Tests of a Disaster, from God or Not? - Ryan McCoy

Tests of a Disaster
From God or not?
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(The quick summary.  For a more detailed study on this topic click here.)

       Reason's I believe Katrina was a judgment from God.  To be honest this list can be applied to any disaster as a test.  We have tests of whether a prophet is from God, why not a clear set of guidelines as to where a disaster is from.  It is important to realize where they are from, because if God is directly at work, and there is not total destruction of all lives in a city then we have an obligation to warn those who will now listen, and we have something to learn from their example.  "and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly" - 2 Peter 2:6
    Note this quote:  "These things are the result of drops from the vials of God's wrath [GOD TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT WHICH HE ALLOWS OR DOES NOT PREVENT. SEE EXODUS 7:3; 8:32; 1 CHRONICLES 10:4, 13, 14.] being sprinkled on the earth, and are but faint representations of what will be in the near future."--3SM 391 (1891).  {LDE 27.1} (Bold text inserted by EGW estate.) (God is in ultimate control.)
 

1. Wicked city or place, "beyond all imagination"(5MR 111.3) (with many given over to "satanic agencies"(Manuscript 35, 1906) - We have researched this thoroughly and have discovered that  "few have any conception of the wickedness" (Ev 28.3) and open spiritualism in New Orleans... We have seen many, many videos on these issues in New Orleans... right down to out in the open vampire gatherings & public worship of a golden calf.  We were honestly shocked, and abhorred by what we saw. We knew New Orleans was a wicked city, but we had no idea that New Orleans was that bad. From what we've seen personally, we would call it "sinful in the extreme".(4MR 90.5)  These all came right from the main news streams of New Orleans. We also watched a video of some of the history of New Orleans showing many of the grave sites of spiritualisms greatest leaders buried there.
    
2. Took their goods and provisions - There was some loss of life in New Orleans and surrounding cities, but not total loss. Just as in as in Sodom's prejudgment (Gen. 14:11) and in the 1906 earthquake, the main focus of the destruction was not lives, but material things, "carnal security."  But note this was not the final judgment of Sodom, and likewise is it not the final judgment of the cities of New Orleans.  Also note that the "pre-judgment" of Sodom included other wicked cities of the plains as well, when they were all taken into captivity with great loss of "goods" and their "provisions." (See: Gen. 14:11)  Even Lot lost his goods according to the Bible.  We have been warned for over 100 years not to make our homes in or near the large cities, and we can now see those that have ignored this advice are "reap(ing) the whirlwind," quite literally. (Hosea 8:7) "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." -Gal. 6:7
    
3. God's true children protected - “When the Lord comes forth as an avenger, He will also come as a protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity, and kept themselves unspotted from the world.” {CET 187.1}  “Earthquakes, hurricanes, flame, and floodcannot injure those who are prepared to meet their Saviour in peace.” {8MR 347.5}  When God comes in judgment he also comes in protection of his own... the following quote is from EGW's first hand account of the destruction she saw as she came to see the damage after the 1906 quake and was entering the city of Mountain View, CA: "The new post office and some of the largest stores in the town had been leveled to the ground--totally destroyed. Other buildings were badly wrecked. And when we saw the fallen walls of the Pacific Press, we were sad at heart; but we could not help rejoicing over the fact that no (Adventist) lives were lost."--Ms 45, 1906, pp. 1, 2. ("A Visit to Mountain View, California," May 6, 1906.) {5MR 110.2} The Pacific Press is an Seventh-day Adventist printing house (you are probably aware of this.) Now note this quote about the damage from Katrina... “It’s been reported that at least fifteen Adventist churches in New Orleans and surrounding areas are under water but no Adventist families have suffered casualties." -Adventist Community Services (http://www.communityservices.org/national_002.html)(This article is no longer available at the ACS website, but is archived here.) Any similarities between this article and EGW's statement above?
    
4. Sudden destruction comes at a time of "Peace and safety" - Jesus said it Himself, "For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape." -1 Thess. 5:3 (NKJV)  Note: sudden destruction comes upon "them" (the ones crying peace and safety)  Our armed forces have been "saying" "peace and safety" through force for several years now.  Have we seen some "sudden destruction" recently right here in the USA?  Could these be the "beginning of sorrows" (Matt 24:8) or the "labor pains" mentioned in Thess. with "tribulation" and trial of God's people coming shortly thereafter?  Its mentioned in the very next verse. (Matt 24:9)
    
