Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

Plagues and the People of God

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These are unprecedented times.  The world has come to a standstill, towering economies brought to their knees, social constructs completely disrupted – all because of the Coronavirus. The ethos of fear and anxiety has surpassed that of 9/11, and like those bleak and troubling days, we have no sense of when this will come to an end.

And yet, this is nothing new.  Last week I shared a video about how John Calvin and the Company of Reformed Pastors in Geneva responded to the plague in their day. The Church has, throughout its existence weathered the political, social, and physical storms of each generation with a witness to the Gospel and a shelter for the soul.

Knowing this, I turned to the Scriptures and did a quick search on plagues in the Bible, trusting that God’s Word would give us insight into the crisis we face even today, so that we might have a heart of wisdom and know how we should respond. Here’s a brief summary of what I found.

  • The Scriptures are very clear that plagues, famines, and sicknesses do in fact come from the hand of God. The first plague we read of in Genesis 12 was brought upon the people of Egypt by God to prevent them from abusing Sarai. After that, we read (Exodus 8-12) of the 10 plagues upon Egypt, through which God brought out His people from slavery. From that point, the majority of the plagues we read about in Scripture are upon the people of Israel, as in the case of the people’s rebellion with Korah (Numb 16), their grumbling about meat (Ex 32), or for their infidelity and immorality as they were led astray by Balaam (Numb 25 & 31).
    The Westminster Confession reminds us that “God the great creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of  his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.”
    To that end, we must come to understand that all things, even times of sickness and sorrow, come from the Sovereign will of God, who orders all things for the praise of his glory.  We must learn to see even pandemics such as this as God’s instruments through which He brings about His good and perfect will.
  • We know that the plagues against Egypt served to demonstrate that God is able to save His people, and to show that God alone is worthy to be worshiped and praise.  In Exodus 9:14 we read, “For this time I will send all my plagues on you (Egypt) yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.” The plagues that come from God are the demonstration of His power and justice.
  • In Habakkuk 3:5, we read that when God makes Himself known, pestilence and plague come before and after, making His divine judgment upon the nations known. Likewise, in Zechariah 14, we are told that God will humble the nations that do not serve Him through plagues and punishment, so that every knee will bow in worship before the Lord.  This theme is picked back up in the book of Revelation, where in chapters 9 and 15-16, we read of the plagues of the judgment and wrath of God against the sinfulness of the world.

It is evident, through these passages, that God sends plagues upon the world as a demonstrated of His wrath and judgment of sin. But these aren’t the only times we read of plagues.

  • The majority of the plagues in the Old Testament are not directed toward the nations, but actually to the very people of Israel, the congregation of God’s people.  Here is a list of examples:
    • Ex 32 – A plague of the people of Israel because of the golden calf that Aaron made.
    • Num. 11:31-25 – When Israel complained of manna and insisted on meat, God sent quail to them, but brought a plague upon them while they were eating.
    • Num. 16 – Following Korah’s rebellion, the people complained that Moses had actually killed the rebels, and a plague broke out because of their grumbling.
    • Num. 25 – Called the sin of Peor, a plague came upon the people because of their immorality and infidelity.
    • Num. 31 – There was a plague on the congregation of Israel because many had been led astray by Balaam’s teaching.
    • 2 Sam 24/1 Chron 21 – A plague comes upon Israel because of David’s census.
  • These plagues are sent upon the people of God as discipline. The people were rebellious, unfaithful, and immoral, and God would correct them of their sin. The wrath of the Holy God of Israel  was visited upon His people when they sinned against Him.
  • Each time a plague comes upon the people, there is an intercession, by Moses or David, a prayer to relive the suffering of God’s people.

We see, then, through the Scriptures, that God sends plagues upon the land as a demonstration of His wrath against those that do not honor Him; but also to discipline His own people for their faithlessness, idolatry, and immorality.

But does this apply to this world-wide epidemic today? The circumstances may be different, but the principles remain the same.

This virus is not outside the bounds of God’s sovereign plan and design. This too will serve to bring Him glory, honor and praise. Even that which we consider evil, God will use for His good purpose.  Remember the story of Joseph, whose brothers sold Him into slavery. At the end, when he is reunited with his brothers, having saved them from the famine, he tells them, “What you intended for evil against me, God meant for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive” (Gen 50:20).

