Does God Create Tragedy?

In our post, "Haiti-Did God Do This?" I gladly set forth the notion that God was not the author of the Haitian devastation through earthquake and that God did not rise to kill or destroy the thousands that lost their lives during this tragic event.

As stated in that post, atheists like Christopher Hitchens, suggest that God, if he exists, is responsible for such destruction in either one or two ways:

1- Either he causes the destruction to make people pray to him. Which is somewhat of a traditional Christian  sentiment also.

Or

2- That He (God) causes the destruction according to his will.

Throughout this God is  unresponsive to the people's cry for help therefore, allowing the people to suffer in pain needlessly.  An example of needless pain according to the critic would be a person who dies after laying under the rubble for 5 to 7 days. Why couldn't God have simply put them out of their misery earlier or better yet, protected them from the tragedy to begin with?

There are many worthy and notable questions that arise from these sentiments and  declarations that are certainly worth our attention. Although not popular with some, I believe the church community can be better benefited talking about these subjects and trying to understand just what happened to Haiti and even other countries that experience tragic natural disaster. I would encourage churches and pastors to begin teaching about the character and nature of God to their youth so that they won't be caught off guard like so many are within Christian circles when they are pressed on issues like this. With that said, let us ask and answer the tough questions...y'u-know the ones that critics think we can't answer:

Is All Of This God's Judgement?

While Pat Robertson certainly thinks so, I'm surprised that a great deal of Christians do also. I know "we'll all understand it better by and by" but I hold that God has clearly revealed certain aspects of his nature towards man and while that nature does include judgement, it also includes, justice, parity, and righteousness. In other words God is not unjust in any of his ways, acts or dealings towards mankind.

While tragic events are certainly a sign of the coming judgement in the sense that it reminds us of our mortality, it is a stretch to say that things like this are the judgement of God himself. It is distinguishing that difference that will be discussed in this post.

Job is a book filled with tragedy. The Psalms are replete with questions regarding tragedy and the seeming appearance that the unrighteous was in joy while the righteous was in squander. Jesus was certainly acquainted with tragedy, for he grew up in an area where pain and suffering was common to the day to day living of almost everyone.

During his ministry Jesus feed those that were hungry, healed those that were sick, provided cures for the incurable, raised the dead and exercised his control over the elements of life that sought to make man's existence uncomfortable. Jesus was acquainted with grief and a man of many sorrows. Tragedy was a present reality to Jesus but it was also a picture whereby the future would be framed. Here's what Jesus said about tragedy in and upon the earth as the day of the Lord's judgement approaches:

Matt. 24:4-8 ~ "4-And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5-For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6-And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7-For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  8-All these [are] the beginning of sorrows."

Later in the same passage you also see a total moral decay and collapse of society, where norms and what was right was set on its head and turned upside down. In fact he also says this:

Matt. 24: 9-12 ~ "9-Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10-And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11-And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12-And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

For one to think that earthquakes and pestilences and famines was the will of God, you would also have to think that

1- Being afflicted and being killed was God's will and those who did so were doing God's service

2- Destroying and hating one another was God's will

3- False prophets are doing God's will and being deceived is what God commanded.

4- That the "abounding" of iniquity was God's will

5- That the failure of Christian love was endorsed.

This is the dilemma in thinking that tragedy, especially the tragedies outlined in Matt. 24 and the related scriptures of Mk. 13 and Lk. 21, were somehow ordained of God or sent by God.

What these scriptures and other like them show is a fulfillment of prophecy and a sign of impending judgement, but to say that they are the judgement of God themselves is certainly not in accordance with scripture nor in accordance with God's revealed nature through scripture.

Pastor How Can We Be Sure?

There are a number of reasons that allow us to be sure that God is not the author of modern tragedy nor any tragedy upon earth EXCEPT for those he sends for a specific purpose and to accomplish his will. In those cases as we will find out, the actions and intents of God are made clear as to leave those knowing what God did as opposed to what simply just happened. What do the scriptures say? Let's find out:

Concept I: God Makes His Judgement Known & Clear In The Earth

Amos 3:2-7~ "2-You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. 3-Can two walk together, except they be agreed? 4-Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? 5-Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [is] for him? shall [one] take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? 6-Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [it]? 7-Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

As I stated, when God moves he will not be second guessed by the critic. His actions are deliberate and indirect response to those who show contempt unto him. In addition he reveals to his people, his acts and intentions. The scripture is full of such actions and intentions.

1- God warned Adam of impending death if he violated his command.

2- God warned the known world through Noah for 120 years before the great flood

3- God warned Pharoah through Moses before the destruction of his army

4- God warned the nation of Israel of their sins and punishment, before their judgements and eventual captivity

5- God warned Solomon what would happen and what he would do in response to loving "strange" women.

6- God warned Belshazzar of his impending judgement when the kingdom was torn from him (Dan. 5:25)

7- God warned Sodom & Gomorrah of their sins before their judgement

8- God warned Israel what would happen to them as a nation because of their rejection of God.

The list goes on and on. The fact is this, God's judgement is not something that has to be wondered about. When God preforms judgement it is in response to the actions or sin response of man. There is a two way path also. If actions are good, man will be blessed. If actions however violate the character of God and that violation is contemptuous God will judge and he will do so clearly and through and by the mouth of his servants.

Concept II: The Lord God Is Strong & Mighty

Ps. 24: 7-10 ~ "7-Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8-Who [is] this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9-Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift [them] up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  10-Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he [is] the King of glory. Selah."

God is all powerful. He is strong and mighty. He doesn't need to make an example of the frail. There are champions of unrighteousness that he can deal with and deal with them he will and does.

Now, in school, it was a BULLY that picked on the weak. The bully would pick out a child that he knew couldn't fight back and try to humiliate them. Some of you know because you were either that bully or the one being picked on. Thank God for his grace and deliverance! Nonetheless, you understand that only a bully picks on the weak.

God at no place within his word has described himself as a bully. He is a judge of righteousness who fights for or on behalf of the weak. He is a deliverer of justice. He is a cauldron of mercy and grace, but being a bully is inconsistent with his nature. He is a strong deliverer, a mighty fortress and someone to be trusted but not a bully. For one to think that out of all the nations on Earth that God saw the sins of the most weak, poor and fragile and decided to make them an example is beyond me.

God judges them who have exalted themselves against him:

Proverbs 16:18 ~ "Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

James 4:6 ~"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

1 Peter 5:5 ~ "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

Though men exalt unrighteousness God does not:

Job 24:24 ~"They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all [other], and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn."

In fact the Antichrist himself was to be destroyed and part of his characteristic was that he exalted himself:

Daniel 11:36 ~ "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done."

Nations take the same plight when they reject God:

Matthew 11:23 ~ "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."

The point here is that when God sends his judgement he sends it for a reason and for a purpose and it accomplishes the job of allowing men to see God as high and lifted up and above all that is called god by men. God need not fight the weak. He is far too strong for the most strong nonetheless those that are weak. He has come to deliver and save those who are in such terrible conditions.

Concept III: God Has Not Fashioned The Evil In The Earth That Men Experience

Although many tend to believe that God is constantly fashioning bad situation to bring something good forth out of them, I don't believe that concept is scriptural. Now, we KNOW that God brings good out of evil, that's because he is God and is the only one who can bring joy out of pain and suffering. He can bring better and more fulfilling relationships out of tragedy and is more than ready and able to do so in every situation no matter how bad. In fact he works the circumstances of every situation to our ultimate benefit, even when we don't understand and the answers are hard to find.

God certainly knows that evil is present and that bad things will happen, but what part does God play in causing those things?

The fact is that certain things are indicative to the fallen condition of man. God has provided for but not necessarily set in motion certain actions. God does not cause a husband to hate his wife and take her life. He does not cause a mother to hate her children and drown them. he does not cause a student to strap guns to his body and kill his fellow students. Although these things are not beyond his control, they are not preformed, neither are they constructed or done by him. Tragedy and destruction, unless stated by God according to his judgement, is one of those things that are not preformed or constructed by God but does not escape the provision of God.

Our Common Enemy

Death is the common enemy that we all share. Death is not a friend to any believer or otherwise. We will all die but we should ask, is death the will of God? NO. As stated though we will all die and the bible says it is appointed to all of us to do so, then to be judged by God. (Heb. 9:27) However death was the product of sin and an enemy of mankind:

1 Corinthians 15:26 ~"The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death."

Is death overseen by God? Certainly. Death does not occur without his permission. In fact God used death to smite Egypt.(Ex. 12:12) but even this act was done in  judgement and not in an arbitrary manner.

Is death constructed by God? NO. He does not construct outside of the spiritual law in which death operates or without specific judgement being pronounced. Since we are born into sin, we will all die until all sin is wiped away. This is a spiritual law that causes all things to change.

Then What Is The Cause For What We Experience?

The cause of the tragedy and evil that we see and experience is SIN in and on the earth plain and simple. When sin entered the earth DEATH came along with it. (Rom. 5:12) That death not only effected the soul of man it effected the natural earth itself. In fact the earth (the ground) was cursed by God (Gen. 3:17) God made the tectonic plates of the earth and those plates had no destructive power until sin was introduced into the earth. From sin and because of sin we see most of the destruction in and upon the earth. Sin is the reason that tornadoes and hurricanes occur. Sin is the reason for pain, death and suffering that seems senseless. Sin is why the earth (God's creation) groans along with our spirit, because of the weight of it in and upon the earth:

Romans 8:22 ~ "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

The creation groans because of sin. We see the judgement of God but is is always according to sin and man's indulgence of sin. The judgement of God was delivered and given always because of sin.

The Deadly Assertion:

Wait a minute...You don't know the bible...God is in control of EVERYTHING and if he wants to kill he can...the scripture says:

Sadly, even the fundy atheist believes this. First of all, I'm sorry that it seems that for many, there's a certain sense of pride in God's ability to destroy and kill. I believe people take greater pride in the fact that God can use his sovereignty to execute judgement than God takes in the same set of facts. But this is what we see from scripture:

Deuteronomy 32:39 ~ "See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I KILL, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand."

In addition God also says that HE has created the evil wee see and experience:

Isa. 45:5-8 ~ "5-I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:6-That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that [there is] none beside me. I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else. 7-I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. 8-Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it."

The deadly assertion is that these scriptures define how God interacts with his people and resulting in the conclusion that God is arbitrary in his dealings toward man. That he can and will kill when he has a desire or a whim. Therefore, God is similar to an uncontrollable force that cannot be stopped.

However throughout scripture he has reveled himself as a personal and intelligent, sentient being with love, compassion, and freewill and a desire and ability to communicate with his creation. So what was God actually saying or suggesting in these verses that have confused so many?

Deuteronomy 32 is a song that actually begins in Deut. 31:30. The song involves God, his people, the heathen nations and the worship of false gods and idol deities. The song is also prophetic in showing how God's people would worship strange gods that had done nothing for the nation. (v.17) and that they would be subsequently judged for this by God  by him shading his presence from them (v.20) and chastising them with mischiefs that he would send (v.23) and also afflicting them with nature such as wild beasts, scorpions and serpents (v.24) In V. 26 the dispersion of his people is made known and in v. 36:

"For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that [their] power is gone, and [there is] none shut up, or left."

And v. 41:

"If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me."

This whole scripture was speaking of the vengeance of the Lord in judgement for sin and most specifically the sin of idolatry, not an arbitrary killing of people and or destruction of the nation.

Therefore, this scripture is consistent as set forth. God is not using destruction as a communication tool or an oppression of the people outside of chastisement and judgement which he personally takes blame for and personally warns the people of how to avoid said judgement. 

What About Isaiah? God Specifically Said That He Created Evil!

Is that so? Isa. 45:7. Once again this scripture must be understood in context and there are many  scriptural indicators of this verse and surrounding verses as to what it was indicating. A reference to the complete argument can be found at the bottom of this page from Christian Think Tank.

Here's The Short Story:

First, most individuals think that evil means the same in every verse in which evil is used. In this verse, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the word "evil" does not mean moral or ethical evil and although it is more closely associated with calamity and destruction, it does not involve distress or injury in an arbitrary way or manner. As pasted from our reference here are the facts about the verse:

1- These are antithetic parallelisms: light is the opposite of darkness, and "disaster/distress" is the opposite of "peace".

The parallels are uneven. Light is parallel to darkness, but evil is parallel to peace when there was a more exact word to be placed (good) See point 3:

2- These are also "end-points" on a spectrum: light 'shades' to darkness, and peace would 'shade' to disaster (if "evil" has its most common meaning). As such, these pairs of endpoints would be tantamount to saying "I am responsible for everything"--which is asserted at the end of the verse, of course. [This is known as a merism.]

3- 'evil' (ra') is opposed to shalom (peace) and not to tov (with would be closer to, but not exclusively meaning, moral goodness). This would argue that the ethical element is not present at all (except perhaps as a judgment on Israel's righteousness or unrighteousness).

For example, in Is 5.20 ra and tov are contrasted, in an ethical context, as are light and darkness. And in Ps 34.14, all of the concepts are related: Turn from evil (ra') and do good (tov); seek peace (shalom) and pursue it. By abandoning moral evil and doing moral good to his neighbor, the Israelite would insure peace in the community and in the land. Another case of clear ethical contrasts (ra' and tov) is in Amos 5.15: "Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts."

4- In the series of four "creations" (light, darkness, peace, evil) only ra is an adjective--the others are noun forms!

The vast majority of the adjectival forms of 'evil' relate to "unpleasant" or "disagreeable" or "injurious". The fact that Isaiah departed from the noun pattern--when the noun form was as readily available--is important to note. Besides being less likely to be interpreted as 'ethical evil', the adjective form also yields something more specific--an injurious something, such as event or state (after the pattern of peace). It is accordingly much less likely to be referring to some metaphysical principle of evil(!) than to violent conquest by foreign nations.

5- There is another dimension of parallelism: the first half of the verse with the second. In this, light is paralleled to peace, and darkness to evil. Light and dark are well-known prophetic images for prosperity and disaster, as can be easily seen:

The Jews clearly understood that this verse did not carry an interpretation regarding the abstract or metaphysical principle of evil. A modern Christian interpretation following the same suit is rendered:

John Oswalt in the NICOT series summarizes the verse:

"An important qualification is already implicit in the text. The Hebrew word ra' has a wide range of meanings, much like the English word "bad." Like "bad" it can refer to moral evil ("Hitler was a bad man") or to misfortune ("I'm having a bad day") or merely to that which does not conform to some potential, real or imagined ("That's a bad road"). This is not the case with the common English equivalent for ra, "evil," which almost always refers to moral wickedness. Thus if we read "I ... create evil" (AV), we conclude that God causes people to make morally evil decisions. That this is not the correct translation of ra' in this circumstance is shown by the opposite term used, which is shalom, "health, well-being, peace, good relations, good fortune." The opposite of these would be those connotations that we most commonly ascribe to "bad." What the prophet is saying is that if bad conditions exist in my life, they are not there because some evil god has thwarted the good intentions of a kindly but ineffectual grandfather-god, who would like me to have good conditions but cannot bring them about. They are there solely as a factor of my relations to the one God. They may be there because I have sinned against his natural and moral laws, or they may be there because by their means I can become more like him, or they may be there for reasons that he cannot explain to me. But they are not there in spite of God. He is the only uncaused cause in the universe."

Therefore, Isaiah 45 does not infer that God has created a situation whereby man is placed in tragedy simply for God to then say "now pray to me" That's not the nature nor the character of God. He does however provide judgement whereby the result of that judgement is tragedy and pain. This is the "evil" that men experience at the hand of God. Not a moral or ethical  imbalance. At the same time God will accept the repentant heart that experiences this judgement and turns to God. Repentance and turning is done because one has seen their error and how God can fix it and them. 

In Contrast: In Islam, Allah is said to have every molecule, every atom of existence under his direct control. In other words the atom only preforms as it does because God directly controls it to act as it does. Therefore Allah is in direct control of all tragedy and is the cause of such as he controls the atoms necessary to create all evil whether natural or ethical.

In Christianity God has set his creation to preform his bidding and is active within his creation, the giver of life and the sustainer of life. He has set things in motion and safeguards and cares for all of his creation as it grows, moves and comes into it's own. In other words God is a Shepherd and sustainer of the sheep (as he has described himself to be) as opposed to the factory or mechanism whereby the sheep function. The sheep simply function unto his glory and give him praise out of the free condition of their existence and hearts.

Can God Stop Tragedy? 

Yes he can and often he does. He does these things for his own purpose. I know of people who were shot at point blank and did not die. I know of individuals who shot guns at others and the guns failed and upon examination there was nothing wrong with the weapon. Can can do anything. The Christian, although valuing this life, is however not restricted to it. Contrary to the atheist, the Christian by faith believes that this is not the end of all things, but a beginning that will springboard us into eternity. Death is not a friend, but neither is it to be feared for the Christian.   

Summary:

• God is not in the business of simply destroying his creation to make them pray. There are other moves of the spirit which are essential to those purposes. He moves upon the heart of men to encourage them to yield and make a change.
  
  
• Comparative righteousness is unbiblical. To think that God would somehow judge one nation while allowing others some sort of judgement/pass on their unrighteousness is horrific. Pat Robertson said that Haiti made a pact with the devil, but if God were to judge for sin based upon unrighteous agreements that have been made America would be at the front of the line, because we have truly been given much. Thank God that we have responded much, in 2 hours Larry King was able to raise almost $9 Million, but we have also worshipped sin and make excuses for it now within the church.
  
  
• God sends warning to his people so that we know that it is him preforming a judgement upon the people. God's judgement is not arbitrary although he has greater purpose in all that he both does and allows.
  
  
• The earth wan't created for sin. Sin has been thrust upon the earth under spiritual laws that have been set in motion and death both spiritually and in the natural realm of the earth itself is the result of that sin.
  
  
• God is not the cause of evil, but is a judge that judges righteously and equitably in the face of sin, in his own time and presence.
  
  
• God responds to the prayers and petitions of his people in holding back and averting judgemnt. Calamities could and would be much worse if it were not for the prayers of the saints.  Abraham held God for 10 people which God did not find, but yet his mercy was extended to Lot and his family. The Church Of God In Christ reportedly had over 300,000 members in Haiti. The Catholic church had much more than that out of 9 million inhabitants and i'm sure that not all of them were idol worshippers as the critic claims many catholics are. You can't tell me that God didn't honor the prayers of his people by allowing some to live miraculously for his own purpose.
  
  
• In every situation including tragedy God's presence is made manifest, but yet he does not construct tragedy.  All tragedy though encouraged by the devil himself occurs as a result of the fall into sin and the earth itself responding to the tragedy of sin upn it. the devil certain comes to destroy, but Christ has come so that we might have life and it more abundantly. 
  
  

Blessed!

Reference:

Christian Think Tank ~ Does Isaiah 45:7 teach that God created metaphysical moral evil?