A record number of tornadoes in the United States for the first half of the year has affected parts of 34 states, left more than 400 dead, and more than $200,000,000 worth of property destroyed. To all the questions that have been raised regarding the unusual frequency of these disastrous storms, scientists have given explanations showing that there is really nothing unusual about it, but that whenever certain atmospheric conditions exist, a tornado is born. This is very plausible, and perhaps is the logical explanation, but there is one notable fact that is overlooked; namely, "The LORD hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm." Nah. 1:33The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:3). The scientists of today are much like the magicians of Moses's day; for every supernatural phenomenon, they have a natural explanation. In common they both exclude God from the works of His own hands. Thus those who would be exercised by the storms, feeling that God is speaking through them, are lulled to sleep by scientific explanations.
Psalm 107 tells how God commands and raises up the stormy wind which in turn lifts up the waves to the end that mariners might turn to Him. Then He makes "the storm a calm." Yes, "He bringeth the wind out of His treasuries." Psalm 135:77He causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. (Psalm 135:7). "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word." Psalm 148:88Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling his word: (Psalm 148:8).
Everything today is explained on the basis of cause and effect, but has God no hand in either cause or effect? Is He not rather the First Cause? The trouble is that scientists stop short and only see the cause that God produced.
The tornado, the lightning, or any other divine visitation cannot strike without His ordering or permission, regardless of man's deification of the cause and effect principle. A verse in the book of Job is important on this point: "His hands He covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike." Chap. 36:32; J.N.D. Trans. Even the erratic strike of the lightning is controlled by God. In all these visitations the child of God is to see the hand of the omnipotent Creator, and that One is our Father. Not one thing can come to His child without His overruling hand.
This much blessed nation- blessed with temporal things and with a ready access to the truth of God-is by and large given over to pleasure, self-ease, and forgetfulness of God, and when He speaks through such visitations, they are blandly explained away.
There is one other aspect of such storms of which we would do well to speak; that is, Satan as prince of the power of the air has and exercises limited power over the elements. True, he is a usurper, but his power is to be reckoned with. Take, for instance, the history of Job. When Satan had permission to touch Job's possessions he brought a great wind from the wilderness and smote the house in which Job's sons and daughters were feasting. A tornado, born of certain natural causes, scientists would say, destroyed the house and killed Job's sons and daughters, yet all was under the direction of Satan, within the limits allowed of God.
However great and real Satan's power is, there is this comfort to the child of God; Satan can only go as far as God permits, and no further. As soon as Job's afflictions were accomplished by which God was teaching him his own wretchedness, Satan disappears from the scene. He would have gladly put his hand to take Job's life, but was forbidden by God. Satan then could not go beyond a certain point, as was also true when he desired to have Peter in his sieve, but God triumphed in the end for blessing to both Job and Peter. Now, more than ever, the believer may rest in this, that our Lord Jesus Christ is the conqueror of Satan; He went down into death, Satan's stronghold, and rose triumphantly, breaking Satan's power. He shall yet bruise the serpent's head, and when He does, the saints shall be associated with Him. "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." Rom. 16:2020And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20).
Rev. 9:1111And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:11) gives some further light on Satan and his activities: "Whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon [destruction], but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon [destroyer]." He is the destroyer, and if he were permitted unrestrained power in this world, he would fill the world with catastrophes and destruction from one end to the other. It is only the restraining hand of God and the presence of the restraining power of the Spirit of God that holds him and his legions of wicked spirits in check; but woe be to the world when the Spirit of God with the Church leaves it. Then when Satan is cast to the earth it will be said, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Rev. 12:1212Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:12).
We who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior shall not be here then, but be above the destruction, with our blessed Lord; and in the meanwhile, we know that He is the victor and conqueror of Satan, and that not one thing can touch one of His own blood-bought ones without specific permission, and that for our good.
Metaphorically, the world is a very sick man. His ailments are numerous; he has a fever, high blood pressure, a serious nervous disorder, St. Vitus dance, and many acute local infections that threaten to spread and bring on a complete collapse. Oddly, certain parts give evidence of malnutrition, and even starvation, while others indicate he has been living "sumptuously every day" (Luke 16:1919There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: (Luke 16:19)) and spending all in "riotous living" (Luke 15:1313And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. (Luke 15:13)).
Ever since the fall the old man has periodically been racked with convulsions, but never before in his 6000 years' history has he been so generally sick. Many modern physicians have prescribed one treatment after another, only to be proved "physicians of no value." Some, however, admit his case is serious, and others go so far as to say they see no hope of improvement, and prophesy the worst.
Diagnosis is simple, however. All the alarming symptoms that are now present can be traced back to the original virulent disease-sin. This is the first great cause of the general malady, but there is a second cause of even greater gravity; namely, the rejection of the only remedy-the grace of God. The Great Physician came in love seeking to heal, but the world cried, "Away with Him, away with Him," we "will not have this Man," nor has it ever repented of its act. The fine clothes of respectability, and the trimmings of religion cannot disguise its innate hatred of God's Christ. Is it any wonder that its present condition is critical?
Wherever one may look there is confusion and strife: Korea, Indo-China, China, Palestine, Iran, Egypt, Germany, Austria, North Africa, South Africa, parts of South America, not to mention the unrest and moral degeneration in the most stable of the Western nations. But amidst it all God is taking out of the world a people for His name (Acts 15:1414Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14)). The Holy Spirit is here seeking and winning a bride for Christ (see Gen. 24), for the One who went to the cross to glorify God in respect of sin, and to cleanse every repentant sinner who trusts in Him and His blood. This work goes on unnoticed in general, but it is definitely progressing; soon the last member of the Church shall be saved, and the whole, both "sleeping" and living saints, together with the Holy Spirit, shall leave the world. The fast approaching day will indeed be a happy one for every Christian, but a solemn doom-sealing one for the world. Then "The hour of temptation,... shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Rev. 3:1010Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10). So terrible will be the judgments of that time that unless limited to a very short duration, "there should no flesh be saved" (Matt. 24:2222And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)).
The world is still in darkness, the moral night still envelops the scene, but our hope is the appearing of the bright Morning Star-the One who will come to claim His own just before the break of day. "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly." May our response be, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
"That bright and blessed morn is near
When He, the Bridegroom, shall appear,
And call His bride away.
Her blessing then shall be complete
When with her Lord she takes her seat
In everlasting day.
"The days and months are gliding past,
Soon shall be heard the trumpet's blast
Which wakes the sleeping saints.
The dead in Christ in glory rise,
When we with them shall reach the skies
Where Jesus for us waits.
"What wonder, joy, and glad surprise
Shall fill our hearts as thus we rise
To meet Him in the air,
To see His face, to hear His voice,
And in His perfect love rejoice,
Whose glory then we'll share!
"No more deferred our hope shall be,
No longer through a glass we'll see,
But clearly, face to face.
We'll dwell with Jesus then above,
Whom absent we have learned to love,
Blest samples of His grace.
"O may this hope our spirits cheer,
While waiting for our Savior here;
He'll quickly come again.
O may our hearts look for that day,
And to His word responsive say,
`Come, Jesus, Lord. Amen.' "