Is God behind the recent hurricanes? What does the Bible really say?

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The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. -- Revelation 9: 20-21 (ESV)

https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/67265-the-divine-message-hidden-within-these-hurricanes

It seems inevitable that whenever there is a natural disaster in this country some Christians take it upon themselves to speak for God when He has not spoken. The result is often confusion in the body and a further distancing of the lost from the vehicle God has chosen to deliver the Gospel, the church. Many can be dismissed out of hand because of the overall false nature of the messenger but the real dangerous messages are the ones that mix just enough truth to hook the reader with absolute unbiblical nonsense. The most recent example can be found above, written by someone named David Servant, whose biography indicates decades of pastoral service. Sadly then, he should know better. Let us reason together through his article entitled, "The Divine Message Hidden Within These Hurricanes."

My intent is to skip the first portion of this article as it primarily addresses things that are absolutely correct. I do want to acknowledge that though. Servant spends a great deal of time dealing with the truth that many preachers today have abandoned preaching the wrath of God. That the messages are always about love and puppies and rainbows. I agree wholeheartedly. He recounts a sad story of an interaction with a mega church pastor when asked about whether we should preach the wrath of God responded that he was called to preach the "Good" News. How profoundly depressing that someone who is responsible for the eternal destinations of so many does not realize that wrath and judgment are part of the Good News. That you cannot even get to the "goodness" of the news without explaining about sin and its consequences. He correctly summarizes that without the wrath of God there is no Gospel. Unfortunately however he starts to go off the rails from there:

But what does the Bible say regarding the source of hurricanes? -- David Servant

He goes on to list several Scriptures, including Jonah 1 Ezekiel 13, Haggai 2, and Jeremiah 31. It is true that all of these speak about God orchestrating great storms and mighty winds. Most are familiar with the storm in Jonah. Here is the first problem with his connection. The Bible does not indicate that these were hurricanes. Granted, that is a word that only dates back to the 16^th century but does anyone remember reading the story of Jonah and thinking the storm was a hurricane? This is what is called an assumption and not a particularly good one. The second logical disconnect is that pointing out four instances in 6000 years of history does not lead us to conclude that God is the 'source" of hurricanes. Now if you wish to make the argument that God in His sovereignty is always in control of His creation -- no problem. That brings us to His permissive will. There is no question that God "permitted" the recent hurricanes. That does not mean He is the "source"; which implies intent. Servant continues:

What could have possibly motivated God to send (or refuse to stop) such a devastating wind on the scale of Katrina to the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, doing incalculable damage, and causing almost unimaginable human suffering? The only logical and biblical possibility is that God was motivated by anger. His anger, of course, is not senseless, but always justified by people's rebellion against His commandments. -- David Servant

This article was originally written about Katrina and republished this week after Irma and Harvey devastated Florida and Texas. Notice the immense leap he just took beloved. He listed a handful of scriptures that deal with storms and now is pondering what could have motivated God to send or refuse to stop the hurricanes. Then he takes another absurd leap to conclude that it must have been done because of the anger of God. This is the insidious nature of a false teaching. There has been much truth leading up to these wild accusations against God that he has provided zero biblical proof for.

"Understanding this truth, many Christians have attempted to show specific reasons why New Orleans, rather than other cities, was apparently targeted for divine displeasure. I must confess that I am tempted to agree with them. The reports I've read from believers who travel each year to proclaim the gospel during the New Orleans Mardi Gras are sickening. One friend wrote: I have been to the French Quarter of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. I have been to the homosexual district and seen people "carousing in broad daylight." I have seen people parading naked down the streets walking in their filth and sin. I preached the gospel the night before Fat Tuesday earlier this year as hundreds of Roman Catholics made excuses for their sin and immorality before a holy God and justified their sin by telling me that they could sin all they wanted as long as they "went to confession" on Ash Wednesday and somehow it was all better in God's sight! ... New Orleans is the voodoo capital of the U.S.A. I have seen hundreds of fortunetellers on the streets, and many of them would rail curses at me after I handed them a gospel tract (one in particular spitting on it, pronouncing curses and cursing "my Jesus"). I saw thousands and thousands of idols and things which pertain to witchcraft and Satanism. Yikes!"

This is how the self righteous think beloved. This is the Pharisee in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. Thank you Lord that I am not like those sinners in New Orleans. What about the churches in New Orleans? Did they matter to God? What about the Christians who were not partaking in these festivities? Did they matter or does God consider them collateral damage? What about the fact that on its way to wipe out those heathens in New Orleans, Mississippi got destroyed as well and that state is often considered one of the most religious? Did God miss? Once you apply a dose of common sense you see the ridiculousness of this argument. Here is the first comment to this article that sums up this point pretty well:

"God must hate the gulf coast. There are an average of 6 hurricanes per year that afflict the Gulf coast. He just hates that part of the country. Oh, and He hates the Kansas/Missouri/Oklahoma part of the country too because he smacks them with Tornados every year. God used to hate San Francisco in 1911, the date of the big earthquake and fire. But he is happy with San Francisco for the last 106 years. God really loves Oregon because they get neither hurricanes, tornados or earthquakes. So if you want to be on God's good side, move to Oregon." - Commenter

Keep in mind that a recent poll found Oregon the third highest liberal state in America. The truth is that every state and every city has sinners because we are all sinners. Also a word here about the permissive will of God. Servant asks the wrong question when he asks why God did not stop the hurricane. The real question is why He doesn't send hurricanes against every state. That is His mercy. I might add that one could conclude that when a hurricane is supposed directly hit Miami as a category five and ends up off the west shoreline as a category four that perhaps God was answering many prayers. Yes some lost their lives and many lost everything they owned but how much worse could it have been. Instead of blaming God for the negative we should be praising Him for His mercy.

