During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals were seriously stretched. Now we have the threat of the monkeypox, but the overload is on a different kind of health facility: sexual health clinics.

For those who are not aware of this branch of health care, they specialize in “confidential walk-in diagnosis and treatment.”

They provide a medical cover for patients who contract a disease transmitted primarily by “close contact.” Monkeypox, like HIV, is turning out to be spread primarily by men who have sex with men. A recent article by Reuters.com claims that financial resources are thin for these clinics and officials are recommending an increase in public funding.

Those old enough to remember, can recall a New York Times headline of May 11, 1982: "NEW HOMOSEXUAL DISORDER WORRIES HEALTH OFFICIALS" ( ). The original label for the new pestilence was “gay-related immunodeficiency” or GRID. “[Most] cases have occurred among homosexual men, in particular those who have had numerous sexual partners, often anonymous partners,” The Times reported.

Even in those days, the homosexual lobby was strong enough to get the label changed to “acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome” (AIDS). Later the meaning of the label was further diluted by calling it “human immunodeficiency virus” (HIV). But it is still primarily shared, even today, by promiscuous homosexual practices.

God promised judgment three ways on Israel’s sin: sword (war), famine (food insecurity), and pestilence (pandemics).⁽¹⁾

In the last few decades technology has provided unprecedented prosperity for the largest number of people in the history of the world. But the Old Testament pattern of blessing that leads to prosperity, carries a responsibility of minimizing sinful behavior.

God’s mercy went a long ways in putting up with Israel’s rebellion. But eventually His patience is exhausted. He has His own red line and the Apostle Paul said that the records in the Old Testament where examples for us to know where God’s red line is. (See 1 Corinthians 10:5-12.)

God will not go on financing man’s rebellion. Eventually, He is forced to impose drags on the economy until it cannot carry the load that sin causes. His curse of war costs the US nearly a trillion dollars to finance military defenses and much more during actual conflict.

God told the Israelites that He would change weather patterns, causing “food insecurity” so more energy would need to be diverted away from sin to simple survival. Pandemics also cut productivity, further reducing surpluses in the economy. Adam sinned and God cursed the ground (Genesis 3:17) so that he had to work for his food and had less time to get into trouble.

For those who have ears to hear, the Bible is very clear where we are today in our escalating sin and what God will do about it if we continue down that road. And too few people are choosing to take the off-ramp. We are looking for solutions in all the wrong places.

Some are mimicking John the Baptist and calling for repentance. In fact, Jesus’ first sermon was on repentance. Whether we will heed remains to be seen. But our job is in Mark 16:15: “Go…and preach the gospel,” until He calls us home.

Few of us can stand in public and preach, but Chick tracts make it easy to obey our Commission by passing out a handful of little paper sermons as often as we can.

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¹ Jeremiah 21:7, 21:9, 24:10, 27:13, 29:17, 32:24, Ezekiel 5:12, 6:11, and many more.