Calling
911
by Brian Hennessy
If there‘s one phrase that has been repeated over and over and over since the Islamic terrorist attack on September 11th, it’s that the “world will never be the same again.” And I couldn’t agree more.
Even though we here in America have crept back to a certain routine of normalcy (as of 10/1/02), a fundamental shift in the way things are has definitely occurred. The big question now is, what does that fundamental shift mean to you and I?
In asking that question, I’m not looking for a military, sociological or political response, but a spiritual response. As a child of God I want to know specifically what 9/11 means in terms of God speaking to the human race in general, and to His people in particular.
This inquiry of course is based on the belief that God is indeed speaking to His creation today. Not only through His written word and sent servants, but in a variety of other ways also. Including all the daily events of life, both big and small. You dear reader will have to make up your own mind about this, but it is my belief that God’s desire to communicate with us is so great that there is literally nothing He won’t and doesn’t use to speak to us about His existence. Or His love (including His warnings). Or about all His divine plans and intentions. There is never a second when He is not speaking. For as Scripture says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” (Ps. 19:1,2)
Sometimes the communication from God is very obvious. Recently, for example, the newspaper reported that a lioness in Kenya was seen walking around in the jungle with an oryx calf she seems to have adopted. Besides the natural attempt at an explanation that the lion must have a psychological disorder, the paper noted that many believed this was a Biblical fulfillment of Isaiah 11: 6 - “that the calf and the young lion will graze together.” To put it more correctly, it was a sign (not a fulfillment) from God that the Messianic age is at the door - which is when this supernatural harmony among all the species will become permanent and worldwide.
But more often this form of communication comes to us like a parable. Although simple and straightforward in its context, the message is camouflaged by the “naturalness” of the event and requires some spiritual discernment to decode it. For me it usually starts as a divine tap on the shoulder to pay attention to some unusual development and realize that God is on the “phone” and saying something. I then simply look for clues in the event that might emphasize either some Biblical truth I already know about, or one that He will show me in the course of my desire to understand. (See “Crowned with Gold”.) As a rule of thumb I would say that the greater and more serious the event, the greater and more urgent it is that we hear and understand the message. Obviously then, 9/11 embodies a very important message for us all indeed.
Having said all that, let me now launch into what I believe God was saying - primarily to the world - but also to the United States and to His people through the tragedy of 9/11. I am not writing this as a “thus sayeth the Lord,” but as my best Biblically based discernment of the entire event. It is a discernment that has only grown stronger in the months following the attack. And which now compels me to share it with all that care to hear it.
I gladly submit my reading of these events to those called in the Church to judge all prophetic insight as to whether it accurately reflects the heart of God or not. (I am serious. If any anointed saint believes that I have missed it and can tell me how and where, I am all ears. My e-mail is: hennesybrian@hotmail.com.)
The
Beginning of Knowledge
Scripture tells us that the beginning of knowledge and wisdom is “fear of the Lord.” (Prov. 1:7) By “fear of the Lord,” it does not mean the paralyzing, tormenting kind of “fear” that characterizes so many pagan religions and causes them to resort to all sorts of barbaric practices to appease whatever wrath-filled, unmerciful god they serve. But rather it is the healthy, respectful kind of fear that denotes reverence for authority. It is the fear that a wise child has for a loving father, who knows that if he breaks the rules of his father’s house, he’s going to get punished. And rightfully so. So to avoid punishment he remains obedient, and in the long run benefits from the wisdom and discipline of his father’s instructions.
For a number of years, the nations of the world have shown by their legislative actions that they have turned away from God’s prescribed ways, and preferred rather to walk in the light of their own reason instead. By so doing they ignore the clear warning of Scripture that says, “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.” (Prov. 14;12) God’s principles, when practiced, always produce health, prosperity and success in all areas of human living. When ignored they always bring forth disease, poverty and failure. ”Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)
Now in saying the “nations,” I am speaking primarily of those nations in the West influenced by Judeo/Christian beliefs. Other nations, which do not have a true knowledge of God and His ways because their core religion is based on something other than the Bible, are simply continuing in their ignorance. And they are actually less responsible for their actions (although they will still be held accountable) then those nations who profess to acknowledge the one, true living God but are not living accordingly. And it is these Biblically influenced nations, especially America, who have been steadily backing away from acting according to His precepts and commandments. Indeed, America has drifted so far, that I would no longer describe us as a Biblically centered nation, but as one that is just living in the afterglow of our godly heritage.
As a result, it has been the failure of the so-called “Christian” nations to continue to acknowledge God and His ways that I believe has set the stage for judgment to come upon the whole world. For as long as there was an official standard raised as a witness of His ways in the nations of the earth - it staved off His judgment of the whole earth. Just as salt staves off the corruption of meat. But the prophetic voice of the Church has been virtually silenced by the Western governments - a victim of the unbalanced perception of what the separation of Church and State is all about. The absence of this godly influence as a counterbalance to the rising tide of atheistic humanism– a belief which exalts man as the highest form of creative intelligence in the universe – I believe has brought us to this hour.
