Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, wildfires, and other natural disasters? Tragedies cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see inDeuteronomy 11:17andJames 5:17.Numbers 16:30-34shows us that God sometimes causes natural disasters as a judgment against sin. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation.Romans 8:19-21tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit. Everything in creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people? For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant. What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).
The Bible teaches that God reigns over the nations from His holy throne in heaven (Psalm 47:8;Isaiah 6:1,66:1;Hebrews 4:16). Even though we know that God’s presence is in some sense uniquely in heaven, the teachings of Scripture also make it clear that God is omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time). From the beginning of Scripture, we see the presence of God hovering over the earth, even when it was still formless and empty (Genesis 1:2). God filled the world with His creation, and His presence and glory continue to inhabit the whole earth (Numbers 14:21). There are many examples throughout Scripture of God’s presence moving on the earth, interacting with His creation (Genesis 3:8;Deuteronomy 23:14;Exodus 3:2;1 Kings 19:11-18;Luke 1:35;Acts 16:7).Hebrews 4:13says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.”Jeremiah 23:24exclaims, “‘Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.”Psalm 139is an amazing study in God’s omnipresence.Where is God?If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God is with you, beside you, above you, and inside you. God’s presence and watchful care never leave you. If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, God is right in front of you, inviting you, drawing you, offering you the love, mercy, and grace that He longs to give you. If you are unsure of your relationship with God through Jesus Christ, please read our article on how to “Get right with God.” Perhaps a better question than “Where is God?” is “Where are you, in relationship to God?”Where is God when it hurts?It seems we desire to know the answer to this question most when faced with painful trials and attacks of doubt. Even Jesus, during His crucifixion, asked, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). To the onlookers of that time, as well as to those who first read the story, it seems that God did forsake Jesus, so we obviously conclude that He will forsake us as well in our darkest moments. Yet, upon continued observation of the events that unfolded after the crucifixion, the truth is revealed that nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even death (Romans 8:37-39). After Jesus was crucified, He was glorified (1 Peter 1:21;Mark 16:6,19;Romans 4:24-25). From this example alone we can be assured that even when we do not feel God’s presence in the midst of our pain, we can still believe His promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). “God sometimes permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves” (Joni Erickson Tada).We put our trust in the fact that God does not lie, He never changes, and His Word stands true forever (Numbers 23:19;1 Samuel 15:29;Psalm 110:4;Malachi 3:6;Hebrews 7:21;13:8,James 1:17;1 Peter 1:25). We do not lose heart over painful circumstances because we live by faith in every word that has proceeded from the mouth of God, not putting our hope in what is seen or perceived. We trust God that our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs all the suffering that we will endure on this earth. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, because we know and believe that what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18;5:7). We also trust God’s Word, which says He is constantly working things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Even though we do not always see the good ends to which God is working things out, we can be assured that a time will come when we will understand and see more clearly.Our lives are like a quilt. If you look at the back side of a quilt, all you see is a mess of knots and loose ends hanging out all over. It is very unattractive, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the work. Yet when you turn the quilt over, you see how the maker has craftily woven together each strand to form a beautiful creation, much like the life of a believer (Isaiah 64:8). We live with a limited understanding of the things of God, yet a day is coming when we will know and understand all things (Job 37:5;Isaiah 40:28;Ecclesiastes 11:5;1 Corinthians 13:12;1 John 3:2). Where is God when it hurts? The message to take with you in hard times is that when you cannot see His hand, trust His heart, and know for certain that He has not forsaken you. When you seem to have no strength of your own, that is when you can most fully rest in His presence and know that His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