We cannot know, in the midst of this trial, just what purpose God is working in these trials and challenges. We can, however, use this as an opportunity to repent and seek after Christ more and more.  The plagues came upon Israel because of their unfaithfulness to God, so that they may learn not to trust in false idols, but to worship God alone.  Our hearts are still prone to idolatry, and we must cast down the false gods that catch our eye, and look only to Christ, fixing our eyes upon Him.

We are different, however, from the people of Israel in one important point – we are redeemed, saved, and delivered from the wrath of God through Jesus Christ our Savior.  All the wrath of God for our sins was poured out upon Him, so that He has borne God’s judgment and punishment in our place.  We need not be terrified of the plague of God’s wrath, for Christ has become the plagued for us.

That does not mean that we will not still come under the discipline of God, for as a loving father disciplines his son, so our Heavenly Father disciplines those whom He loves that they may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:6-11).  God may use this time to wean us from the things of this world that were competing for His glory and attention.  God will refine and recreate His people in the image of His Son, and this time of upheaval may be just one of the means through which He chooses to bring that about.

In all, let us look to our Sovereign God, who cares for His people, and will never let them out of His hand. Let us trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation and peace. And, as the Holy Spirit moves upon us, let us grow in holiness and devotion to the Lord.

SDG

The Glory of Christ

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I was unable to attend this year’s Pastor Conference at Bethlehem Seminary, but with the blessing of the modern digital age, I have thankfully been able to listen to some of the plenary messages online.

Last week I listened to John Piper’s opening keynote address entitled, “What is Christian Hedonism?” I highly recommend this message, and if you click on the title, you can listen to it for yourself.

What I most appreciated about the message is that his is what John Piper does best. Just the first 8 minutes are worth listening to alone. It is nothing other than Biblically saturated, Christ exalting, God honoring, heart moving witness to the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord.

I was so moved by it that I started to write down the message, then look up the scripture references. The entirety of the first 8 minutes is nothing but scripture about the glory, majesty, authority, and beauty of Jesus.

I’ve typed up the transcript of those 8 minutes. Read along while he’s preaching, and give God all glory through Christ our Lord!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” They said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:56–58).

Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:5–9).

Jesus cried out, “whoever sees me sees him who sent me (John 12:45).

Because Jesus “is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15), in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily (Col 1:19). He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3). For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Jesus and for Jesus. He upholds the universe by the word of his power (Heb 1:3), and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Col 1:16–17).

And yet, “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:6–8). He committed no sin, none!, neither was deceit found in his mouth (1 Peter 2:22).

And so it came to pass by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous (Rom 5:19). For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us… (Gal 3:13). He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Pet 2:24). For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Rom 5:6). When that time approached he said, “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:18).

So, “after making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Heb 1:3). God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9–11).

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to [him]” (Matt 28:18). The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand (John 3:35). “God has put all things in subjection [to him]…” (1 Cor 15:27), all “angels, authorities, and all powers” (1 Peter 3:22). And [now] he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Col 1:18).

  • He has authority to forgive sins (Matt. 9:6).
  • He speaks and the wind and the sea obey him (Matt 8:27).
  • He commands unclean spirits, they come out (Mark 5:8).
  • He rebukes fevers, they depart (Luke 4:39).
  • He causes blind to see, deaf to hear, lame to walk, lepers are made clean, He commands the dead, and they live (Matt 11:5)!
  • He suffers little children to come to him (Matt 19:14).
  • He scatters the proud in the thoughts of their hearts and brings down the mighty from their thrones (Luke 1:51-52).
  • He does not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory (Matt 12:20).

In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). No one ever spoke like this man (John 7:46). To know him is to know the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph 3:8).

And he’s coming back again on the clouds even as they saw him go, but this time with holy angels and with power and great glory (Matt 24:30). And he will deliver us from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10). And he will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself (Phil 3:21).

In that day, wonder of wonders, he will dress himself for service and have us recline at table and he will come and serve us (Luke 12:37). And He will still be meek and lowly in heart (Matt 11:29).

And yet his eyes will be like a flame of fire, his feet like burnished bronze refined in a furnace, his voice like the roar of many waters. From his mouth will come a sharp two edged sword, and we will see his face like the sun shining in full strength (Rev 1:14-16), and so we will forever be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:17). We will see no longer through a glass darkly but face to face, (1 Cor 13:12).

Rejoicing in hope will give way to the joy of sight. The pleasures of every taste that bound us to Christ in this world explode into the pleasures of heavenly feasting. And we will know finally, not in part, but perfectly (1 Cor 13:9), that in his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).