But to be realistic, this hour of judgment was inevitable. It is spoken of so many times in Scripture that there simply was no avoiding it. The only reason it has not come sooner is because “the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” (Gen. 15:16) The evil leaven of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that infected Adam had not yet completed its work of corruption. When the carnal thinking of mankind is fully leavened, then will the cleansing, purging fires of judgment come. I’d say we’re there.
A
War on Many Fronts
This war that has enveloped us so suddenly can be looked at in several ways.
On the lowest level, it is being described politically by the Bush administration as a war against terrorism. This is a deliberate attempt to avoid saying it is a war against Islam for fear of offending all the Muslim nations and Muslim Americans. But it really is a religious war. To use Islam’s own word, it is a ”jihad” or “holy war.” Islam’s goal is to defeat the West’s military might which supports the two religious faiths it considers direct threats, namely Judaism and Christianity. (Their signs chant, “First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.”) If the Jewish and Christian nations can be defeated, Islam will be shown to be supreme and able then to subjugate the rest of the world (they believe) to its religious beliefs.
On this level, I see that God used 9/11 to bring America into the war to provide extra military muscle to help protect Israel, which is on the front lines of this global battle. A battle that is escalating rapidly as the Islamic states gain access to weapons of mass destruction. Hopefully, God will use the US to deal a crushing blow to Islam itself, which has kept almost a billion people locked in the 7th century. (Anti-Semites have tried to convince us that the Moslem attack on America was due solely to our support for Israel. Their goal of course is to get us to abandon the Jewish State. Ironically they are right that Israel is the key reason for our involvement, but God’s goal is to strengthen those ties – not abandon them. It will be curtains for America if we ever turn against Israel. “Those who bless Abraham will be blessed. Those who curse him (and his descendants) will be cursed.”
But one can also go further and describe this war, not just as a religious war, but as a spiritual war. For this battle is also being waged in the spirit world between the demonic powers that inspire the adherents of Islam, and the God of the people of the Bible. On this level, God wants to defeat Islam not just because it is a threat to world peace, but to set its adherents free so they can receive the truth and come into the Kingdom of God before the door is finally shut. At the same time, the Lord is using the extreme pressure of Islamic terrorism to get all His covenant people, both Jews and Christians, to look upward and cry out to God for safety and deliverance. When we do, we will experience greater intimacy with Him and separate more from the things of this world.
As for America, it is a major wake up call for this nation also. Much of what the Moslems say about us as the “Great Satan” is true. We have been polluting the world with sexual filth and materialism. We have promoted a hedonistic, godless lifestyle through our movies and TV shows around the world. Although this doesn’t give them the right to bomb us, God has used their attack to get us to repent of our worldly corruption - NOW! “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desires are passing away, but the man who does the will of God shall live forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
Unfortunately, I don’t honestly think America as a nation will be able to turn it around in time so as to be healed. (Sorry, I really think we have run out of chances.) But each individual American does have the opportunity to take this message to heart and get right with God.
But there is still one other way to look at this war. And it is the one that best captures what I see as the true nature of the conflict and the identity of the combatants.
God
vs. Man
I believe this war, which began officially on September 11th, and which will soon escalate into a worldwide confrontation, is the final showdown between God and the entire corrupt, godless civilization built by carnal man, the descendants of Adam.
To gain a proper perspective of this understanding it is necessary to see America, not as “the home of the free and the brave,” but as the number one superpower in the world and recognized leader of all the Gentile nations. Which automatically make it the head of a world system that Scripture says operates “under the control and power of the evil one” (I John 5:19)
That certainly doesn’t make America the most sinful nation on earth and most deserving of God’s wrath. Not at all. In fact, we are probably the most moral and most giving nation on the face of the earth, and have done more for freedom and progress than any nation in history. But lest we be too quick to cloak ourselves with all that “goodness,” we should quickly realize that even though we may shine when compared to other nations, when compared to God’s standard of righteousness, our crown tarnishes considerably.
In fact, America represents the apex of all human civilization up to this point in time. Our technological, scientific, medical, political, military, cultural and economic achievements have surpassed the greatest achievements of all the world empires that came before us. Greater than Egypt in the time of Moses, Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, Greece under Alexander and Rome under the Caesars. And because America now stands in that exalted place, we have become symbolic of man’s arrogant self-sufficiency before God. I am sure you will agree, that in spite of all our good works and self-proclaimed piety, our pride and arrogance has grown proportionally with our rise in power and influence.
Therefore any judgment of God that befalls us should be seen as a judgment upon that pride and arrogance, which is so symptomatic of man’s fallen human condition.
