Open your eyes and see...

*This post from Anglican Bishop Ikeakor raises interesting questions and should engender discussion among the faifhfuls.*

....IF NOT...THEN WHY THE NOISE...?

"THEN AARON TOOK THE CENSER AS MOSES COMMANDED, AND RAN INTO THE MIDST OF THE ASSEMBLY;AND ALREADY THE PLAGUE HAD BEGUN AMONG THE PEOPLE. SO HE PUT IN THE INCENSE AND MADE ATONEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE. 

...AND AARON THE PRIEST STOOD BETWEEN THE DEAD AND THE LIVING; SO THE PLAGUE STOPPED. " ( NUMBERS 16: 47-48).

....INTELLIGENT WORSHIP OF GOD IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM INTELLECTUAL WORSHIP OF GOD. 

.....INTELLECTUAL WORSHIPPERS SMARTLY AND BOLDLY DECLARE THAT IT IS NOT THE CHURCH THAT IS SHUT DOWN, BUT THE BUILDING. 

.......NOW MY MAIN WORRY AND CONCERN IS: CHURCH LEADERS ARE BOLDLY ASKING THEIR PRIESTS, AND PASTORS TO STAY INDOORS AND PRAY PRIVATELY WHEREAS THE GOVERNMENT HAS MAGNANIMOUSLY DECLARED THAT THOSE ON ESSENTIAL DUTIES SHOULD GO TO WORK. 

..... MY QUESTION: DOCTORS, NURSES, PHARMACISTS ARE ON ESSENTIAL DUTIES..

.....BANKERS ARE ON ESSENTIAL DUTIES? 

......JOURNALISTS AND BROADCASTERS ARE ON ESSENTIAL DUTIES?

.....THE POLICE, ARMY, ROAD SAFETY,  CIVIL DEFENCE Etc ARE ON ESSENTIAL DUTIES? 

.....BUT PASTORS, PRIESTS, AND BISHOPS WHO ARE TAKING CHARGE OVER THE IMMORTAL SOULS OF MEN AND WOMEN HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE NOT ON ESSENTIAL DUTIES????

.....AARON THE PRIEST STOOD BETWEEN THE DEAD AND THE LIVING TO MINISTER TO THE PEOPLE DURING THE PLAGUE. BUT WE HAVE RUN INSIDE OUR HOUSES ASKING OUR CONGREGATIONS AND PARISHIONERS TO MINISTER TO THEMSELVES DURING THE PLAGUE. 

.....AT WHAT POINT DO WE (PRIESTS)LEAD GOD'S FLOCK BY EXAMPLE OF FAITH AND SACRIFICIAL COMMITMENT TO GOD AND HIS PEOPLE? 

......SOME DOCTORS AND MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS HAVE DIED IN THE COURSE OF ATTENDING TO THE VICTIMS OF PANDEMICS, YET OTHERS DID NOT RUN AWAY FOR FEAR OF DEATH. 

......WHAT EXACTLY IS THE MESSAGE CHURCH LEADERS ARE PASSING TO THE WORLD BY KEEPING MUTE AND SHUTTING DOWN CHURCHES? 

......WHERE AND WHEN DO WE DECLARE THE POWER OF RESURRECTION OF CHRIST TO WORLD? 

.....WHERE DOES THE WORLD RUN TO NOW THAT THE CHURCH IS SHUT DOWN? 

.....WHO MINISTERS TO THE AGED, THE SICK, THE DEPRESSED, THE FEARFUL, AND THE HURTING AT SUCH A CRITICAL TIME LIKE THIS ? ....SHOULD IT NOT BE THE PRIESTS AND THE PASTORS? 

......IF IT IS GOD'S WILL THAT WE DIE IN THE COURSE OF MINISTERING TO HIS PEOPLE...

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL WITH THAT? 

......WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW ARE CHRISTIAN MARTYRS MADE....IN THEIR ROOMS AND ABODES OF HIBERNATION? 

......WHAT IS THE IMMUNITY OF THE POLICE, ARMY, FRSC, NSCDC , AND EVEN DOCTORS AGAINST THE PANDEMIC WHY THEY  ARE NOT SHUTTING DOWN? 

......IF THE PRIESTLY WORK AND VOCATION IS NOT AMONG THE ESSENTIAL DUTIES, WE SHOULD ALL RESIGN, AND JOIN THE POLICE, ARMY, JOURNALISTS, AND STOP EXTORTING PEOPLE THROUGH OFFERINGS, TITHES AND SEEDS. 

.....IF WE CANNOT GIVE HOPE TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR TIME OF DISTRESS, WHY SHOULD WE ASK FOR THEIR HELP (TITHES, DONATIONS ETC.) IN TIMES OF  PEACE AND TRANQUILITY? 

.....IF THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST CANNOT BE CHALLENGINGLY AND RISKINGLY DECLARED NOW  BY PRIESTS, PASTORS AND CHURCH LEADERS, WHY THE NOISE AFTER NOW??

......SCIENCE IS FAILING THE WORLD, TECHNOLOGY IS FAILING THE WORLD, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS FAILING THE WORLD. THE LAST HOPE OF THE WORLD IS JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH.  

......IT IS FOOLISH WISDOM TO SHIELD PEOPLE FROM CORONAVIRUS, AND EXPOSE THEM TO THE WRATH OF GOD IN EVERLASTING HELLFIRE.  THEIR BODIES ARE MORTAL, BUT THEIR SOULS ARE IMMORTAL. 

......IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD.  

.....I WANT YOU TO KNOW AND BE ASSURED THAT CHRIST JESUS IN YOU IS THE ONLY HOPE OF GLORY, SAFETY, AND ETERNITY.  

.....WHILE YOU OBSERVE AND KEEP EVERY OTHER PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES FOR SAFETY, REMEMBER THAT THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS IS A STRONG TOWER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS RUN INTO IT AND THEY ARE SAFE AND PROTECTED. 

..... NOTE: " IF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD DOES NOT SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING THIS WRITE UP AFTER READING IT, DON'T RISK THE MISTAKE OF NEGATING IT." KEEP BOTH YOUR COMMENDATION AND CRITICISMS TO YOURSELF.

+Ephraim Ikeakor