The world is approaching the end of its second year with Covid 19. Much has been said about the virus in world news, social media and various churches. How dangerous is it, what level of protection is appropriate (e.g. social distancing and mask wearing), what treatments are best?
It is easy for one to get lost amidst all the claims and counter-claims. Frequently claimed by Christians is God’s protection over His people despite that some claimants have subsequently suffered death to Covid 19. Even some pastors have suffered this tragic fate. This claim is often applied in opposition to vaccine mandates or mask requirements.
Less often, are claims Covid 19 is a plague from God. But when claimed, it is presented as a plague upon unrepentant mankind, frequently claimed as a plague for transgendering children or because of homosexuality. The idea that Covid 19 may be a plague against sin that includes the church seems completely out of view. But should it be?
What Scripture Says About Plague-Judgments
Asking the question whether Covid 19 is a judgment against the church or a judgment that includes the church, may be framing the question incorrectly. Perhaps a better way to frame the question is, “Why would anyone believe it wouldn’t include the church?” Any examination of Scripture should include both possibilities.
The Egyptian Plagues
When one examines Scripture, a few passages stand out. The first are the judgments and plagues that God brought upon Egypt. This series of plague-judgments are important as they were targeted primarily at Egyptians. God was manifesting Himself as the only true God before the Egyptian royal court and importantly before Pharaoh, as leader.
The timing of these plagues shows that they had the fundamental purpose to redeem Israel. It was explicitly stated in Exodus 6:6 and also clarified in the requirement upon Israel to redeem every firstborn followinf the tenth plague that brought death to every firstborn (Exodus 13:13-15; 34:20). Egypt was plagued because she stood in opposition to God’s redemption of His people. Though often overlooked, this point is fundamental. Plagues have a purpose. They are not arbitrary. In this case, the plagues upon Egypt were redemptive.
Though the plagues were directed primarily against Egypt, Israel was not entirely exempt. The Nile turning to blood, the plague of frogs, gnats, boils and locusts were experienced both by Egyptians and Israelites. The plagues of flies, livestock, hail, darkness and the firstborn did not impact Israel. Thus, though redemptive in purpose, God’s people were not exempt from bearing the hardships of some of these plagues. Experiencing them likely increased Israel’s awe of God, designed to instill obedience and trust in Him.
Plagues Against Israel
A second important passage warns against violations of the Covenant of Sinai (Leviticus 26:14-45; Deuteronomy 28:15-68). God warned Israel would be cursed for failing to honor the covenant with plagues including wasting diseases, fever, inflammation, boils, tumors, festering sores, itch, crop failure, terror, madness, confusion, fear, hunger, thirst, nakedness, poverty, captivity, enslavement, death, barren wombs, scorching heat, drought, blight, mildew, locusts, worms, harsh and prolonged disasters, severe and lingering illnesses and fearful plagues. The shear number of curses is stunning. Yet all these curses are directed exclusively to God’s people!
Israel was called by God to partner in redemption of mankind, affirmed in the promise made to Abraham “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). The lengthy list of curses against Israel results when she refuses to fulfill her redemptive role as covenantal partner. Again, one sees that God’s purpose in cursing (and blessing) is redemptive. The lengthened list for Israel reflects that her failures not only nullify her redemption, but negatively impact the nations she was called to assist in redeeming.
Do the Plagues on Israel Apply to the Church?
Some might argue that these curses are restricted to Israel and do not apply to the church. Yet Paul contradicts such a view when he warns the church to learn from Israel’s history so that she is not guilty of the same failures (1 Corinthians 10:1-11). After recounting many of Israel’s sins, he says, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” He further states that the church is “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16).
Some might argue these curses are no longer valid in the church age, applying only during the times of the covenant of Sinai. But these curses (and the attendant blessings) can be delineated into two groups: those that apply to the people of Israel and those that apply to the land. When Israel sins, it effectively “un-does” the promise made to Abraham that he would have innumerable descendants and a land for them. The plagues destroy the promised innumerable people leaving only a remnant (Leviticus 26:22; Deuteronomy 28:62-63), and destroy the land, turning it to a barren wilderness before Israel is driven from the land into captivity to the nations (Leviticus 26:38-39; Deuteronomy (28:64). When Israel repents (Deuteronomy 30:2), she is promised restoration of innumerable descendants (30:5), restoration of a fruitful land (30:9) and promised that she may then return from the nations (Deuteronomy 28:3). These curse judgments (plagues) thus pre-date Sinai.
Though these promises are part of the covenant of Sinai, the prophets reveal they extend into our age with Israel’s return (Isaiah 4:2; 27:2-13; 35:1-10; 44:1-5; 49:9; Jeremiah 23:3; Ezekiel 36:11). [1] In fact, the prophets foresaw fulfillment in the Messiah. The promises of return and prosperity were often accompanied by prophesies of the coming Branch or root of Jesse as Israel’ redeemer (Isaiah 41:14; 44:6, 24; 49:7). Put another way, the promise of Israel’s return to the land is an elaborate picture of Israel’s redemption accomplished in Christ!