The short answer to this question is that the Bible does not speak to distinguishing between demon possession and a psychological disorder. Because God chose not to equip Christians for this task, we should probably assume this is not something we are called to do. However, there are two things we know for sure from Scripture.First, we know from the Bible that demons can and do possess those who do not belong to Christ, and Scripture gives some examples of people being possessed by demons. From these descriptions, we can find some symptoms of demonic influence as well as gain insights as to how a demon possesses someone. In some of these passages, the demon possession causes physical ailments (inability to speak, epileptic symptoms, blindness, etc. [Matthew 9:32-33,Mark 9:17-18]); in other cases the demon causes the individual to do evil (Judas is the main example); inActs 16:16-18, the spirit apparently gave a slave girl some ability to know things beyond her own learning (a spirit of divination); in the case of the demoniac of the Gadarenes who was possessed by a multitude of demons, he had superhuman strength, cut himself, went around naked, and lived among the tombstones (Mark 5:1-17). King Saul, after rebelling against the LORD, was troubled by an evil spirit (1 Samuel 16:14-15;18:10-11;19:9-10) with the apparent effect of a melancholy mood and an increased desire and readiness to kill David (God’s next anointed king of Israel).Second, we should be greatly encouraged to know that it is impossible for a Christian to be possessed by a demon. The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God who comes to reside in our hearts when we give our lives to Christ (2 Corinthians 1:22). The description of a possessing demon as “evil” means “unclean” in the Greek (Mark 5:2), therefore making it impossible for the Holy Spirit to share His dwelling place with such a creature. For those who do not have the Holy Spirit, however, no amount of “cleaning up their lives” will prevent a demon from possessing or influencing them. The parable Jesus told inMatthew 12:43makes this clear:“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” Jesus is teaching here that we are incapable of sweeping and putting “in order” our own hearts because our hearts are “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV). Only God can regenerate us and create in us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) and make us new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).However, while Christians cannot be possessed by a demon, this is not to be confused with being influenced by one. The apostle Peter is an illustration of a believer who was influenced by the devil (Matthew 16:23). This can occur especially when we are not mature in the faith and not sufficiently involved in the spiritual disciplines of regular study of Scripture and prayer.Lastly, a word to the wise: some people develop an unhealthy fascination with the occult and demonic activity. This is ill advised to say the least. If we pursue God with our lives and we are clothing ourselves with His armor and relying upon His strength (not our own) (Ephesians 6:10-18), we have nothing to fear from the evil ones, for God rules over all! When we are in Christ, and He in us, we have nothing to fear from the evil one because “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
The Bible does not specifically say whether or not mentally ill people go to heaven. However, there is some biblical evidence that anyone who is not able to make a decision for salvation is covered by Christ’s death. This is similar to how it is commonly believed that children are automatically taken to heaven when they die until they reach the point in which they are able to make a decision for or against Christ. David had a child die, and he comforted himself with the thought, “Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). David knew that he would see his child in heaven one day. From that statement, we can assume that babies and young children were, by God's grace, covered for salvation by Christ’s death.We can postulate from this that mentally handicapped people are covered by this principle as well. The Word of God does not specifically say this, however. Knowing the love, grace, and mercy of God, this would seem consistent with His character. Any person who is mentally challenged to the extent that he could not be aware of his sinful state and believe in Christ for salvation, is in the same category as a child and it is not unreasonable to assume that person is saved by the grace and mercy of the same God who saves babies and small children.As in everything, however, we must be careful not to be dogmatic about any issue the Bible does not specifically address. We do know that Jesus receives as His own all that the Father has given to Him and He will lose none of them along the way (John 6:39). Jesus said of these “And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28). We can take comfort in knowing that our God’s plan is always perfect, He always does what is right and just, and His love and mercy are infinite and everlasting.
