Mark 4:35-41
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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| Sea of Galilee |
Matthew 14:23-33
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come.And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Amos 4:7
7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
Our opening passages are meant to convey the power God holds over the elements and how He may direct them any way he so chooses. Many times yours truly has observed in the face of natural disasters media outlets call on clergy to give an opinion of how God is relative to such events. In some cases ministers often try to play down this aspect of God. (Personally I feel the reasoning behind this is some people would not use the prophetic aspect of judgment to entice new followers of the Lord.) To deny God's control or power over the elements is not proper teaching. In other words sometimes people have heard so much about what a loving God we have (and we do) that some ministers do not want to relate these types of judgments for fear of turning people away from God. If you like biblical prophecy and study it carefully then we realize that judgments are part of God's fatherly aspects as our creator. Sometimes we have trials and tribulations on our personal levels and sometimes we have trials and tribulations on a worldly level. In either case they are meant to convey our errors with faith and all are there to strengthen our faith. Many of what are called postmodern churches teach that God loves us no matter what we do. Have you ever noticed even talking with other believers as soon as you mention your a minister or student of prophecy (I consider myself both) it seems to set off some kind of alarm. We should not forget to teach the love of God but we also must not forget His jealous and judgmental nature.
Exodus 20:1-5
1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
One recent event sparked the very question about God's control and authority in such situations. That incident was hurricane Katrina. Let's explore some of the comments that deny God's authority over such incidents.
The following quote comes from the RNS Religious News Service
Tuesday, September 20, 2005 Hurricane Katrina—Act of God?
Quote of the Day: Bishop Carlton D. Pearson of Tulsa, Okla.
“God is a good God and doesn’t have or need to throw temper tantrums like a spoiled and undisciplined child, in order to get his way or because he appears not to have it. We should not attempt to reduce God to such mundane human variables.’’
-- Bishop Carlton D. Pearson of Higher Dimensions Ministries in Tulsa, Okla., commenting on his belief that Hurricane Katrina was not an act of God.
The following quotes are provided by the Columbus Ohio Dispatch
The Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, has plenty of references to an angry, vengeful God. But that doesn't have to be taken literally, said Benjy Bar-Lev, assistant rabbi and director of education at Temple Beth Shalom in New Albany.
"We Jews don't read the Bible word for word," he said. The idea that God sends messages in tragedy is "a pretty ridiculous notion."
"We live in an unpredictable world," Bar-Lev said. "God doesn't make one thing or another happen, but God is there to comfort us when those bad things do happen."
People want to find a reason for disaster, so they convince themselves that God is trying to tell us something, said the Rev. Chuck Freeman, pastor of Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church in suburban Austin, Texas.
His essay on what lessons should be learned from the oil spill has been published on the online Huffington Post and elsewhere.
Freeman said the oil spill and global warming are signs from nature, not God, and are indicating that "what you're doing is not working. It's not in harmony with the planet you're living on."
Human industry, not God, caused the oil spill, said Archbishop Gregory Aymond of the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. Many of his parishioners are still rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Katrina and now face new devastation.
Though God allows evil and suffering, he always walks with those in pain and "shows us a way to rebuild our lives," Aymond said.
Those who envision an enraged God lack understanding, he said.
"To see God as one who is filled with revenge and who retaliates against his people is certainly not the God of the New Testament who Jesus portrays," Aymond said.
In a case like this last we need only revert to a passage we have explored in our earlier posts.
Matthew 5:16-18
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Luke 12:5-10
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
One of our frequently used verses concerning how God reverses the roles of the nations is from Deuteronomy below.
Deuteronomy 30:7
7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
In every quote we just explored it seems as though God is not literal with His words. The NT God is different from the OT God or He loves us too much to inflict such punishment. Within this study we will discover exactly what God is telling us in Deuteronomy.
2ND Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
This last verse is a category that would fit the belief that God cannot control nature. If God can control nature He can use it for whatever purposes He sees fit and it's unwise to challenge His power in this regard. After all has God not given us plenty of evidence in the scripture concerning this? The very way God chose to cleanse the world He created in Genesis was by flood Genesis (7,8,and 9). One of the plagues of Egypt was the hailstones accompanied by thunder and fire (Exodus 9). These are just a couple of examples of many. Let's explore the science class of the Bible the book of Job for a few passages.
