PROPHET REBUKES CORONAVIRUS

“Prophet” Cindy Jacobs declares Coronavirus “illegal” in Jesus’ name.

                                  
In early March 2020, self-styled “prophet” Cindy Jacobs took authority over the coronavirus, declared it “illegal” and decreed for it to stop.

This is the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djwg68rHB_U&t=165s

To hear her, please fast forward to 52.30 and watch till the end.

The context of the video is a national day of prayer where CJ and other leaders joined together to pray against the viral epidemic and also pray for healing for those affected … a commendable act indeed.

On 9^th March 2020, in response to the above video, I shared this in social media and posed several questions:

EARTH-SHATTERING DECLARATION BY "PROPHET" CINDY JACOBS

Do you believe in the authority of this self-proclaimed prophet?

Can modern-day prophets command drought and rain like Elijah?

Didn't Jesus warn us that the end times will be marked by pestilences as part of the "birth pangs"?

Didn't Hebrews 12:26 tell us that there will be great shaking of the earth and heavens?

Furthermore, is the viral epidemic an issue of legality (since she used legal terms like illegal and decree)?

A few days later, true to my expectation, on 12th March 2020, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the outbreak had worsened to become a pandemic.

Even before the announcement by WHO, I had already sensed that all was not right with her “authoritative” declaration against the virus; I was proven right a few days later by WHO. 

Let us deal with the above questions,one by one.

Do you believe in the authority of this self-proclaimed prophet?

Most modern-day “prophets” are long on showmanship but short on truth … long on style but short on content. They appear impressive on stage, making empty declarations of power and authority … and the naïve and gullible are fooled.

The fact she rebuked the virus in early March but the outbreak worsened a few days later (became a pandemic) shows us that she is a false prophet.

Can modern-day prophets command drought and rain like Elijah?

Again, the answer is No. These so-called prophets can lay claim to signs like gold dust and angel feathers but it is clear they have no authority over viruses or the weather. Those who claim they have the same degree of anointing as Elijah are deluded. Some say believers should speak to the mountain (an insurmountable situation) as a demonstration of great faith but the question is whether it is God's will to take authority over and put a stop to the spread of the virus. “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him” (Mark 11:23).

Didn't Jesus warn us that the end times will be marked by pestilences as part of the "birth pangs"?

Yes, Jesus warns us that there will be earth-shaking events including wars, famines and pestilences (Luke 21:11). Isn’t Cindy Jacobs aware that she is praying against what is expressly mentioned in scriptures? She may sound authoritative as a "prophet" against the stirring background music but those words neither originate from the Holy Spirit (or else it will be fulfilled) nor are aligned with scriptures (Luke 21:11). And the Spirit never contradicts the Word.

Didn't Hebrews 12:26 tell us that there will be great shaking of the earth and heavens?

Yes, this shaking of the earth found in Hebrews is a parallel to that found in Luke 21:11. Pestilences are part of this global shaking.

Finally, is the viral epidemic an issue of legality (since she used legal terms like illegal and decree)?

No, it is not an issue of legality but a massive health, social and economic problem that requires the cooperation of the medical community, people and government. Doctors need to come up with measures to detect cases, isolate and treat patients; people must be responsible and take measures like wearing masks, social distancing, self-quarantine and frequent hand washing; government must have the political will to shut their borders or impose shutdown in affected areas or a whole city/region (as in the case of Wuhan/Hubei, China).

Once again, we have to be reminded not to judge prophets by their hype, popularity, charisma or fame but by the validity of their declaration. Has it been fulfilled? Is it scriptural? Jesus warns us there will be many end-time false prophets. The ultimate test of a prophet is whether what they proclaim is true or false and whether it aligns with scriptures or not. On both counts, CJ has failed.

