Once again, our world has been thrown into turmoil by a tiny virus. The emergence of Omicron, the latest variant of the COVID-19 virus, has resulted in renewed fears of illness and death, closed borders, financial turmoil, and new rounds of restrictions intended to curb its spread.
This is the second “variant of concern” on CDC’s list, the first being the Delta variant. But CDC also is tracking “variants being monitored” by the names of Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon, Eta, Iota, Kappa, Mu and Zeta.
Are you thinking what I am thinking?
Right about now, what we really need is the Alpha and Omega!
I am not joking. The timing of Omicron and Advent is more than a coincidence, at least in my view. It’s an opportunity (likely intended).
The latest iteration of the COVID-19 pandemic, once again, serves as a reminder that the world in which we live is out of our control and can inflict destruction at will, regardless of our human attempts to prevent it. And yet, the latest wave comes at a time when we also are reminded we have nothing to fear if we accept a few truths. Let’s revisit some of those:
“The earth is the LORD’s, and all it contains…” – Psalm 24:1
“For by Him all things were created, both in heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. For He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” – Col. 1:16-17.
“I am the LORD, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.” – Isaiah 45:6-7
We could proof text God’s power over creation all day long, but I’ll spare you. Except for just this one more:
“‘I am the Alpha and Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” – Rev. 1:8
Depending on where you stand in relation to God, this truth of this verse is either the absolute greatest comfort you currently have or the greatest terror you may one day experience. Either way, it renders Omicron yet another temporary minor disturbance. The only question is when you will come to terms with that reality.
Five verses before this one, the apostle John shares this: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it, for the time is near.” – Rev. 1:3. In other words, blessed is he who believes!
The prophecy, of course, is spelled out in overwhelming detail in the remainder of the book. (It’s a critical prophecy for every Christian to understand – I invite you to view Dr. Marty Baker’s series on Revelation, which you can find HERE.) Ultimately, however, the prophecy is about one truth – the return of Jesus Christ.
He is coming… again!
He is coming to judge and destroy wickedness in the world (Rev. 17-18). He is coming to bind Satan and his followers, before casting them into an eternity of torment (Rev. 20:1-10). He is coming to judge the living and the dead (Rev. 20:11-15).
But He is also coming to redeem the faithful (Rev. 7), and to usher in a new heaven and earth – where He will dwell with His believers in peace, love and joy (Rev. 21). Take a moment and reflect on the words from heaven that John so faithfully recorded:
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’” – Rev. 21:3-4
As I write this, the day is Dec. 1, 2021. We are just 24 days from the day in which we remember, reflect upon and celebrate the moment Jesus first came into the world to save us. But if you believe in Him, do you also believe in the totality of His salvific work? Do you believe not only in your personal salvation, but also in the fact that Jesus is “making all things new”, as He Himself told us? (Rev. 21:5)
I truly pray that the sheer joy of that truth will reside deeply in your heart this Christmas season, and every day beyond – because that is the true gift we’ve been given.
If you happened upon this post and have not accepted – or even thought about – the fact that Jesus is God, I hope you might. The gift He offers is to redeem you to Himself and free you from the bondage of sin and the brokenness of this world. When the Alpha and Omega reigns in your heart, the Delta and Omicron have no lasting consequence. I pray you will accept this gift even this very day, and in that experience a truly Merry Christmas.
