One night many years ago, the Israelites had locked themselves in their homes.  A plague was spreading across the country, a plague that brought death.  Isn’t that what is happening in the world today, as we face lockdown and COVID-19?

 

Although there was death and destruction all around, God had a plan!  “Take a lamb,” he told them, “and take some of the blood.”  The blood was then to be put on the doorframes of their homes, and the lamb roasted and eaten with unleavened bread.  If they did this, God promised he would ‘pass over’ them.

 

Did they remember how God had provided Abraham with a ram?  We don’t know, but they did exactly what God told them.  These events didn’t only point back to a significant time in their history, they pointed forward.  Another lamb, whose blood would be shed, would be given as a sacrifice. That one was Jesus.

 

The coronavirus can sometimes be deadly, but there is something that is far more deadly, and that is sin.  No-one can recover from sin.  The consequences according to God’s word is always death.

The borders of many countries have closed, with their citizens in lock down, as a result of COVID-19 that is spreading across the globe. 

 

Perhaps we can now understand how Noah must have felt, locked up in the ark!   During that time it rained for 40 days and nights, but Noah and his family were in the ark far longer than that.  It took many days for the flood waters to recede before they could venture out onto dry ground.  They were in the ark for about 364 days.  A whole year!

 

The meaning of Noah’s name is significant, as are many Biblical names.  His name means ‘rest’.  On the day Noah’s family entered the ark, the floodgates of heaven opened, and so did the springs in the ground.  It must have been a wild ride, yet inside the ark the family was safe and at rest.

 

In the midst of these uncertain times God is calling us to enter his rest.  “Come to me,” Jesus says, “all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Self isolate!  Right now this is the catch word here in New Zealand and many other countries around the world.  If we keep apart, the virus COVID-19 can’t spread, and so governments are asking their people to stay at home.

 

This is the first time in modern history we have seen such radical steps taken.  However it is not a new idea!  More than 3000 years ago God instructed his people to self isolate when they had contagious infections and diseases.  Usually the isolation was for a period of 7 days, followed by a further 7 if they were well.  If however, they were not well, they had to live outside the camp on their own.  Isn’t the Bible amazing?  God knew about these things long before we did. 

 

How does Jesus respond to those who are isolated and cut off from society?  One day a man like this, with an infectious disease, comes to Jesus, falls to his knees and begs to be made clean.  Jesus isn’t afraid, nor does he turn the man away.  Rather he is filled with compassion and reaches out, touching the man.