Now listening to: Dashboard Confessional, Dusk and Summer album.
Does anyone have any thoughts on "divine vengeance?" A friend of mine sent an e-mail to me discussing "imprecation psalms" to defend the position that violence is not always wrong because it may be being carried out by God. You may read the except that he copied into the email at http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/09/crying-for-justice.html. My response was as follows:
"So... maybe there were people in other countries praying hard enough for divine vengeance against the United States, thereby we could call Hurricane Katrina imprecation. God bless the U.S.A."
Please note: The preceding sentence is laced with a double-dose of sarcasm. I am not of a reformed mindset nor do I claim that any natural disasters are caused by or initiated by God.
Thoughts?
Matthew 5:38-48, NASB
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone want to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only you brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
4 comments:
There's a lot loaded there. I kind of wish the Gospel was the whole thirty some year biography, of Christ's life. But I also used to wish that my Dad would be alive again and I can see how that might change things completely, not neccesarily for the better.
I don't remember anywhere in the Lord's prayer there being anything about Imprecation or wishing violence apoun other people, so I stand by a big NOPE.
No matter how ignorant sounds. That's where i am now...if you think differently, please educate me.
Many different topics to cover in this short post.
So, God doesn't cause or initiate them - then who or what does? What does that say for God's omniscience and omnipotence? Does he not have power or control over these things? Does he not have the ability to know they will happen?
And - what if people were praying against the USA, the same time we are praying for the USA - possibly both claiming to believe in the same God, who is right and who is wrong? Will God answer one prayer because people prayed harder or longer? Will he ignore the others for the opposite?
I am not claiming one way or another, either, but there are legitimate questions that aren't really being answered (even with a sarcastic response, no offense).
Doesn't the case of free will deny God's hand moving things around in the world. That if God were spinning things in motion still, we would have no real option to choose or make decisions, because everything that happens would be a result. Not denying him the power to, obviously.
That's why he had to come incarnate. He took on the role to show it was possible, and died for it.
Also...Right after God created the earth, so good in his sight, you notice something. There's a serpent in it. Lying and deceiving. God is allowing, this force that we call "evil" to exist in this world he sees as good before the fall even happened. Without evil we can't choose God over anything else. If he's the only thing on the menu then...it's not like we REALLY want him.
This is my defense to saying God doesn't DO national disasters, but that's just me putting my God in a box.
I feel like the image of God I have formed through my limited scope and short life, shows a God anxiously waiting to see the response after such an event. To see what happens. In the midst of so much destruction, will the BODY of Christ be seen there, acting, moving, loving.
For those who died in such incidents...Thank God he's sovereign and the Judge, and it's not someone like me.
i meant thank God I'm not the Judge.
In no way did I mean thank God I'm not one of the victims.
I'm working on clarity.
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