In the Christianity faith, there are times when people think that a nature disaster was caused by God?

Question

when He is punishing sinners. For example some people believed that Hurricane Katrina was done by God's hand to open America's eyes to what really was happening in those areas. I am wondering if in the Christian religion, is it written or said anywhere that a natural disaster can be done by Satan? Is Satan able to cause physical things to be done on earth or can he only influence the human mind?

I'd appreciate answers to be by Christians who study the Bible and know the doctrines. I am looking for real answers, not babble or rants from non-Christians. I'd appreciate that. Thanks!

Answer 1

"a natural disaster can be done by Satan? "

See the book of Job. Disasters worked by Satan with God's specific permission.

On the other hand, Jesus noted that the people killed by the fall of the tower of Siloam didn't get hit because they were the worst sinners in Jerusalem. (Luke 13:4)

Answer 2

Well, if God is omnipotent, then we know he has all power in the universe and eternity. So Satan has only those powers which are allowed Him by God. To answer your first question, no God did not give power to Satan to perform natural disasters. Proof of this is the fact that Jesus calmed a storm as proof to his Godhood to the Jewish people. If Satan could affect the weather, then calming the raging storm would have been pointless as Satan would have been able to do the same thing.

I do not myself buy into the fact that Hurricane Katrina was caused directly by God, but rather that he allowed it to happen for some greater purpose. If you read of the prophet Elijah, it talks about all these natural disasters, an great wind, an earthquake and a great firestorm, and God was in none of these. Instead God was in the small breeze (the word in Hebrew is very hard to translate) that came after the disasters.

And in regards to saintrose's answer. God has proven that he would spare an entire city from judgment for the sake of even 10 righteous people. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, God promises Abraham that He will spare the cities if even just 10 righteous people are found within. Of course we know that the only righteous ones were Lot, his wife, and his daughters, but God delivered them from the coming judgment. So yes, God will save the faithful from the "storm" though He doesn't promise to do so all of the time. (Read Daniel 3 and the story of the Fiery Furnace)

Answer 3

God allows things to happen but does not personally spin the hurricane. When sin was introduced in the world, the world has begun to deteriorate. Satan has power and the bible says he is the prince and the power of the air.

Eph 2:1 You were once dead because of your failures and sins.
Eph 2:2 You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God.

Satan can influence the Human mind but not control it. He can manipulate the weather but only on strange occasions. The natural disasters that you and I see or simply natural disasters. Sin is taking it's course. The world is breaking apart because of sin and selfish human living. It comes back down to the Human race repenting and turning to the Lord.

One thing is for certain. Christ is returning and will make all things new again. We will not see these disasters because sin will be defeated.
Rev 21:1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone.
Rev 21:2 Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband.

thanks for the question. I hoped I answered a little.

Pastor Johnny Mengarelli
[e-mail]

Answer 4

I don't know of any christians who would believe that way because it would call into question some fundamental aspects of god - omniscience, omnipotence, compassionate vs malevolent.

If God is omniscient, they know what is going to happen, when, and to whom. Therefore if God is omniscient, they knew that Hurricane Katrina was going to happen, they knew how bad the devestation would be, etc.

If God is omnipotent, they have the ability to save those thousands of people that were killed by the hurricane. If they choose not to save people, they aren't a compassionate god but are actually indifferent or at worse, malevolent. If they could not save those people, they are not omnipotent.

And, as to the motivation for "allowing" the hurricane to kill people, I don't think America's eyes were opened or if they were, did not stay open for a long time. I've been to New Orleans three times since the hurricane happened. Because I know they are trying to recover, I've spent my vacations there. There are still neighborhoods, to this day, that look like a war zone. There are devestated people living in FEMA trailers because their insurance company has screwed them and they can't afford to rebuild.

America has failed the people of New Orleans and continues to do so.

So if God allowed or even chose to let the hurricane hit there to teach us all a lesson, it isn't a lesson we've actually learned.

