Acts of God?

mee · 11-01-2007, 08:13 PM

Does the Bible teach that God is behind the natural disasters we see today? Not at all! God’s judgments as described in the Bible are quite different from natural disasters. For one thing, God is selective; he reads the hearts of individuals and destroys only those he deems wicked. (Genesis 18:23-32) Furthermore, God sends warnings first, thereby giving the righteous opportunity to escape.
Natural disasters, on the other hand, strike with little or no warning, and they kill and maim indiscriminately. To some extent, mankind has made such disasters worse by damaging the natural environment and by building in areas prone to earthquakes, floods, and extreme weather.

bob x · 11-03-2007, 05:17 PM

The Old Testament God is the opposite of selective: he wipes out entire populations. Saying that he "destroys only those he deems wicked" is not very comfortable when he deems EVERYBODY wicked.

Francis king · 11-04-2007, 02:34 PM

yes! its God's fault! Everything! (Still wanna worship him now?) In fact, I think we should rebel, overthrow him... he's a despot...

cyberpi · 11-04-2007, 03:31 PM

bobx what would you say to this verse:

Matthew 21:44 "...and he who is falling on this stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it may fall it will crush him to pieces." (Jesus Christ)

Mee you've quoted from verses that drew my attention... my favorites there:

Genesis 18:17-19 (Young's literal) and Jehovah said, "Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing, and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth? For I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him."

Genesis 19:9 (KJV) And they said, Stand back. And they said again, "This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door."

I slipped in the Young's literal to more accurately get the 'Jehovah'. I think the flesh profits nothing regardless of what gets it. If the sun and the planet are going to die, and the universe will end someday... the flesh is going to die regardless of what kills it.

mee · 11-04-2007, 06:53 PM

True Acts of God

To help clear up confusion over the meaning of the phrase “act of God,” we first need to understand the criteria, or conditions, that an event must meet to be a true act of God.

The Bible clearly tells us that God is Almighty. (Exodus 6:3) But it also says: “Perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.”—Deuteronomy 32:4.

Knowing that Jehovah is just, upright, and consistent helps to fix the criteria that enable us to determine when a catastrophe is truly an act of God. Some key factors are: (1) It is always in harmony with God’s purpose; (2) God gives advance warning before acting; (3) he gives instructions to obedient ones for survival.

With this in mind, consider two occasions when God did act to bring a disaster. One was during the time of Noah, over 4,300 years ago.
Another act of God took place several centuries after the Flood. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah faced destruction from God because of their gross immorality.

What was the attitude of the people in those cities?

mee · 11-04-2007, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis king

yes! its God's fault! Everything! (Still wanna worship him now?) In fact, I think we should rebel, overthrow him... he's a despot...

Fighters Against God Cannot Succeed

James 4;8 Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.
(Isaiah 55:6) Search for Jehovah, YOU people, while he may be found. Call to him while he proves to be near.

greymare · 11-04-2007, 11:57 PM

so there was no innocent in Sodom and Gomorah(pardon my spelling)?????????

Quahom1 · 11-05-2007, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greymare

so there was no innocent in Sodom and Gomorah(pardon my spelling)?????????

According to scripture, there was only one innocent. That was Lot. Even his wife was foolish enough to pine for the past (she looked back when God specifically told her not to), and paid with that error with her life.

Lot was not especially strong in his faith or gumption either (he would have sent his daughters out to be abused by the crowd), but his uncle (Abraham), plead with God to spare him. He also succumbed to strong wine (plied by his two daughters), and then made them pregnant (though he allegedly did not know that he slept with them).

Unlike what many Christians are taught, Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed due to homosexual behavior soley, but due to a very common issue that occurs everyday in modern times. They were powerful cities that did nothing to help their less fortunate neighbors, as well as being generally immoral (but isn't ignoring someone in need, the same thing?).

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Quahom1 · 11-05-2007, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob x

The Old Testament God is the opposite of selective: he wipes out entire populations. Saying that he "destroys only those he deems wicked" is not very comfortable when he deems EVERYBODY wicked.

Exactly. Should give a great deal of food for thought...

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Quahom1 · 11-05-2007, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis king

yes! its God's fault! Everything! (Still wanna worship him now?) In fact, I think we should rebel, overthrow him... he's a despot...

That seems to be what Lucifer said and thought...look where it got the once most powerful and beautiful angel in the universe?...

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greymare · 11-05-2007, 05:36 AM

but ,
q were there not little children in these cities. Why would they have been destroyed? Thats the innocence I am talking about. Being born at the wrong place and time is hardly an infants fault. (am I being too maternal?) Also, just a question, but is there any scientific proof of these two cities being destroyed (by fire)?? Just askin....

mee · 11-05-2007, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greymare

so there was no innocent in Sodom and Gomorah(pardon my spelling)?????????

what does the bible say?

17th Angel · 11-05-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francis king

yes! its God's fault! Everything! (Still wanna worship him now?) In fact, I think we should rebel, overthrow him... he's a despot...

I have seen.... I have seen, what happens to the proud when they take on the throne :\ I'll pass my invitation to rebellion to the left hand side.

mee · 11-05-2007, 12:25 PM

if God acts then he makes the way out for those who want it .

Quahom1 · 11-05-2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greymare

but ,
q were there not little children in these cities. Why would they have been destroyed? Thats the innocence I am talking about. Being born at the wrong place and time is hardly an infants fault. (am I being too maternal?) Also, just a question, but is there any scientific proof of these two cities being destroyed (by fire)?? Just askin....

There is no mention of children specifically, but God does state that all were in a wretched state. A documentary on the History channel showed the ruins of two cities by what used to be a waterway in the Middle East, and indeed the ground and what was left of the cities' foundations appear to have been scorched at some point...

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