Wearing a Mask or Not―The Parapet

When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof. ―Deuteronomy 22:8

Let’s begin in Luke:

Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and: ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’” (Luke 4:9-12)

In these scriptures, Satan tries to use Psalm 91:11-12 against Jesus Christ by twisting the scriptures. Essentially, the devil was trying to get Jesus to jump off the roof. Jesus was standing on the parapet of the temple. A parapet is a low protective wall along the edge of a roof. Psalm 91:11-12 means that God can command his angels concerning us to keep us from stumbling over a stone while walking, that is, to keep us from stumbling in life, not jumping off the roof to our death.

He preserves our lives and keeps our feet from slipping. (Psalm 66:9)

So, if we were standing on a parapet and jumped, we would be putting the Lord to the test. Satan is still using Psalm 91 against believers, and some are falling for it. Let’s read verse 3:

He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague,

Some Christians are using this verse, and some actually believe that COVID-19 is a conspiracy. Wearing a mask has even been compared to the star of David the Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis, even though unbelievers have been wearing masks more than believers.

If we refuse to wear a mask during a highly contagious pandemic, are we putting the Lord to the test? Can God supernaturally protect us? Yes, but will he? We shouldn’t put the Lord to the test. What about the many Christians who have gotten sick and died? Are we better than they? If we refuse to wear a mask and get COVID-19, we’ve brought judgment on ourselves. If we spread this disease to others, we’ve brought unjust judgment on innocent people. This is the guilt of bloodshed as we read in the opening scripture from Deuteronomy 22. Let’s go to the Law in Leviticus:

45 A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ 46 As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46)

If we get sick, we must not hide it. We must cover our mouth, and we can use a mask to do this. We must tell others that we’re sick and isolate ourselves, so we don’t spread the disease. If we suspect that we’re sick and hide it. simply going about our day, we’ve sinned.

Those in authority are telling us to wear a mask. In Romans 13, the apostle Paul says to be obedient to the authorities:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)

If the authorities tell us to wear a mask to stop the spread of a virus that’s killing people and we refuse, we’re not only being disobedient to the authorities, we’re being disobedient to God.

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)

Those in authority are going to have to give an account to God for their leadership. Since we’re living in the last days, always use discernment whether or not the laws of the land are in conformity with God’s laws. If not, then we’re not obligated to obey them (see Daniel 3:17-18).

Let’s be prudent and wear a mask when we go somewhere or go shopping. Let’s protect ourselves from others and protect others from ourselves. In Luke 21, Jesus Christ says there will be diseases in the last days. SARS-CoV-2 is just one of them.

As the devil was trying to get Jesus to jump off the parapet, he’s trying to get us to not wear a mask. Let’s not listen to the devil by jumping off the roof. Let’s not put the Lord our God to the test. If people want to jump off the roof by not wearing a mask, fine, but they shouldn’t take innocent people with them.

In Luke 16:8, Jesus is right again when he says the children of the world are wiser than the children of light. These days are signs of the end. The labor pains will continue to increase, and things are just going to get worse from here. So, let’s keep our love, faith, and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ no matter what we may have to endure in this dying world.

PSALM 91

1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty
2 Say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
3 He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague,
4 He will shelter you with his pinions, and under his wings you may take refuge; his faithfulness is a protecting shield.
5 You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come.
8 You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see.
9 Because you have the Lord for your refuge and have made the Most High your stronghold,
10 No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent.
11 For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go.
12 With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You can tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon.
14 Because he clings to me I will deliver him; because he knows my name I will set him on high.
15 He will call upon me and I will answer; I will be with him in distress; I will deliver him and give him honor.
16 With length of days I will satisfy him, and fill him with my saving power. (Psalm 91:1-16)