Disaster and the Church: Old Testament Reflections

Presbyterian Theological University Professor Hee-sook Bae 2020.03.16 It is the inevitable destiny of man to be born, old, sick and die (Eccl. 12:1-7). However, it is certainly not normal to have a large number of deaths collectively in a short period of time. The development of science and medicine seemed to have overcame many diseases, but the appearance of fear and terror in the whole world due to a new virus that appears frequently in recent years, such as Ebola, SARS, and swine flu, reminds us of the limitations of man standing before God. .In particular, Corona 19 has become pandemic beyond epidemic level, showing off unparalleled power compared to the past. Even the official worship service of the church, which has been trying to gather together, has been stopped, so you can guess the destructive power of Corona just by looking at this. While everyone is fully aware of the seriousness of Corona 19, it is as if we have become like "some people who abolish the gathering" (Hebrews 10:26), which adds to the spiritual suffering of believers. In this regard, I will examine the social and theological meaning of the epidemic in the Old Testament, and, in particular, focus on the church's countermeasures to stop worshiping and meetings in the light of the Old Testament. 1. Infectious diseases in the Old Testament There are many diseases in the Old Testament. [Infectious disease, lung disease, fever, inflammation, sickness, boil in Egypt, hemorrhoids, scurvy, skin disease, madness, blindness, mental illness (Deut. 28:21-28), epilepsy or confusion, evil spirits possessed (1 Sam 16), Stroke or myocardial infarction (1 Samuel 25:38), heatstroke/sunstroke (2 Kings 4:18-19), severe intestinal disease (2 Chron 21:15-19), onset of disease (2 Chron 16:12), etc.] In particular, in Deuteronomy, as a result of Israel's doing evil and leaving God, various diseases and natural disasters that fall under the category of "curse, confusion, reproof, and ruin" are listed (Deut. 28:20-28). The plague is taking the first place (Deut. 28:21). As such, the ancient epidemic was a disease that seriously threatened the existence of the community in a short period of time. At that time, the plague, along with war (sword) and famine, was considered the three major plagues (Jeremiah 27:8,13; Ezekiel 5:12-17; 6:11-12; 7:15, etc.). Regarding the nature and damage of the epidemic, the epidemic first mentioned in the Old Testament is the fifth of the ten plagues of the Exodus story. At this time, only all livestock in Egypt were sacrificed (Ex. 9:1-7). The scale of the damage, including livestock and load-carrying animals, was serious, but nevertheless limited to Egyptian livestock aimed at releasing Israel by showing the power of God (literally,'Jehovah's hand') to Pharaoh king of Egypt . When the Israelites who had escaped from Egypt camped at Siddim on the plains of Moab, the plague returned and 24,000 people died (Num. 25:1-9). This was the result of the Israelites engaged in fornication with the women of Moab and even participated in the Baalbeol sacrifice under their influence. If, as some argue, the plague was infected and spread to Israelis who were not immune through sexual contact with Moabite women [M. Sussmann, "Sickness and Desease", The Anchor Bible Dictionary 6 (1992), 6-15.] This was the natural consequence of fornication. However, the Bible makes it clear that an angry God intervened (Num. 25:3-4). The story of the ark of the covenant in 1 Samuel 5-6 tells of a disease that spread violently among the Philistines. When the Philistines who had won the war against Israel took the ark of the covenant, which symbolized the presence of the God of Israel, and brought it to their temples, a "poisonous boil" (1 Sam. 5:6,9,12) struck the whole area and said, "The whole city You will face the tribulation of death" (1 Sam. 5:11). How many people died to say that the cry of the city was about to scream in the sky! In order for the Philistines to avoid this plague, they had to "make the image of a poisonous boil and the image of a rat that harms the earth" (1 Sam. 6:4-5) and offer a quick relief offering. When we look at the principle of regretful magic that imitation of certain objects or phenomena results in similar results to these actions taken by the Philistine priests and divinations, rat-type animals were transferred. It seems to have been an epidemic. This plague was not due to anyone's fault, but to reveal God's power ('God's hand') and glory among the Gentiles as well as Israel. David causes God's wrath by conducting a census when the kingdom seeks peace and prosperity inside and outside (1 Chronicles 21:7) because he tried to show off his achievements by the number of the people, so he was proud of pride and God. Because it revealed a lack of trust. As punishment for David's sin, God proposed three punishments: a seven-year famine, three months of the king's flee, and three days of a plague, and King David chooses the shortest of these (2 Sam. 24: 7; Chronicles 21:7). However, the results were very fatal. The plague that spread throughout the kingdom "from Dan to Beersheba" kills 70,000 people (2 Sam. 24:15; Chronicle 21:14). A dimension of vicarious death appears instead of countless people taking on the sins of this plague's punishment leader. In 701 B.C.E., Sennacherib, the great king of the Assyrian Empire, invaded Judah, conquering 46 fortified cities and numerous surrounding territories, and finally besieged Jerusalem. At this time, Sennacherib sent a military commander to Jerusalem, on the one hand, slandering the God of Israel and demoralizing