There are many wars mentioned in the Bible. Wars of conquest (Joshua 1:6), civil wars (2 Samuel 3:1), and even a war in heaven (Revelation 12:7). Of course, wars involve killing; there is no way around it. We know that murder is sin (Exodus 20:13). But what about the killing of an enemy combatant during wartime?First, we know that notallkilling in wartime is a sin because there have been times when God Himself commanded battles to be fought. God told the ancient Israelites to possess the Promised Land; in fact, just before the conquest, the Lord appeared to Joshua as “commander of the army of the Lord”—a man of war (Joshua 5:14). God laid out the battle plans for the fight against Ai (Joshua 8:1–2). God told King Saul to “go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them” (1 Samuel 15:3). King David defeated the Philistines by following God’s strategy concerning the battle (2 Samuel 5:23–25). God never tells people to sin, so the Israelites who followed God’s commands to wage war were not sinning. Killing in war cannot be equated with murder.This is not to say that killing in war has no effects. David wanted badly to build the temple in Jerusalem, but God did not let him. The Lord wanted a man of peace to build the temple, and David’s history had been anything but peaceful. God said to David, “You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood” (1 Chronicles 28:3).There is no theocracy today. No nation has a command from God to wage war, and God is not handing out battle plans as He did to Joshua, Saul, and David. Yet wars continue to be fought. It is part a fallen world’s existence. The Bible never condemns the actions of a soldier following orders on a battlefield. In fact, the New Testament has examples of soldiers who had faith in God—Jesus commended a centurion’s faith inMatthew 8:10; and another centurion, Cornelius, was saved inActs 10. These men of war were not rebuked for performing the duties of a centurion, nor were they told they must change professions.Most tellingly, some soldiers came to John the Baptist as he was baptizing in the Jordan River. The soldiers asked John, “What should we do?” This would have been the perfect opportunity for John to tell them to stop engaging in warfare, stop killing, or stop being soldiers. Instead, John replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay” (Luke 3:14). Being a soldier is not inherently sinful.Paul uses the soldier life as an illustration of spiritual truth (see1 Corinthians 9:7and2 Timothy 2:3). Other references mention battles and warfare (see2 Corinthians 10:4and1 Timothy 1:18).Ephesians 6contains an extended comparison of the Christian life and warfare (verses 10–17). If being a soldier (and doing the things soldiers are required to do) were sinful, it is unlikely the Holy Spirit would have used soldiering as a metaphor for anything good.Throughout the Bible, warfare is presented as a grim reality in a cursed world. There are forces of evil that must be stopped, and bloodshed is sometimes the result. Whether a Christian should serve in the military is a matter of one’s own conscience, but killing an armed combatant in the context of warfare is not sinful in itself. There is a time and season for everything, including war (Ecclesiastes 3:8)
In Western culture, it has always been considered rude or disrespectful for a man to wear a hat inside a building, including a church building. Even a generation ago, when men commonly wore hats, the headgear was removed indoors, or even outdoors in the presence of a woman. In contrast, women’s hats have long been a standard part of a stylish or formal outfit, and wearing a hat indoors is acceptable for a woman.This cultural tradition most likely has its roots in the Bible itself. The apostle Paul talks to the Corinthian church about this matter, saying, “A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God” (1 Corinthians 11:7). A few verses later, he says, “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man haslong hair, it is a disgrace to him?” (1 Corinthians 11:14). In verse 14 Paul is speaking specifically of “long hair,” rather than hats, but both are considered a “covering” for the head. Most modern churches today would not consider long hair on a man to be disrespectful; nevertheless, this passage calls it a disgrace because long hair is inherently feminine. Since “long” is a relative description, we apply this according to the culture in which one lives. In the Corinthian culture, for men to wear any kind of head covering in church was for them to take on the role of the women, which is not the order God designed for spiritual headship (1 Corinthians 11:3).Women have worn hats in church for centuries and still do so without it being considered disrespectful. Again, this goes back to the biblical idea of head coverings (probably veils) being used as an outward, cultural symbol of an inward attitude. However, nowhere in