MEMORY VERSE: “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” Matthew 24:7
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 24:6-8
INTRODUCTION
Natural disasters challenge the christian belief that God is good. The enormous loss of lives and properties resulting from pandemics, earthquakes, floods, etc, is terrible and tragic. Our grief and even our anger are human, but no one grieves more than the lord himself Hebrews 4:15. Christ is moved by the afflictions we suffer and even weeps over our pains John 11:35. Could the God who loves us also be the one to destroy us? How do we reconcile the mercy of God in Christ with his permission of natural disasters in our world today?
OUTLINE
1.PROFILE OF NATURAL DISASTERS
2. WHY GOD ALLOWS IT
1.PROFILE OF NATURAL DISASTERS
Natural disasters are catastrophic events with atmospheric, geological, or hydrological origins. It is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the earth; examples include firestorms, dust storms, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, and other geologic processes. A natural disaster can cause loss of lives or damage properties and typically leaves some economic damages in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population’s resilience or on the infrastructure available Luke 21:11.
God created the whole universe and the laws of nature Genesis 1:1. Most natural disasters are as a result of these laws at work. For instance, hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.
Natural disasters differ from God’s use of natural forces, as recorded in the Bible. Natural disasters kill and maim indiscriminately. God’s acts of judgement recorded in the Bible were selective genesis 19:29-30. Natural disasters usually strike with little or no warning. On the other hand, God gave warnings to the wicked before using natural forces against them Genesis 6:13; Matthew 24:38-39.
2. WHY GOD ALLOWS IT
It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peace and stability.
However, generally, God allows natural disasters so as:
- To serve as warning for unbelievers; disasters are warnings, and unbelievers often turn to God for the first time when they face a tornado or an earthquake Revelations 11:13; 16:18.
- To remind us that even nature was affected by sin; natural disasters remind us that nature, while beautiful, is broken and cursed Genesis 3:17-18.
- To establish god’s supremacy over man; some disasters give no warning even with all the science and technology a country can afford to put in place Psalm 115:3.
- To indicate the beginning of the last days: they are signs of the end times Matthew 24:3, 7.
- To allow cause and effect to operate independently; some natural disasters are a result of man’s abuse and damages to the natural environment Ecclesiastes 7:29.
- To give believers the opportunity to demonstrate God’s love to humanity by helping, ministering, counselling, praying, and leading people to the saving faith in Christ acts 11:28-30; Galatians 6:10.
- To establish God’s judgement upon the wicked Genesis 18:20; 19:24-25.
CONCLUSION
God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies Romans 8:28.
FURTHER READINGS
SUN: Genesis 6:17
MON: Proverbs 24:22
TUE: Isaiah 17:11
WED: Isaiah 51:19
THUR: Jeremiah 46:8
FRI: Lamentation 1:1
SAT: Ezekiel 25:7