Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning...30-40 tornadoes, across 4 states, killing 55 people that we know of and injuring hundreds more...perhaps millions of dollars of destruction...
Over 800 vehicles stranded on an interstate in Wisconsin due to an inordinate amount of snowfall...
Multiple flooding problems in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and New York due to rain and melting snow...
Generally when natural disasters hit, there is discussion as to why...in our culture, global warming gets much of the blame/credit. The far-right wing Christian groups will state they occur as part of God's modern-day judgment on sin...the far-left liberal groups will tout the above mentioned global-warming, or some other environmental cause. Those in the middle of the 2 groups are left to battle between the 2.
I had a professor in college challenge us one time with this very topic. He posed a question to us that went something like this, "If your home was destroyed by a tornado, what explanation would give you the most comfort...that Satan did it, that it was just an occurrence of nature, or that God did it?" His reasoning was as follows...if Satan did it, there could be no comfort or little comfort as that would mean Satan was able to overcome the protection of God so many believers feel they have...if it was just a natural occurrence, then that would eliminate or at least cut into the providential hand of God over the earth and insinuate that things can happen randomly with no logical reason...if God caused it, in the mind of this professor, at least we could find comfort in knowing that God had a reason for it and that all of the earth was still under His control.
The book of Job in the Old Testament is probably the most used scriptural evidence for defending a position in terms of "natural" disasters. You're probably familiar with the premise...Job is very upright and faithful, and God allows (some would say by God allowing it He causes it) Satan to come against Job. Satan does so initially by using fire from heaven (lightning?) and a "great wind" (tornado?) to ravage Job's herds and kill his sons and daughters. Most point to this as enough evidence to say that Satan has control of such things. However it's tough to reconcile that with teachings later in the story of Job...in chapters 32-37, Elihu points Job to the power of God. In chapter 36, verse 32 he states, "He (God) covers His hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark." Chapter 37, verse 6 says, "For to the snow He (God) says, 'Fall on the earth,' likewise to the downpour, His mighty downpour." Verses 10-13 of the same chapter reads, "By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter His lightning. They turn around and around by His guidance, to accomplish all that He commands them on the face of the habitable world. Whether for correction or for His land or for love, He causes it to happen." Even God Himself answers Job beginning in chapter 38...in verses 22-23 He talks about the "storehouses of snow and hail" He has reserved to use...in verse 35 He states, "Can you send forth lightnings that they may go and say to you, 'Here we are'?"
Some may point to the Romans 8 passage, specifically verse 22 where Paul writes that "the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth". Paul also writes that creation is in bondage to decay as a result of sin. To this many people point to things occurring naturally, as a result of the earth being imperfect due to sin.
Still others point to Jesus referring to the "prince/ruler of this world" in John 12, 14, and 16 as well as Paul's use in Ephesians of the "prince of the power of the air" all pointing towards Satan and giving him essentially free rein or control over things of this earth, including weather.
So essentially we have scriptural reference, if not full scriptural evidence, to imply all three positions. What are we to make of things like tornadoes, snowstorms, and the like? Does Satan have a free hand to strike wherever and however he chooses? Is creation so marred by the sin of man that the natural things of God breakdown and result in cold fronts and warm fronts coming together to make giant storms? Or is God still using weather as described in Job, to correct, to supply, to accomplish all things? I have to admit to you, I don't know. Even recently, I was of the school of thought that hurricanes, tornadoes, and other "extreme" weather events were the result of the impact of sin on creation. But now, I'm not so sure...even in the tragedy of lost life and lost possessions, there is a strange peace that comes about in thinking that even that tragedy could have been under the hand of God. When I read stories as I have about the 11 month old boy in Tennessee, found alive in the middle of flattened homes, bricks from a blown-apart post office, and trees twisted in a grotesque manner, I have to believe that Satan was not in control...surely he would have taken the life of this child as well if he had that power. I realize the boys' mother did not survive the storm, and for that many would have discomfort in thinking that God was in control and allowed her to die...but perhaps He has a plan for this boy...a plan to reach millions in his lifetime as he gives testimony of how God protected his life during this storm and how God surrounded him with people and love in the loss of his mom. Perhaps God granted his mom ultimate healing in taking her home to be with Him, and left behind her son to sing of the glory of God.
I'm not sure...I'm not even sure this line of thinking will ever lead to an ultimate conclusion on this earth. Perhaps if we were to know the complete answer to this conclusion, it would lead us to not rely on faith. I suppose for now, the bottom line for me is this...there is more comfort, even in pain, to believe that God is in complete control as opposed to events being random, or by the hand of our enemy. At the very least, if God is in control, He is in control of the outcome of events...and that, well that may be the most peaceful thing we can hold onto in the midst of tragedy.
