Why Not?
If you’re reading this and don’t believe God created the world and all in it and He controls everything under the sun, you can either walk away or be prepared to read some things that will be hard for you to grasp.
Today is the 25th anniversary of 9/11,
the day that America was attacked by religious zealots who believe in a false god of hate and debauchery. You may be asking, “If God is in control of everything, why did He let this attack happen?” The better question would be, “Why hasn’t He allowed more carnage in our land?”
The Bible is filled with history of the Israelites, who were and still are God’s chosen people. It is rife with bloody battles of wars between them and surrounding nations, many of which were to clear the way for the Jews to enter and control the “Promised Land.” It is an interesting study in the inborn depravity of man in that for hundreds of years, even with God supernaturally leading and protecting them, they rebelled, grumbled, and didn’t believe that God could or would do what He told them through Abraham, Moses and others.
God’s patience is legendary.
And that’s a good thing. It comes from His overwhelming love for His creation, especially man. The Bible tells us, “to pray for kings and all who are in authority…this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim.2:2,3).
The Israelites were a stubborn and fearful bunch
and even though they saw firsthand the miracles of their all-powerful God day in and day out, chose to disobey and disbelieve Him when it came to acting on His commands that they couldn’t, with human logic, understand how it was possible they could win. Bad decision.
You can read the background in Numbers and Deuteronomy, but the crux is as Israel left Egypt after 400 years of exile heading for the Promised Land, Moses sent 12 scouts/spies to recon the land. Ten of the twelve came back shaking in their sandals because the land was filled with giants and “we became like grasshoppers in our own sight”(Num. 13:33). The other two, Jacob and Caleb, were filled with faith and wanted to push forward, but the majority shouted them down (sound like any “peaceful” rallies on our shores?).
God became angry
and “…took an oath, saying, ‘Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to your fathers, except Caleb and Jacob.” (Deut. 1:34,35). It cost them 40 years of wandering and anyone over 20 would die off to fulfill God’s promise.
I mentioned above that God is patient. It’s actually one of the fruits of the Spirit that are ours as well. You know, love, joy peace, patience and others. But He is until He isn’t. The Israelites pushed Him to His limits. Let’s look back at the change of question in my opening.
Have you looked around America lately
to assess where we’re heading? Could this be God’s judgment? Consider the pure evil represented by certain factions in our society; such things as shootings in elementary schools and churches, abortion on demand, aberrant sexual behavior. As I write, a mother who admits to strangling her three children had a hung jury because eleven of twelve jurors bought her excuse of post-partum whatever. Common sense? Not here.
Just as God allowed the cowardly, unbelieving Israelites the consequences of their disobedience, He allows people of every generation the same. He never forces Himself on anyone. There are enough clues in nature both to God’s existence and His love and patience, that we are without excuse when we stand in judgment. And we all will someday.
The epitome of His love
was displayed at Christmas 2,000 years ago when He allowed His son, Jesus Christ, to be born to live a perfect life and be painfully crucified for you and me because we are incapable of meeting His standard of holiness. Why hasn’t He allowed more carnage? Because He takes no joy in having to condemn sinners to an eternity of pain and darkness. Don’t be one who says, I heard but I didn’t heed. I thought I could sow my oats and decide later. Bad decision.
If you’ve read this and aren’t sure you’ll make the cut, click Steps To Salvation in the back of this book to get more details about how you can be sure you’re on the right team…for eternity. Thanks for reading.