I read an article entitled “Japan’s Earthquake and the Will of God,” by a former colleague. The article was well-written and thoughtful and strategically placed in the Huffington Post’s religion section meant to reach many readers, some of whom would have little use for God or His will. But, I came away from it troubled that the whole nature of God was not presented.
Below is a link to the article and an opening quote from it. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-hamilton/was-japans-earthquake-the_b_837324.html?ref=fb&src=sp#sb=578959,b=facebook
“On Monday, Tokyo’s governor, Shintaro Ishihara, was quoted as saying, “I think (the disaster in Japan) is tembatsu.” Tembatsu is a Japanese term that means “divine punishment.” His remarks are reminiscent of the 2005 comments of the then New Orleans’ mayor Ray Nagin, following Hurricane Katrina’s destruction of his city. At the time he noted, “Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane.” Both governor Ishihara and Mayor Nagin saw the disaster as punishment for human sin.”
The article’s content basically was a defense of God’s good name (as if He needs it) – pointing out that natural disasters are a by-product of nature’s forces and an inevitable reality in this world; and that other calamities are a result of our actions or others’ actions. But, the article left the sense that we have a deistic God – uninvolved in events, except if they’re good, and only then in the sense that we are inspired to act in His name by helping our neighbors. “That is how God is present” was the concept offered.
Though the death of Christ on the cross was mentioned as the way God has dealt with the problem of sin in the world – sin which causes individual or large-scale disasters – Jesus’ words, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” were mentioned as a sign that God is always merciful. Therefore, nothing that harms us ever has anything to do with God’s attitude or actions.
I agree that the cross is an incredible sign of God’s love. Though we, as a race, deserve the penalty of death for all we have done that offends God’s holiness, He took the fall for us, took the penalty, and absorbed our sin while also conquering death through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. But, if God is always merciful, why the cross? Why not just say, “Heck, it’s ok. I forgive you all.” The cross is a rather dramatic venue for a God who is purportedly “never angry with us” according to the article. With a death that agonizing borne by the “Holy One of God,” we have to conclude that sin is exquisitely offensive to One who is perfectly holy. And yet He is Love itself (1 John 4:16). He had to hold those two dimensions of His personality in tension on the cross. Perfect love poured out for us by substituting Himself as the Offender, and perfect justice served by death as the payment for all our offenses.
I have no idea why the disasters occurred in Japan other than the natural circumstances of an earthquake, followed by a tsunami, and then the fearful disruption of the reactors – a chain of events. The weather is cold. People are homeless, hungry, grieving, frightened. There is death and injury and trapped ones perhaps still in the rubble. God’s involvement is, of course, not for me to comment on, nor would I. What matters now – the only thing that matters – is to RELIEVE human suffering. And yes, God is in that.
Jesus was once asked the “Why?” question in the face of some tragic events of His day. Luke 13:1-5 tells us, “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
I think we answer too quickly and too easily if we brush over all that is said in the Bible about the wrath of God against sin – and we encourage people to be complacent. “God is benevolent. Just relax. He loves you no matter what.” Yes, He does, but there is still His perfect holiness, the just side of His nature which must not be forgotten, along with His mercy, His loving-kindness which endures forever. What does one do with passages like these? Exodus 32:10-12, Numbers 11:1, Jeremiah 21:3-7, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the plagues on Egypt, the exile of the Jews. We can use the language of “God allows these things” or “God removed His hand of blessing,” but even that is expressive of God “doing something” in response to human wickedness. This is not just an Old Testament issue either. Similar events can be pointed out in the New Testament. How do you handle the sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to God? (Acts 5:1-11) These stories do not count? And there are certainly passages on God’s wrath at the end of time – Romans 2:5, 8; 5:9; Col. 3:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:10. We cannot minimize this side of God, that He hates our sin and He will deal with it.
I am with those who want to sing at the top of my lungs, “Oh how He loves you and me!” I firmly believe that and the trail of blessings in my life is miles long. But, I want to be sure I revere God – love the intimacy He has given me in Christ – but remember His awesome majesty and His justice and OBEY Him too! And I fear for all the people that disdain and blow off God. The comments on the Huffington Post to the article above demonstrate that mindset. Psalm 10:11 speaks of the heart of so many people today, “God has forgotten,” they say. “He has hidden His face; He will never see it.” They think God does not exist, or, He doesn’t mind and He’s just a mild-mannered, dismissible grandpa type.
Every revival has begun when people have started to see themselves as they really are and as they appear to God. When they get gripped by conviction and humility and begin to pray, the Spirit of God begins to pour Himself out on the land. How dry and languishing we are when God’s presence has receded from us. And teaching that there is no such thing as anger or punishment in this life aids that indifference. Jonathan Edwards once preached a sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” which launched a powerful reaction in his church and the surrounding community of New England. We remember it as the First Great Awakening of the 1700s. He preached the awful consequences of sin, but the tender remedy of God, His Son’s sacrifice. The cost of giving us His own righteousness was STEEP for God. We need to understand that – how bad sin is and how good grace is. A God without anger towards sin is a God we can walk right past towards the idols of our making.
Tags: Adam Hamilton, confession of sin, Huffington Post, Japan's tragedies, Revival, wrath of God
