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Experiencing God in Troubling Times
Lesson Two: What is God Doing/Why is This Happening?
“By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they come to an end.”
Job 4:9
Explaining the Current State of Things
When trouble comes, the human tendency is to ask the question why. Underneath the surface of that question is often an accusation against God. People want to know what God is doing when tragedy strikes. This desire for explanation is typically posed in the form of a question: why is this happening? Another way the question is phrased is; why is God doing this? In this lesson we will address these questions from a biblical perspective.
Read Job 4:7-9
What does this say about why bad things happen to people?
Do agree with the speaker in these verses?
Let’s dig deeper to see if the Bible agrees with this speaker.
Three Possible Causes of the Current State of Things
To help us address the question why is this happening/what is God doing, we will consider three possible answers: God is causing it, Satan is causing it, or Sin is causing it.
God is causing it
There are those who believe God is the cause of the coronavirus. They have specific reasons for why He is causing it. Let’s consider three passages to see if this is a proper view.
Matthew 24:3-8
1 Corinthians 10:5-12
1 Corinthians 11:27-32
What do these passages say about God as the cause of destruction and disease?
How do these passages describe the cause of destruction and disease?
Satan is causing it
Just as some assert God is causing the pandemic, others believe Satan is causing it. They spend their time praying against the work of the devil and rebuking him. Yet, is there support in the word for Satan being the cause of what’s going on?
Let’s examine these passages together to see if Satan is the cause of what’s happening.
Job 1:6-12
Matthew 4:1-11
1 Peter 5:8-11
What do these passages reveal about Satan as the cause of calamity in the earth?
How do they support or refute the idea that Satan is the cause of covid19?
Sin is causing it
The final cause we will consider is sin. Does the Bible have anything to say about the effect of sin in and on the earth? How is the consequence of sin experienced?
Read the following passages to answer these questions.
Genesis 2:15-17
Genesis 3:1-3
Romans 5:12-21
Romans 6:20-23
How do these passage address sin as a cause of destruction and disease in the earth?
What lessons can we learn from these passages to help us and others better understand what’s happening with the spread of the coronavirus?
Conclusion
As Christ followers we must be able to provide biblical answers to the issues of life. It is not enough to simply say I don’t know. Nor can we give unthoughtful pat answers to people’s questions. We are called on by God to speak the truth concerning what is happening in the earth.