Expert: Clifford H. Readout, Jr. - 5/18/2004

Question
Recently I have been hearing a preacher talk about the divine providence of God. That everything event that happens rests in the hands of Almighty God. It got me thinking real hard about God and about His divine will.

Can we say when bad things happen in this world that *all bad events* are caused by the *absence* of God's blessing? For instance when a earthquake occurs in a particular area of the world and thousands of people are killed, could we say this event occured due to the absence of God's blessing? God is not the cause of these accidents, it is rather his blessing that has been taken away?

Could we say if God were to take his blessings away from this world there would be far more accidents, plane wrecks, earthquakes, tornados... etc to the point where this world would become chaotic and catastrophic in nature?

Thanks!

Answer
Greetings, Ronin,

Thank  you for your questions. I will give you brief answers to each one, then some commentary.

Q.:  Can we say when bad things happen in this world that *all bad events* are caused by the *absence* of God's blessing?
A.:  We can say that, but it wouldn't be true.

Q.:  For instance when a earthquake occurs in a particular area of the world and thousands of people are killed, could we say this event occurred due to the absence of God's blessing?
A.:  I don't think we could make it a universal rule. It certainly might be true in most disasters.  It depends on how one defines "God's blessings."

Q.:  God is not the cause of these accidents, it is rather his blessing that has been taken away?
A.:  Again, there could be an occasion when this might be true.

Q.:  Could we say if God were to take his blessings away from this world there would be far more accidents, plane wrecks, earthquakes, tornados... etc to the point where this world would become chaotic and catastrophic in nature?
A.  It is possible that this would be true, but again, it would depend on the definition of "God's blessings."

Now for the commentary, to explain the difficulty of this simplistic view:

One could argue, from a scriptural perspective that "judgment events" in the natural world can be manifestations of "God's blessings."  Such things (judgment events) generally occur to force changes in human behavior. If the warnings result in human repentance, the judgment event may be averted. If the warnings do not result in repentance, and the judgment event takes place, it may still be one of God's blessings to the rest of the human race.  If it discourages others from failing to heed God's warnings, it is a blessing to them.
Ecclesiastes 8:11  Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Matthew 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
Matthew 5:29-30  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 18:8-9  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.  9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

If it cleanses the creation, it can be considered a blessing.
Romans 8:19-23  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,  21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

There is another factor in your questions that must be addressed.  We must not assume that prosperity is a sign of blessings, neither may we assume that the opposite represents cursing, or the absence of blessings.
Ecclesiastes 9:1-2  For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.  2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

There are a few texts which seem to view disasters a bit differently.
Luke 13:1-5  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?  5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
John 9:1-7  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.  2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?  3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.  4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.  5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,  7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

I have not given you as full an answer as I might, because I haven't time to devote to writing it.  I hope you will use these two ideas as a starting place to search the scriptures for similar themes.  You ought to be able to discover that God has a broader perspective on things than man does, and our definitions may need to be refined to accommodate His view.

One final comment:
The Book of Job contains a story full of tragedies that came to Job.  I have a copyrighted lesson about it.  If you email me at <readout@earthlink.net> I will send it to you as an Adobe PDF document.  Otherwise, you'll have to settle for this summary.
Job was a man with hidden self-righteousness and pride.  The tragedies that befell him were used by the Lord to bring him to repentance.  The New Testament's reference to his experiences is quite revealing;
James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
All of Job's troubles were the results of the Lord's pity and tender mercy, designed to bring about His purpose (“the end of the Lord”) for Job's life, which was Job's perfection.

I hope this helps.

Yours for Truth,

CR