Studying types and foreshadows in the Bible strengthens our faith to understand the grace and trustworthiness of God who watches over His word to perform it (Jer. 1:12). God often prophesies future events, then reminds us of what is to come with precursory events. I believe God provides us with advance experiences of prophesied events to reveal to us our shortcomings and failures allowing us to choose to be changed and prepared for the future. It is astounding how everything we experience comes down to our personal choice.
In the midst of the tyrannical management of COVID-19 by government and other leaders, I believe we’ve been given a foretaste of the last days revealed in the Book of Revelation for the purpose of revealing otherwise hidden truths about ourselves.
As a young Christian, reading the book of Revelation, I found it incredible that so many people would accept the mark of the beast as revealed in Revelation (Rev.13:16 and 14:9-10). I wondered why people would choose to reject Jesus in favor of the beast? I was reminded of this question early 2020 when we were suddenly impacted by a worldwide pandemic where people responded out of fear, rather than faith, even giving up their God-given rights and freedoms. The response of people in these days is exceedingly revealing, and I believe is an advance revelation from God allowing us to take serious thought about whom and what we genuinely worship.
Believing COVID-19 is a forerunner for us to evaluate ourselves and make adjustments to be properly prepared for the last days when events will be much worse and carry eternal consequences, you have the most important choice before you now. If we do not properly learn from these present days and make necessary adjustments, we will enter the future ill-prepared and suffer the consequences of our inaction.
Apparently American Evangelist Mario Murillo also sees the present days as times of revelation of our true selves. Presenting at at Destiny Christian Church recently, Murillo asked the attendees, “If you can’t resist the jab in order to go to Starbucks, how are you going to resist the mark of the beast?” A sobering question that demands a truthful response.
I understand mandates for masks and vaccines have been made, but do those making the mandates have the power and authority to do so? Legally a so-called vaccine that is approved for Emergency Use Only that must be administered with consent to volunteers cannot be mandated. I understand Pfizer has recently been approved as a so-called vaccine for adults. However, it still can’t be legally mandated. I also understand when there are prophylactics and therapies for a disease, a vaccine cannot be required.
The pressure and the propaganda about COVID-19 and the vaccines has been relentless, people have been offered cash and other incentives, and many have been threatened with job loss unless they accept the jab. Worse, in Australia, 24,000 children are being seized to be “vaccinated” without requiring their parents consent. The only way for so many people to have willingly cooperated with these unproven treatments and disease management claims is through deception and fear and such comes only from the enemy of God.
What has your reaction to COVID-19 revealed about you? Is your faith placed in Jesus, or government and the medical and scientific community? Have you believed much of what you’ve heard without researching to make sure you’re believing truth? Have you been guided by truth or lead astray by fear and deception? Our choices in the present will influence our choices in the future. For this reason I believe God has used this evil plandemic to wake people up to truth–truth of Jesus, truth in the world, and truth about our selves.
I know many people believe the world will get worse and worse as evil increases and Christ will suddenly come to rescue us from our peril. They believe we will be raptured before the start of what the book of Revelation reveals as the Great Tribulation. But as I read the book of Revelation, there are many passages that refer to the saints on earth with encouragement for them to endure (Rev 13:7, 10 and 14:12).
God has revealed His plan of redemption of humanity and all creation. All manner of evil and corruption will be allowed to be fully played out and this world will come to a violent end. God wants us to be fully forewarned and aware of truth so we make intelligent and informed decisions about whom and what we serve. I believe these present days are days of God’s loving mercy upon His people with the opportunity to evaluate ourselves based on our response to the pressures of ideals and philosophies contrary to the Word and will of God.
I am reminded of the story of the Exodus and how God brought His people to the point of needing to deliberately chose whom they will serve. Speaking for God Moses said, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statures and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob to give them” (Deut. 30:15-20).
Moses delivering God’s people to the Promised Land is a foreshadow of our deliverance into Heaven. We have the same choices to make as the Hebrews did. I pray we learn every possible lesson from our present days so we will be fortified and able to endure the greater evil in future days.
I welcome your comments and questions. More on this topic can be heard from my weekly podcast, “Faith to Live By.” I hope you’ll join me there each week and that you’ll allow me to continue to connect with you here, on social media and with my bi-monthly ENewsletter.
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