Did you know that there is a description of a lockdown in the Bible? I don't, at least I've undoubtedly read it several times, but never realized what it really means. That often happens: that you read the Bible, but you can't really form a picture of what it means, until you are confronted with it in reality. Then you suddenly see: that's it!
So that's what happened when we turned to Jeremiah 16 and read the following.
4 They will die of deadly diseases, there shall be no mourning for them, and they will not be buried, but to be dung upon the face of the earth. They will continue the sword and through the famine perish, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.
5 For thus saith the LORD: You shall not enter the house of him who makes a funeral meal. You must not go there to mourn and you must not offer them sympathyfor I have made of this people, declares the LORD, My peace and lovingkindness and mercy have been taken away.
6 Great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried. There will be no mourning for themone shall not carve the body or make oneself bald for them.
7 Nor shall they break bread for them because of mourning, to comfort someone over a dead person, and they shall not be given to drink of the cup of comfort because of any man's father or because of any man's mother.
8 You must not enter a house where a banquet is being held, to sit with them, to eat and drink.
9 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, out of this place I will bring before your eyes and in your days cease the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride.
10 But it shall come to pass, when you declare all these words to this people, that they shall say to you, Why has the LORD pronounced all this great evil upon us? What is our iniquity? have sinned?
11 Then you will say to them: Because your fathers have forsaken mesaith the LORD, and went after other gods and served them and bowed down to them. But they have forsaken me, and they have My law has not been observed.
12 As for you, you have done more evil than your fathers, for behold, each one of you goes after his own hardened, wicked heart by not listening to Me.
13 Therefore I will cast you out of this land to a land you have not knownneither you nor your fathers. there you will then serve other gods day and nightbecause I will show you no mercy. (Jeremiah 16:4-13)
Deadly Diseases, Sword and Hunger
Jeremiah announces the time of God's judgment upon His people. That takes the form of the going about "deadly diseases, the sword, and famine" (verse 4).
The Lord Jesus spoke of the same things to His disciples:(…) wars and riots of all kinds (…) famines and contagious diseases(Luke 21:9-11; also Matthew 24:6-7). If you look at the entire chapters in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, you can also safely apply this to the time of the end. These things also appear in the book of Revelation, by the way.
We see around us that these things are already developing. In particular, how a circulating contagious, deadly disease (rightly or wrongly) turns the whole world upside down. Staying home is the motto. But for cultures where people have to earn their living on the streets - and these are large parts of the world - it means having no income and thus going hungry.
Sadness and joy
It is striking how extensively the part from Jeremiah describes that two things are no longer possible:
- You are no longer allowed to visit each other to sympathize, comfort and assist each other when a loved one has died.
- You are no longer allowed to attend a party, even a wedding. You are no longer allowed to celebrate together and be together joyfully.
Society is being 'dehumanized'; normal human intercourse in times of greatest sadness and joy has become impossible. The things you want to share with others and that require closeness are no longer possible or allowed.
Add the 'social distancing' - the 1,5 meters - and the mouth cap. Which makes the dehumanization even more shape. When you hang out as friends, it's normal that you'face to face' are together. That's what the Lord God did when He was with Moses.
“The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”
Exodus 33:11
In general you could say that sharing each other's lives is taken away from people. Apparently we just have to get used to the fact that this is becoming 'the new normal'.
But it is not normal, not even for the Church of God.
Mental Damage
For what spiritual damage is inflicted on the religious communities, I fear it is difficult to foresee. In any case, it is a test of faith for every believer, and it makes all the more clear the need to remain very personally established in the faith.
How do you, as a father, lead your family in the service of the Lord God? How many are there who diminish the value of their faith because they are not accustomed to maintaining their personal faith and are dependent on what they normally received in the community?
A judgment from God?
The question of whether the situation of the corona virus and the lockdown is a judgment of God has been answered many times. Every pastor will have already preached or written about it and there are those who say 'yes' to the question, but also who deny it. I'm not going to get involved in that discussion.
I do read that the deadly diseases and other judgments with their consequences in the prophecy of Jeremiah are regarded by the Lord God as a judgment from Him.
What God does He makes very clear:
- for I have taken from this people, declares the LORD, My peace and lovingkindness and mercy (16:5)
- Behold, out of this place I will cause to cease before your eyes and in your days the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride (16:9)
God's peace, kindness and mercy (vs 5) we need in times of calamity and mourning and joy and gladness God ceases so that there is no more feasting.
That is what He does and why He does it He also makes clear: it is because of the idolatry that the people committed and because of which they have forsaken the Lord and His Word (His law).
“Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have gone after other gods, and have served them, and have worshiped them. But they have forsaken me and have not kept my law.” (verse 11)
Two things stand out here.
- First, that this idolatry was so much worse than before, that everyone got involved.
“As for you, you have done more evil than your fathers, for behold, each one of you goes after his own hardened, wicked heart, by not hearing me.” (vers12) - And second, they had no idea what they were doing was wrong. Their response to Jeremiah's prophecy reads:
"Why hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil upon us? What is our iniquity, and what is our sin, wherein we have sinned against the LORD our God?" (verse 10)
They really have no idea what they were doing wrong. They are not aware of any evil because they have forsaken the Lord and have not kept His law (Word). For therein the Lord had made it clear enough that they should not approach Him in the heathen way (see also here).
The lockdown in our time
The similarities between our time today and the time of Jeremiah are great.
- A Christianity that is falling more and more into idolatry. It goes on and on, just like in Jeremiah's time. That's how I heard this week Wycliffe Bible Translators Ann Voskamp engaged to promote their work. While Voskamp inimitably - it must be said - propagates contemplative thought. But everyone loves it and has no idea what is wrong with it; even though the Bible is not unclear is.
- A lockdown that dehumanizes society, but also denies necessary opportunities for Christian communities. Worldwide, of course, as has never been seen before. I have such a vague suspicion that this will never end and that it is the beginning of an ongoing development that leads to the future realm of the antichrist.
- Are these two things related? Is the pandemic and lockdown a judgment of God on apostate Christendom and the world? It was clear to Jeremiah, for the Lord had told him. Let each person answer the question for himself as you let the biblical data sink in.
Blessed
The Lord encourages us when - in spite of all the special circumstances - we trust Him through this section from the next chapter of Jeremiah.
“7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD.
8 He will be like a tree planted by water,
and which lets its roots run into a watercourse.
He doesn't notice when heat comes,
its leaf remains green.
A year of drought does not bother him,
and he does not cease to bear fruit.”
- Jeremiah 17:7,8
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