The stark headline on the front page of the October 15th Sacramento Bee declared: “Hell on Earth.”
Below it was a large picture of devastated buildings, followed by an update on the horrendous wildfires raging across California, especially in the northern half of the state. The sheer numbers are staggering: some 20 different simultaneous fires burning 200,000 acres, leaving 42 dead, 53 missing, and 100,000 evacuees. The fires are ravaging seven counties and have destroyed 6000 homes, many businesses, a hotel, and even a hospital. As the flames spread, evacuation centers had to be evacuated as the fires closed in on them. Firefighters were working triple shifts, and planes dropped an average of 500,000 gallons of fire retardant per day for the past week.
Tragedies are not found so much in the numbers themselves, as in the individual lives affected, ruined, or taken by this disaster
The fiery devastation, and the human efforts to contain it, have been beyond comprehension. But the tragedies are not found so much in the numbers themselves, as in the individual lives affected, ruined, or taken by this disaster: an elderly disabled couple who died together in their home, a firefighting driver who took a wrong turn and dead-ended (literally) on a blocked road and was engulfed by flames, missing and unaccounted-for family members, and shell-shocked used-to-be homeowners who stare at the smoking cinders of what used to be their homes.
While the fiery images in the papers and the gripping videos on TV do recall biblical descriptions of hell, the same levels of death and destruction have also recently been caused elsewhere in our country by other forces. Hurricanes and tornadoes have devastated sections of Texas, Florida, and all of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The death tolls from the three hurricanes stands at 209, and most of the island of Puerto Rico is still without power or basic services. So, whether it’s fire or it’s wind and water, the results have been equally hellish in terms of human suffering, of anguish, injury, property loss, displacement, and death.
Whenever such large-scale tragedies occur, we find ourselves asking questions beyond the practical issues (“What could have been done better to reduce the damage?”) or the political issues (“Who could have done their job better?”). We seek answers about the meaning of such events. Why did they happen? Why did God allow them? Did God send them as a message or punishment, like a modern-day Great Flood? We want the events to make sense, and not just be random, meaningless events that ruin so many lives which themselves do have meaning.
We want the events to make sense, and not just be random, meaningless events that ruin so many lives
I can’t say I have all the answers to such legitimate questions, but let me offer some of my thoughts:
- The Bible teaches that we live in a fallen world that was cursed by God due to our sinful rebellion (Genesis 3). With two notable exceptions, Enoch and Elijah, (both of which begin with an “E” just like Eddy; I’m just saying . . .), all humans, and indeed all living things, are terminal. As we read in Hebrews 9:27, “it is appointed for man to die once . . .” Therefore, whether it’s due to a fire, a hurricane, a blizzard, a war, a crazed sniper, or “natural causes” such as a heart attack, a stroke, or cancer, we all face an end to this life. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 rightly proclaims, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.”
- Though death (like taxes!) is inevitable, when and how it comes to each of us makes a big difference. A great-grandmother sleeping her way into the Father’s arms while surrounded by her descendants is a far cry from a baby girl being aborted in the womb. A young concert-goer struck down by a bullet or run over by a terrorist is much different from the person who gets to say goodbye to his family after a full and active life. Someone who sacrifices his or her life to save others has experienced a more noble death than the guy who overdoses on heroin. I could go on, and you can probably think of even more stark contrasts, but the point is that there are some means and timings of death that are just wrong.
- God’s Word makes it clear that human life is of supreme importance and is precious to God. We were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27), murderers (and animals) are condemned for taking human life because we were made in God’s image (Genesis 9:5-6), and murder is prohibited by the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17). We read that the death of God’s people (his saints) is precious in his sight (Psalm 116:15). He does not desire anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). But most of all, we know that our lives are important to God because he gave his only Son to die for us that we might have eternal life (John 3:16, etc.).
- Even though death is inevitable, we are still commanded by God to save lives when and where possible. We are to love and care for each other, including fighting diseases, binding up the injured, protecting the defenseless, and practicing safe and healthy lifestyles. Romans 13 tells us that God gave the authority of the sword to rulers in order to restrain evil, that is, to protect people from harm. It is a sign of our love for God that we love and care for others, including improving and prolonging their lives.
These points I’ve just presented are fairly “safe” statements with which most Christian would agree. But now we move on to two other, more difficult questions, the answers to which can be very controversial. (Can I stop my blog right here? No? Okay, here goes . . .)
- Did God send the California fires (and/or the hurricanes) as a warning or judgment? My bold, well-thought out answer to this question is . . . I don’t know. Certainly, God could have done that, because he has the power to do so, and according to Scripture, he has done so in the past. He sent the Great Flood in Noah’s day, he stopped the building of the Tower of Babel, he poured out the plagues upon Egypt, and allowed the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans to punish his Chosen People for their idolatry and rejection of Christ. At times he brought judgments against individuals for their sins. Also, the Bible speaks of future, world-wide calamities that will accompany Christ’s triumphant return. So, what we have experienced is not beyond God’s power or right to do. But regarding these specific calamities? I have to say again, that I don’t know, because God has not revealed that to me or in his written Word. But because the disasters could be warnings or judgments from God, we need to examine ourselves to see if we have done anything deserving of such disasters (Note to theologians reading this: yes, I know we all have done things deserving of God’s punishment, but so did the ancients – and God used such calamities as corporate judgments on entire peoples for his purposes.). Usually God used such events to call his people back to himself; if nothing else, we need to examine our own lives and ask if we have been faithful to God in thought, word, and deed. Have we so shut him out of our lives that he needed to get our attention? Have we so strayed from his Word that it takes a disaster to remind us of our utter dependency on him? Has America so turned its back on God that God is allowing us to see what it’s like to live without his protection?
- Were those hardest hit by the disasters the most deserving of God’s punishment? This one’s a lot easier to answer; the answer is: “No.” And on this point, I have Christ’s own words in Luke 13:1-5, where he spoke about two disasters that had befallen some Jews in Jerusalem. Listen to his words: “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” His point was that the victims in both cases were not singled out for God’s judgment. Like the victims in our fires and hurricanes – or in the Las Vegas shootings – they were in the wrong places at the wrong times. Were they sinners? Of course. Were they worse sinners than the rest of us who weren’t affected? No. But Jesus goes on to warn that there is a judgment coming for all of us, and that we need to prepare for it by repenting of our sins. Therefore, as with the question of national judgment, we cannot look down upon other sinners as if they deserve God’s punishment more than we do; instead let us all examine ourselves, repent of our sins, and trust in Christ for forgiveness and deliverance from death – however and whenever it comes.
Disasters – natural and man-made – can be a real test of faith as we consider the magnitude of suffering – our own or that of others. We may not be able to make sense of it all, except to know that we have a loving God from whom no disaster can ever separate us. He will be with us no matter what. Our work is to love him in gratitude for the many who are protected and delivered from disaster, and to extend ourselves in prayer, giving, and serving those who have been harmed by the “hell on earth.” We must show them that there is a “heaven” to come.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Read: Luke 13:1-5, Matthew 13:36-43, Revelation 20:7-15