Ever since the entire world realized that this covid pandemic will not go away easily, people everywhere have adapted new norms and ways of living and working, in order to avoid cross-contamination and to deal with life-under-lockdown and mandated restrictions. Not only does everyone have to deal with the sudden changes in life- and work-style, so many have to deal with real and painful losses. This is what living in the new normal means. But this new normal situation that we face today is actually not the first time it has happened in human history.
A quick look at the history of God’s people, for instance, will reveal many parallels to our 21st century new normal challenges. By reflecting on some of these stories in the bible, we can draw meaningful lessons from how God accompanied His people through these new normal transitions. And we ask ourselves whether the messages that God spoke to those people during their changing circumstances can perhaps be of comfort to us today.
In this article I shall focus on the new normal struggles of the Israelites during Old Testament times. In an accompanying article I shall point to the messages of God addressing the new normal struggles of the early Christians.
Old Testament New Normals
The first instance of new normal in the Old Testament was when Jacob and his 11 children, and their entire household of 70 persons, moved from Canaan to Egypt during the famine. We know this story involved the amazing turnaround in the life of Jacob’s son, Joseph, sold as a slave in Egypt but later on becoming Prime Minister second only to the Pharaoh. After many years of favor and growth, the later generations of Jacob’s family faced a new Pharaoh who enslaved the entire Israelite community, forced them into hard labor, and to worship their Egyptian gods. Enter the first new normal.
From the 400 years of slavery that ended in a dramatic rescue, we see the Israelites going through a second new normal, this time wandering in the desert, thirsting for water, hungering for meat, fighting battles against enemy nations, and with no permanent home. Despite the living presence of God, and the awesome miracles that He performed, theirs was a 40-year lesson of obedience and allegiance to the one true God, with one key lesson: “I will be Your God and You will be my people.” Second new normal.
Once in the Promised Land, the Israelites experienced a new normal again, but this time enjoying a life in the land flowing with milk and honey. The long history of the Israelite nation thereafter saw a succession of many kings, some good, many evil, occasionally faithful to Yahweh, but frequently worshipping strange and foreign gods. There were wars won, and wars lost; and not just once but several times God’s people were taken as captives and exiled to the lands of their captors. The fortunes of Israel and Judah swung from new normal to new normal.
Parallels
Might there be similarities between how the Israelites behaved during the years in the desert wilderness or during their years in exile away from their homes, and our own present behavior in the 2020 / 2021 New Normal? Here is how the bible describes how the Israelites behaved in their new normal conditions:
- Anger and blaming Moses and God for the loss of usual conveniences
- Depressed because of loss of control of their living conditions
- Doubtful about where they were heading
- Wanting to return to past life instead of uncertain future
- Critical and unappreciative of God’s presence and miraculous blessings
If you were in their shoes, would you not feel the same way as these Israelites wandering in the desert? And here you are today facing not only a restricted lifestyle, but possibly a loss of livelihood, and also the threat of disease and death, plus the big uncertainty about if and when this will end. Do you not find yourself behaving perhaps in a similar manner as the Israelites in the desert?
What about God? How did He deal with this response from the people He chose as His own, and how might He be dealing with our responses today? Here is a list of themes of God’s messages addressed to the grumbling Israelites:
- You are mine. Do not be afraid. I will fight for you.
- Don’t forget what I did for you.
- Do not have any other gods. I am a jealous God. There is no God like me.
- Obey my commands and all will go well with you.
- I have a place prepared for you. I am faithful to my promise.
If we look at what is happening to us now, and if we see parallels in the way the Israelites grumbled and stressed about their new normal, couldn’t God’s messages to the suffering Israelites then also be His message to us now in our 21st century pandemania?
TO DO
Here is a reading plan that will help you reflect on God’s message to His beloved chosen people during their varous new normal struggles:
- Deuteronomy 4
- Jeremiah 29
- 2 Chronicles 7
Listen to God speak to you through these verses about your situation today, and write down what you hear:
- What is God telling you about Himself?
- What is God telling you about yourself, and about your situation?
- What does He want you to do now?
Proceed here to see the new normal during New Testament times.
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