Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Honesty vs. Deceitfulness: compare and contrast Moses and Jacob’s life and father-in-law by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly message: Honesty vs. Deceitfulness: Compare and contrast Moses and Jacob’s life and father-in-law                                                               

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music 

Date Nov.17. 2020

            Biblical historical events and servants of God, Moses is typified the role of leader and fulfillment of God’s calling and purpose for the deliverance of Israelites. Jacob’s life journey unveiled contradict and deceitfulness events to approve God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and his descendants. The Lord has chosen Moses and became his banner, Hebrew called, “Yahwehnissi”, “Jehovah-Nissi” means “the Lord is my banner”.  God used a sincere with a pure heart person who fears God, and reverence before the Lord to fulfill His calling and purpose. The Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in the earth, in the seas and in all deeps. (Psalm 135:4,6). God is able to transform one’s characters, personality, weak- mind, hot-temper, and crookedness into honesty, boldness, humility, and loyalty to God with a heart of irrevocable trust.

Ø  The Lord’s presence was with Moses each moment after He called him in the burning bush.            

 God was faithful in keeping His promises to Moses, and empowered Moses to lead his people to follow the commands, laws, and the decrees of God.

·         Moses was supported by his father-in-law

In the biblical precepts of marriage and family, Moses’ marriage and the relationship with his father-in-law was peaceful and had full of support from Jethro.  Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law was the priest of Midian who knew the Lord, and reverence before God. Jethro greatly honored Moses, when Moses asked father-in-law, “let me go back to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.” Jethro didn’t hold him back, and said, “go, and I wish you well”. Moses gained his father-in-law’s support and blessings. Jethro heard the mighty things the Lord had done for Israelites and empowered Moses to divide the Red Sea into a dry pathway in order to deliver Israelites from Pharaoh. Jethro fully respected and honored Moses. And Moses listened and accepted the advice of Jethro. It stated in Gen.18:20-22, “you must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people –men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, the fifties , and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you.”

·         Moses spent forty days and nights twice to petition for his people

Moses fell prostrate before the Lord twice for forty days and forty nights, ate no bread and drank no water to plead Lord for the forgiveness of his people, all the sin they had committed, such as they had made a cast idol for themselves, doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and so provoking Him to anger. The Lord had said to Moses that He would destroy them, but Moses appealed to the Lord,                    O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember     your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin. Otherwise, the county form which you brought us will say, ‘because the Lord was not able to take them into the land he had promised them, and because He hated them, He brought them out to put them to death in the desert.’ But they   are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your  outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy9: 26-29).

 The Lord listened to Moses’ pleading and forgave Aaron and those stiff-necked people. The favor of the Lord came upon Moses and modified the judgment of the Lord. It resulted in Moses be transformed into the humblest leader with a heart of irrevocable trust in God, who said, “I am who I am.”

·         Moses’ legacy passed down to all generations

Moses’ mission had passed down the greatest legacy includes “the book of Deuteronomy” to instruct people to keep Lord’s commands, decrees, laws, and principles. As he urged his people not to forget the Lord their God who humbled them to lean on Him, and acknowledged that the Lord provided, and led them to enter into the promise land Cannon, and made them wealthy. It was the Lord their God done it rather than men. As Deuteronomy 8:3,5, 10-18; 7:9-10,12-15 states,

     He humbled you, causing you to hunger and, then, feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man doesn’t live on bread alone but on every WORD that comes from the mouth of the Lord… Knowing them in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you…When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord you God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver an gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery…He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never know, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers, as it is today”.(Deuteronomy8:3,5,10-18)

 “ Knowing therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His    covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. But those who hate Him He will repay to their face by destruction; He will  not be slow to repay their face those who hate Him.” “If you pay attention to these laws  and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep His covenant of love with you, as He swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land…you will be blessed more than any other people; the Lord will keep you free from every disease. He          will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt. But He will inflict them on  all who hate you.” (Deuteronomy7:9-10,12-15).

