#230: WHAT DO YOU SEE IN TRUE GOD’S PEOPLE AND HIS COMMUNITY?

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN TRUE GOD’S PEOPLE AND HIS COMMUNITY? 

What is naturally reflected upon God’s redeemed people, or what those who look on His faith community at a distance actually see in it is more important than individual believer’s faith profession...

The testimony of the missionary nurse who survived the deadly Ebola virus reveals how the Lord brought back into her mind His Word and His peace in the darkness...

Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face towards the wilderness. When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his message: ‘The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,　the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened: ‘How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling-places, Israel! ‘Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. ‘Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted. ‘God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them. Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness – who dares to rouse them? ‘May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!’ Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, ‘I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.  Now leave at once and go home! I said I would reward you handsomely, but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.’ Balaam answered Balak, ‘Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,  “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD – and I must say only what the LORD says”?  Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.’ …… ‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth. 

NUMBERS 24:1-17.

Balaam looked out from the top of Peor, near Pisgah and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe in the plains of Moab. Then the Spirit of God came upon him and he uttered his oracle. He was stricken by its beauty, where he unmistakably saw God’s power over His people and their admirable order and harmony, despite their tents being weather-beaten, homely, and physically worn out. The very unity and harmony of God’s community is itself the most precious witness of Him to the world, to those who looked upon it at a distance.

The tribes of Israel encamped according to Moses’ instructions, as written in Nu.1-4: 

‘"The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family." On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard…On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard…Then the Tent of Meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in his own place under his standard. On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard…On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan, under their standard…’ (Lines added).

This shows how precisely Israel’s camp was located. The twelve tribes of Israel were grouped into four camps, each of which consisted of three tribes, and they were rallied around the tribal banner of the lead tribe - the camp of Judah was east of Levites, the camp of Reuben was south of Levites, the camp of Ephraim west of Levites, and the camp of Dan north of Levites, all of whose centre was the camp of Levites.

With rabbinical precision, the shape of the camp was extended according to the numbers of the four tribal groups’ population with respect to cardinal direction only, i.e., east, south, west and north alone. This means that the camp of Levites was set up around the Tent of Meeting (the tabernacle) in the shape of square, and on each of the four sides, by the width of Levite’s camp, the other camps were encamped in four cardinal directions, with each camp’s length proportional to the total population in each camp. Rather amazingly, the resulting form of complying strictly with the instructions written in Nu.1-4 is that of a giant cross, which Balaam would have seen clearly from above as he looked out at the top of Mount Peor. Moreover, he would have seen the redeemed people’s abundance, blessings, tremendous power, security and eternal victory, which he expressed astoundingly in his oracles. 

Balaam remained the same, however, even after tasting God’s goodness and God’s people’s admirable unity and security. He took all the praise of his God-given oracle to himself and magnified himself by boasting of his own ability to receive God’s revelation and the fact that God chose him to reveal Himself. Thus, despite a direct encounter with the Lord Himself and having received His revelation, the pagan prophet Balaam did not open his heart to accept the Lord as His redeemer, who would sanctify him of his sins. He had neither true fear of God nor faith in Him because he did not love Him at all. Consequently, his pride, covetousness and questionable motivations came to open a door to the Devil’s scheme, and he was killed by the Israelites who fought the war of ‘the Lord’s vengeance’. Later chapters in Numbers reveal how Balaam counselled the Moabite king Balak to entice the Israelites to sexual immorality and idolatry; the worship of the ‘Baal of Peor’. As Balaam himself uttered in his oracle, the consequence of opposing God and His people was destruction: 

‘"Ah, who can live when God does this? Ships will come from the shores of Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin."’ (24:23-24).

What is naturally reflected upon God’s redeemed people, or what those who look on His faith community at a distance actually see in it is more important than individual believer’s faith profession, as Balaam saw the reflection of the cross, God’s redemptive power and unity in the Israelites’ community. Shortly before her entrance to the Promised Land Canaan, up to that time Israel had at least kept His goodness and perfect order within her community until her sudden apostasy by Balaam’s seductive scheme in chapter 25. Paul’s warning might come to home to our heart: 

‘Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”… These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ... So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God’ (1Co.10:7, :11-12, :31).

