Thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic

In 1971 Herman Wouk published The Winds of War, a fictional novel surrounding the life of U.S. Navy Commander Victor "Pug" Henry and his family between March 1939 and the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In 1983, the book became a successful miniseries. The story picks up when Pug is assigned as the Berlin Naval Attaché while Hitler is planning to invade Poland. Watching the drama as events go by, I continued to find myself asking the same question, how can he not see what is happening! We all know the answer, hindsight is always 20/20. While Pug is a fictional character, there was an actual Naval Attaché assigned in Berlin, just as there were millions living at the time watching what would later become known as “significant” events.

How many Jewish fathers across Europe attempted to comfort their children as they packed a suitcase under the watchful eye of a German soldier? Can you hear them? “Relax my boy, it’s the history of our people to be pushed into special neighborhoods. You will make new friends. Maybe you will have your own room.” The heartfelt pleas from fathers who failed to grasp how significant the events surrounding them were. 

Who, standing along the parade route in Sarajevo, Bosnia in June 1914, would have imagined as they watched Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria drive past them that a 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip would assassinate the Archduke and his wife, the Duchess Sophia, as their chauffeur stopped the car because he made a wrong turn. That assassination became a “significant” event as it was used as the ignition to start World War I which eventually led to the downfall of four monarchies: Germany, Turkey, Austria-Hungary and Russia. The fall of the monarchies opened the door for communism and fascism.

Following WWII, the former European empires would abandon their colonies throughout the world and the world would be defined by two superpowers: The United States and the Soviet Union. On November 9, 1989, based upon his misinterpretation of a speech made by an East German government official, anchorman Hanns Joachim Friedrichs reported, “This 9 November is a historic day. The GDR (German Democratic Republic) has announced that, starting immediately, its borders are open to everyone. The gates in the Wall stand open wide.” Citizens flocked to gates at the Berlin Wall and in the confusion of the night, the border guard opened the gate and the wall came down. One of the most significant events of the 20th Century was purely accidental. On December 31, 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved into 15 independent countries.

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, President Bush signed into legislation the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT ACT) and the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Deemed “the largest reorganization of the federal government since the start of the Cold War.” The most significant part of the Homeland Security Act is the creation of the Department of Homeland Security currently consisting of a 2020 budget of $1,698,598,000 and over 240,000 employees. 

A much more important fact in the aftermath of 9/11 are the “operations” that have taken place; Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. As of 10:00 a.m. EDT April, 20, 2020, the total military and DOD civilian lives that have been lost in these operations total 7,046 with 53,235 wounded in action. A number we will never be able to calculate are the lives that have been lost and wasted due to the psychological damage of combat. Since 9/11 Congress has appropriated more than $1.55 trillion in discretionary amounts to the Department of Defense (DOD) for war funding.

For those of you that remember, think back on 9/11 and where you were. Do you remember prior to 9/11? Do you remember watching the 51-day siege initiated by the FBI upon the Branch Davidian compound outside of Waco, Texas thinking the government was out of control? In stark contrast from today, the 73 people that perished April 19, 1993 lived in a country free from the worries of constant government surveillance. In fact, Vernon Howell (AKA: David Koresh) freely built up his cult following from 1984 until June 1992 when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms opened up a case based on a tip from a UPS driver who noticed questionable firearms in an accidentally opened box. Would you even think about using UPS to send a box full of firearms, inert grenade casings, and black powder today?

Those of us that watched the live feed of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center, knew that it was a significant event. However, I don’t believe many could have forecasted the amount of liberties that would be lost, and the surveillance state the U.S. would become in the aftermath of the attack. It was the ignition that enabled non-elected bureaucratic overlords the ability to monitor every citizen and to find a legal justification to so. Just as the curtain of the “deep state” is being pulled back, the entire world is hit with a pandemic. 

While the origin and ability of the COVID-19 virus to spread outside Wuhan, China is still being investigated, I do think it is clear nobody could have forecasted a complete worldwide shutdown. There are hundreds of travel vloggers on YouTube reporting their journeys as they were unexpectedly stuck throughout the world. This event is significant and historic. After realizing the extent of how many countries are locked down with empty streets, my first thought was: 

The possibility of shutting down the world is no longer theoretical. Anarchists and terrorists are taking note. 

Environmentalists have seen the world shut down as positive; turtles returned to beaches, animals not seen for decades have returned to empty streets, and visibility in major cities has been restored. Elected officials have become drunk with power and citizens have been willing to sacrifice liberty for safety. Throughout the world most countries aren’t shocked at dictatorial stay-at-home orders however, the United States cannot remain a world power in the absence of liberty. As Sam Fuller rightly stated, “wherever there is capitalism, there is freedom.” Capitalism cannot function in a nation-wide lockdown. 

While I believe the United States is fully capable of recovering from this very significant event, it is not likely to occur. Significant events are followed by great change. The absolute bewildering circumstances and speed of America’s downfall has not been overlooked by our enemies. Congress has authorized more than $2.2 trillion in new spending and there is more to come. The national debt to GDP ratio is approaching WWII levels. The new spending was not to spur enterprise, it was a handout. As a nation we are wounded and divided, and our enemies are at the door.

As I examine recorded history, the last time the entire world was shutdown is found in the Bible. 

“Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:1–9, NASB95)

The current COVID-19 pandemic has empowered those pushing for a global solution to the current situation and have strengthen their resolve to gain power, promising protection for the next pandemic. The globalists see an opportunity to crush the growing trend of nationalism. To the enemies of liberty and the American First policies, this significant event, whether intentional or accidental, has proven to be too successful not to plan to recreate it. The precedent has been set.

The trajectory towards a one world government will continue to be imposed upon the world. With each crisis, a step is taken. With the COVID-19 pandemic, a giant leap has been achieved. As the world population came together in arrogance at the Tower of Babel and faced God’s judgement, likewise, the next time the world population will come together, having chosen the Antichrist to lead them, God’s wrath will be poured out. 

For those that have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we should expect significant events to occur. God, through the revelation He gave in the Bible, has graciously provided a peek into future events. Tribulation and pain will continue to be compounded on Earth however, our hope is not found on Earth but it is found in Jesus Christ who promised to return and receive His church “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,” (Titus 2:13, NASB95)

Our command is clear: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, NASB95)

For those that have never heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and have never trusted in Him for salvation from death, I would encourage you to visit https://job42ministry.org/the-gospel and learn about the great gift that God has provided for you. 

To learn about what the Bible teaches about the future, I would encourage you to watch The Coming Kingdom series taught by Dr. Andy Woods. The first lesson can be found here: https://slbc.org/sermon/the-coming-kingdom-001/