Good morning on this last Saturday of March. Last week I wrote about the recent multiple tragedies in Japan which included an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor meltdown. Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara referred to the massive earthquake as divine judgment. He has now apologized for his remark, but a recent poll by the Public Religion Research Institute and Religion News found that nearly 40% of those polled believed that such natural disasters are a sign from God. Although 51% disagreed that natural disasters are a sign for God, 56% reported that they personally believed that God is in control of everything that happens in the world. Some insist that the meaning of these signs from God is always direct punishment. The book of Job clearly teaches that not all disasters are the result of the punishment for sin. It characterizes Job as a man who was perfect (good), upright, feared God, and eschewed evil (Job 1:1); yet Job suffered one catastrophe after another. His servants were killed and his oxen and donkeys were carried away after being attacked by the Sabeans, his sheep and servants were consumed by a conflagration, the Chaldean's stole his camels and wreaked further havoc upon him, and a gale force wind collapsed the home where his children had gathered killing them all (Job 1:13-19). Clearly these tragedies were not punishment from God for Job's sin. The lesson we learn from Job is that we must be careful in attributing all natural disasters as being caused by a punishment for sin by God. Sometimes in Scripture they are, but other times they are not. In next week's blog I'll discuss natural disasters as signs in prophecy.
Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, Re-digging God's Wells. I'll look forward to seeing you there.
Mel Brown