"Perhaps you've heard that since 1972, New Orleans has been the host city of the annual "Southern Decadence Day," which would have been held this very weekend, as it has every Labor Day weekend for the past 33 years. It is touted as "one of the gay world's major parties," and a "gay Mardi Gras" when tens of thousands of gay men and lesbians descend on the French Quarter for unrestrained public lewdness and drunkenness. In 2003, it pumped $95 million into the local economy, which is why city leaders refused to shut it down in spite of protests by more decent people. Is it possible that after 33 years, God had enough and decided to shut it down?

New Orleans has also seen an incredible amount of looting, arson, rape, murders, gang violence and general lawlessness after Katrina, something that was not seen in the countries hit by last December's tsunami. One Sri Lankan observed, "I am absolutely disgusted. After the tsunami, our people, even the ones who lost everything, wanted to help the others who were suffering. Not a single tourist caught in the tsunami was mugged. Now with all this happening in the U.S. we can easily see where the civilized part of the world's population is." (Ouch!)" -- David Servant

More decent people. It must be nice to be so decent. I wouldn't know of course because as Romans 3 teaches me, none are righteous. Yes David after 33 years God decided to shut it down. Of course I guess He decided to leave in place all of the remaining horrific and deplorable sin in this country. No need to deal with the murders, rapes, and child abuse -- we have a parade to shut down in New Orleans! I guess He will get around to shutting down the genocide in other countries once He is done with the revelers on Bourbon Street. Everyone better watch out! Except Oregonians of course. They seem safe.

"Reports such as these certainly tempt us to assume New Orleans was more deserving of devastation than other U.S. cities. Yet we should keep in mind Jesus' cautions about making such judgments (see Luke 13:1-5). What other American city or town can claim exemption from deserving God's judgment? If God is sending a message to New Orleans, He is also sending a message to everyone in this country. Katrina is affecting us all, taking a bite out of each of our wallets. Gas stations here in Pennsylvania certainly aren't offering any discounts. Once again, God has clearly displayed His temporal wrath to the United States, and He wants all of us to know that, as Jesus said, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" What about the righteous folks in New Orleans, the true followers of Christ? Is God punishing them? That can't be the case, of course. But God is obviously testing them. I suppose He is also testing the rest of us who profess to be Christ's followers and have means to help our suffering brothers and sisters." (Luke 13:3, 5). -- David Servant

What??? You do not get to smear entire states and then pretend you did not just do it! David Servant now acts like he did not earlier ask why God would send this hurricane! He has now concluded that God sent the hurricane to kill the sinners and test the saints to help out those who were devastated while in the same breath admitting the Bible forbids him from making such judgments. Beloved, the rest of the article deals with the mercy of God but that message is lost amidst the accusations leveled against God. What people like David Servant forget is that the things of God remain foolishness to those who are perishing. It does not matter if a hurricane comes that devastates a state. It will not change the biblical truth that those who are not saved will continue to view the things of God as foolishness. Just read the key verses for today. This is from Revelation and describes the response of the unsaved to the trumpet judgments! This includes locusts with the power of scorpions and a third of mankind perishing! Yet they did not repent! Yet some think a hurricane will force repentance? Romans 1 teaches us that only the Gospel has the power of God unto the salvation of man. Only the Gospel can save someone. Mercifully, Servant concludes:

"Finally, will the pastors, preachers and prophets in America rise to the occasion to courageously proclaim the truth? Or will they actually work against Christ and assist Satan in what he specializes in--spreading lies about himself and God? God has just roared at America one more time. Will His spokespersons now remain silent? Or worse, will they say that God has not roared? Who will proclaim what the Bible repeatedly declares from cover to cover? Who will love people enough tell them the truth? Who will seek the approval of God rather than the approval of men? Who will be truly seeker-sensitive, that is, sensitive to the One who came to seek and save the lost, and who died in His passion to save them from hell? Who will cry out, like Isaiah of old, Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they are estranged and backward. Why should you be beaten again, that you revolt more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint (Isa. 1:4-5, emphasis added)." -- David Servant

God has not roared at America beloved. Two hurricanes hit the country. If you want to find a better culprit perhaps the church should stop challenging the overwhelming evidence of global warming. It is only fitting that Servant misuses Isaiah to conclude. Isaiah is speaking of course to the nation of Israel, all of whom are God's people. You cannot take that verse and make it prescriptive for the United States, which is most assuredly not Israel. This is the same error always made by the NAR and dominionists. It really is s shame because David Servant dances around the real truth the entire article. It is the church that is being called to repentance. It is the church that must turn from its wicked ways. The church in America is the source of nearly all the heresies infecting the world today and keeping millions from eternal life. Does the world need to repent? Absolutely but that is accomplished only through the preaching of the uncompromised Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not by vaguely associating God with every natural disaster and then finding some relevant sin issue in the affected area to place the blame upon. Can God decide to send hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning? Of course He is God. That doesn't mean He does or He has. I agree with Servant that the entire Gospel needs to be proclaimed and repentance is a key message in the Gospel. We can either follow the Bible and realize the church needs to step up and be the church again or we can assume every natural disaster is a divine beat down. In which case we can all move to Oregon.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- September 15, 2017

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.