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NASB | Romans 8:28 ¶ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 8:28 ¶ And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. |
Bible Question:
Greetings. I have found this thread helpful, as I consider God's sovereignty and grace. We speak about "natural disasters." Are there any natural disasters recorded in the Bible? All of the "mountains falling into the sea" etc. seem to be caused by God - and generally as punishment for sin. I certainly doubt those people have any greater sin than those in other parts of the world! If the Bible shapes our entire worldview, however, there doesn't seem to be room for the "natural disaster." JRM |
Bible Answer: Hi, JRM! I think that you are tackling various points simultaneously... * Biblical Record vs. Historical Record * God's Wrath (which includes natural disasters)unleashed on those who stubbornly are in constant rebellion and denial of His Authority * God's Power as Creator and Guardian Biblical Record... Scripture is Salvation History, hence much of what we would want to find in Scripture is missing (historical accounts, recepies, technical, medical, and scientific information, rituals (baptism, marriage, birthdays, commerce, social intercourse...); much of what is found, outside of direct pertinent matter (Worship, genealogies, Israel's History as it pertains to God's Promise, the various prophecies, the Messiah, the Coming of the Kingdom, Salvation in God, the struggle of the flesh against God's Will...); yet, within Scripture we will find basic information that will lead us to understand that there are rituals and other occurrences which the people of God have experienced or will experience! God's Wrath -- Throughout the Old Testament we find Yahweh warning Israel about the suffering that will befall them if they abandon the One True God... there are many direct statements that foretell of Israel's future disobedience and the loss of God's Protection! This is where man-made disasters and natural disaster converge: God removes His Protection from the people so that the rebellious and wicked fall by the sword, famine and other disasters without the Protection that God had provided in His Mercy and Patience! More than once we hear God tell us that He does not desire the death of anyone... more than once we hear Him plea with Israel to turn back to Him before it is too late and disaster falls upon them... He speaks of decades of suffering through mankind's disobedience, of exhausting His Patience allowing man to turn to Him... He is our Creator and our Benefactor; He is our Guardian and our Provider... but, He is also our Judge and our Teacher who sets boundaries and goals for our corporial and spiritual existence... Jesus foretold of wars (man-made disasters) and famines and earthquakes (natural disasters) that would befall the earth... yet, as our Guardian and Benefactor God will not allow all of these disasters to transpire all at once... it is His Patience and Mercy revealing themselves for the sake of the elect (the ones to be saved in Christ: those who Believe in Him!); it is the Lord's Power that sustains the world and all of its ecological systems; it is His Will that keeps humanity, specially those who Believe from being iradicated from the face of the earth! Just recently the world suffer an assault... terrible as it was, once released, there was nothing humanity could do to stop it... I see the hand of God not in the indiscriminate destruction that occurred, but in the individual people that survived--creatures as fragile and as vulnerable as those that perished--that by shear logic should not have been spared... perhaps as a warning to Christians and the world God decided to Protect them... it is His Might that Saves both from physical death and destruction and from spiritual death and destruction! Note that Christ was not so much concerned with the various periods of disasters that we would face but that we would understand our total dependence on God! (Matthew 24:13) As you said, those who die do not necessarily have committed graver sins than those who are alive... but God does Protects those He Loves! God Bless! Angel |