Donna Williams

According to 1 Thessalonians 1:10, it is Jesus who has delivered from the wrath to come. When the disciples asked Jesus if He wanted them to call down fire from heaven to destroy those who were unbelievers, Jesus rebuked them by saying, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man came not to destroy, but to give life." (Paraphrase)

Remember Job: it was the devil who brought devastation to his life, but God restored all that he had lost, a double portion for all that he suffered. It is unfortunate that these natural disasters cause lives to be lost, but I do not believe that the Lord is the author. 

It is not God's will that any should perish, but that all would repent and be saved.

January 02 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

ainsley chalmers Medical Research Scientist, devoted family man.

I agree it is not for man to call down disaster on our sinful world. This is God's judgement alone and His judgements are always fair and righteous. However in the OT we see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, plagues on Egypt, death and sickness for those rebelling against God in the exodus from Egypt, the collapse of Jericho, the routing of Judah and Israel by foreign invaders etc. 

We do, because of sin, live in a fallen world and we do and will witness disasters, sufferings. However I wonder. Rightly or wrongly. That when we flout God's laws in our "Christian" country that there is a price to pay that God alone will effect. In any circumstance we need to pray for our country/world for God to heal it (2 Chron 7:14). 

We have all sinned and therefore deserve suffering but God in His compassion spares us. However we can push the envelope too far with our evil laws which brazenly flout God's laws. Maybe the suffering may have a positive side in that it may cause cause some to return to Our Lord as it did with the prodigal son.

January 02 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe

Looking at natural (or made man disaster), often we are tempered to think that these horrific events are God’s punishment caused by a specific sin or sins. 

In Luke 13:1-5 we read how the disciples were wondering if the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices was caused by a specific sin. Jesus’ answer was a categorical no: 

‘And He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

In my opinion these natural disasters that every year increase in frequency and intensity are just "the beginning of the birth pains" - signs that the end of the age and Christ’s return is near. 

In Matthew 24 and Luke 21 Jesus tells the sign of His return “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matt 24:7,8).

January 03 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report