Does God Control Natural Events?
Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 6:00AM What does God have to do with natural evil such as disasters and disease? We've seen that natural evil is a result of moral evil, but that answers only part of the question. Is God a passive observer? Or does he control all of creation, even in its fallenness, so that everything that happens (including disasters) falls under his control?
I can't list all the passages that speak to this issue, but here are a few that are worth considering.
- God controls the events of the natural world, including the weather (Psalm 65:9-11; Psalm 135:6-7; Psalm 147:15-18; Jeremiah 5:22; Nahum 1:3; Acts 14:17). God governs the events of nature.
- God sometimes favors one group over another through natural events (Genesis 41:32; Exodus 9:13-26; Amos 4:7).
- According to Jesus, this divine control extends over even the smallest details (Matthew 5:45; Matthew 6:26-30; Luke 12:4-7).
- Jesus, as God, calmed the sea at his command (Matthew 8:23-27).
These are only a few of the passages that teach that God controls natural events. John Frame comments on these passages:
The biblical view of the natural world is intensely personalistic. Natural events come from God, the personal Lord...Obviously there are such things as natural forces, like gravity and electricity. Scripture indeed mentions the natural forces of the weather. But it is plain that in the view of the biblical writers any impersonal objects of forces are only secondary causes of the course of nature. Behind them, as behind the rain and the hail, behind even the apparent randomness of events, stands the personal God, who controls all things by his powerful word. (The Doctrine of God)
The passages I've listed are related to other passages that teach that God controls all things. For instance:
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)
These passages appear to say that God's control extends over all natural events, including calamities. It's hard for me to escape that the Bible teaches that God controls all natural events.
This is hardly a balanced post. I want to present the other side, but it's hard for me to see many credible options when it comes to God's control over nature. Deism is an option, but not a credible one from a biblical perspective. God didn't set this world in motion and walk away to let things run on their own. He created and sustains this world and his control extends over all of nature, even though it isn't what he created it to be.
I suppose you could say that the curse is something outside of God's control, but it's hard to argue this with the biblical data. If you argue that the curse leads to natural events that are outside of God's control, you end up struggling with some of the passages I've mentioned, and end up with a modified form of deism. You could argue that Satan has some control over nature, but I don't see this supported by Scripture. It credits Satan with more power than he actually has.
I could be wrong in my conclusions, and if so I welcome your comments. I should note that I think there is a far more credible opposing view when it comes to God's control over human action. Credible, but not necessarily convincing - but we'll get to that.
Of course, this raises all kinds of other questions. If God controls nature, why does he allow tsunamis, earthquakes, and other disasters? This is not only an academic question. It's a personal and a pastoral question as well.
We'll get there, but tomorrow I want to look at some of what the Bible says about God's control over human action. I should warn you that I find the passages on this very challenging - maybe even troubling.
Update: Greg Boyd comments on Jesus calming a storm. "The implication is that, far from suggesting that Jesus controls all storms, the passage actually suggests that at least some life-threatening storms have a demonic power behind them that resists God’s good purposes"
Reader Comments (9)
Darryl,Well said. I look forward to more posts on God's control over His creation. Bryan
This is simply a great post. The honesty here is refreshing. Thanks.
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1965_the_tornado_the_lutherans_and_homosexuality/" rel="nofollow">This is going to cause some very interesting discussion in blogdom. Methinks your posts may be prescient, Triple D. ;-)
Just so I understand, do you believe that, if God does has control over these dynamics, that He always exercises that control? If not, it still leaves a lot of difficult questions, but there is a big difference between having the power to will something and actually doing it. I'd be curious as to your perspective.Peace, Jamie
There's an article on Piper's "Desiring God" blog about http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1965_the_tornado_the_lutherans_and_homosexuality/" rel="nofollow">a tornado that did some damage to a steeple in Minneapolis. Piper makes a bold claim that it was a direct message from God about the topic being discussed in that church. The chains of logic and Scripture he uses make sense.
Jamie:I believe God uses means, such as what we call natural laws. But the passages seem to point to his active involvement.Do you think that the position you describe is similar to deism? Maybe it's a little different but it seems to have some overlap. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Darryl,I am not sure if what I am suggesting is deism, as I am not suggesting that all (or even most) of events happen without God's active will. Further, I think that the Scriptures you site could as easily suggest that some (even many) events, both good and ill, happen at His active will, but not all.I know this is not a new argument, but I find it difficult- actually thus far impossible for me- to reconcile the brutal, daily rape of 4 year old girls for profit is reflective of God's active will. I just can't see how it fits without compromising so much else found in Scripture.I can say that everything happens within God's will insofar as every has being because He wills it. Further, in His longsuffering, He allows things to happen (thus in His will, though not actively caused by Him) because the consequence of our sinful nature would be far worse should He exact judgment.Peace, Jamie
Darryl,I can see you're a reasonable and irenic blogger. What's the fun in that?Seriously, I really appreciate that you're making an intentional effort to present the "data" in a dispassionate way. This is an emotional subject. If you're interested, I've posted a response at http://jasoncoker.net/scripture/the-god-of-the-bible-the-birds-and-broken-down-cars" rel="nofollow"> jasoncoker.net.
caedmon:I have mixed feelings about what Piper wrote about that lightning strike. He could be right, but I have a hard time interpreting God's mind and how it relates to single events.Jamie,I hear you. It's when we face things like injustice that we really confront this problem. I'll try to get to this on Monday.Jason:Thanks for linking me to your post. Heading over there right now.