John Matthews Retired Professional Singer, Conductor and Seeker

Your question is in the present tense. Did God use natural disasters to punish people or nations? Yes, in many places in the Old Testament. And, not only by natural disasters, but by man through the command of God. 

Does God use a natural disaster to punish people or nations? No, not since Jesus the Christ. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus advocate or use natural disasters to punish anyone. We are saved by the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. How can the true love of Jesus Christ kill anyone? Oh, millions have been killed in the name of Jesus, but not by God. No, by sinful man.

Jesus plainly stated that this kingdom (temporal earth) is not His Kingdom. John 18:36 Natural disasters are just that; natural; a function and result of natural laws established in the beginning by God. Are the deaths of thousands of people, including children, because of earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, etc., the will of Jesus? Absolutely not! 

I know that we cannot fathom the ways of Jesus because His ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8 But we can understand what He was trying to accomplish and by what means He accomplished his ultimate goal; to die on a cross for the sins of the whole world so that we could be led to salvation through God's son. His death and resurrection was the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

April 24 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report