUISED HIMSELF, and put on OTHER GARMENT, and he went, AND TWO MEN WITH HIM, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto ME BY THE FAMILIAR SPIRIT, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

(1SAM, 28:18-19). SAUL AND HIS 3 SONS TO DIE IN WAR FOR TRANSGRESSING GOD’S LAW.

“Because THOU OBEYED NOT the voice of the Lord, NOR EXECUTED HIS FIERCE WRATH upon AMALEK, therefore has the Lord done this thing unto thee TODAY.

Moreover, the Lord will also DELIVER ISRAEL WITH THEE into the hand of THE PHILISTINES: and tomorrow SHALL THOU, and THY SONS BE WITH ME: the Lord also shall DELIVER THE HOST OF ISRAEL into the hand of the Philistines.

 

• KING SAUL TRANSGRESSED, GOD’S LAW by consulting A WITCH for an issue he had.
• Consultation with A WITCH is AN ABOMINATION in the eyes of the lord. (Deut 18:9-12)
• HIM and THREE OF HIS SONS DIED IN BATTLE THE FOLLOWING DAY, as PROPHESIED BY  SAMUEL THE SIN OF THE FATHER was visited upon HIS 3 SONS.
• Meddling with WITCHES, SORCERERS, and CONSULTING PEOPLE WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS, provokes SWIFT and INSTANT JUDGMENT from God.

(1CHRO. 10: 13-14)

So, SAUL DIED FOR HIS TRANSGRESSION which he committed AGAINST THE LORD, even AGAINST THE WORD of the Lord, WHICH HE KEPT NOT, and also for ASKING COUNSEL OF ONE THAT HAD A FAMILIAR SPIRIT, to enquire of it.

 

(iii). ELYMAS THE SORCERER; (Bar-Jesus), FALSE PROPHET.

(ACTS 13: 6-11). Paul confronted him and said:

“O full of ALL SUBTILTY and ALL MISCHIEF, thou CHILD OF THE DEVIL, thou ENEMY OF ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, wilt thou not cease to PERVERT THE RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD?

And now, behold, THE HAND OF THE LORD IS UPON THEE, and thou SHALT BE BLIND, not seeing the sun FOR A SEASON. And immediately there fell on him A MIST and A DARKNESS; and he went about SEEKING SOME TO LEAD HIM BY THE HAND.

• Satan vessel stricken blind while trying to obstruct a sinner seeking God.
• God’s power is greater than Satan’s power.

 

(iv). QUEEN JEZEBEL. (WAS A WITCH)

(2KINGS 9:22; 30-37).

“And it came to pass, when JORAM (JEZEBEL’S SON, sibling to AHAZIAH & ATHALIAH) saw JEHU that he said, IS IT PEACE, JEHU? And he answered, WHAT PEACE, so long as THE WHOREDOMS of THY MOTHER JEZEBEL and HER WITCHCRAFTS are so many?

• SHE was INVOLVED IN IDOLATRY, whoredom, WITCHCRAFT and HUSBAND DOMINEERING. (Involved in NABOTH DEATH, death of SEVERAL PROPHETS OF ISRAEL and THE PURSUIT TO KILL ELIJAH THE PROPHET.
• She was of course The FIRST LADY wilding lots of INFLUENCE UPON WOMEN in the kingdom
• Known for PAINTING HER FACE, (9:30);
• TIRED HER HEAD, (dressed her head to present an elegant look.)
• She died A PAINFUL DEATH. CAST DOWN THROUGH A WINDOW, TRODDEN UPON by horse, and BODY EATEN BY DOGS. Buried remains included Skull, Feet and Palms,
• THE WRATH OF GOD when expressed THROUGH PLAGUES, will come in DIVERSE WAYS. None of them is pleasant, nor goes away quickly.

 

• THE PLAGUE is often afflicting, sickening, calamitous, annoying, vexing, tormenting and fatal.
• PLAGUES deprive their victims of health, peace, safety, joy and life.
• When a PLAGUE or PLAGUES are loosed upon a nation, people often LOOK FOR QUICK SOLUTIONS in order to resume their halted evil ways.
• That is WHY GOD either PROLONGS IT, INTENSIFIES IT or DIVERSIFIES IT, just as He did in EGYPT during Moses time. (Deut 28:59-60):

“Then the Lord will make THY PLAGUES WONDERFUL, and THE PLAGUES OF THY SEEDS, 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.

I hope we have NOW learned NEW INFORMATION which we did not know before. I also hope we have learned SOME LESSONS together, which we didn’t know. What are you going to do WITH WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED? Let us now move to (PART 5), for A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PLAGUES.

GOD BLESS YOU

PASTOR MARTIN TOMBE.

(RESTORED BIBLE TRUTH ASSEMBLY).