Questions
- What thoughts enter your mind when you see news of a major natural disaster?
- How does God fit into the picture?
Introduction
- Story of the Bible
- Creation
- Fall
- Redemption
- Renewal
- New creation
- Creation groans (Romans 8:19-23) until a new creation comes (Isaiah 65:17)
Our struggle with natural disasters
- Our need for explanations
- Climate change
- Human intervention
- Geology
- The way we look at God
- If God were good…
- I cannot believe in such a God …
- Why would God allow this …
Natural disasters in the Bible
- Judgement against sin (1 Kings 17:1)
- Overcome opposition (Ezekiel 38:18-20)
- Demonstrate God’s power (Matthew 27:51)
- Foreboding of the end (Revelation 11:13)
- BUT: many have no explanation at all (Genesis 12:10, 41:53-54, Amos 1:1, Luke 13:4)
Natural disasters, God, and our roles
- Disasters can lead to good outcomes (Jacob and Israel)
- Disasters provide opportunities (Paul in prison)
- Disasters help overcome persecution (Cyprian Plague)
- Disasters do not change God’s character
- God is loving and good (1 John 4:8)
- God is compassionate (Psalms 103:13)
- God is a covenant-keeping God (Deuteronomy 7:9)
- Disasters should get us to
- Respond in practical ways (Matthew 25:35-36)
- Provide for physical, emotional, spiritual needs
- Praise God anyhow (Job 1:21)
Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there’s no God after all,’ but ‘So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.’ C. S. Lewis