Dr. Couch, the bad things that come upon the earth (floods, wars,
pestilence, etc.), do they come directly from God in His wrath and
judgment? We know the tribulation will be a seven year period of wrath
from heaven, but is God bringing judgment today during the age of grace?
Good question, but of course the answer is yes. The Lord is
providentially in charge of His world even right now. Things that happen
do not sneak by Him! And He is not passive and impotent.
Jeremiah 10:10 makes this clear: “The Lord is the true God; He is the
living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and
the nations cannot endure His indignation.” When He brings calamity and
foul weather upon the globe (v. 13) human beings are shown for what
they are: dumb! Jeremiah writes: “Every man is stupid, devoid of
knowledge” because they do not see Him in His glory but instead trust
their foolish idols of gold and molten metal (v. 14).
I am doing the most complete study of Romans I have ever done. Paul
in Romans 1:18 makes it clear that God’s wrath is presently falling upon
sinful humanity. “For the wrath of God is presently being revealed
(Present, Passive, Indicative of apokalupto) from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who are presently pressing down
(Present, Active, Participle) the truth by means of [their]
unrighteousness.” With the participle, “pressing down” the truth implies
that it is part of their nature to continue to disavow God. It could be
translated “They are the ones who continually have it as their nature
to always be pressing down and thwarting what is right.”
This is why there are wars and calamities that daily fall upon
mankind. This includes natural disasters, wars, revolutions, etc. God is
doing this for two reasons: (1) to bring on people the rightful
judgment for their sins, and (2) in order to cause them to look up and
cry to Him for salvation found only in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, the last reason does not really drive men to God, though
it should. The hearts of people are so wicked they are unmovable and
intransigent in their evilness and rebellion!
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