As to your questions, I cannot think of any passages that says that a natural disaster can be done by Satan. So the answer, in my opinion, would be "no."

Answer 5

God can do with his creation as He sees fit... dose that mean he caused katrina...probably not... did he cause you to go left when you were going right and then you saw something good ahead...or saw that something bad just happened right where you would have been.. if you had not turnd left when you did...God?... could be

As far as satan goes... he is the prince of this earth. but, he can not directly kill humans... he must influence other humans to do that one for him... There is legitimate debate among those of The Christian Faith as to just how far satan can go... One thing is known. He is not omnipresent... he can only be in one place at one time... but he commands a vast army of evil...some of those angels who followed him and were cast down with him... and, by some traditional thinking... demons, which are the result of satans trying to "create" his own life forms like God did... but satan's did not turn out so good...

it is thought by some that satan can not cause "natural" disasters like hurricanes and such... the answer is not clear.... But...the forces of evil are masters of deception... and they can influence by thought and other means the actions of mortals... and the evidence is pretty clear that they are good at it.... look at all the mess the world is in from some very bad...stuff

I can tell you that I knew the truth of the forces of evil long befor I came to God. The evil and power that satan dose have is very real and not to be messed with...

Answer 6

Sodom & Gomorah was destroyed by God for it's wickedness. God could destroy with Natural disasters but as a God of love...He does things like what He did for Nivah, He sent Jonah and the people repented. Satan isn't causing it either, however, there is a parallel in the physical realm to what happens in the spiritual. Look at the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco and the Azusa street revival that happened the same year.

Answer 7

God will at some point in the future, and has in the past punished sinners. However it is more that he does not keep those things from happening than he sends punishment. The people on the whole do not believe in God strong enough for faith to protect them as a whole and he is no respecter of individuals so he will not in most cases save a few faithful and let many sinners be killed in a natural disaster.

Answer 8

Great Question!! Nature is neither good nor bad; it simply is. And 'man' has been trying to control it and explain it since the dawn of time.

The pagans' gods/goddess' (sometimes were only fertility) but often were fertility AND storm causers (or protectors)....So, some demon whispered into some pagans' ear: "hey, your protection is even more assured from volcano's, earthquakes, monsoons, etc..if you throw a child into the fire"....ugh....

I think it is an insult to God to say He caused Katrina to punish new orleans (or to wake them up)!!! Global warming (which is man caused) is the 'why' of such violent winds and super strong storms.

Re: the evil one being blamed for a mishap, by coincidence, I remembered this just this morning: by tradition, Job's son's and daughter's were killed by a super wind (that blew from all four directions at once) and collapsed the house on top of them. Prior to the book of Job 'everything' good or bad...was blamed on God. The church did not evolve in a higher thinking that would take into account 'the evil one' and 'its' powers. Job is about 200 years prior to zorastranism and this is significant !!! The hebrews just "didn't get it" that God was trying to show the dichotomy of good/evil and that He wasn't the author of it all...So, some sand flea, (read persian) channeled zor....who had him go preach: 1. monotheism, 2. reward/punishment 3. an afterlife. It lasted for a short time and zor..was turned into another sun god and polytheism prevailed...but, God got it introduced....and we still don't comprehend it. !!!!

Hope this helps...Maranantha

Answer 9

God is able to do all things. In Noah's time he created a flood , the wickedness of man caused Him to do this, Sodom and Gommorah were destroyed because of the evil transpiring there. The Jews spent 40 years on a trip that should take 11 days because they were disobedient. Prayer can do many wonderful things as well as evil doing negative things. Man was given free will by God to choose which way thay want to go and God said many times in the old testament that He loves all but will judge in the end times.

Answer 10

the devil cant controll nature, but more importantly he can influence our interpretation of it.

For example if somebody's business was destroyed by a huricane and thinks that God rejected him or that God doesn't exist, or exists but He is useless.

But then there are interpreations of natural disasters that are God-inspired. Like the old Hebrew psalms that say,

"Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do His bidding"