I recall a movie I once watched while in Kenya. The movie, “The Ghost and the Darkness”, left me without sleep for several days. This true story portrayed “mystery” lions dragging humans off to their death in the night hours. I believe the lions were demon possessed. By nature, lions do not have a taste for human blood. We know from New Testament theology that demons’ first choice is to possess humans; however, they will inhabit animals, houses, empty neglected spaces, and so forth. The lions in the movie were eventually killed, and their heads are now mounted in a Chicago museum.
Today, the COVID-19 pandemic is much like the movie “The Ghost and the Darkness.” The mystery of not knowing at what hour, or when the disease my strike, or infect, can be tormenting. Sometime ago, a Baptist minister by the name of Howard Pittman, witnessed the “mystery demon” as revealed in his book describing his near-death encounter. On August 3, 1979, his aortic artery ruptured. Within hours, he suffered physical death. Pittman was lifted from his body by guardian angels and allowed to see the second heaven and Satan’s dominion. Upon his return, Pittman revealed that he witnessed demons, their hierarchy, and their operations. One demon especially worth noting, was the “mystery demon”. This demon was just that. He was a non-descript demon who inflicted mysterious sickness and disease.
Is this global pandemic demonic? While it most certainly is not engineered by God, many of the “cloth” would argue that the Corona Virus is God’s judgement, or some green earth climate imbalance. At certain times, as recorded in scriptures, God was ready to smite many. However, the prayers of a few righteous halted His decree, and turned the situation to one of rescue. As this pandemic coincides with Pesach (Passover), we see the commandments to obey God, anoint the doorposts of our homes, and trust the angel of death to “Pass Over” our homes and families.
The journey into the darkness requires the luggage of faith, physical preparedness, prayer, and teamwork. It requires all hands-on deck, placing bickering aside, establishing home altars, and partaking in communion in covenant with God, and above all, in Shalom (peace). As in Psalm 23, God is pleased to prepare a table in the presence of this enemy. Though “A thousand fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it (evil, disease) shall not come nigh thee”(Psalm 91). We are “thee”. We have very specific promises. It is possible to even prosper in crisis (Psalm 23:5), if we remain anointed and calm.
We petition God not out of fear, nor self preservation, (although nothing is wrong with that), but rather out of a covenant of hope and partnership with Heaven. We are encouraged to pray about everything, tell God our needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. No prayer is too small, too insignificant, or ignored. God is open for business twenty-four eternal hours a day to hear our petition. Even a small child understands how to present a need, desire, or concern. All prayers for healing, mercy, gratefulness are received at the throne of Heaven.
We are going to make it through this journey of darkness and will all see brighter days ahead. We will all see joy as we witness God’s miraculous intervention. Fear not, all is well that ends well. Turn to God for life, not just during the crisis at hand. The light is not at the end of the tunnel; rather, the light is bright to guide us through the shadowed, mysterious, uncertain tunnel.
I’ll leave us with Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Thy is, HaShem, Adonai, and He is faithful!
**Lion image courtesy of National Geographic Gallery, Honolulu, Hawaii.