                                                                          

Let us now look at the track record of Cindy Jacobs:

Past failed prophecy by Cindy Jacobs: "Brother Eddie, God showed me that you will be the President of the Philippines." (Watch video from 6.12).   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAW_sl0MRDc

By the way, have you heard of such a guy who became the President of the Philippines? CJ said that God showed her that Eddie would be a great public figure. Isn’t that taking God’s name in vain? "Eddie Villanueva ran for the 2010 presidential election where he lost for the second time; he finished fifth out of nine presidential candidates with 1,125,878 votes or 3.12% of the total votes."  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Villanueva

In investment (unit trust), past performance is not an indication of future results. But when we judge the validity of prophecy, the opposite is true ie. past is a good indication of the present and future. False prophecy made by a "prophet" in the past should make us extremely vigilant and cautious now about his or her ministry.

Past vague prophecy by Cindy Jacobs: https://bit.ly/2WjPkkH

When prophecies are vague, depict a wide A to Z scenario, we know that this is one of the characteristics of a false prophet:

“I want you to pray. The next two years, the Lord is showing me, are going to be extremely significant for the Philippines. Either you’re going to go into greatness, it’s going to be that transformed nation, or, I see that there’s going to be some troubled times.” – Cindy Jacobs

This type of “prophecy”, if you can deem it so, attempts to cover all the likely scenarios in future so that no one can accuse the prophet if the event does not come to pass.

It is not difficult to spot out false prophets. We need discernment of the Holy Spirit and a mind renewed by scriptures.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

(1 Corinthians 2:14-16)

I am hesitant to say this but it has to be done: Churches in Malaysia and our southern neighbour are so awed and mesmerised by "apostles" and "prophets" (such as Bill Johnson, Cindy Jacobs) from the West that they willingly give them free access to their pulpits. Why? Often because we think what comes from the West must be good. By failing to judge correctly, many believers have been and will be led astray.

How many times did Jesus warn about end-time deception in Matthew chapter 24? Answer: four times. https://bit.ly/39XClcs

Unfortunately, not many believers take the Lord’s warning to heart. Many lack discernment and a good understanding of scriptures which enable them to avoid being deceived.

Even as I write this blog post, my country is coming under an order by the government to restrict non-essential movement and travel from 18^th to 31^st March 2020. Though it is not a total lockdown, it shows that the Malaysian government is serious in tackling the coronavirus issue. Empty words spoken on stage (like declaring a virus illegal) are futile. Only the concerted effort by the medical community, people and government will be able to contain and mitigate this pandemic with its far-reaching impact on the economy and the way we live, work and play. 

                                                                         
Prophets like Cindy Jacobs need to be reminded of this quote:

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”

― Abraham Lincoln

 

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CORONAVIRUS: JUDGMENT FROM GOD?

Is the Covid-19 pandemic a sign of God’s judgment?

                                                             

Some teachers say that Covid-19 is a judgment from God. I am not so sure about that. And I am not going to spend time debating with them on such a controversial issue.

However, I would like to humbly share my viewpoint on the significance of this viral outbreak, which in March 2020 has turned into a pandemic (as declared by WHO).

In Hebrews 12: 25-29, we read that there will come a time when there is a great SHAKING of the heavens and earth: 

“See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

This is a warning to Jewish believers then (and to all believers today) not to turn their backs on God (apostasy) or willfully live in sin. If not, God will not spare them but judge them. 

The present shaking (read Covid-19) represents a warning of God’s impending judgment as God is a consuming fire and will not leave apostasy or sin unpunished (Hebrews 12:29). 

Because sinful man’s heart is constantly hardened towards God, the writer of Hebrews repeatedly warns (Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26-27, Hebrew 10:39) about the danger of apostasy and sin, culminating in Hebrews 12:29, which portrays God as a consuming fire. He is the ultimate Judge. His attribute of justice requires that sin cannot be left unpunished.

As a parallel to this end-time shaking alluded to in Hebrews 12, Jesus shares in the Olivet Discourse that there will be global upheaval or turmoil:

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

(Luke 21:10-11)

All these calamities are part of the end-time “birth pangs”, the beginning of sorrows. The worst is yet to come … the Great Tribulation.

So Covid-19 is a warning of impending judgment, not judgment itself. Similarly, the plague of locusts descending into East Africa, destroying crops and causing famine is another warning of impending judgment, like Covid-19. 

