There will be new normals because of COVID-19 with long-term prophetic implications. The extent of how that will play out is yet to be seen. The entire episode has set a precedent for overreaching government strong arming people and using fear to get folks to voluntarily abandon their freedoms. Governments have quickly cooperated resulting in people around the world being locked down in their homes. This is a radical departure from the ideals of freedom of assembly and freedom of privacy, among others. It demonstrates that in some cases, such as a worldwide virus, governments can suspend normal freedoms and rights to do what they want. And they can do it very quickly in the name of benevolence.
In America, we already have seen that when the government benevolence goes into action during a crisis, the “little foxes that spoil the vines (Song of Solomon 2:15),” use the crisis to advance their agenda, debating nonsense while people suffer and die. While the act itself has been done by politicians for decades, the precedent has been set that chips away at the Constitutional Republic. Every chip, being a piece of freedom, leaving in its place a sculpture of socialism, the demise of American exceptionalism. While the government grabbing of authority over the people at times may be necessary to protect the population, the lack of sunset provisions to do away with the authority when the crisis passes is telltale of future intent.
Another new normal is the use of technology. People are using video systems like Zoom and Facetime to communicate and do business. Family meetings, business meetings, happy hours, church services are all using technology to gather and connect. Technology will continue to play a large role in societies around the world, but COVID-19 advanced the use of technology. With this use, comes yet another single point of control. Companies like Google, Yahoo, and other big tech firms are able to exercise more control over what people hear and see through their influence by just the mere use of these platforms that are also gateways for collecting personal information. This is an acceleration of control disguised as freedom.
COVID-19 has caused people everywhere have had to slow their lives down and spend time with their families. Hopefully, through all this, we have relearned patience, empathy, compassion and kindness and how to apply that to others. It would be a good new normal because with all the other aspects of the post COVID-19 new world, we are going to need more love between us. We are seeing how a one world order, with all of its trimmings, quickly can be established. And as Christ said in Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” We, the people of the WAY, must learn to lead by the example and exhortation of Christ in love, discernment and wisdom.
