Well everyone's favorite evangelical crackpot is at it again. This time he is claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was God's judgement upon him for clearing out the Gaza settlements. Cringe!I consider myself to a be a pro-Israel, conservative but I draw the line when it comes to ascribing events in the natural world to God Almighty (especially when it comes to Israel). I don't know the mind of God. Does God approve or disapprove of peace between Israel and the Palestinians? I don't believe there is a simple answer to that question. Can the modern state of Israel rightfully claim the moniker and blessings of "the chosen people" of the Old Testament? How did Christ's ministry, death and resurrection change God's relationship with the political state of Israel? Should the state of Israel be given a free pass on issues of human and civil rights in that name of being God's chosen people? Does God really mete out judgement on those nations that support the peace process by sending hurricanes and earthquakes (some interpret our recent hurricane troubles to our support of the Israeli peace plan)?
I for one am skeptical of such claims. Is it possible - yes (God is sovereign and can do what He pleases no matter how strange it may seem to me). Does God intervene in the lives of his people and in the events on this earth - I would again say yes (to say otherwise would make me a Deist). But I believe that we need to be careful in interpreting the "hand of God" into historical and current events. We don't have the whole picture. We cannot know the whole mind of God. What we do have is the Word of God as revealed in the Bible that provides glimpses into the mind of God and shows some of the ways in which He has interacted with his creation. In our attempts to divine "purpose" behind historical, current, and tragic events, we must exercise both humility and faith. Our humility acknowledges that God can not be put in a box ("My ways are higher than your ways" Isaiah 55:8-9), and our faith acknowledges that God's sovereign will is being worked out by both visible and invisible means.
Pat Robertson seems to lack humility when he opens his rather large mouth to make his proclamations. On what authority does Mr. Robertson base his opinions? Has God given Pat Robertson special revelation? Let us also remember that Pat also claimed that the events of 9/11 were God's judgement against America and that God is also going to rain judgement down on Orlando, FL because Disney has a gay day.
So I once again say to Pat, "Shut Your Pie-hole!!!"
2 comments:
Dear Jeremy,
Thank you for your thoughts. I look forward to following your interesting blog. I have been studying and writing about Ariel Sharon in relation to the Christian future. While I disagree strongly with Robertson, perhaps Sharon is being underestimated with regard to his importance for the future. Are you interested in topics about the apocalypse, end times, the end of the world, eschatology, last days, the horsemen of the apocalypse, the beast, prophesy, prophesies, revelation, 666, bible prophesy, prophets, Canaan, Canaan's land, Land of Canaan, or the Christian future? If so you may enjoy reading " Land of Canaan." This is a free online book. The Link is http://landofcanaan.info/book.php
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Paul M. Kingery, PhD, MPH
I'm not especially interested in eschatology other than how it influences the Evangelical subculture.
I ascribe to the amillennialist point of view, but I don't consider eschatology to be one of the critical matters of faith.
I'm still trying to get a handle on things like "dying to self" and "loving my neighbor". I'll worry about Christ's return once I get a handle on living a Christ-like life.
Thanks for stopping by and post again sometime.
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