Ø  Compare and contrast Moses and Jacob’s life and father-in-law

·         Jacob’s life and his father-in-law demonstrated contradict event and scenario   

 The deceitfulness of Jacob’s mother misled Jacob into a crooked way; resulted in Jacob suffered from conscience condemnation and fear, and ran for his life. Jacob’s early life journey was full of challenging and deceit. By the force of his mother who instructed him to fool his father, portended to be his brother Esau in order to a received blessing from Isaac. Jacob received his father’s blessing described in Genesis 27:28-19,

“May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness – an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be      cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” 

However, Jacob’s life journey was suffered conscience guilt morally and ethically, he ran for his life from Esau to Laban’s house. After 20 years worked for Laban who cheated on him, he ran for his life from Laban and backed to his native land, reconciled with his brother Esau. In his old age, he was deceived by his own sons about Joseph who he loved dearly. The Lord has done this to approve He is the God of Abraham and Isaac who kept the promises to Abraham’s descendants, and provided, protected, rescued, and blessed Jacob, for his name had changed and called, “Israel”.     

Ø  A deceitful man will be treated deceitfully in return, for what you reap for what you’ve sowed.

·          Jacob was deceived by Laban his father-in-law

 Jacob was a smart boy, and a clever person, his whole life journey surrounded by his families, and relatives. However, he was deceived by his own family. First, his father-in-law Laban, second, his own sons about Joseph had died.  

 When Jacob ran for his life to Laban, he met Rachel, loved her, and willingly worked for Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Laban cheated on Jacob on the wedding night, instead of Rachel; he gave him the first daughter Leah for marriage.    

  Jacob loved Rachel, and worked another seven years for Rachel. For fourteen years Jacob worked for his two daughters. Jacob was mistreated by his father-in-law Laban, Jacob asked him, “Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland, give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.” (Gen.30:26). Instead of letting Jacob go, Laban, his father-in-law made him work for his wages for another six years and had cheated him by changing his wages ten times. Because God made Jacob wealthy and prosperous by attending the flocks, Laban’s sons became jealous and complained about Jacob had taken away all the wealth from Laban, so Laban became openly hostile to Jacob.

·         God appeared to comfort and rescued Jacob from the hand of Laban 

The God of Abraham had seen the injustice, hostile, and unkindness of Laban to Jacob, so appeared to Jacob, comforted him, and instructed him to go back to his native land. As Gen.31:12-13 stated,  “… for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.” (Gen.31:12-13). Jacob totally spent twenty years worked under heat in the day, and the cold at night and sleep fled from his eyes. He listened to the voice of his God, ran for the life, and deceived Laban by not telling him he was running away, he fled with all he had, and crossing the River, he headed for the hill county of Gilead.  However, his father-in-law Laban the Aramean pursued Jacob for seven days and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. But the Lord rebuked Laban in a dream, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”(Gen.31:24). When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob complained about Laban and claimed as follows,

 “I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.  This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.” (Gen.31:38-42).

·         The Lord was faithful in keeping His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and his descendants.

 The blessing of the Lord came upon Jacob and saved Jacob from the hand of Laban his father-in-law. Both of them made a covenant that they will not go past the heap to harm each other. This heap is a witness between Jacob and his father-in-law Laban. Jacob called it Galeed, Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha. Because God made Jacob very wealthy and fruitful, by his wealth, he presented many gifts to his brother Esau, he gained forgiveness and reconciled with Esau peacefully. However, Jacob’s senior life continually suffered for the sin of deceitfulness by his own sons who deceived him about Joseph was died while Joseph was sold to Egypt. Jacob became a great nation as God’s promise and called him Israel, but he suffered emotional strife in his whole life journey. One thing for sure is that God didn’t leave Jacob nor forsook Jacob, the Lord was with him, watched over him, and saved him.         

Ø  Implication and application       

1.      A seed of deceitfulness, ungodliness, and crooked parents will result in children suffer for the sin of deceitfulness. A crooked person will be treated deceitfully in return. On the contrary, a seed of godliness, honesty, and sincere, truthful, and trustworthy parents will pass down the legacy of godliness, and honor. Regardless of crookedness or honesty descendants, God is faithful in keeping His promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses for His name's sake.

