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The enormity of suffering from natural disasters challenges our faith. How can we regain hope beyond the tragic aftermath of destruction and death? There is prophetic evidence that God will soon provide restitution to life again for all mankind.
In Due Time, All Shall Escape from Suffering and Death
Humanity is sickened by one horrific headline after another. The Apostle Paul was so right when he exclaimed that the "...whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together... And not only they, but ourselves also..." Paul then went on to say that there is hope, but that we must have patience for the fruition of our hope. "For we are saved by hope... if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." (Romans 8:22-25) Yes, because God cares about His human creation, He did not abandon the world of mankind in a hopeless condition.
Jeremiah in figurative language states that God’s eyes “run down with tears night and day” when He sees His beloved children suffering. (Jeremiah 14:17) It is reassuring to know that God realizes the enormity of human suffering, and, from a time “before the foundation of the world,” He had planned for the resurrection of all who have ever lived—an opportunity for all to gain everlasting life. God did not allow death to be the final condition of innocent, suffering millions. 1 Peter 1:20, 21
In His mercy, God has provided a “ransom” — the basis of the only true hope for a world in despair. God's beloved Son Jesus "gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:3-6) This “ransom” will provide for the return of all the dead to life, the joyful reunion of loved ones, the opportunity to learn of the one true God, and to live forever in health and happiness upon a perfect earth. This we read in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The curse of death that Adam brought upon all will be offset by the price paid for all by Christ in laying down his life for mankind. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21, 22) This promise of a resurrection for all comes first to Christians who “believe” now, and later to “all the families of the earth” who will be given an opportunity to “believe in him” under more favorable circumstances in God’s Kingdom. There, death and destruction will be no more, and mankind will exist in a perfect Garden of Eden condition worldwide, such as Adam experienced before Satan’s deception led him into disobedience.
When Satan intervened in the Garden and led Adam into sin, the result was the beginning of sorrow—not only to mankind, but also to the earth. “Cursed is the ground for thy sake.” (Genesis 3:17) Our first parents were cast out of paradise into the unfinished earth, where the components of nature were still unstable. Continuing to labor under the Adamic curse, mankind has been subjected to sporadic upheavals of nature, as yet, unbalanced. Yes, Satan, filled with pride and rebellion, has been the real cause of the last 6,000 years of sickness, tragedy and death. And now, he is fighting to keep control as the evil “god of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) He sees his evil kingdom waning as the glorious kingdom of God is about to be fully ushered in!
Waiting for the Dawning of a Brighter Day
The Scriptures assure us that “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) But, if mankind is to be blessed, why is God waiting so long to pour out His blessing? Why does He not prevent the sickness, tragedy and death that plague this planet?
God has a loving reason for everything He plans and purposes to do. At this time, He is teaching the exceeding sorrows of a world left on its own and under Satan, the present ruler of darkness. (Ephesians 2:2) Despite the extreme suffering mankind has experienced generation upon generation, something constructive will come from it. Yes, because “God is love,” He intends to turn these cursed conditions into an opportunity to teach mankind the extreme consequence of sin and rebellion. Experience with Satan’s evil world will teach mankind the everlasting lesson of trust, loyalty and obedience to our all-wise Creator. “It is a difficult exercise which God has imposed upon the sons of Adam to develop themselves by it.” (Ecclesiastes 1:13—Fenton Translation) Note that God does not cause the evil, but has permitted it for a period of time.
When God finally says, “It is enough!” we can rest assured that there will be great changes in the earth, and all will begin to see that the permission of evil was both educational and preparatory to the ushering of mankind into the ages of blessing to come, wherein “all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 28:14; Ephesians 2:7) Each will have a full, fair opportunity at that time to gain the knowledge that they need to grow to perfection and to attain everlasting life through their great redeemer and life-giver. (Isaiah 26:9) In the not far distant future, all those who perished in the tragedies of today will be reunited with their loved ones. Though God’s plans are misunderstood now, in due time, His merciful character and government will be vindicated. (Luke 21:21-32) The Apostle John describes this time in Revelation 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
God's Merciful Plan — Freedom from Fear,
Oppression, Natural Disasters, Pain and Death
The instruction of the world will proceed throughout God’s thousand-year Kingdom soon to be established in the earth. Then, we are assured that “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea,” and that “they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them…” (Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 31:34) This will be a glorious time with grand opportunities for every man, woman and child to learn to know the Lord, to obey him, and to grow to mental, moral and physical perfection. This does not mean universal everlasting life regardless of obedience, for the Scriptures declare that such as refuse to profit by the glorious opportunities granted them, shall be destroyed from amongst the people in the second death—“They shall be as though they had not been.” (Obadiah 16; Acts 3:19-23) We believe that this will be rare, however, for the Scriptures indicate that the great majority “shall return [from their graves], and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10) Thus will God’s loving plan bring all the willing and obedient into harmony with Him in a universe free from fear, oppression, natural disasters, pain and death.
Most of us can hardly take in the scope of the devastation we witness in the news every day, and yet, on a personal level, we can sympathize with the painful grip of tragedy. We all long for the end of sorrow. To learn more about God’s plan to put an end to suffering and death, please click the following link: