If you're not paying attention, this can be a very startling verse. God speaking says, "Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?" (Amos 3:6). "Wait ... what? No, no, that's not right. We know that disasters occur, but it's not God who does it ... is it?" Apparently God disagrees with our assessment of Him. In Isaiah God boldly declares, "I am the LORD, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these" (Isa 45:6-7). So while we try to give God a pass -- "It wasn't God; it just happened" -- God takes full credit. Yes, credit, not just responsibility.
In 2 Samuel there is the story of David numbering his people. The text says, "Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah" (2 Sam 24:1). In the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles, the event had a different instigator. "Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel" (1 Chr 21:1). Now, hang on ... who caused this -- God or Satan? The correct answer is "Yes." Notice, for instance, in the story of Job, the original instigator was ... God. "The LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job?'" (Job 1:8; Job 2:3). Satan carried it out, but God brought it up. Or consider the story of Ahab and Jehoshaphat (1 Chr 18:1-22). Ahab wanted to go to war; Jehoshaphat wanted a word from God. Enter Micaiah, who told Ahab there was a counsel in heaven where God asked how He could entice Ahab to go and die in battle. "A spirit" voluntered to entice him by deceiving his prophets. Micaiah concluded, "Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you." (2 Chr 18:22). It seems clear that God determines the course and, especially in the case of judgment, God allows Satan and his forces to carry out disaster, calamity, even death. Paul says, "So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires" (Rom 9:18). Which is why Hebrews says, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb 10:31). Because it is God's will to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known (Rom 9:22) as well as to show mercy upon those whom He chooses (Rom 9:22-23). We like that last one, but not so much the first.
It can be very disturbing. We try to find excuses for God, but God doesn't help. He openly claims that, while He does not cause moral evil (James 1:12), He certainly does bring unpleasant circumstances -- disaster, calamity -- into the lives of people, unbelievers and believers alike. He even uses Satan to do it. So the thing you have to ask yourself is, "Is that okay with me? Or does God have to meet my personal criteria for 'good'?" Note that the latter places you over God, and that can never be a good place to stand.
4 comments:
We are all too often happy to ask for God's blessing on our nation and in our lives, but for some reason want to remove His agency when it comes to His judgment or chastisement. I can't imagine a world with a god that is unable or unwilling to be in control of all of nature. We can believe no promise from a god like that because it doesn't have the power to effect it's desired outcome.
David, great point.
I accept the difficult reality that God not only permits disasters in this world but causes them to happen. He does this by simply withholding some aspect of the good work He otherwise carries out constantly for us. For example, when “natural disasters” happen, I am reminded that God regularly sustains the universe and maintains the forces of nature for our welfare. When disease strikes, I consider how God routinely provides health and healing to our bodies. When terrorists attack and cause devastation, I acknowledge the great degree to which God protects us from evil forces and activities every day. When death comes, I know it follows the gracious gift of life. And so on. The occasional calamitous events mixed in among the usual calm are not instances of God “messing up” or missing something--no “oops!” moments on His part--but extraordinary times when God has seen fit to forego His work of protection and blessing for His sovereign purposes.
When I look at things this way, I am mindful of how much God does for each of us--even those who don’t give Him a thought--and how good He is to do any of it. The relatively few instances of disaster we experience or witness during our lifetime should highlight to us the incredible amount of love, care, and protection God graciously pours out upon us. It’s the classic case of noticing something beneficial being done only when it’s not being done; sometimes we see the abundance of God’s grace best when He removes it.
We also tend to forget that God doesn't owe us blessing and good crops and good weather. The fact that our daily lives aren't jammed full of natural disasters is evidence of His grace that He has been showing ever since He forego killing Adam and Eve and performed the for sacrifice for sin by making them animal hide clothing.
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