In the previous article some evidence were presented from Christianity and Islam on the speech delivered by Joe Wright the minister in which he talked about the pandemic that spread throughout the world today as a sign on the evil that spread massively but it is also a message from God- Glory to His name- to each soul for repentance.
The first time the plague was mentioned in Christianity in Exodus, when Moses and Aaron told thePharaoh to let the people of Israel go, “So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”With a quick glimpse in the Holy Bible we will notice a strong bond between the plague and the sin, as for an example:
- When Pharaoh refused God’s message to let the Hebrews go out of Egypt, God sent a warning: “Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth.”
- God warned his people from sins: “And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you…”
- When the people gathered against Moses and Aaron: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” … “Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred…”
- When the people sinned to God and worshipped Baal of Peor, the wrath of God has gone on them and those who died in the plague were twenty four thousand; as David the prophet said: “Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them.”
In addition the plague was mentioned in Islam in Surah Al-Baqarah when it afflicted the people of Israel: (Have you not considered those who left their homes in many thousands, fearing death? Allah said to them, “Die”; then He restored them to life. And Allah is full of bounty to the people, but most of the people do not show gratitude.)
Also the plague was mentioned in Hadiths: (Plague is a calamity which was sent to Bani Isra’il or upon those who were before you. So when you hear that it has broken out in a land, don’t go to it, and when it has broken out in the land where you are, don’t run out of it.)
Moreover it was mentioned in Islam that all catastrophes that occur are due to man’s behavior in evil: as in Surah Ali Imran: (is like that of a wind containing frost which strikes the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys it.)
In Surah Al-Isra: “Then do you feel secure that [instead] He will not cause a part of the land to swallow you or send against you a storm of stones?”In Surah Al-Fajr: ([All of] whom oppressed within the lands. And increased therein the corruption.So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.Indeed, your Lord is in observation). By that all the evil that occurred to men became a consequent to their evil deeds; and that was mentioned in Surah Ash-Shuraa: (And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.)
It is God’s clear message to the world: to return to Him and all humans must do all good towards each others with all its kinds at any time, Is there any hope?! Is there any man who distinguishes between good and evil?! Is there any man who seeks God?! Is there any man who walks with honesty?! Is there any man who doesn’t accept deviation?! Is there any man who cares about the other?! Does anyone care for the poor?! Does anyone realize what happens and rush for cure?! Is there anyone who learns the lesson and preaches himself before preaching the other?! Is there any man?!!
Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop,
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
