If Irma was judgment, what is Jose, which is expected to stay out of sea?

It seems a tad unfair (and a cop out) to say weather events that cause damage are judgments but then ignore the ones (which exceed the formeer in number) that do no damage.

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Todd

Still God's judgment, think of the poor fish that are in the path of Jose.

Perhaps those that claim weather events to be God's judgment will say Jose missing land is God's Mercy...

My wife tells me time and time again assume positive intent and with God His reason for letting things happen is always in benefit to those that love Him. I went and helped with clean up after Hurricane Katrina hit and it was amazing to hear the stories of people that say it was a good thing. They said the streets were run with drug dealers and gangs but after the storm those people left and didn't come back.

The waters of the hurricane actually cleansed the city.

Anyways I don't think we will ever truly be able to understand or know the reason why God does things on this side of eternity but I can rest in knowing that the God we serve is Good and Righteous.

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Matthew Guldner

What is Hurricane Jose? It's another Hurricane....What is Hurricane Maria?

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Bill

I heard there is another hurricane forming called Hurricane Maria that will batter carribean again... :' (

Let us pray for this that God have mercy...

Whatever conclusions you may come to, none can argue with chapter 37 of the book of Job.

Based on Job 37 one must wonder if God is affected by "climate change."

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Todd

I don't think you are serious, but just to be sure, I'll ask, you don't think that God is affected by climate change do you?

Haha- hardly!

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Todd

God is in the climate change. Jesus was hanging out in a boat and He tells the storm to shush and the disciples were like "Woah Jesus is God." (Matt Paraphrase)

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Matthew Guldner

When I hear of stories of judgment and how divine judgment is attributed to natural phenomenon (e.g., storms, diseases, etc.), I can't help but think that God is not confined to the order of nature. He certainly can direct it and bypass the natural laws that he built into this world. However, I also think that God often supersedes those laws.

I've always heard people pointing at storms, stars, comets and disasters. I've often though that it would be much more indicting as "judgment" if those things didn't follow the laws of nature. The "star of Bethlehem" apparently didn't follow the laws of physics. If a hurricane ignored the predictions of weathermen or scientists and behaved in a way that was contrary to what experts believe, then it might be more believable as a "sign." If an earthquake occurred in a place where there was no fault, it would seem more thought-provoking.

I'm not saying that God cannot, does not or will not use natural phenomenon to capture the attention of believers or non-believers. God can use anything to provoke the hearts of men. However, it is a wicked and an adulterous generation looks for signs and follows after them. False attributions of judgment from natural phenomenon might be no different from ancient Greeks attributing star formations (constellations) as supernatural entities or signs.

We should always preach with a message of "flee from the wrath to come." However, the ultimate wrath isn't a hurricane, storm, fire or cancer diagnosis. The ultimate judgment is the one in which each individual will stand before God and give an account. That judgment and its verdict cannot be escaped -- other than to have one's name written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

We should be careful about following after signs and announcing them as "judgment." After all, would we really want to bear false witness against the one true Living God? Consider the words from the book of I Kings:


"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.'

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'”

I Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)

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Christopher