This is why Jesus could speak of the restoration of God’s blessing upon Israel (Matthew 5:3-11; 25:34; Luke 6:20-22) if she would repent (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3-5) and curses for her refusal to repent (Matthew 11:21; 23:13-29; Luke 6:24-26; 11:42-52). As Moses proclaimed, Israel’s restoration depended upon repentance and obedience (note particularly Luke 11:28 in which blessing is tied to obedience, echoing the covenant of Sinai). For those who would believe in Jesus as redeemer, the curses of the covenant of Sinai were removed by Christ who restored the promised blessings for obedience! Thus, even the blessings and cursings of Jesus were redemptive, having their source in the promise to Abraham (and Eve).
The link to redemption is critical as it reveals that the curse-judgments extend beyond the covenant of Sinai. It was not simply that Abraham’s descendants (seeds) were redemptive partners, but Christ as redeemer was the promised Seed of Abraham. The first appearance of Abraham in Scripture (Genesis 11:26) was in a genealogy, signaling that the promised redemptive Seed of Eve would be descendent from Abraham. It draws a straight line from Eden to Jesus through Abraham and Sinai.
That is why the blessing/cursing formula of Sinai is also found in Abraham (Genesis 12:3) and at creation/Eden. Those who support Abraham and the redemptive effort of his Seed an seeds, will be blessed and those who oppose will be cursed. It follows from Eden in which innumerable descendants is the blessing at creation (Genesis 1:28) who are blessed with being placed in a garden (land) that is paradisal and fruitful. With Adam’s failure came the cursing of pain in childbirth, frustrating the blessing of innumerable descendants (Genesis 3:16) and exile from the garden (land) to the dry, barren wilderness outside the garden that was less fruitful (3:23) with the ground cursed with reduced fruitfulness (3:17-19).
Thus, the land promised Israel modeled Eden, a truth recognized by the Israelites. [2] More importantly, it was a model of redemption, which is why repentance and acceptance of the Messiah were conditions for Israel’s restoration to the land (of Eden). Critically, the cursings enumerated in the covenant of Sinai are not restricted to Israel of old or the prior age. They are a typical feature of God’s redemptive plan.
Implications to the Church
The implication for our age is that God will use blessings and cursings to accomplish His redemptive purpose. That means that those who live righteously, obedient to Christ’s commands, will be blessed and those who oppose Christ and His redemptive efforts will be cursed. It also means that those who oppose the church’s efforts to redeem the world will be cursed. The church is Christ’s redemptive partner, the Israel of God. If the covenant of Sinai spelled out cursings for God’s people who failed in their redemptive responsibilities, we should expect the same for the church. Hence why we framed the question, why would anyone not think Covid 19 was a judgment that includes the church?
And here is the point: there seems to be a naïve notion in the church that Christians are somehow above judgment for sin. We recognize that we are at times subject to sin, but fail to perceive that our failures bring God’s judgment in the form of cursings, much like compliance to God’s laws bring blessing. It is not that these judgments are harsh punishments from an angry God. Rather, they are corrective. Blessings are designed to foster obedience and cursings are designed to correct disobedience by prompting repentance. Sin removes us from God’ presence, itself a curse. God’s presence is the place of blessing but God will not tolerate sin in His presence. We are thus required to repent in order to be restored to His blessed presence (His land, the place of His presence).
There is no clearer indicator that sin places us under curses (like those of Sinai) than the ordinance of communion:
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
Note Paul’s commentary. When one takes communion in an unworthy manner, they sin, bringing themselves under judgment. Note also the judgment: many are “weak” or “sick”, and a number have died. These judgments directly echo the judgments of Sinai! Critically, believers can find themselves under God’s judgment for sin, but it is for the purpose of being disciplined so that we are not condemned with the rest of the unrepentant world. In other words, God uses judgment to correct us, so that we do not lose our great gift of redemption during our probative years here on earth.
What applies to the individual believer also applies to the church corporately, and the world we are called to redeem through Christ. The judgments of Revelation should be viewed redemptively. God brings these judgments against the Antichrist and the world much like He did against Pharaoh and Egypt. They have the purpose to redeem God’s people – the church, from the oppression of the Antichrist and carnality of our present world.
Hence why many of the judgments that befall the earth in the end times are modeled after Egyptian plagues. It is also why John portrays the redeemed (who worship only Christ) as a pure bride and idolaters as the harlot Babylon. Harlot recalls Israel’s history when she idolatrously “played the harlot” (Jeremiah 3:1, 6,8; Ezekiel 16:28; 23:5, 19) and Babylon recalls God’s judgment on Israel for her idolatry, exiling her to Babylon. Unsurprisingly, God judges both the Antichrist and Babylon while commanding believers who are “captive” to Babylon to exodus from her (Revelation 18:4) so that they will not be destroyed with her. In effect, John is using Israel’s history as a redemptive picture of our future.