the Bible does it say womenmustwear hats or veils orkappsin church. The passages in1 Corinthians 11that seem to suggest women ought to have ahead coveringin church are better interpreted as a mandate for women to follow cultural norms, to show respect for one’s husband, and to maintain a distinctly feminine appearance. Many Bible scholars believe the only required covering for the woman is her hair (1 Corinthians 11:15). In either case, it’s difficult to be dogmatic about this passage. Some scholars say this passage is one of the most difficult in the whole New Testament to thoroughly understand.What is important is that we are communicating Christian principles within the culture in which we live. It is traditional in Western culture for a man to take off his hat when entering a building or saluting the flag (with the exception of uniformed members of the military). Christians living in Western cultures should be aware of that tradition and show due respect in the customary way. During the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a civilian taking off his hat communicates respect (to the flag); during a church service, it communicates respect (to God). Similarly, in Eastern cultures, it is respectful to take off one’s shoes when entering a home or place of worship; Christians living in Eastern cultures should follow that custom, even if there is nothing in the Bible that specifically commands it.Taking off one’s hat during in church is simply a cultural way for a man to show respect and honor to God. Rather than bucking tradition and “doing our own thing,” we should usually follow the cultural rules, being careful to communicate respect for God in every way possible.It is certain that God is much more interested in the posture of the heart than any outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). Any woman is capable of wearing elaborate head coverings without having any genuine reverence for God’s established order of authority. But godly women who recognize that submission toward their husbands is as submission to the Lord (Ephesians 5:22) are the women God is pleased with. Whatever we do, motive is important. Whether or not a woman chooses to wear a head covering, let it be done with a genuine spirit of thanks to God in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17).Of course, it is possible for a man to wear a baseball cap in church and yet have a heart full of reverence and awe for the Lord. And it is also possible for a man to remove his hat in church yet disdain God in his soul. God sees the heart. But the issue, sometimes, is what our actions communicate to others; people cannot see our hearts, so we must often show them our respect by what we do.
Ambition is defined as “an intense drive for success or power; a desire to achieve honor, wealth or fame.” To be ambitious, in the worldly sense, is essentially to be determined to have more than your neighbor. Its motto is “he with the most toys wins”; ambition strives to be number one. However, in the Bible, the word ambition takes on a whole new dimension: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands …” (1 Thessalonians 4:11; cf.Philippians 1:17;Ephesians 5:8-10).Where the world teaches us to go all out to be the best, to have a bigger house, a fancier car, a larger paycheck than our neighbor, the Bible teaches us the opposite: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3). The apostle Paul tells us, “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9 NASB). The Greek word for “ambition,”philotim, means literally “to esteem as an honor.” Being ambitious, in and of itself, is not wrong, it’s what we esteem or honor that can be a problem. The Bible teaches that we should be ambitious, yet the objective is to be accepted by Christ, not by the world. Christ taught us that to be first in the Kingdom is to become a servant (Matthew 20:26-28;Matthew 23:11-12).Paul once posed an insightful question: “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men?” His answer: “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Later, Paul reiterated: “On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). Paul is affirming a truth proclaimed by Jesus Himself: “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44). We must ask, what is our ambition: to please God or to please man?Scripture clearly teaches that they who seek honor and esteem from men cannot believe in Jesus (Matthew 6:24;Romans 8:7;James 4:4). Those whose ambition is to be popular with the world cannot be true, faithful servants of Jesus Christ. If our ambition is to seek the things of the world (1 John 2:16;Romans 13:14), in truth, we are self-seeking and denying Christ and His sacrifice (Matthew 10: 33;Matthew 16:24). But if it is our ambition to seek and honor Christ, we are assured of His profound promise: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you” (Matthew 6:33; cf.1 John 2:25).
