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What sin unleased is not anger of a God who chooses to bring about punitive measures against innocent victims. Rather, natural disasters are on-going evidence of a cursed world. In this world both righteous and unrighteous, young and old, innocent and criminal, fall under this curse that fell upon earth. God does not sit in Heaven and decide to zap areas of planet out of a vendetta against humanity. Rather, as in case of this recent disaster, mankind has again come face to face with reality of curse portrayed through unbalanced natural phenomena. But God did not institute curse upon all creation and simply leave it to wreak its devastation willi-nilly.
What is truly amazing is fact that in God's prophetic program to deal with sin of mankind, He has provided a plan of salvation which will bring those who truly repent into perfect communion with Himself, and ultimately, He will restore even natural elements of "Paradise Lost." The curse will eventually be removed. But He also must allow course of nature to totally unfold until all His prophetic word is complete. Why? Could He not just reverse curse? Yes. But He must also give mankind chance to choose to repent. Imperfection, death, and flawed nature, came about as a consequence of man's choice. But mankind has been offered, through Jesus Christ, opportunity to choose to be restored to fellowship with God. Otherwise, God would indeed be unjust, and mankind would be relegated to role of robotic pawns to be manipulated at will, and man could accuse Him of being a tyrant.
The righteous and innocent have nothing to fear from natural phenomena such as recent earthquake and tsunamis, because this earthly life is not all there is. Mankind is an eternal being. Natural physical death is not end. It is unrighteous who have reason to fear, because they too are eternal, but face perpetual separation from God -- Second Death in Lake of Fire. Therefore, natural disasters remind each if us of fact that our personal eternal destiny is of paramount importance, and that each person will one day stand before Righteous Judge. Jesus Christ, through His shed blood atonement on cross, has made provision for curse of sin and death to be lifted. Each then has a choice to either accept or reject His provision. This world will come out from under curse, but meanwhile course of fallen nature will continue until all is fulfilled. Is God an angry, despotic, unforgiving God? No! In spite of, and in midst of disaster, He has offered mercy and deliverance, not just for natural existence of this life, but more importantly, for eternity!
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." I Corinthians 15:22.
"For we know that whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, And not only they, but ourselves also, which have first fruits of Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, to wit, redemption of our body." Romans 8:22,23.
The eternal destinies of those who lost their lives must be left in God's hands, because He alone is Righteous, yet merciful, Judge. Did God turn a blind eye to disaster? No!! Rather, He knows each victim by name, and His love and mercy are extended and exemplified through those who administer relief and aid.
So, can we blame God for this recent natural disaster? Dare we ascribe either evil intent or abject indifference to character of Almighty God? Absolutely not! To do so is to cloud our understanding of who He is, and of His great love and mercy, and His desire to reconcile man and all creation to Himself.
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Maureen Metcalf is author of "The Final Schedule Revealed: In the Fall Feasts and Festivals" http://teshuvatrumpet.org