But critical to John’ picture are the persecutions of the Beast, and the contrast between the pure bride of Christ and the harlot Babylon. John employs the these figures to inform us that God’s redemptive plan includes purification of the church. The church will be purified through the persecutions of the beast which are designed to force a choice between true worship of Christ and idolatrous worship of beast. Similarly, the contrast between the two women is intended to bring a choice between the idolatrous, carnal pleasures of the world’ wealth (see Revelation 18) and true prosperity promised in Christ. Critically, the promised prosperity comes in full measure at death. It makes the choice dependent upon faith in Christ and belief in His promise of resurrection.
Church purification, though depicted in these choices, extends beyond them. Israel was judged in the wilderness for her sins and also in the land. There is no reason to believe that the church will not also be judged for her sins during her wilderness journey. Nor should the church expect that Revelation’s judgments won’t impact the church, much like some Egyptian plagues impacted Israel. That believers are found in the harlot community of Babylon affirms sin in the church that God must deal with in judgment.
Covid’s Relevance to the Church
That is why there are no grounds to conclude that Covid 19, if it is a judgment from God, wouldn’t also include the church. The author cringes when Christian friends claim God will protect them from Covid 19 and thus there’s no reason to mask-up or get vaccinated. Such claims not only test God – a dangerous presumption, but also deny the possibility that there is unconfessed sin in our lives or the lives of our fellow Christians.
Worse are pastors and church leaders who agitate their congregants against sensible safeguards that would protect the vulnerable members of our community. They should know better than their congregants that the sin of one person can bring judgment upon the entire community (Joshua 7; 2 Samuel 24). Rather than defending church freedoms and personal rights amidst a pandemic, they should be diligently searching the congregation for evidence of sin.
Most shameful are the pastors and leaders who have opportunistically used the pandemic to advance their own personal agendas. Claims that Covid are plagues against homosexuals or trans-children cannot be biblically substantiated. Consider the judgment upon Sodom. Even in her destruction, God’s purpose was redemptive. The centerpiece of the story is not Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction, but Lot’s redemption as a righteous man. The carnal appeal of wealth brought him to Sodom positioning him to suffer the same judgment (note John’s parallel of Christians in the harlot-community Babylon). But when God announced Sodom’s destruction, note Abraham’s heart. He was totally disinterested in Sodom’s evil or its bend for violent homosexuality. He was focused upon mediating with God’s messengers to secure Lot’s redemption, unwilling that the righteous suffer judgment because of the wicked. That should be the heart of our church leaders, seeking throughout the pandemic all whom they can redeem from the Covid judgment.
A pastor-friend felt the Covid restrictions implemented in the first wave were an overreaction. Nevertheless, he complied and urged his congregants to also comply. With the second wave, he was outraged, convinced the government was overreacting despite expert warnings that the death toll from the second wave would significantly exceed the first wave. He didn’t seem to grasp that when human lives are at stake, quick decisions are necessary even when there is limited data and where imperfect outcomes can result.
In discussion with him, I chose a different tack, relating the story of another friend who considered volunteering to help those impacted by Covid. Though his own health ultimately prevented participation, I related my own reluctance to assist given my health concerns yet my admiration for my friend’s willingness to help. I ended by stating that though months had passed, I was no more willing to help than earlier. The Covid pandemic hadn’t changed me. Nothing of significance had changed in my life. If God had intended that some things change in my life as an outcome of the pandemic, then shamefully I hadn’t received the message. If God intended that I evidence compassion for those most vulnerable to Covid, I failed, and I’m not alone. The church also failed.
Covid had provided opportunity for us to reach out in love to many in our communities, blessing them and drawing them closer to Christ. If Covid was a plague from God, shouldn’t we have recognized it? And shouldn’t we have realized it might serve a redemptive purpose? It seems we all failed and should expect further corrective judgments from God.
The Covid pandemic exposed our own carnal self-interests rather than our love for our fellow man. We were more interested in preserving our own personal rights and privileges than we were in reducing the suffering of others or improving the quality of life of the vulnerable driven into isolation for their health. It was a failure to realize our part in God’s redemptive plan and is thus sin. It is only one of many reasons we should consider that Covid 19 may well have been in judgment against the church. May we not make the mistake of fighting the restrictions, but take up the fight to bring the love of God to the most vulnerable.
[1] Often unrecognized is that the prophets always prophesied about Israel’s failures and sins, urging her to repent. The sins and failures were always measured against the law, i.e. the covenant of Sinai. In addition, when the prophets warned of coming plagues, natural disasters or military invasions, these prophesied judgments all came from the list of curse-judgments enumerated in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Similarly, the promise of blessing, particularly the blessing of return to the land, were similarly prophesied blessings from these same two chapters for Israel’s repentance and return to lawful compliance (i.e. obedience). All the writings of the prophets have their basis in the law and covenant of Sinai, so their promise of return (which also comes from Deuteronomy28), are found in the law! It reveals that curses and blessings are not restricted to Sinai but are general features of every age, designed to correct sinful behavior and bring repentance.
[2] Berman, Joshua, The Temple, Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now, Northvale, NJ, Jason Aronson Inc., 1995, p. 24