Are Christians Shielded from Calamities?

DOES PSALM 91 TEACH THAT CHRISTIANS ARE SHIELDED FROM EARTHLY CALAMITIES?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

As we grapple with the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic, we are compelled to turn to the Scriptures in order to discover the mind of God for our situation and to encourage one another to place our hope in God during these difficult times.

I am aware that Psalm 91is now among template passages that prosperity preachers readily turn to under our circumstances of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Does Psalm 91 teach that believers are shielded from the calamities of this world? This question is significant for believers because of the rising number of self appointed prophets who purport to have heard directly from God.

First, allow me to say that the rules of Bible interpretation require that Scripture passages should be read and interpreted in context, giving regard to the truths affirmed or taught in other sections of the Bible so that the full counsel of God is communicated to our audience.

It is therefore important that whenever we teach from passages of the Old Testament Scripture, we should be careful to harmonize them with the body of New Testament truths so that the mind of God, the ultimate author of Scripture, is revealed.

It is instructive that some Old Testament truths are more clearly amplified for the Church in the New Testament. For example, some prescriptive laws taught in the Old Testament are revised in the New Testament Scripture because of the implications of the New covenant for the body of Christ.

Take for instance Leviticus 24:19-20 which says "If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him."

No one can dispute that this Scripture is part of our inspired writings of the Bible! However, we cannot develop a Christian doctrine for revenge based on this text!

Why? Because we are aware that in the New Testament, Jesus taught against revenge! Other New Testament writers have amplified this teaching in a manner that effectively rules out the moral basis for taking revenge.

Romans 12:19-21 says "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

This does not however imply that believers should accept to suffer moral injustice which is remedied under the provisions of the law. If for instance my neighbor maliciously moves a boundary mark into my land, I have the right to seek legal redress if he is unwilling to rectify his mischief.

Now let's go back to the issue at hand.

Psalm 91 speaks about the divine protection for God's people who walk faithfully with God. This is true now as it was when this psalm was written. However, we should read the Bible in context. God never abandons His covenant people even in the midst of tribulations. Christian suffering is not evidence that God has forsaken us. Afflictions do come in the way of God's people. Psalm 34:19 says "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all."

Let's now take a few moments to examine sections of  Psalm 91.

Psalm 91:7-13 says:
"A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot."

What are the threats identified in the passage?

Five perils are identified in 91:1-6: the snare of the fowler; perilous pestilence (v.3); terror by night and the arrow that flies by day (v.5); pestilence that walks in darkness; destruction that lays waste at noonday (v.6).

Notice that pestilence is mentioned twice. The other perils relate to war or violence. Notice also that Satan quoted sections of this Psalm during the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:11-13. Jesus was candid in responding to Satan's misapplication of God's word.

Does Psalm 91:7-10 teach that no harm will come near believers with regard to the COVID 19 pandemic?

Does this passage teach that no earthly perils will touch believers?

Here are eternal truths on God's nature. He is omnipotent, omniscient, just, loving, faithful, gracious and His mercies abide with His covenant people in all ages. This does not imply that God will not permit suffering for His people. He permitted suffering upon the children of Israel for 430 years but finally rescued them at a time appointed by Him (Exodus 12:40-41;Galatians 3:17). This suffering served His divine purposes.

There's nothing to hard for God. If God chose to remove COVID 19 today, it will vanish from the globe at the blinking of an eye! This pandemic does not therefore take Him by surprise. It is happening within His permissive will. This does not suggest that He is the ultimate cause or that He deliberately sent it to destroy men. There are many epidemics today that can be traced to man's abuse of God's resources, including industrial pollution, deforestation, nuclear radiation and moral depravity.

God daily preserves us from destruction. He does not wish that any soul should perish.

2 Peter 3:9 says "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Were it not for God's loving kindness and forbearerance, we would all have perished. He has also shielded us from His divine wrath through the finished works of the cross. This is perhaps the worst calamity that any soul can face. No matter what happens on earth, the truth is that those who reject the offer for redemption in Christ will face the great white throne judgment of God described in Revelation 20:11-15.

Now back to our question...

Is it Biblical to teach that COVID 19 pandemic cannot infect believers? Does this pandemic discriminate between believers and sinners?

My view is that every person on earth must take the precautions against the COVID 19 pandemic irrespective of their faith. We should bear in mind that this is a calamity with no known cure.

When we take precautions prescribed by the authorities, we are responding to our civic obligations as God's people who are law abiding. This is the very reason that we have skipped regular church congregational gatherings!

There is no evidence from Scripture that God sent the current pandemic as a judgment that specifically targets the wicked or non-believers.

Yes, God preserved the children of Israel from the Egyptian plagues (Exodus 8-11). He preserved them from the raging waters as they crossed the Red Sea and drowned the Egyptian army (Exodus 14).

The same all powerful God permitted the suffering of Job, a righteous man (Job 1:6-12, 13-22). Does this amount to a contradiction of God's moral nature? Absolutely not!

I am aware that prosperity preachers shun the Book of Job for obvious reasons! The truth is that God may permit suffering on God's people in different ways, including through epidemics. This He does for His divine purposes. His ways are above our ways.

In the New Testament, Jesus taught that those who will come after Him must be prepared to carry their cross and follow Him. By this statement, Jesus affirmed Christian persecution in that believers will suffer afflictions because of their faith.

There's however much more. Believers undergo trials and afflictions permitted by God for the purpose of building their faith in Christ (James 1:2-4). This may sound unpleasant but this is Biblical truth.

When Paul prayed thrice for the removal of the "thorn in the flesh", God declined his petition, saying "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Did Paul lack sufficient faith to command the thorn to leave Him? Paul himself explains the reason for the affliction in the same passage.

Will some Christians suffer the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic? My answer is in the affirmative. It is inconceivable to imagine that among those who have been infected or even died of this pandemic, none is a believer. That reasoning is definitely faulty.

I believe that it is our moral obligation to encourage God's people to trust God in these difficult season and to submit to the Government precautions against COVID 19 pandemic. Corona is not hearsay, it is a real. It is with us. It is a dangerous disease without a known cure!

We should therefore pray that God may stay the advance of this pandemic and intercede for the recovery of those who are infected and for those quarantined. We should also remember the families of the 51,283 people who have so far died worldwide by the time of posting this article. This number is exponentially rising. I believe that some of the fatalities are believers whose souls are now before the throne of God (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7-8).

It is important to appreciate that even if we suffer or succumb to the perils of this evil world, our eternal security in Christ will never be lost. Let's therefore stand with courage and proclaim Christ crucified with all boldness while being faithful to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).



Shalom




© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020