Bad Things Do Not Come From God - Part 17

Recently I attended a large conference consisting mainly of church leaders from across the USA. During one of the main sessions the speaker made a comment concerning Hurricane Katrina. He said that the LORD had warned them (various pastors) two years in advance that a hurricane would hit New Orleans. The hurricane was from the LORD to cleanse the city of its corruption. The speaker went on to say that some ministers mentioned to him that the hurricane was not judgment from God, but he insisted that they were wrong.

They began to warn the churches of this impending storm and told the people to be sure that their home owners insurance would cover their losses in the event of a catastrophe which Katrina turned out to be. Naturally I was somewhat taken by such a claim. Although I have discussed some of this previously, I want to address this particular claim, as to whether God brought judgment on New Orleans to cleanse it from corruption or not.

Remember, it was Adam that was given authority and dominion over the works of God's hands and that the only one in all creation that Adam had to answer to was God Himself, the Creator. Everything else was subordinate to Adam (Psalm 8:5-6) We also saw that Adam freely chose to disobey God and thereby giving his authority and dominion over to God's enemy, Satan, placing himself and all humanity under Satan's rule (Luke 4:5-6) This act of treason by Adam brought a curse on creation (Genesis 3:17-18) So first we see that creation took on the new nature of its new master, Satan. That which was once pure, peaceful, filled with love and harmony had now become a place filled with adversity, affliction, calamity, grief, hurt, harm and trouble, that is, all matter of evil.

Further along in the Bible, we see God disclose to Abraham, His covenant partner, what was about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah because "their sin was very grave." (Genesis 18:20) If God truly brought Hurricane Katrina upon New Orleans then we have to assume their sin was very grave and it was above the sin of every other city in the USA. If God were bringing judgment upon a wicked city in the USA, then it would be logical that He would bring it upon the most wicked of cities, wouldn't it? However, as we look further into this matter, Abraham pleads with God not to permit the destruction of those cities for the sake of the righteous who may live in them. God's response is the same every time Abraham make a plea, "If I find in Sodom any righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." 

(Genesis 18:16-33) 

If God did bring Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans then we have to also assume that there was not one covenant partner, that is, there must not have been one believer in New Orleans. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) In other words, there must not have been one righteous person in New Orleans. We also have to assume that Abraham was under a better covenant than the New Covenant in Christ, because God would not have permitted the destruction Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of the righteous under His covenant with Abraham. But we know that this is not true. The New Covenant established in Christ is the fulfillment of every other covenant and Hebrews calls it "a better covenant."

Now let's consider the "Ten Plagues" that came upon Egypt when Moses was sent to deliver Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh. (Exodus 4 - 11) There is no record that shows Israel suffering through the ten plagues with the Egyptians. No, these plagues fell upon the Egyptians only. The point, if God brought Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans to bring judgment, then He would have protected His people from judgment as He did with His people Israel. The believers in New Orleans would not have experienced anything destructive that a hurricane would bring, including darkness, the lack of electric, "The Egyptians did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." (Exodus 10:23) Although electric had not been discovered as we understand it for approximately 3200 more years, point being God protected His people.   

Let us now consider the account of Jesus rebuking the wind and the raging water when a windstorm came down on the lake as as He and His disciples were in a boat crossing over to the country of the Gadarenes. His rebuke caused the wind and raging water to cease and there was a great calm. Did God cause this storm? If He did, then Jesus would have been rebuking His father. No, let's face it, the god of this age is behind the destruction not our heavenly Father. Another point that we should consider in this account is that Jesus said to His disciples, "Where is your faith." (Luke 8:22-25) It is apparent that if the disciples exercised faith they would have experienced the same results that Jesus had with the storm. No, let's face it, the god of this age is behind the destruction not our heavenly Father. It seems to me, if God announced that a storm would be coming then He is calling His people to action. Winning souls away from their wicked life styles in an aggressive manner and exercise faith by speaking to the mountain (impending hurricane) before it even manifested would have been a more biblical response. 

Finally, if God is bringing judgment upon the world today then it means one of two things. First, Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, ascension and glorification did not fully satisfy justice and therefore man is not fully saved but must continue to suffer judgment from God or secondly, we have entered the Tribulation. Neither of these is true. Humanity has not entered the Great Tribulation and Jesus did in fact satisfy justice. Therefore God is not condemning humanity (John 3:16-17) for its corruption by bringing catastrophe's, yet. (See Revelation)   

Although I do not know where his statistics came from, the same speaker reported that sadly enough the city is more corrupt today than before Hurricane Katrina struck. Something else to consider, judgment did not come upon Sodom and Gomorrah to bring them to repentance, but to completely destroy them. However, if we look at Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-20 we will find the primary objective of the church. In short, the church is to bring sinners to repentance. No New Orleans, God did not bring Hurricane Katrina upon you, although after such a disaster one would think that all who have rejected the LORD Jesus Christ and have turned to their own ways would have repented and today be reaping the blessings of the LORD. Hurricane Katrina is the result of a fallen world under the influence of Satan, the god of this age and therefore like every other person who does not see God's true nature as it is revealed in scripture, that of blessings and life, will continue to blame God for bad things happening.

I could have shared many more passages of scripture as proof of God's true nature, but space would not permitted it. But I will say, from the "In the beginning" of Genesis to the "Grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" of Revelation, God's desire was and is to bless man and have fellowship with him throughout eternity. It has been the destructive nature of sin and Satan since man's fall that has tainted and twisted God's true desire for humanity. However, the good news is, God Himself has pursued man to restore him to his sinless position with Himself. Those who reject His offer to be a part of this will feel the repercussions of the unpardonable sin, separation from God forever in a lake of fire. Those who have accepted His FREE gift of salvation will experience paradise in His presence forever. If you have not received God's FREE gift of life, then please do the following...

"...confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) In doing so, you can have the calm assurance to what Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." (John 5:24)

If you have confessed Jesus Christ as LORD and have received Him as your Savior, then please seek a Bible believing congregation that will disciple you to grow in faith, "For without faith it is impossible to please God..." (Hebrews 11:6)