Restrictions get tighter and our “freedom” grows increasingly limited when it comes to what we were able to do just weeks ago. The question is whether more drastic measures are in the immediate future as cases of the Coronavirus increase and a “handle” on it looks grimmer, while leaders grasp for answers on how to deal with this crisis.
As the days continue, measures to cope with this new lifestyle become more extreme with “stay-at-home” orders. In focusing on California, people were encouraged just recently to go outside and go hiking, go to the beach, go to the park, and limit gatherings to less than 10 persons, and at the same time practicing “social distancing.” Yet, the public did what they assumed was “ok” to do, based on this convoluted information, until these recommendations were changed in California once again, leading to complete closures of beaches and parks and hiking trails along with threats of $1000 fines due to the overcrowding of people “gathering” at these places.
When there is nothing else to do, what can one expect? Now everyone is restricted from what one can do outside. What will the next day bring? As the days go by, people’s patience will run out and stress, depression and anxiety will increase, which could very well lead to anger and taking matters into one’s own hands. According to a report by CNN, dated March 19, “Gun sellers across the United States are reporting major spikes in firearm and bullet purchases as the coronavirus spreads across the country… ‘The world has never seen anything like this and people want to make sure they’re prepared for whatever lies ahead, whether that be food shortages, government shutdown, or worse,’ a spokesperson for Ammo.com said in an emailed statement. ‘When everything around you is uncertain, having a supply of ammunition can make our customers feel safer.’” This is a scary scenario and if people get tested on what they can or can’t do anymore, can we imagine what this could lead to, perhaps if martial law went into effect?
On March 10, 2017, I wrote an editorial, titled, “Civil War in America?” where this question was asked regarding the very possibility of this occurring in the near future, but at that time it focused on controversial governmental decisions which angered many people; yet were supported by others. We saw then a stark contrast in viewpoints from two different sides within the nation. Much hasn’t changed since then. In fact, things have gotten A LOT worse, as we can see now reactions to responses to the Coronavirus epidemic and what it has led to, not just in this country, but all around the world.
That editorial addressed what is extremely relevant right now, which is that “what WE in God’s Church know is that overall, America will not be able to emerge out of the mess they are currently in; that the relationship between America and the rest of the world will get worse and worse; and that this nation will end up in captivity and slavery because of the terrible sins they are committing (Zechariah 7:4-14; 8:7-15; 9:10; 10:6-10; 11:4-17).” This is still coming and that is why we need to be READY NOW, and continue to watch what is happening, as it says in Matthew 24:42: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
Mankind doesn’t seem to understand who the god of this world actually is, and it cannot connect the dots as to why all this is happening. On the other hand, God’s people DO understand why. The vast majority will be caught off guard even more so as things WILL get worse and they will not even know what hit them until it is too late.
I concluded the editorial in the same way this one is ending here, stating that, “This is why we in God’s Church must proceed in warning our people and the rest of the world of what is coming in the near future (Ezekiel 33:2-7; Isaiah 62:6; Luke 21:36).”
