The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye said God told him that only those “whose time has come” will become fatalities of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed thousands across the world including Nigeria.
The clergyman made this known during the Sunday sermon televised for members of the church across the world.
Citing Ezekiel chapter 2 verses 5, during his sermon titled “Peace Be Still” Adeboye said:
“When I spoke to my daddy about my pains on those who are dying of the virus around the world, He assured me that only those whose appointed time has come will die. So when your appointed time has not come, relax and enjoy your holiday.”
Pastor Adeboye also reiterated his initial stance that the world is having a holiday now because God wants us all to know that He is still the Almighty God
“I told you earlier that the whole world will be on compulsory holiday so that they will know that God is still in charge.”
“I am also on a compulsory holiday. I was supposed to be in four nations this April for ministers’ conferences and Holy Ghost services but now I cannot go. All I do now is wake up in the morning, eat a good meal and enjoy the day. Is that not a good thing,” he said.
He also took a swipe at those “who criticised him for saying God knew about the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak urging the congregation to “just pray for them”.
Reading from Mark 4, 35-41, Luke 5, 1-7, Prov 1, 24-27, Psalms 35 v 27, Pastor Adeboye said the present siege over the world would soon be over after God intervenes and lessons have been learnt by mankind that God is in control.
He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the present siege could be a biological weapon released ‘in error’ by unnamed nations.
“So don’t fear. Enjoy the compulsory holiday. I am enjoying mine. When God has proven His point in both the big and small nations and He intervenes, the plague will stop,” he said.
“The Bible says by His stripes, we are healed. Before he went on the Cross of Calvary, Jesus took 39 stripes…that means Jesus ensured our healing from every known disease and even took an extra stripe to take care of others that were unknown including coronavirus.”
The church, like many others across the nation, has stopped physical services, and resorted to online services in line with the directives of many governments to halt mass gathering in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.