2.      God is justice, and faithful in keeping His promises to those who fear Him, and trust in Him. No matter, the families or people who surround us, mistreat us or deceive us, keep upright heart to serve the Lord faithfully, and fear of the Lord. In God’s timing, the Lord will vindicate us.     

3.      Moses and Jacob’s life and events, God had done this for His glory so that no men can boast about self and flesh. God is able to shape His servants into godly characters: faithful, truthful, trustworthy, patient, kind, meek, obedient, perseverant, and submissive.

4.  The Lord is compassionate, He will watch over His children, listen to their petition, strengthen them, comfort them, and inspire them to do right. Trust in the Lord and do good, delight yourself in the Lord trust in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.(Psalm37:3-5).  

5.      God used a sincere with a pure heart person who practices reverence before God to fulfill His calling and purpose. Blessed are those who pure in hearts, for they will see God. The Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in the earth, in the seas and in all deeps. (Psalm.135:4,6).

 

Bibliography,

Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press, 2000.

Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

            King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

                       

God’s covenant of love to Abraham and judgment to Sodom by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 

Weekly message: God’s covenant of love to Abraham and judgment to Sodom                      

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music

Nov.15, 2020

 God’s covenant and promises to Abraham is an everlasting covenant throughout the generations.

           When Abram was seventy-five years old, the Lord had called him and said, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all people on earth will be blessed through you.”(Gen.12:1-3). The priest of God Most High, Melchizedek the king of Salem, a historical person, king of Jerusalem, who typified Christ (Psalm110:4), his name means “king of righteousness.” in appreciation of Abraham’s God Most High (in Hebrew called El Elyon, which emphasized God’s strength and sovereignty). Melchizedek also blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Gen.14:19-20).  The Lord came to Abram in a vision. “Do not afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your every great reward…Look up at the heavens ad count the stars- if indeed you can count them…so shall your offspring be.” (Gen.15:1,5).

Twenty four years later, when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord changed his name to Abraham, and established the covenant of love with Abraham, the Lord appeared to him and said

I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers. As for me, this is my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you. And I will be their God. (Gen.17:1-8).

Abraham did everything the Lord commanded him to do, the Lord blessed him a son Isaac.  

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised. And the Lord blessed his wife a name “Sarah” and a son named, “Isaac” in her old age. As the Lord said, “is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.” (Gen.18:14). In Abraham’s age one hundred years old, his wife Sarah bore a son to Abraham and Abraham gave the name Isaac. To Abraham, God is sovereign Lord, in Hebrew called, “Adonai” means “Master, Lord, and Sovereign”, for Yahweh see through it. He acknowledged God Almighty is El Shaddai means “Mountain”, it illustrates God as the overpowering, Almighty One, standing on a mountain. Abraham didn’t doubt God’s promise and power to fulfill His covenant with him. The covenant is everlasting and includes possession of the land of Canaan. Therefore, Abraham did everything the Lord commanded him to do.

God’s judgment upon the city of Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality   

   The favor of God upon Abraham, the Lord unveiled  the judgments of Sodom and Gomorrah  to him, “ the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sins so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” (Gen.18:20-21). When two angles visited the Lot, all the men of from every part of the city of Sodom-both young and old surrounded the house; they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” (Gen.19:5). Because of their terrible sins, homosexuality is seen in the destruction of Sodom and sins so grievous, therefore, the Lord wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

God modified the judgment because Abraham pleaded persistently for saving the righteousness 

It was Abraham’s persistence, boldness, and great courage to plead for the Sodom and Gomorrah six times, he asked,

“Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing-to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen.18:23-25)

The Lord answered,

 “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”(Gen.18:26)Then Abraham spoke up again:

 Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and   ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the    whole city because of five people?” The Lord said, “if I find forty-five there, I will not       destroy it.” (Gen.18:27-28)

  Abraham’s heart was persistent to plead Lord, he said, “ May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more, what if only ten can be found there?” The Lord answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”  

