Please Read Psalm 2... 

I’ve been paying very close attention to this whole COVID-19 (coronavirus) thing, for the sake of my family and my church family – even to the point of watching/listening to long, drawn-out news conferences of federal, state, and local officials, as they report their most recent findings, decisions, prognostications, and hopeful outcomes (depending on their perspective). I’ve also watched/listened to their detractors (often in the news media and opposing politicians) work hard to misquote, twist, argue, and completely ignore all of it. I’ve also watched/listened to or read of various medical experts give their “insights” – e.g. eminently qualified Dr. Expert A says this, while eminently qualified Dr. Expert B says that – in nearly polar opposition to each other as to how all of this will pan out. As all of this is reported, we, the general public who depend on their expertise, are left scratching our heads as we try to figure out who to trust. When you put all of this together, something doesn’t add up – someone is not telling us the truth. Is it because they are looking at and reporting faulty information? Is it on purpose? And which one/group is it? Who do we trust?

This proves the fact that the ugly reality of sin is still very real and growing in scope, even in times of danger and hardship. Even in times one would think that people ought to be helping people, sin raises its ugly head to devour. While some are trying to help, it is certain that sinful people are using this time of extreme hardship to do nothing but promote themselves and their agenda, to take advantage, or who knows what else.

Psalm 2 describes a world that has risen up in turmoil, thinking it has all the answers without and in defiance of God; the world’s leaders have rejected God’s authority, trying to lead the world down their own paths for their own purposes. But God mocks their efforts and sternly warns them, calling upon them to return to Him (cp. 2 Peter 3:9). In the end, He promises blessing to those who trust in Him.

Many charismatic church leaders are claiming this virus is one of the signs of the End Times as listed in Matthew 24; and, sadly, many biblically ignorant people are believing them; but it is not, because Matthew 24 specifically describes the judgments of the book of the Revelation that take place after the Rapture. However, what this modern plague and all the deception, abuse, fear, and frustration going along with it does do for faithful believers is increase our hope – the hope we have that the return of Jesus Christ for His Church (the Rapture) is soon – “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” – because we’re seeing that we have less and less to trust in around us.

Though we may not always know who we can trust among man through all of this, we do know we can trust, we can rest in the One Who will see us through it.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways, acknowledge Him;
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6