This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.
All Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.
Biblical Chaplains and gospel workers that serve in jails and prisons minister in a hostile environment. I’m not talking about inmate violence, but rather about the constant underlying doubt and even resentment most of the residents and employees have towards God.
Some of them take every opportunity they think they have to belittle the faith that was “...once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3). This is especially true in light of recent tragic events. When these things happen, IS God still in control?
What about maniacal murderers running loose on college campuses like at Virginia Tech? What about severe tornadoes sweeping through Kansas destroying towns and lives? What about destructive wildfires in Georgia and Florida, whether man-made or as a result of acts of “nature?” In all these things, IS GOD STILL IN CONTROL?
As we approach the summer storm season, what about tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons? What about earthquakes and tsunamis and volcanoes? I can almost hear them asking you, “Don’t a lot of innocent people get killed and hurt?” “IF THERE’S A GOD, THEN WHY DID THIS HAPPEN, or HOW COME HE LET THAT HAPPEN?”
As one that represents the one true God, YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED to give an answer based solidly on Scripture.
When the news about the sinful evil acts of men and the natural disasters that occur come to the forefront, it might provide the biblical witness an opportunity to expose the questioners to the light and truth they need to know.
Just make sure those that ask these kind of questions are honest, really wanting to know God’s answers. As best you can, try to find out if they are not just speaking against God because they want to believe He doesn’t exist.
Most skeptics are not unbelievers because of an intellectual problem with the existence of God. Rather, they don’t want there to be a God, because if there were, they wouldn’t be as comfortable in the sinful lifestyle they live. It’s really a moral problem. Most of those in that posture don’t want to listen to biblical truth anyway.
To begin, let me suggest you ANSWER SINCERE QUESTIONERS in this manner: “We are so used to experiencing the over abundant mercy of God, we think something’s wrong whenever He does something different from what we expect, or normally take for granted.”
Our struggle really is that we don’t understand why God won’t come around to our way of thinking. Instead, the ultimate reality is that we need to come around to His way of thinking! If His ways and doings don’t conform to what we think is right, then in reality, we’re wrong and need to repent.
The best biblical example of one who learned this is Job. Let me encourage you to study that book, and learn its’ message. We can’t question God, instead we need to trust Him.
Here are FOUR THINGS most people - including many professing Christians, don’t take into consideration when bad things happen:
1. THIS IS A CURSED EARTH (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:18-21).
Genesis 3 (after all mankind in Adam, had sinned against God)
17 … Cursed is the ground for your (all mankind in Adam) sake.
19 … Till you (mankind) return to the ground, for out of it you (mankind’s physical body) were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.
Romans 8
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God (meaning in their completely, physically delivered from sin state).
20 For the creation was subjected to futility (a reference to man’s sin), not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption …
The whole of creation was cursed, but one day will be delivered from the curse.
2. THERE ARE NO INNOCENT PEOPLE (Romans 3:10, 11, 23).
10 … “There is none righteous, no, NOT ONE;
11 There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. ...
23 … for ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of God.
3. GOD SAYS HE IS JUST AND RIGHTEOUS ALTOGETHER (which means - in every way, and in all things - Genesis 18:25, Psalm 7:11,19:9, 119:137).
Genesis 18:25
25 … Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Psalm 7:11
11 God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Psalm 19:9
9 … The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psalm 119:137
137 Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.
4. GOD SAYS HE EVEN CAUSES MISFORTUNE AND TRAGEDY. When this happens, it must be FOR A PURPOSE and IN ACCORD WITH ALL HIS ATTRIBUTES (Exodus 4:11, Isaiah 45:7).
Exodus 4:11
11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or WHO MAKES the mute, the deaf, the seeing or the blind? HAVE NOT I, THE LORD?
Isaiah 45:6,7
6 … I am the LORD, and there is no other;
7 I form the light and create darkness, I MAKE PEACE AND CREATE CALAMITY; I the LORD, do all these things.
So, how should you respond when questioned about a current calamity? Look at how Jesus responded in a similar situation in Luke 13:1-9. It reads:
1 There were present at THAT SEASON some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were WORSE SINNERS than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things.?
3 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
4 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were WORSE SINNERS than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 “Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up (waste) the ground?’
8 “But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 ‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”
Here is an incident that only Luke reports. From verses 1 and 4, we know that the PLACE was JERUSALEM. Also from verse 1 we know the TIME was AFTER ONE of the three MAJOR FEASTS that the Old Testament law required all males to be present there. These feasts in calendar order were: Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles (Exodus 23:14-17, Deuteronomy 16:16). Look again at verse 1:
1 There were present at THAT SEASON (the word here can mean a special occasion) some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled (‘had mingled’ NASB) with their sacrifices.