From the number of fifty, forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty to number ten righteous in the city, for the sake of ten, the Lord granted Abraham’s petition and saved his nephew Lot’s family. Two angels came to the city of Sodom and Gomorrah and said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here-sons in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here; get the out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it. (Gen.19:12-13). Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law that the Lord will destroy the city! However, his sons-in-law thought he was joking.(Gen.19:15). The Lord was merciful to Lot’s family, grasped Lot’s hand, and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city. Then, the Lord swept away the city of Sodom and Gomorrah by the burning sulfur as punishment. The Lord commanded Lot and his wife and daughters to flee for their lives to a small town Zoar! Don’t look back. However, Lot’s wife looked back, and “she became a pillar of salt.”Gen.19:26). And Lot’s son-in-law perished because he thought Lot was joking when he told him. “The Lord is about to destroy the city.”      

Abraham’s irrevocable trust and faith in God had passed the test

While Abraham and Sarah’s joy were overflowing for God blessed a son Isaac in their old age, God tested Abraham’s faith if he loved Him more than he loved Isaac, and said to him, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Abraham had faith in God’s promise concerning descendants; He believed that on the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. So he did what the Lord commanded. “He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven. ‘Abraham! Abraham! do not lay a hand on the boy, do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.’  Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. (Gen.22:9-12).

Abraham passed God’s test of his faith to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. For God provided a ram to Abraham as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place the Lord will provide. In Hebrew called Yahweh yireh means the Lord will see to it.” And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

 

The implication and application

a)      God’s calling is irrevocable. God is faithful in keeping His promises and covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.

b)      God’s timing is the best. The fulfillment of God’s promises, the waiting hours may be long. Abraham waited twenty-five years patiently from seventy-five years old to one hundred years old. God gave a son Isaac to him and his seed offspring as numerous as the stars in the heavens. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through Abraham. This promise was fulfilled in the coming of Abraham’s seed, Christ.(Gal.3:8,16).

c)      The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock and there is no wickedness in him.” (Psalm92:12)

d)     God is justice and will punish the sin of homosexuality. God’s attitude toward the sin of homosexuality is seen in the destruction of Sodom and in Lev.18:22, 29, 20:13 “do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable”.(Lev.18:22). “Everyone who does any of these detestable things –such persons must be cut off from their people.” (Lev.18:22). If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.(Lev.20:13). Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.(Rom.1:26). Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders.”(1 Cor.6:9).  The city of Sodom and Gomorrah had disclosed by God that the sin of homosexuality led to God’s punishment and resulted dead in the burning sulfur.

e)      Don’t mock the Holy Spirit. Acknowledging God’s commands, decrees, laws, and listen to the voice of God. Lot’s son-in-law was perished and wasn’t able to spare from the burning sulfur, because he didn’t listen to Lot’s warning and thought that Lot was joking. (Gen.19:14). Lot’s wife didn’t listen to the Lord’s warning; she looked back and became a pillar of salt. God’s warning through the angel of Lord, prophets, ministers, messengers, prayer warriors, godly men, and women who fear of Lord are valuable. Do not neglect nor mock the Holy Spirit.   

f)       The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James5:6). Abraham earnestly pleaded to the Lord with boldness, yet, humble, he saved his nephew’s family.

g)      Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb.11

:1). Abraham’s faith and irrevocable trust in the Lord, he passed the test and gained a great name: “the father of many nations”. To Abraham, God is Jehovah –Jireh, and Yahweh yireh, in every consequence, the Lord will see to it, and on the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. Faith is the foundation of salvation.      

