The Sovereignty of God and Tragedies

The Sovereignty of God and Tragedies by Gabe Sylvia This paper will address the following, "The Sovereignty of God and Tragedies." Or, you may have heard it addressed as "God and the problem of evil" or "God's sovereignty and man's responsibility" or some other, related title.  My goal is to persuade you that we can address this issue and, we can conclude where Scripture concludes. The Events: On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, hijacker-terrorists flew three almost-fully-fueled jetliner aircraft deliberately into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, NY and a wing of the Pentagon office building in Washington, D.C.

Related, in addition, was the crash of one hijacked aircraft in southern Pennsylvania. These attacks, which killed all aboard each aircraft, destroyed the twin towers and heavily damaged the Pentagon, and killed untold thousands in the buildings and on the ground occurred between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. The Issues: Who is in control of these events?; the deaths of "innocent" people; the success of the evil perpetrated; justice and vengeance responses; the future and our hope; a Christian's response. The Questions: How do we understand God's "part" of the events? What role, if any, does evil play in God's plan for mankind? How is the existence and success of evil possible with the existence of God? If God was able, then why not stop these events? If God was willing, then why not stop these events? How are we to respond to these events as God's people? The Facts: What should Biblical Christians believe? These facts, drawn from and supported by Scripture, will help us conclude where Scripture concludes regarding the sovereignty of God and tragedies.

God and His creation are not the same. Understanding how God and His creation stand related is not a simple fact, but one that requires God to teach us and illumine us by faith. Misunderstanding how creation and God are related is foundational to many errors. According to Scripture, God doesn't stand equal to what is made. He stands apart from it and above it.

Creation is God's - He owns it, having made it. He is Master of it, having made it. Creation serves him, since He owns it.  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1 - God's existence is presupposed - it is simply, "there." There was a time when there was no creation, only God.

You are the LORD, You have made the heavens; the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You. Nehemiah 9:6 - God doesn't simply stand over what He has made, He stands over it as it worships Him. In other words, all that God made, He made to worship and honor Him. Neither is He served by human hands as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

Acts 17:25 - God is the origin of the life of all things; He gave it its animation and continues to give it life, movement and life. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 God's creation was and still is "good." To witness God's creation to be good is consistent with His unchanging nature. There is also biblical warrant that following the sin of man (Genesis 3), that God's creation though subjected to sin is still "good.

" God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:31 (see also vv.4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) For everything God created is good. 1 Timothy 4:4 Whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. Genesis 9:6, - I understand there to remain in man (and, by extension, all of God's creation) some resident goodness.

This because we were made by God and in God's image. This is especially true in light of our "new nature" now after the Fall (Ephesians 2:3), our "new hearts" (Jeremiah 17:9) and the "groaning" of creation (Romans 8:22). God meticulously governs all of His creation. God has not simply created and then left his creation alone (that's called "deism"). Rather, God constantly and exhaustively manages all aspects of the activities of what He has created.

In other words, there is no chance. Scripture indicates that it was always God's intention to control all things. general statements about God's government God works all things after the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:11 �in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17, of Christ �upholds all things by His powerful word.

Hebrews 1:3, of Christ's word In Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28, of God If He should take back His Spirit to Himself, and gather to Himself His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. Job 34:14-15, of God government of nature For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the downpour and the rain, 'Be strong. Job 37:6 God lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.

He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. Psalm 104:3-4 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses. Psalm 135:7 "I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up.

People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me," declares the LORD. Amos 4:7-8 government of natural beasts They all wait for You to give them their food in due season. You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good. Psalm 10:27-28 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. Matthew 10:29 God governs insignificant events The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord.

Proverbs 16:33 God governs significant events Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?" Genesis 30:2 If he does not murder intentionally, but God lets the murder happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate. Exodus 21:13 Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Lamentations 3:37-38 "I withheld rain� I struck your gardens and vineyards, I struck them with blight and mildew� I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword�" declares the LORD. Amos 4:6-10 God governs humankind, nations He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away. Job 12:23 For the kingdom is the LORD's and He rules over the nations.

Psalm 22:28 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. Daniel 4:25 And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation. Acts 17:26 For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13:1 God governs humans, individually Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them.

Psalm 139:16 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. Proverbs 16:1 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9 The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1 Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

Exodus 12:35-36 The ultimate source of everything, including evil, is known. Evil, like all other elements in creation is contingent, namely, it is not independent of God but dependent on God and His activity in the world. It is controlled by God. Evil is only one element of God's creation that we experience.  I am the LORD, and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. Isaiah 45:7 All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. John 1:3 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. Romans 11:36 However, there are some aspects about evil that are not known. Although the Bible indicates God as Creator of everything exhaustively, it does not indicate the origin of evil (as a concept).

Hence the dilemma: God created all, God is not evil, evil is present.  Scripture puts the entrance of evil into humanity squarely at Adam's feet (Romans 5:12). However, we know that prior to Adam's sin, angelic hosts had sinned (Genesis 3:1). But, we do not know any more concerning evil's first origin (i.e.

, how or why or when or where). In understanding life biblically, we must affirm these three ideas: God is Creator, Master and Governor of all He has made (proved above). God is good and holy and above reproach: "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy," Leviticus 19:2 strive�for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord Hebrews 12:14 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" Matthew 6:26. God is worker of His will with evil as His tool: God sent me before you to preserve life�You meant it for evil; but God meant it for good.

Genesis 45:5; 50:20 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Exodus 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 14:4,8; 10:20, 27; 11:10 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD commanded Moses. Joshua 11:20 "If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death. 1 Samuel 2:25 The Lord works out everything for his own ends - even the wicked for a day of disaster. Proverbs 16:4 They comforted and consoled Job over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

Job 42:11 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it? Amos 3:6 �this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Acts 2:23 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath- prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy? Romans 9:21-23 The ultimate purpose of all that we experience, including evil, is known, i.e. to glorify God. But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.

Exodus 9:16 (also Romans 9:17), to Pharaoh For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, and for My praise I restrain it for you, in order not to cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; for how can My name by profaned? And My glory I will not give to another. Isaiah 48:9-10 �to the praise of the glory of His grace. Ephesians 1:6 The end of evil for a believer is different than for an unbeliever.

A believer is confident of the following: On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Proverbs 10:13 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. Proverbs 13:24 You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol. Proverbs 23:14 My son, do not regard light the discipline of the LORD nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines and He scourges every son whom He receives. Hebrews 12:5-6 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12:7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by various trials, so that that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:6-7 John Piper has written, "For a believer God has taken the evil out of evil." There is a real sense in which this is true. Even evil serves the unbeliever for his good. For an unbeliever, however, he knows trials and struggle only to their final end, death: For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 How do we respond to God in the midst of evil? When evil events come - and they will - as human beings we seem to have a litany of responses from which to choose. It is not always immediately clear to us which is appropriate. While along the path of affliction, the believer will enter into many conversations with God: My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night but I have no rest. Psalm 22:1-2 O God, hasten to deliver me; O LORD, hasten to my help! Let those be ashamed and humiliated who seek my life; let those be turned back and dishonored who delight in my hurt let those be turned back because of their shame who say "aha, aha!" Psalm 70:1-3 For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind. Psalm 73:3-5 Ultimately, however, our Father requires just one response: Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 1:21 I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, now, I will ask You and You will instruct me. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract and I repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:2-6 And, in time (possibly much time), we should come to understand the following: For I am convinced that neither death, no life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:38-39 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28