tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4894764035439419656.post8156132778421243151..comments2024-01-07T00:04:51.972-08:00Comments on Humble Wonderful: The Virus is not a moral beast.Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412650446530771853noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4894764035439419656.post-29668774336073211452020-04-28T03:03:07.114-07:002020-04-28T03:03:07.114-07:00I generally agree with your main point here Tony. ...I generally agree with your main point here Tony. The idea that we should try to discern some mysterious message from God in this pandemic is not really a biblical idea and it can be co-opted to mean whatever you particularly want it to. <br />When Jesus referred to natural disasters and accidents, he didn't suggest that they were meant to be particular messages from God. He calmed storms, but didn't give those storms a particular moral reason for arising. He also spoke of earthquakes, famines and plagues as common occurrences that will just continue to happen until he returns and we shouldn't be alarmed by such things.<br />The one place that Christians often point to is where Jesus talks about a tower accidentally falling on some people and draws a moral lesson from the disaster (Luke 13:1-5). But I actually think this story backs up your point. Jesus doesn't suggest the tower falling was a message from God. He in fact stresses the point that the people who died were not particularly deserving of punishment. They were just like us. The point he does draw from that tragedy seems to be that life is fleeting and you never know when you're going to have to stand before your Creator and give account and so he says "Unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:5)<br /><br />All this isn't to say that I don't believe God is in some way in control of all natural occurrences. As Jesus also says: "Yet not one [sparrow] will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care." (Matthew 10:29) and the entire bible is full of references to God's Sovereignty over nature. At the very least we can say the bible clearly teaches that God knows about all disasters past present and future, and They are able to prevent them or redirect them if They willed. So a Christian can never really let God "off the hook" by claiming They are not in control of the Universe.<br /><br />Also, it is clear in Scripture that some natural occurrences are not natural at all, but directly sent by God. The wind that blew and separated the Red Sea and the plagues (that you reference in your image) are perfect examples. But the people didn't need to guess whether or not these were a message from God. God spoke and told them that it would happen before it happened and said WHY it would happen.<br /><br />This is why I agree with the main thrust of your argument in the article. I think in the absence of God specifically saying otherwise, we should not speculate as to if there is some divine message behind this pandemic. If it is from God, then God will use it to achieve Their purposes without us needing to know about it. And if God sent it and we are meant to know God's specific purpose, then I say that responsibility to communicate that purpose is on God's shoulders, not ours.Simon Camillerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813561936965631699noreply@blogger.com