           

 

Friday, May 29, 2020

Pandemic 2020-The Lord plagues the nations with a consumption and with fever. (Deut28:22) by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce


Weekly message: Pandemic 2020 The Lord plagues the nations with a consumption and with fever. (Deut28:22)  By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts &Gospel Music  Date: March17,2020

Introduction
When the Lord judge the earth, He strikes the nations with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague people until they perish. (Deuteronomy28:21-22). Today we call global disaster Coronavirus (COVID-19) as plagues to rebuke the nations on earth, because of the evil that people have done in forsaking the Lord.  
God’s covenant with His people is conditional. For there are the promise of blessings and curses, if people fully obey the Lord their God and carefully follow all His commands, and if people keep His commands and decrees that are written in the book of the law, turn to the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul. The blessings of the Lord will overflow of their life. (Deuteronomy28:1,12; 30:10) When the Lord's judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.(Isa.26:9) The path of the righteous is level; the Lord makes the way of the righteous smooth. (Isa.26:1). The Lord brings prosperity and creates disaster to affirm who He was, is, and is to come. He is the Lord, and there is no other.
God created mankind for His own glory; God formed people in order to proclaim His praise, for His name sake. He strengthens people to reconcile to Himself, and redeemed mankind through His only begotten Son Jesus bloodshed on the cross at Calvary as ransom to pardon mankind’s sins even people have not acknowledged Him. In God’s righteousness, sinners may be righteous in God’s eyesight and be reconciled to heavenly Father. He waits patiently for mankind to know Him, acknowledge Him and turn to Him, for the Lord is God, and there is no other. As He said, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me.” (Isaiah 45:5) It is the Lord form the light and creates darkness, it is the Lord brings prosperity and creates disaster as Isaiah 45:7 said, “I, the Lord, do all these things”.Does the clay say to the potter, “what are you making?” (Isa.45:9).
The promise of blessing and curses of disobedient in Deuteronomy 28
 When the Lord judges the earth, He strikes the nations with wasting disease, with a fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague people until they perish. (Deuteronomy28:21-22). Today we call global disaster Coronavirus (COVID-19) as plagues to rebuke the nations on earth, because of the evil that people have done in forsaking the Lord.  
According to Deuteronomy 28, God’s covenant with His people, there are the promise of blessings and promise of curses. If people fully obey the Lord their God and carefully follow all His commands; If people obey the Lord their God and keep His commands and decrees that are written in the Book of the Law and turn to the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul, (Deuteronomy28:1; 30:10) then there are the blessings as follows,
“The Lord will establish you as His holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you. The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.” (Deuteronomy28:9-14).
On contrary, if people do not obey the Lord their God and do not carefully follow all His commands and decrees, all the curses will come upon them and overtake them. The curses as follows,
“The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking Him. (v.20) The Lord will plague you with diseases until He has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess.(v.21) The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight, and mildew, which will plague you until you perish.(v.22) The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed (v.23) The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. At mid day you will grope about like a blind man in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.(Deuteronomy28:20-24; 28-29)