We all crave acceptance by others. Babies are socialized by learning to read the cues from those they want to please and adjusting their behaviors accordingly. However, when we seek most of our validation and self-worth from the opinions of other people, we are on the wrong path. Popular opinion changes like the breeze, and when we place too much importance on it, we are setting ourselves up for an endless string of disappointments. As long as we pursue popularity as a means to happiness, we are flirting with idolatry. When we find our personal worth in anything or anyone besides God, we are creating an idol. An idol is whatever or whomever we use to meet deep, heartfelt needs that only God can meet.The desire to be popular is more than merely wanting others to think well of our character—we should desire to have a good testimony in the world (Philippians 2:15). A focus on popularity is an obsession with Self. The craving for popularity is part of the “pride of life” mentioned in1 John 2:16. It feels good to the ego to consider ourselves popular, and we tend to bask in that feeling rather than deal honestly with ourselves about our own weaknesses. This leads topride. Pride inflates our view of our own importance and blinds us to our sins and failings (Proverbs 16:18;Romans 12:3). Even when the choice to please others does not involve open disobedience to God, pride is always at the heart of the desire for popularity. And God hates pride (Proverbs 8:13;James 4:6;1 Peter 5:5).Popularity is an elusive god that many have chased to their own destruction. King Herod was basking in popularity at the very moment of his ghastly, public death (Acts 12:19–23). False teachers are always popular with the “itching ears” crowd (2 Timothy 4:3). A sad example of choosing popularity over God is found inJohn 12:42–43: “Many even among the leaders believed in [Jesus]. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.” Everyone who desires to be popular will have to choose many times between the approval of others and the approval of God. God’s plan for us is often in conflict with the world’s plan for us (1 John 2:15). To be “popular,” we must choose the world. But doing so means Jesus is not Lord of our lives; we are (Luke 9:23).Galatians 1:10says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” According to this verse, we cannot consistently please both God and the world. The desire for popularity is rooted in our oldsinful nature. When we give in to it, we are living “according to the flesh” (Romans 8:5,12). Even Christian leaders can fall prey to this seductive desire. Teachers or preachers who become intoxicated with their own popularity are at risk. Unchecked, a desire to be popular can lead them to become men-pleasers, teach heresies (2 Peter 2:1), and design their ministries to please the most people (2 Timothy 4:3) rather than remain true to the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).Jesus is our model. He was a favorite with both God and man as he grew up (Luke 2:52). But there was never a contest in His mind about which He would choose, and He proved that over and over again (John 8:29;Mark 1:11). He did not let temporary popularity influence Him or dissuade Him from His purpose (John 6:15). He never shied away from the hard truths, even when it meant rejection (John 6:66), threats (John 11:53–54), and, eventually, death (John 19:16).Jesus gives us a perfect example of the way He wants us to relate to others. We are not here to make a name for ourselves. We are here on assignment from our Heavenly Father (Acts 1:8;Matthew 28:19). People may love us, or they may hate us, but our commitment to our purpose should never waver (Hebrews 12:1–3). When we choose to allow God to define our value rather than other people, we free ourselves to follow everything Jesus calls us to do. He knew it would be hard, but He gave us the best counsel when He said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11
Answer:Wind is frequently used in the Bible as a metaphor for some spiritual truth (e.g.,Psalm 78:39andJeremiah 22:22). This holds true when the Bible refers to the “four winds.” The phrase “four winds” is used principally to describe the whole of the earth or heaven. The “four winds” encompass all directions or the “four corners” of the earth: north, south, east, and west (Jeremiah 49:36;Matthew 24:31).Different translations give different renderings. For example, inZechariah 6:5, the ESV gives “the four winds of heaven,” but the NIV translates it as “the four spirits of heaven.” The discrepancy is understandable, since the Hebrew word for “wind” can also mean “spirit.”Hebrews 1:7says God makes “his angels winds” (ESV), or “spirits” (NIV).It should be noted, when the phrase “four winds” is mentioned in the Bible, it’s usually in reference to some remarkable, unusual, or devastating event. These events are being reported by some of the Lord’s prophets, most often in the form of a vision (Ezekiel 37:9;Daniel 7:2;Zechariah 2:6).The “four winds” inRevelation 7:1are one example of the phrase being used in the context of judgment: “I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.” This use of the “four winds” is different than other references because the winds are being held back rather than being sent forth. The holding back of the four winds represents the whole theme ofRevelation 7, which is a worshipful respite from the outpouring of God’s judgments. The four winds that had previously represented destruction and affliction on the earth now serve as the most moving and hope-filled promise from God for the protection of His people: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God” (verse 3), “and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (verse 17).
