I want to comment just a little about all that is happening in the world today.
I was only 5 hours by air from the terrible earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan and although we did not feel any of the tremors, I did see firsthand the affect it had on the nation of Japan.
Just days after the earthquake the Incheon/Seoul Airport reported 78 additional flights a day coming out of Japan. While visiting the Queen’s Palace I met a number of people who had fled from Japan. They said that the people are afraid and that they are living hour to hour not knowing what is going to happen next.
Many people around the world have been asking, “If God is supposed to be so good then why is there so much disaster, tragedy and pain in the world?”
According to traditional Jewish theology, “the idea that natural disasters are punishment for sin is rejected by God in the Old Testament's book of Job.” That tradition says “tragedy has nothing to do with the victim's behavior. It is simply the mystery and vastness of nature."
This brings up an interesting question. Do bad things happen to people when they sin? Sometimes they do because there is always a consequence for our actions.
So are the earthquakes and tsunamis and all the other bad things that are happening in the world God’s judgment?
I do not believe they are His judgment but I do believe they are a sign and a wakeup call.
Eric Metaxas, author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God, said that "according to the Bible, the world is NOT the way God wants it to be.” I whole heartedly can agree with this.
God created a perfect world in the Garden of Eden became broken by the sin of Adam and Eve. Since that time the Bible tells us how God is trying to restore that which was broken.
God is in the process of redeeming mankind and He is with us in the suffering. He feels our pain.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:14-15
So if this is not God’s judgment what does all of this mean?
All that is happening in the world right now are signs. Jesus told us to watch for these signs in Matthew 24.
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. Matthew 24:4-8
People have tried to get a timetable on the End Times since A.D. 100. The Word of God doesn't give any time frame for this. It just gives us the signs of what to look for before it happens.
What the Bible does show us is that God is incredibly patient and that we need to keep our eyes focused on Him and we need to be ready.
How can you be ready?
By turning to Jesus.