In King James Version states the curses for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28:22, the Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever and with an inflammation…”. “Consumption” in English literary translated as “a wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis”. Today, there are 144 countries faced the threats of pandemic disease- Coronavirus (COVID-19), the symptoms are exactly as a wasting disease especially pulmonary tuberculosis, with fever, dry coughing and short breath. According to the Florida Department of Health confirmed on March 24, there were 1412 people infected and 18 died from the COVID-19. The COVID-19 has extended to the global crisis, so many people reacted hysterically. China–Wuhan was the initiate province that people contracted Coronavirus (COVID-19) during January 2020. The virus has been spreading over to Italy, Egypt, Israel and many countries in Asia. Some people returned to U.S.A. from these countries where they had already contracted COVID-19. It affected great amount of local people. Florida Governor requested Floridians to practice social distance and avoided joining the crowds. Fourteen days self-quarantine to those who have shown symptoms such as fever, dry coughing, sneezing and short breath. The groceries in Walmart Super Market were empty on the shelves such as water, bread, meat, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer during March 2020. I’ve been living in Orlando Florida since Apr. 2004 as citizen of U.S.A. I’ve never seen such panic sceneries. This is my first time to hear that Courthouse, Disney World, Universal Studio, and Sea world all subject to be closed. University, College, and Public school changed curriculum to study online at home. Library, Restaurants, Gym, and Fitness center all requested to be closed. Orange County mayor implemented curfew in order to prevent COVID 19 spreading in Florida. The Dow Jones Industry closed down-fall to the lowest about -1990 during March, 2020.
Many Christians, ministers, and disciples humbly bowed down to seek God, and prayed that the Lord will subside the pandemic diseases. For “the Son of Men is not come to destroy men’s life, but save them” (Luke9:56). The Lord urged people, “go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins.”(Isaiah 26: 20-21). According to the Old Testament, this pandemic disease virus as the plague in Moses’ time that the Lord sent to Egypt, demonstrated His supreme power, authority, and mighty deeds in order to affirm who He is, “I am who I am” released His people from slavery, and softened Pharos’ harden heart, and let Moses led His people to Canon. When the Lord judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.(Isa.26:9) The path of the righteous is level; the Lord makes the way of the righteous smooth. (Isa.26:1).
God’s promise of blessing and covenant of peace is conditional. When the Lord made a decree and a law for His people, He said, if you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” (Exodus15:26) 
Today, what kind of sins God deals with mankind in this era? In Isaiah 45:1-25 and Revelation 2:18-29 unveil the reason, God’s plan, and purpose. When the Lord acts and judges the earth no one can question His sovereignty. The Lord wants people turn to Him with all their hearts and with all their soul. Without a consumption as pandemic, people may not acknowledge God and receive salvation. In Isaiah 45:1-13 states,  
“This is what the Lord says to His anointed. To Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of, to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cur through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is non besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. (Isaiah45:1-5).
 The anointed, Cyrus, which portrays as Messiah- Christ and “Cyrus as a temporal deliverer of God’s people, serves as an illustration of Jesus Christ, the eternal Redeemer and because vassal rulers were anointed by their superior rulers. Cyrus’ designation as shepherd in Isaiah 44:28. Cyrus as one who carried out God’s purposes, though used to carry out God’s plan, Cyrus did not personally know God, as evidenced in his ascribing his victories to “the great gods” and his defeat of the Babylonians especially to Marduk, head god of the Babylonian pantheon.”[1] 
    When the Lord judges the earth no one can question about God’s supreme power and authority. We, mankind, are clay in potter’s hand. God predestined and elected people and nation as Cyrus to deliver God’s people. And Cyrus portrays as Messiah –Christ Jesus, God unveils Himself to the nations and people who don’t even know the Lord; the purpose is to spring up the salvation to them. It is the Lord brings prosperity and creates disaster in order to affirm He is Lord, beside Him there is no other gods. As Isaiah 45:8-13 says,
 You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it. Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands?’  Woe to him who says to his father, ‘what have you begotten?’ or to his mother, ‘what have you brought to birth?’ This is what the Lord says- The Holy One of Israel and its Maker. Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands? It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry host. I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free but not for a price or reward, says the Lord Almighty. (Isaiah45:8-13)