5. Costly buildings or structures destroyed - Many rich, lavish casino's and hotels were completely destroyed by these two hurricanes, not to mention the oil platforms of some of the richest corporations in the world.  We have a half hour helicopter video of the damage to the hotels and casino's in Gulfport alone.  "Those who do not believe that the Lord is coming soon are building without stopping to consider why the Lord wiped out a greater part of the city of San Francisco; but the leading men of San Francisco are no pattern for us to follow." {SpTB09 37.3}  "One thing will be plainly developed at this time, one question will be clearly settled,--whether we are solid Christians, or merely professors. We should let it be well understood that we regard this terrible calamity as the stroke of an offended God, because His treasure has been lavishly spent to glorify self. Let our works be such that men can see that we are but sojourners here; that we are seeking a better country, even a heavenly." {SpTB09 37.4}(note: Do you see the hint that the views about the San Francisco quake brought division,... a shaking of sorts?
    
6. Warning was given to those who would listen - "The angel then gave Soo information that to her was puzzling. He told her when she went to America that something bad was going to happen. However, the angels were going to hold the winds and the gospel would spread to the all world. He said that in 2005 something bigger would happen in America and that the Sunday law would come in after that. Soo asked him “What is Sunday law?” His answer made it no clearer to her; “Good people work in government, but they work for evil. Watch the news.” -http://www.omegaprojectministries.org/truestories.html   (Also note: We have been warned by EGW since 1900 we should absolutely NOT be living in the large cities.) Although we include Soo's angel's warning, we feel this outline and warning stands clearly on it's own without this, but we have to remember God does nothing, unless He gives a warning through His servants before He acts (Amos 3:7).  So in the case of judgments it is important that a warning be given.  And we believe there were other warnings as well (even just a look at the depravity of the headlines there), but this warning was pretty widely known.
    
7. If Heaven's Warnings Go Unheeded. - "I am bidden to declare the message that cities full of transgression, and sinful in the extreme, will be destroyed by earthquakes, by fire, by flood. All the world will be warned that there is a God who will display His authority as God. His unseen agencies will cause destruction, devastation, and death. All the accumulated riches will be as nothingness." {4MR 90.5} Does this really sound like only Satan is in charge or at work here?
    
8. The scenes of the San Francisco calamity repeated in other places - "As we near the close of this earth's history, we shall have the scenes of the San Francisco calamity repeated in other places. . . . These things make me feel very solemn because I know that the judgment day is right upon us. The judgments that have already come are a warning, but not the finishing, of the punishment that will come on wicked cities. . . ." {LDE 114.4} Notice the word “places” would indicate more than one occurrence of these great calamities.  Since we know "the destroying angels of God were at work"(9T 93.1) in San Francisco, and these scenes will be repeated in other places, we don't need to stretch our imagination at all to see them at work in New Orleans.
    

    [IN APRIL, 1906, A FEW DAYS AFTER THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, ELLEN WHITE PREPARED A GENERAL MANUSCRIPT UNDER THE TITLE OF "THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD." SHE RECOUNTED THE FALLING OF GOD'S JUDGMENTS UPON THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD, UPON EGYPT'S ARMIES AS ISRAEL WAS DELIVERED, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. IN THE SETTING OF THE RETRIBUTIONS WHICH MUST COME FROM GOD, SHE ASSIGNS AS ONE OF THE REASONS THE "POWER THAT MAN HAS TAKEN UNTO HIMSELF," AND SHE MENTIONS "MAN-MADE UNIONS" AND OPPRESSIVE POWER.] {4MR 90.4}

    I'm sorry that I have to disagree with some here.  The God I read about in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy is NOT above punishing the wicked for their sins when they reach a certain point.  "The time is coming when in their fraud and insolence men will reach a point that the Lord will not permit them to pass and they will learn that there is a limit to the forbearance of Jehovah."  --9T 13 (1909).{LDE 40.4}  We have only seen the beginningof what is to come of the "birth pangs." (1 Thess. 5:3) 

    It saddens me greatly to hear from certain people & ministries within God's remnant church that are saying, God will not send some judgments before the seven last plagues.  The Bible warns of this and describes those who say such things as those who have settled into complacency.  “And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, ‘The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.’ - Zeph. 1:12

    We must stop denying that God is ultimately in control, and at times will directly display His authority in destruction of wicked cities and people, as they pass His divine limits.  God sends the storm to save those who would learn from it, and be saved.  But if He has to destroy some wicked cities to get our attention, maybe it is time for a sleeping church to wake up, and finish the work.  Please don't deny God's ultimate authority.  Let's finish the work so we can go home.

     "In fires, in floods, in earthquakes, in the fury of the great deep, in calamities by sea and by land, the warning is given that God's Spirit will not always strive with men." -3MR 315 (1897). {LDE 26.2}