March 22 – The Virus and Plagues
Revelation 6:7-8 King: 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Today, people are predicting the end of the world with the COVID-19 virus. Jesus says about the end of the world: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
“Jesus Himself said, ‘You don’t know the hour,’ Jesus while on Earth limited Himself to His humanity and there were things He did not predict. When He went back to Heaven, He, One with the Father in the Divine Trinity predicts the times of the Earth. Today, self-appointed prophets today seem to know more than the angels around God’s throne,” predicting the end of the world has come. According to the eschatology of the prophecies, many things have yet to happen before the release of the fourth seal death, such as the revelation of the world dictator, the full rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, where he will sit in and rule from and the rapture of the believers.
Now to go back to COVID-19, a virus differs from a plague, which is more bacterial born. Today, while COVID-19 hits the Earth, quarantine is the big warfare to fight it. This is because the virus needs a host and when it finds no people, it will die within 24 to a few days. Quarantine is “a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.” This is the separation of a person or people believed to have been exposed to the virus disease but not yet symptomatic, from others who have not been so exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the communicable disease. Thus, they are not essentially infected but may have been exposed to the virus.
Historically, a quarantine referred to a period—originally of 40 days—imposed upon ships when suspected of carrying an infectious or contagious disease. This practice was done in Venice in the 1300s in an effort to stave off the plague. Forty is a very symbolic number, such as a forty day fast, and a forty day quarantine would be excellent for a nation!
What does isolation mean? This means someone or something is set apart or separated from other persons or things. In medical contexts, isolation specifically means “the complete separation from others of a person suffering from contagious or infectious disease.” Isolation happens when a person is infected with a virus or disease, and is separated from people who are healthy. This also helps stop the spread of the disease.
Voluntary isolation is sometimes called self-isolation, although everyday people using the latter term may not mean they are actually infected.
What is social distancing? The COVID-19 outbreak has introduced us to the term social distancing for the first time. In public health contexts, social distancing generally refers to various measures that reduce close contact (increase distance) between large groups of people and stopping meeting in “crowded public places where close contact with others may occur, such as partying, religious gatherings, sporting events, (the IPL is not cancelled yet) shopping malls, movie theaters, stadiums.”However, we have seen recently, people congregating together to fight the virus. They are endangering the nation if they continue this way.
According to the CDC, social distancing involves maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.” A social distancing includes canceling big gatherings such as conferences, classes, and sporting events, restricting mass transit and travel, and working from home.
Today, fear is leading to panic and as people, some of us are losing hope, with a sense of feeling without roots. We have no idea what is going on. People are spreading news on WhatsApp which can endanger the pandemic further. There is a fear about losing work, losing loved ones, and even medical care. We are aware that many nations, including ours may not have the full medical facilities if the pandemic hits us, such as vaccines, hospital beds, doctors or ventilators, food supplies.
In these times, we must call for calm. We must realize that nations who prayed together overcame all hurdles in the darkest times of history. During World War I and II, it was prayer that brought unity and victory over the Holocaust.
Today, in these dark times, we are seeing humanity and caring rising, and this is a comforting sign. However, we must not let this hour slip by becoming overcome by selfishness. Our kindness will defeat much evil. Turn to God, in times like this because truly, the prayers of people are powerful. Simple childlike faith is all that is needed.
Albert Camus, said in The Plague: “I have no idea what’s awaiting me, or what will happen when this all ends. For the moment I know this: there are sick people and they need curing.” That is the heart of these times, we should rise in caring for others, and God Himself will rescue us.
In the end of it all, this is not the end. Indeed, John saw more than four horsemen in his vision. He saw five. Revelation 19:11-16 shows us the ride of the fifth horseman. It is the appearance of Jesus Christ, on a white horse from heaven, intervening in world affairs at its most crucial point. In our final article in this series, we will focus on this “horseman of hope,” the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, whose appearance will bring an everlasting Kingdom of truth, peace, plenty and ultimate well-being. This is the new kingdom on Earth, which will happen after all the prophecies are fulfilled and not yet for such a time as this. For now, we have to prepare our hearts For now, we have to prepare our hearts for things to come and we don’t know when these will happen. Have hope and courage!
Rita
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