It has now been over three months since the first case of Covid-19 was diagnosed in the USA. Other nations were infected earlier. Let’s take a look at what has happened and see if Yehovah was sending a message to the entire world.
Yehovah said He would give a sign showing when He would begin to shake the nations in this end time. That sign has already arrived. Do you know what it is?
Haggai 2:21, “Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
Haggai 2:7, ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Yehovah of hosts.
Amos 9:9, “For behold, I am commanding, and I will shake the house of Israel among all nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, but not a kernel will fall to the ground.
Isaiah 13:13, Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place at the fury of the Yehovah of hosts in the day of His burning anger.
Hebrews 12:22-28, 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living Elohim, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, 23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to Elohim the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Yeshua, the mediator of a new covenant, (Jeremiah 31:31) and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel. 25 See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven, 26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.” (Haggai 2:6) 27 This phrase, “Yet once more” signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’shave grace, through which we serve Elohim acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 for our Elohim is a consuming fire. (Deuteronomy 4:24)
The book of Haggai ties step by step to the return of Yeshua HaMashiach. Elohim gives a sign of when He would start shaking the nations. It has everything to do with events never before encountered and the persecution of all mankind
“And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Yehovah of hosts” (Haggai 2:7). Elohim always keeps His Set-Apart people up to date in specific and direct ways. He would certainly let His Set-Apart people know when and how He will shake the nations.
We have and are witnessing some interesting events. This virus, Covid-19, is new according to medical scientist. To the human cell system, it looks like a friendly virus. This Covid-19, like many viruses, is able to mutate and fight for survival. In its struggle for survival, it seeks a host. It cannot enter the body and do any harm unless the host helps the virus though touch and breath. The virus gains entrance when the host’s hands are not washed properly, the fingertips are not cleansed correctly and touching the mouth, eyes, or open areas such as cut, wounds, or scraps. Once in the body, the virus invades cells and begins to set up a homestead in the body through the cellular system. If the immune system is compromised and infection thrives, the Covid-19 grows resulting in sickness and even death.
Whether or not the Chinese government knew of this virus in the wet markets in Wuhan Province is still debated. Whether or not the Chinese government is solely responsible for the outbreak is still debated. What we know is this virus became rogue and spread infection to the entire world. The outbreak is worldwide which leads me to think that this manmade fiasco maybe part of the predicted end-times events. It is something Yehovah allowed to occur.
Is this the end? No, I do not think so. However, I do think that this episode is part of the shaking events getting us closer to the end. Elohim will shake the nations. How He does it has been a mystery and a topic for debate for centuries. The words in Haggai 2:6 speak about the shaking and Hebrews 12:25-28 reminds the reader of the certainty of the word spoken by the prophet. Do we understand that Hebrews tells of the certainty of Haggai’s words? So, are we surprised all the nations have been shaken?
This is not the first wave, but perhaps, the third wave with several more to come. The first wave of shaking came when the early church started doing the works of proclaiming the Gospel to the nations. The first wave began in 70 AD and ended by the 4th Century.
The second wave occurred in the early 1900’s when the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) was poured on different venues around the world igniting the surge of power of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) to revive believers to do the work of the evangelist and spread the Gospel to the nations. The passage from Joel 2:28-29 then became the rallying cry of the church.
The first and second wave were ushered as preparatory events of calling men to recognize Elohim and reverence Who He is. These waves were nets to gather in those who chose to follow the Holy Spirit’s (Ruach HaKodesh) wooing and commit themselves to be disciples of Yeshua. The Gospel is the center piece of Elohim’s plan. It always has been central and remains central to the end (Matthew 28-19-20).
The first two waves were forceful in the spiritual domains to extend the Kingdom of Elohim. The two waves were intended to bring man’s soul and spirit back into alignment through choice. The Gospel was preached, taught, and lived so others would ask the question that opens the door to Gospel seeding in that person’s soul and spirit. Though the Gospel is still announced, the world is saturated with Gospel tools to reach the nations. With great advancement comes equal resistance.
The spiritual has cooled. The truth of the Word has been gutted and watered down. Religion has become passé for many. The Church follows the world’s culture and slowly accepts it as norm. The result is little difference in the believer and non-believer in the marketplace. With this, Elohim has determined it is time for another shaking. His calendar is almost completed in regard to His timetable.
We are in the midst of another shaking. This shaking is centered in the religious realm targeting all, but especially targeting the religious leadership. Denominational and local church leadership have a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof and teach that to others. They speak with little depth or true revelation and proclaim what people want to hear for they fear running off the flock. Programs, agendas, the latest method and the exchange of Biblical teaching for a short version provides facts but not experience is what is prevalent today. Those leaders have allowed the corruption of the church to become significant. Priesthood of the believers is taught as a privilege and feel good experience. Titles and positions are sought masking an egocentric driven desire. The call to do comes from a desire to be and not from Elohim’s direction and instruction. The Prophet Malachi has much to say about the compromise priesthood. A shaking will reveal what is true and real.
The church leadership in the nations is being called into question. Elohim is demanding for His Set-Apart people to be His priests, wearing His garments, speaking His word, and performing the task He ascribed. The shaking involves exposure. What is hidden is being revealed. What is false is being exposed. Is there a cushion of help for the believer? Only if the believers have been wise to read the times and seasons predicted. Elohim calls and warns before He institutes judgment (Matthew 10:26).
~ Philip Pedroza