Job 21:14-22
14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? 16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm <05492> carrieth away. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst? 22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
Here we have an opportunity for a word study concerning the use of the word storm. This proves to be a most interesting choice of wording. Some of the quotations above seem to consider things like hurricane Katrina as nothing more than an act of nature. The word study below should put these ideas to rest. It also proves to be another example of ideology verses reading of scripture. When you want to learn about God which would you trust?
05492:
5492 cuwphah soo-faw' from 5486; a hurricane:--Red Sea, storm, tempest, whirlwind, Red sea. see HEBREW for 05486
05486:
5486 cuwph soof a primitive root; to snatch away, i.e. terminate:--consume, have an end, perish, X be utterly.
Job 26:5-10
5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. 6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. 8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. 9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.
Job 27:8-21
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? 11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. 12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. 14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. 18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh. 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest <05492> stealeth him away in the night. 21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm <08175> hurleth him out of his place.
As we can see the same Hebrew word is used in verse 20 as we explored above associated with the word tempest. This does not change the meaning of the word we studied above in the least. As a matter of fact it serves to intensify the meaning implied.
08175:
8175 sa`ar saw-ar' a primitive root; to storm; by implication, to shiver, i.e. fear:--be (horribly) afraid, fear, hurl as a storm, be tempestuous, come like (take away as with) a whirlwind.
Interesting enough we could by different implication be referencing a side effect to a hurricane such as the gale force winds or even a tornado may be spawned. These frequently occur with hurricanes. One of the oldest books in the Bible sharing so much information. we could almost be reading a book written yesterday. This is an interesting point to make because scoffers of the word and progressive intellectuals would consider the men and women of biblical times as primitive. This is another study in itself.
Job 37:1-14
1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
How clear this passage is in glorifying God and His creation. It would seem that our people of the clergy in their thoughts did not attend the science class of the Bible. Their thoughts may be influenced by secular teaching, philosophy or some other worldly form of education. Some may not feel these things important to discuss but if we can find 5 examples from above within 5 minutes it's a good bet there are perhaps hundreds teaching that there are limitations to God's power.
Job 38:22-32
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? 24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? 25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; 26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? 28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. 31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
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| Arcturus Star System |
As stated in the heading on the home page of this blog the Bible is our text book. The passages we just explored are from what is considered one of the oldest books of the Bible. Some scholars date the book of Job in some cases before the time of Moses. There is very little doubt among most researchers the book is one of the most ancient of the Bible. In comparison to the earlier quotations concerning Katrina it would make one wonder if some teach what they want the Bible to say or if they are actually teaching what it says. Amen!
Thus far in some of the areas we have explored we have found geographical subjects. We have explored legal subjects. We most certainly have learned some history. In the case of Job we have discovered some interesting facts concerning science and weather. We find allusions to gravity (Job 26:7), the frozen oceans that describe what we know as the polar seas(Job 38:30-33) and in the same passage we have reference to constellations of the stars for a bit of astronomy. In a subject that will be preached upon later we will discover how the simple understanding God is in control is perverted by what we call in my neck of the woods 25$ words and technical jargon. After all most of what we know as science in our classrooms are theories which are taught as facts especially evolution. Even Jesus Himself explains best in Matthew 18.
Matthew 18:1-6
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 11:25-27
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Psalm 83
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? 11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. 12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. 14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. 18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh. 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night. 21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
If you notice carefully the Psalmist makes a direct quotation from the passage of Job 27. Now that we have pretty well established how God is in control of all things big and small. This writing is taking place on the 100th day of the oil spill on 19 April 2010. It has been observed on a couple of informative shows such as Hannity and Huckabee on Fox News how products like hay, polyester,other microfibers and bacteria easily absorb oil or digest it from the surface of sea water. The folks involved also have some ways of massive scale deployment of these products and ideas. However as the president surrounds himself with the so called brilliant minds of the world it appears that these ideas which have been demonstrated to work are too simple for the educated. Sometimes we can become so educated in the world that we forget what common sense is. This is a society lesson based on Jesus' words from Matthew 11. Now as we have a current problem in the Gulf of Mexico the study will take new look at the costliest disaster in United States history. Please don't regard Katrina as old news and opt not to read this. There have been many brilliant studies and biblical parallels to the event. However as yours truly watched the events unfold it became more and more evident there was somewhere in the scripture we would find a prophetic mirror. If you have not noticed the word "I" very rarely appears and I really try to keep it that way. The reason being it can be very easy to slip into the realm of those who try and inject their own ideologies into a matter. This particular ministry wants to glorify God, Jesus and the church in that order. So please forgive me when the word "I" pops up once in a while. Thank you for your patience and God Bless all.
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