   The following article about Nancy Writebol’s and her husband’s testimonies well reveals how a Christ’s true witness is to be (Excerpted from ‘Ebola Is a Spiritual Battle: The missionary nurse who survived the deadly virus says medicine alone won't cure West Africa,’ interviewed by Morgan Lee on 15th Oct.’14, Christianity Today Magazine). 

Since the Ebola outbreak began this spring, nearly 10,000 instances of the virus have been recorded—and that number could grow to 1.4 million, says the Centers for Disease Control… The threat barely registered on Americans’ radar until SIM nurse Nancy Writebol and Samaritan’s Purse doctor Kent Brantly were both diagnosed in July. This week, the first person diagnosed with Ebola inside the United States died, and five U.S. airports announced they are instating screening procedures for travelers arriving from West Africa.
Writebol, who has previous experience working in Ecuador and Zambia, moved to Liberia with her husband, David, in 2013. Nearly a month into treating infected patients, Writebol learned she herself had contracted Ebola. After she and Brantly failed to improve in West Africa, they were flown back to the United States, where they both were treated with the experimental and controversial ZMapp antibodies. Both recovered fully.
Writebol and David, currently based in North Carolina, spoke with CT editorial resident Morgan Lee about treating Ebola, where God went during her illness, and her thoughts about those who protested her return to the States.
What is a Liberian hospital like during an epidemic?
In many of the hospitals, there was no protective gear, and nurses were working without gloves and masks. We [SIM] had the advantage of being partnered with Samaritan’s Purse, which had flown in everything we needed to protect our healthcare workers. But still there was fear of being in an isolation unit and working with people. It took time before nurses could see that, yes, they could be protected and go in and come back out and be disinfected.
How did culture affect how you provided health care?
It was hard on families, if they had a patient or family members who were dying of Ebola, to not be able to touch the bodies if they did pass away. In African culture, customarily, after death they do a body washing, so there’s a lot of touching. Once a person dies, that’s when the viral load is at its peak.
David: There’s also a good deal of stigma from the community. People would not take their family members to an isolation unit because they knew it would be regarded as a death sentence. Instead, they would try to keep them hidden at home.
Media have chronicled West Africans who believe so strongly in the healing power of faith that when treating or interacting with diseased friends and family, they have not followed Western medical practices. Did you find that to be true?   

David: We saw that. There were people advertising that if you drank this water or got a treatment from a local traditional healer, it would stop Ebola. It was difficult to convince members of the community, to help them understand that these other things are a detriment rather than a help. It’s really a question of confidence and trust.
How has the Liberian church reacted to Ebola?
Many churches are trying to help with Ebola education. For instance, in churches like the one we attended, Sunday morning is like any U.S. church, where you shake hands and greet people. But in the beginning stages of Ebola, right away pastors were saying, “We’re not going to shake hands.” They were greeting in different ways.
Why did local pastors follow the advice of the medical community?
They had trust and years of history with SIM’s Eternal Love Winning Africa (ELWA) Hospital being there. That’s not to say we didn’t have some who were not totally on board. But there was a relationship built between pastors working with our hospital and the church and our leadership.
When you’re trying to educate people, a lot of times it comes down to the relationship you have with leadership.
You mentioned a general distrust of Westerners. What does that stem from?
David: It probably has to do with the recent history of Liberia, in terms of the 15 years of civil war that ended in 2003. There was a general distrust of anybody and everybody. Money was coming in—and money is always a temptation—and Western support and finances would come into the country that never really reached the lower levels.
How did you wrestle spiritually with the fact that you contracted Ebola and lived while many of your colleagues did not?  