Ø  What kind of sins the Lord dealt with mankind according to Isaiah 45:16?
God created everyone for His glory, so that mankind may proclaim His praise. As Lord said, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made…the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” (Isa.43:7,21). The Lord explicitly states the purpose of creating mankind is to proclaim His praise and for His glory. However, mankind went astray, unfaithful, and betrayed God. They ran to other gods, and bowed down to worship the image of idols made by gold, silver, and wood.  The Lord strongly urged people not to worship idols, for “All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced; they will go off into disgrace together…ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.”(Isa.45:16, 20).
 Today, God strikes nations with coronavirus (COVID-19) to humble the people in order to spring up His salvation. Many Chinese in China held No-God theory, and reject to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ our God. Some people seek God, however, they worship wrong gods, they pray to gods that cannot save, and worship idols made by stone and wood. The Lord urged people, “turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.”(Isa.45:22).He who created the heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited.”(Isa.45:18). “By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked; before Me every knee will bow, by Me every tongue will swear. They will say of Me, In the Lord alone is righteousness and strength.” (Isa.45:16-24). The Lord is compassionate and gracious, He loved the people He formed and forgave their sins. Israel has burdened Lord with their sins and wearied Him with their offenses. (Isa.43:24) Yet, the Lord still pardoned their sins and stated, “I, even I am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isa.43:25). And affirmed His love is unfailing love to His people, “But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting.” (Isa.45:17).
Ø  In Christ Jesus, we have redeemed and the forgiveness of sin.
In this era, salvation spring up to Gentiles through Jesus Christ, everyone who believes in Christ Jesus as Lord Savior, he or she will receive the forgiveness of sins, and the Holy Spirit. God chose us in Him before the creation of the world and predestined mankind to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with His pleasure and will to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. That He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding and He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ. To be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:4-12).
Ø  What kind of sins God deals with church according to Revelation 2:20? Fornication and eat idols sacrifices
According to the Revelation2:18-29 the Lord knows Thyatira church’s works, love, faith, service and endurance, however, the Lord against Thyatira church because the church tolerates the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess ad teaches and leads His slaves astray to commit fornication and to eat idol sacrifices (Rev.2:20). “Jezebel”, was the pagan wife of Ahab, indicating that the apostate Roman Catholic Church is a self-appointed prophetess, one who presumes to be authorized by God to speak for God. Roman Catholic Church strongly emphasizes Christ as the son of Mary. Catholic church herself teaches, causing her people to listen to her rather than to the holy Word of God and do not care for Christ as their life and life supply which indicated by the tree of life and the hidden manna. Which the Lord promised to the churches in Ephesus and Pergamos (Rev.2:7,17). The apostate Roman Catholic Church filled with all manner of fornication and idolatry both spiritual and physical. As Rev.2:20 said, “ But I have something against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads My slaves astray to commit fornication and to eat idol sacrifices.”    The Lord urged, “ he who overcomes and he who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he will shepherd them with an iron rod as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces, as I also have received from My father. To him, I will give the morning star.” (Rev.2:26-28). To reign with Christ over the nations in the millennial kingdom is a prize to the overcomers (Rev.20:4,6) This promise of the Lord strongly implies that those who do not answer His call to overcome degraded Christianity will not participate in the reign of the millennial kingdom. God gave Christ the authority to rule over the nations; here Christ gives the same authority to His overcomes. At Christ’s first appearing the magi, not the Jewish religionists, saw Christ’s star (Matt.2:2,9-10). At His second appearing Christ will be the morning star to His overcomers who watch for His coming. To all the other He will appear only as the sun. (Mal.4:2).
Ø  How to receive salvation and into the kingdom of heaven?  
 How to receive salvation? My friends, turn to God and forsake idols worship and baptize into Christ Jesus. Cyrus in Isaiah 45 portrays as Messiah, Christ Jesus who died for all mankind’s sins; redemption had done before we were born. Believe in Jesus Christ, call upon the name of Lord Jesus, you and your family will be saved. For those who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death, and buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Apostle Paul stated, “If we have been united with Him like this in His death we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.”(Roman6:5-10)   
Ø  Stop sin, confess your sin, sin shall not be your master rules over your life.
Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans6:12-14,23).
Ø  Spirit of Christ set you free from sins and fear
If the Spirit of Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you receive “the Spirit of sonship”. And by Him we cry “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. (Roman8:10,13-17)  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians3:27).
Conclusion
The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. And be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days. Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods. The gods of the people around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and His anger will burn against you, and He will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test the Lord your God. Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees He has given you.(Deuteronomy5:32-33;6:4-5,13-17). The Lord plagues the nations on earth with a consumption, a wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis, and with a fever (Deuteronomy 28:22) because the people on earth have done evil in forsaking the Lord, turn to follow other gods, do not obey the Lord nor carefully follow all His commands, and decrees.  Therefore, turn to God and forsake idols worship and baptize into Christ Jesus. Cyrus in Isaiah 45 portrays as Messiah, Christ Jesus who died for all mankind’s sins; redemption had done before we were born. Believe in Jesus Christ, call upon the name of Jesus, you and your family will be saved. For those who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death, and buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
  

     
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[1] Charles C. Ryrie, the Ryrie study Bible (NIV). (Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986),978