From the fact that during the offering of the Galileans’ sacrifices, Pilate’s plain clothes officers pulled out short swords and slew the worshipers AS THEY WERE OFFERING THEIR ANIMAL SACRIFICES, it seems best to assume the cruel atrocity had taken place DURING THE PRIOR PASSOVER CELEBRATION. They spoke of the murders plotted by Pilate as having taken place sometime in THE PAST.
So THE TIMING of the questioners APPROACH TO Jesus in verse 1, was probably that same year during a later feast “season” - Pentecost or Tabernacles. We also know this report about the atrocity took place LATE IN JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY, when the Jewish religious leaders opposed Him and His teaching. At that time they were out to get Him.
From other gospel accounts like John 8:2-6 (which was right after the feast of Tabernacles) and Luke 11:53,54 or even 20:20-26, we know they wanted to catch Him in His words. They did this so that they could either turn Him over to the Roman authorities as an insurrectionist, or else, accuse Him to the Jewish people of being disobedient to God’s law and in league with the Romans.
From Jesus’ answer in verses 2-5 and the subsequent parable in verses 6-9, most commentators think the questioners were stuck on the wrong assumption, that calamity only befalls the most heinous sinners. That’s bad, unbiblical theology. But the timing also allows for the possibility that these questioners were attempting to enlist Jesus in an insurrection against Pilate, which would be rebellion against Roman rule.
It very well could have been just like a later incident where Luke 20:19,20 tells us:
19 And the chief priests and the scribes (Jewish religious leaders) that very hour sought to lay hands on Him (i.e. to arrest Him), but they feared the people – for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
20 So they watched Him, AND SENT SPIES WHO PRETENDED TO BE RIGHTEOUS, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and authority of the governor (Pilate).
Either way, whether from bad theology or treachery – JESUS SURPRISED THEM WITH HIS ANSWER BY TURNING THE TABLES ON THEM!
2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were WORSE SINNERS than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
3 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
4 “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were WORSE SINNERS than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
He opposed the assumption that calamities like the evil plots of hateful sinners, or natural disasters like an earthquake that may have been the cause for Siloam’s tower to fall and suddenly kill 18 people, happened ONLY TO THE WORST SINNERS.
Jesus did not condemn Pilate and the cruel Roman government. RATHER, our Lord used the recent calamities which brought death, destruction and horror to the citizens of Jerusalem – to force the questioners to FOCUS ON THEIR OWN SINS and their NEED TO REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL WHILE THEY STILL HAD A CHANCE TO!
3 “I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU REPENT YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.
5 “I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU REPENT YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.”
And in Jesus’ parable about an unfruitful fig tree in danger of being chopped down:
6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 “Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up (waste) the ground?’
8 “But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 ‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, AFTER THAT YOU CAN CUT IT DOWN.’ ”
The tree here represented the Jewish nation that refused to bring forth the fruits of righteousness. They refused to repent of their sinful ways. It’s best to see the owner of the vineyard as representing the JUSTICE OF GOD and the vineyard keeper as the MERCIFUL PATIENCE OF GOD. The message for all people is: repent before it’s too late.
God’s mercy and patience is great, BUT His justice and holiness demands that He judge sin. Ultimately, God’s merciful patience with unrepentant, unrighteous sinners surrenders to God’s holy justice on them.
8 ... ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 ‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, AFTER THAT YOU CAN CUT IT DOWN.’ ”
For the one that will truly REPENT and believe, that’s where the gospel of Jesus Christ comes into play. He bore the believer’s judgment so that they could experience the magnitude of God’s eternal grace, and receive His true righteousness on their eternal account.
I believe Jesus’ whole point in Luke 13:2-9 was in effect to say: “When calamity strikes, the point God wants you to think about is your own sinfulness and need to repent and believe God and truly become righteous before it’s forever too late.”
For those that truly have done that, when calamity strikes, they need to continue to trust and believe He is working all things according to the pleasure of His will and eternal purposes, which for them will eventually be to perfect them forever in His eternal presence. This is what Job eventually learned. He trusted God even though he didn’t understand why He did what He did.
Two thousand years after the incident in Luke 13, we still have bad theology expressing itself in blasphemous statements about God’s knowledge, ability and active presence. Some even dare to charge God with wrongdoing!
We still have a sin filled worldwide society that erupts from time to time with evil and destruction. This is still a cursed earth and cataclysmic events are best seen as part of that curse. And, if you really look into what your Bible plainly says, it’s going to get a whole lot worse before it ever gets better. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20)
Let God be in charge. Instead of questioning God, let Him (through His eternal word) order your thinking. We may not fully understand the “Why” of something traumatic that happens, but the trauma itself should drive us to God rather than away from Him. Stress that to honest questioners.
Rich Hines
Aurora Ministries - Minister to Chaplains