It is a wrestle. First of all, we don’t know the mind of God and why the Lord allowed me to survive and some of my African brothers and sisters not to survive. I just have to say that God is so great, and that we don’t know his mind and we don’t want to put him in a box: “This is how God should work or shouldn’t work.”
God has allowed us to survive, and there are many African brothers and sisters who are surviving Ebola. We give God glory for those who are surviving. But it’s like cancer or any disease: some survive and some don’t. I trust the Lord in what he’s doing and how he’s working. He’s brought awareness to the Ebola crisis, which has helped in getting a vaccine and a serum that can maybe help, and in raising awareness for the rest of the African countries that are suffering.
Did you ever ask God why you got sick?
I don’t know that I ever asked “Why, God?” or “Why?” I know that I received peace from the Lord. It doesn’t mean that there weren’t dark times. All of us in Liberia felt that the week that Dr. Brantly and I were really struggling, there was a spiritual battle going on—there were some very, very dark days. But also in the darkness, the Lord brought back into my mind his Word and his peace. The question I asked was, “How? How did I contract Ebola?” There’s no answer for that. We were taking all the precautions. That opens up a whole other set of medical questions: How long is Ebola living? Where did we pick it up?
To what extent had you already been thinking through these theological issues simply because you had been treating Ebola for several weeks?
I always felt safe going. I trusted the Lord that we were the hands and feet of Christ. I had experienced Christ’s peace way before I ever contracted Ebola. [After I got sick,] my relationship with the Lord deepened, knowing he was in control. He was in control of what was happening, and it was not a surprise to God. He has our days numbered.
There’s been a robust discussion in the States about the ethics of administering ZMapp to Western medical professionals, even though the virus had already begun to spread several months ago. What did you make of the debate?   

We were told about the ZMapp. We knew it had been an experimental drug and that it had never been tested on humans. We knew there was a question about whether it would be effective in us and our African brothers and sisters. There was also a question of what the ramifications would be if it was given to our African brothers and sisters. What if neither Kent nor myself survived? Those types of questions are not easily answered.
We did know there was a possibility that it could have an adverse effect on us when we took it—we knew that—yet we also knew we weren’t getting any better. Yes, afterward we knew there were many ethical questions: “Why did we receive it and not our African brothers and sisters?” That’s a hard question for anyone to answer.
Do Samaritan’s Purse and SIM provide the majority of healthcare infrastructure in Liberia?
Samaritan’s Purse and SIM were the only ones providing services to Ebola patients in Foya and Monrovia from early June until early August. They have handed over the Ebola treatment centers to the Liberian Ministry of Health and Doctors Without Borders. Other entities and hospitals depend upon the availability of staff willing to work.
Is it harder to fight Ebola when many of the medical professionals are not Liberian?
Our hospital had five Western doctors, but seven or eight Liberian doctors were serving alongside them. There is a real trust of ELWA, but just look at what happened in Guinea recently with the attack on healthcare workers. In different areas in Monrovia and different parts of the country, there’s a lack of trust in some expatriate healthcare workers.
How did you react when you heard about Americans protesting bringing you and Brantly back to the States?
Even here there is lack of knowledge about the virus. If you have somebody in isolation, and they’re in a plane that has an isolation pod and brought in by people who are in ppes [Personal Protective Equipment], there’s very little chance of someone contracting Ebola. Every precaution was taken. I liked what [Emory Hospital] doctor Bruce Ridner said: “They’re one of our own.”
Did you feel angry or frustrated toward those who protested?
No, I just thought, it’s people who don’t understand the situation. It’s an education issue even on our side of things. I’ve had Americans put their hands up and say, “Don’t come any closer,” even after the Centers for Disease Control announced we were Ebola-free. I have a very respectful fear of the Ebola virus. We need to take serious precautions.
Do you see yourself going back?
It won’t be in 2014. Possibly 2015. I would like to see the people we worked alongside and be able to encourage them. [But] we don’t know how this epidemic is going to go.
What did you learn in Liberia that might change how people react to the crisis?
Liberia is where God called us. We truly care about our West African brothers and sisters and what they are experiencing. We went to a Liberian church and had fellowship with them. Being part of the body of Christ was a blessing for us. We were at the elwa compound, where the hospital was as well as the radio station and school. There was a church there—not the church that we attended, we attended one of the Liberian churches in the community and so were able to get to know people within the community better too.
It’s a spiritual issue. We’re living in a spiritual battle for people’s lives and for people to come to know Christ as their Savior.

We hope all the blessings and peace of this special Season
Will light up your life with Faith, Hope and Love.
Wherever and Whoever we are, 　　　　　　　
JESUS CHRIST is God’s Gift for us!