the people. Like a bird in a cage without any resistance, King Hezekiah, isolated in Jerusalem, had nothing to do but pray. God, who heard his prayer, sent "Jehovah's messenger" and struck the Assyrian camp, and 185,000 people died that night. Due to this, Sennacherib was forced to withdraw and Jerusalem to escape conquest (2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36). We do not know exactly what killed more than 100,000 lives overnight, but it is believed that it was an epidemic caused by poor hygiene in the barracks. [M. Sussmann, "Sickness and Desease", ABD 6 (1992), 6- 15.] In this stem, King Hezekiah is seriously ill (2 Kings 20:1), which, if read in this context, may be the effect of this plague. [M. Barker, "Hezekiah's boil", JSOT 95 (2001), 31-42.] As mentioned so far, the social and theological implications of some of the examples of infectious diseases witnessed in the Old Testament can be summarized as follows. First, the plague was a disease that caused numerous deaths in a short time, and was fatal to both humans and live animals. The plague was more than a disease and was a disaster corresponding to war and famine. Second, infectious diseases can be a natural consequence of hygiene or misconduct. Nevertheless, the Old Testament defines this as a judgment sent by God, not a disease that occurs naturally. Third, the plague as God's judgment has the dimension of vicarious suffering in which a large number of others pay the punishment of the sinner(s) on their behalf. This is especially evident in the'Song of Jehovah's servant' (Isaiah 53:4-5). This teaches that the idea that a person infected with Corona 19 today suffers from his own sins is wrong. Now in light of this, I would like to think about measures to stop the church's official worship service due to the Corona 19 incident. 2. Criticism and prohibition of sacrifices in the Old Testament In ancient Israel, there were cases where worship was prohibited. All diseases were regarded as God's judgment, especially with skin diseases commonly called leprosy. So, dermatologists were considered ritually unclean, and they were isolated from the community and banned from entering the sanctuary until they had undergone certain cleansing rituals (Le 13:45). This included not only people but also clothes and houses (Le 13:47-59). These regulations may have come from recognizing the infectious nature of the disease. According to the ancient Israeli concept of'holiness', it was natural to isolate this infectious sick person from the sanctuary and from the community seeking the holy sanctuary. If an unclean person enters the sanctuary and the sanctuary becomes unclean, no one can worship God. In the case of the COVID-19 outbreak, official worship is prohibited to the public, not to the sick, because of the spread of infectious diseases. Given that today's society is more mobile and contacted than in ancient times, it makes sense, but is it really biblical for the general public to stop official worship? In dealing with the countermeasure of stopping church worship, what should we consider in the Bible? The Old Testament contains many criticisms of the so-called sacrifices that "obedience is better than sacrifices" (1 Sam. 15:22; Hos 6:6, etc.). However, beyond that, I can't help but be amazed that there were times when God forbade his people to worship the vocation directly. Around 760 B.C., God commanded through the prophet Amos. "But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought." (Amos 5:5) God told the northern Israelites not to go to Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba, which were the three major sanctuaries, but instead, "Find me and you will live" (Amos 5:4). The sanctuary is originally a special place where God is present. So, going to the sanctuary meant offering a sacrifice, and offering a sacrifice itself meant seeking God and at the same time meant salvation and grace. Why did God tell the people not to go to the sanctuary? What did they do to the sanctuary? Let's listen to God's Word. " Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. "(Amos 4:4-5). According to God's Word, the Israelites at that time were happy to go to the sanctuary and offer sacrifices. However, God defines their sacrifice as a crime, and defines them as adding sin. What does it mean that it is a crime for the people to go to the chapel every morning and every three days to give God, in addition to the set tithing and thanksgiving, voluntarily offering numerous gifts? The people did not offer sacrifices to other Gods, nor did they offer sacrifices against the law. What is the problem? In the kingdom of Judah a generation later than Amos, it is easy to see why through Isaiah, who preached the word of God." To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? "(Isaiah 1:11-12) They worshiped and did not worship idols, but the reason God was angry was in the daily life of the sacrificer. They thought that if they offered sacrifices to God, everything was done. There was good reason that the Israelites were pleased to offer all kinds of sacrifices to God. According to Amos, every time a sacrifice was offered with numerous offerings, the priest declared the words "God is with you." Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. (Amos 5:14). Immanuel! This fact that'God is with us' is an eternal truth (Matthew 28). But why is this proclamation of salvation and grace proclaimed in the sacrificial service a problem? The people thought that the people could meet God by offering priests in the sanctuary. Furthermore, it made them feel that in order for God to be with them, they had to offer sacrifices. Thus, the Israelites ceased to seek God in their daily life outside the sanctuary and did not need to find it. Because according to their belief, they could only meet God at the sacrifices, and only the sacrifices guaranteed their safety and prosperity. Thus, the sanctuary became a meeting place for those who brought many offerings and turned into a social place. This frivolous and lowly faith was fostered through sacrificial worship in the sanctuary, filled only with the words of salvation that'God is with you'. [K. W. Neubauer, "Erwägungen zu Amos 5,4-15", ZAW 78,3 (1966), 292-316.] For this reason, God now rejects all sacrifices, meetings and worship. Even today, believers worship at church, and outside the church, they live as they wish. " I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. "(Amos 5:21-23). On the other hand, God says, "Find me, and you will live" (5:4,6). "But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. "(5:5). The sanctuary will soon collapse. The Bible says that we cannot live by offering sacrifices in the sanctuary, but that we must seek God to live. So, if it wasn't a sanctuary to find God, where would we go? "Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. "(5:14), more positively, "Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. "(5:15) God is not a "holy", but in "the gate" You can find God (5:10,12). In ancient times, the gates of the castle were the most common places to pass by everyone, young and old, young and old, and trials took place right there. The castle gate was the place of everyone's life. It is there that the rights of the poor are guaranteed and social justice is realized. Meeting God is like this in everyday life. If a believer simply offers a sacrifice while ignoring and ignoring the situation in the field of everyone's life, it is not true worship, no matter how beautifully there is praise and sacrifices and incense from the fattened beast. This is similar to the fact that Jesus violated the standard of worship at the time by healing and expelling demons on the Sabbath. Despite God's many warnings about false worship, Israel or Judah, who were pleased to go to the sanctuary (without God) and offer sacrifices, eventually perish. The sanctuary was destroyed, the nation was destroyed, and the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. They were taken captive to a foreign country. They wanted to offer sacrifices, but they could not give more. God refused to accept their sacrifices. 3. Suspension of official church services and assemblies due to the outbreak of Corona 19 Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many churches have made the decision to stop official services and all meetings. Even though it is not an era of persecution, we cannot help but disappoint as a believer that worship is officially stopped. Unfortunately, the Old Testament does not provide a direct example of the relationship between the epidemic of Corona 19 and the suspension of official church services. However, in light of the social theological explanations of the epidemic in the Old Testament and the critical prophecies about ritual worship, the current countermeasures to the outbreak of the corona are not anti-Christian measures to "abolish gathering", but to respond to social demands. It deserves to be viewed as a responsible act. Since mass gatherings are actually pointed to the main cause of the spread of the coronavirus, they sympathize with and respond to the social request to temporarily suspend worship services at churches in order to maintain a healthy society. This is like listening to the voices of the "city gate" the prophets cry out, and joining in the desperate circumstances of those who appeal at the "city gate." This is also the specific content of "Immanuel" that God is with us. It is not that we cannot worship God because of the suspension of official church worship due to the Corona 19 incident. The worship where everyone gathered together in the'church' was temporarily suspended, and we are not deprived of the freedom to worship God. The suspension of official church worship due to Corona 19 can be understood as a more active form of worship that participates in neighbors' circumstances. If we think that it is God's ``action'' that rejects our worship with the suspension of official church service due to Corona 19, it may have gone too far, but with this opportunity, we must reflect on the worship of the past. Will. It should be an opportunity to reflect on whether we worshiped to find and meet God, or whether our responsibilities as believers were reduced to worship services offered by the church. Protestantism has received a lot of social criticism and blame. It may be because the content of our faith and the responsibility of our faith were largely confined to worship in the church. Of course, our donations contain the dimension of social participation (Deut. 14:28-29; 26:12). Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that'church worship' is the main content of faith for Korean Protestant believers. I hope that by listening to Amos's declaration that true worship is possible'at the gate', that is, listening to neighbors' voices, I hope that the Corona 19 incident will not abolish worship, but an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of worship. Henrike Frey-Anthes, "Krankheit und Heilung (AT)". http://www.bibelwissenschaft.de/ stichwort/240361. (2019.03.13 ) Sussmann, M. "Sickness and Desease", The Anchor Bible Dictionary 6 (1992), 6-15. Barker, M. "Hezekiah's boil", JSOT 95 (2001), 31-42. Neubauer, K. W. "Erwagungen zu Amos 5,4-15", ZAW 78,3 (1966), 292-316.