Both the Covid-19 pandemic and locust plague are pestilences as mentioned by Christ. While the virus indirectly causes great financial loss and probably famine for some, the locusts cause famine directly. 

It is as if God is shaking the heavens and earth and saying, “Wake up, sinful world! Jesus is coming again, repent, be vigilant get ready, otherwise you will face judgment.”

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

(Luke 21:34-36)

When something is important, it will be repeated all over the Bible. So, apart from the above warnings in Hebrews 12 and Luke 21, Jesus also warns in Matthew 24 and Matthew 25:

1.    Parable of the faithful and unfaithful servants (Matthew 24:45-51)

2.    Parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)

3.    Parable of the talents  (Matthew 25:14-30)

4.    Separation of sheep from goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

For our own spiritual welfare, I suggest we study these passages carefully and put them into practice. The last one, separation of sheep from goats, is not a parable but an allegorical picture of future judgment when Christ returns. 

Notice that Christ repeatedly warns that there will be a separation of good and evil. He used farming and fishing metaphors, which were familiar to the listeners in that era, to get His point across:

In the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43), the tares will be gathered and burnt whereas the wheat will be preserved.

In the Parable of Dragnet (Matthew 13:47-52), the kingdom of heaven is like a net full of fish. When the net is full, men will select the good fish and discard the bad ones.

Another reason why I believe that CovId-19 is not God’s judgment is this: In the Old Testament there is a direct ‘cause and effect’ relationship between refusal to repent and judgment. For example, God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh to preach a message of repentance; if the inhabitants of the city fail to repent, they will be judged. I do not see a similar ‘cause and effect’ relationship in the current viral outbreak. 

When Job was afflicted with disease, his friends attributed it to hidden sin in his life. But this was subsequently disproved. God vindicated Job in the eyes of his friends by showing them they were wrong (Job 42:7) and blessing Job manifold (Job 42:10). 

People can be so simplistic like Job’s friends, not knowing that God makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Evil people may prosper and enjoy good health whereas the righteous can be stricken by poverty or disease …and even die prematurely (Psalm 73:11-14). There is no definite correlation between holiness and temporal blessings though the latter often follow those who are faithful. The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life (Proverbs 22:4).

Thus, we cannot glibly say, “You are sinful and that’s why you are stricken with Covid-19.”

Covid-19, just like other diseases, is a consequence of the Fall. It can be traced back to the original sin of Adam and Eve … when the Garden of Eden turned from a paradise into a curse and, subsequently, everything in this world turned topsy-turvy.

This global viral pandemic is part of the end-time cluster of earth-shaking calamities and characteristics which include pestilences, famines, earthquakes, wars, rumours of wars, persecution, false prophets, deception, moral decadence, apostasy and man’s love of self, pleasure and money. All this SHAKING is meant to wake us up spiritually.

To recap, Covid-19 is a warning of impending judgment, not judgment itself. It is as if God is shaking the heavens and earth and saying, “Wake up, sinful world! Jesus is coming again, repent, be vigilant get ready, otherwise you will face judgment.”

POSTSCRIPT

CORONAVIRUS: SIGN OF IMPENDING JUDGMENT, NOT JUDGMENT ITSELF

Is the coronavirus pandemic a manifestation of God’s wrath? No, we are still living in a period of grace when people still have the chance to repent and turn to God for forgiveness of sins (2 Peter 3:9). This viral outbreak is one sign among many other signs of impending judgment  (earthquakes, wars, famines and great spiritual and moral decline). God is indeed shaking the planet to warn us that He is coming back to judge the earth.

God’s judgment on the world at large comes when Jesus returns. The unveiling of God’s wrath is symbolically portrayed by the seven trumpets (Revelation 8) and seven bowls or vials (Revelation 16). The trumpets blast out God’s wrath. The bowls are receptacles out of which God’s wrath is poured out. 

Remember, we are still living in a period of grace though there is great shaking on earth and in the heavens: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance”(2 Peter 3:9).

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CORONAVIRUS: JUDGMENT FROM GOD?

Is the Covid-19 pandemic a sign of God’s judgment?

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