In viewing 9/11 in this way, I clearly see that the two lofty twin towers of the World Trade Center represent that haughty pride and arrogance. Their destruction was designed to make that point and drive us all to our knees – literally – so that we can receive mercy. “For when judgments come upon the earth, the people learn righteousness. Though grace is shown to the wicked they do not learn righteousness, even in a land of righteousness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.” (Isa. 26:9,10)
God is not like today’s permissive parents or law courts. He holds His human creation accountable for its actions. He will warn us through His prophets. He will exercise great patience; “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9) But there will come a time when He is through talking and His chasening hand is felt. “For he who spares the rod hates his son. But he who loves him, disciplines him diligently.” (Prov. 13:24)
This ultimate confrontation between
God and man is described in the Bible as the “Day of the Lord.” Without
getting into a lengthy discussion, let me just introduce a few points. First, this expression is found
all over the Old Testament. Particularly in the Books of Joel, Isaiah, Ezekiel
and Zephaniah. “Wail, for the Day of the Lord
is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty...Thus I will punish the
world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity...I shall make the
heaven’s tremble and the earth will be shaken from its place by the fury of
the Lord of hosts in the Day of His furious anger.” (Isa. 13:6-13) “Blow a trumpet in Zion, and
sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
For the Day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near. (Joel 2:1) "For the Day of the Lord
draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your
dealings will return on your own head.” (Obadiah v. 15) The Day is also referred to in the
New Testament, which means it had not been annulled or re-interpreted in light
of the ministry of Jesus. It is still on the books and lies ahead in the future.
(Those who teach that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was the fulfillment
of the Day of the Lord ignore that the judgment will be catastrophic and
worldwide.) “The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into
blood, before the great and glorious Day of the Lord shall come.” (Acts 2:20) John on the Isle of Patmos says he
was caught up in the Spirit on the Lord’s day – or Day of the Lord – when
he received the whole Book of Revelation with all its plagues of judgment upon
the earth. (Rev. 1:10) (John did not mean he was in the Spirit on a Sunday
morning, as tradition has taught. But that he had been caught up into the future
so that he was literally seeing the events that will take place on the Day of
the Lord.) Although the Day will surely bring
much wailing and destruction on the earth, it is not something a believer has to
fear. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:9) God has a great and marvelous
salvation planned for His people “In that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
‘Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp. The Lord God is in
your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exalt over you with joy, He will be
quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zeph
3:16,17) And Jeremiah says: “Thou art my refuge in the day of disaster.” (Jer.
17:17) So wonderful is this coming
salvation that in spite of its accompanying destruction on the earth we should
look forward to it with great joy and even try to hasten its coming. “Since
all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you
to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking
for and hastening the coming of the Day of the Lord.” (2 Pet 3: 11, 12)
So for us it will be a day of light and glory and rich reward that will
result in the birthing of a new heaven and a new earth. But for the
hard-of-heart it will be a nightmare. It has two very different sides to it.
“For His reward is with Him; His recompense before Him.” (Isa. 62:11)
That’s why for those still ignorant of God’s coming judgment, 9/11 is
actually a blessing in disguise because it alerts them and gives then a chance
to get under the blood of Messiah to escape the final blow that is surely
coming. The Tower of Babel That religious ziggurat which was thrust heavenward into
God’s face, symbolized man’s technological accomplishment and religious
independence. In effect, a united mankind was saying, “See God? There’s
nothing we can’t do by our own strength and ingenuity! We don’t need you! We
are totally self-sufficient! We can reach even to the heavens!” But God put a stop to their
idolatrous claim by confusing their languages and scattering the people. Now, some 5000 years later, man is
overcoming national differences to work together again, and thanks to the marvel
of the computer has even restored his ability to communicate instantly with
every tongue, in effect creating one language. Man is determined to finish what
he started long ago, which God so rudely interrupted. And if it was true what
God observed about mankind back then, “that nothing which they purpose to do
will be impossible to them” (Gen. 11:6), how much truer is it today? Just recently, there was a
photograph in the paper of the launching of the space shuttle Columbia. The
picture, which demonstrates once again our awesome scientific accomplishments,
showed a trail of smoke literally “towering” into the heavenlies. We just
don’t quit. Although you can’t help admire such a great accomplishment, you
also can’t help thinking that fallen humanity is suddenly on the verge of
exporting its corrupt ways to the furthest reaches of the universe. Especially
since our scientists have now broken into the genetic hard drive allowing us to
manipulate and even duplicate all living species. One can only imagine the
horrors man will unleash in the near future unless God mercifully interrupts our
plans once again. That’s why, I believe, He
symbolically crashed our party on 9/11. Isaiah
2 Not only does that perfectly
describe the attack on the Twin Towers and on the Pentagon, but Isaiah went on
to describe exactly how the Al Qaeda would react when our forces arrived in
Afghanistan. “Men will flee to the caves in the rocks and to holes in the
ground from dread of the Lord (as represented by the U.S. armed forces in this
case) and the splendor of His majesty when He arises to shake the earth.” (Isa.
2:19) There have even been two major earthquakes in that region since our troops
arrived. Obviously this still has an even greater fulfillment, but the message
is clear. This is that! Actually, this attack on the WTC
“high towers” and against the Pentagon’s “fortified wall” was not the
very beginning of God’s judgment. I believe we have been experiencing a wakeup
call for some time now through our crazy weather patterns. I think most
Christians also realized that the weather was not just a problem of global
warming, but was signaling the coming of Christ. However, the rest of the nation
- and the unbelieving world in general - has not had ears to hear. Many more no
doubt started to hear as a result of 9/11. The bottom line is that all that
is high and lifted up, which represents man’s pride and arrogance, is now
coming down. Persons. Symbols. Everything. Everywhere. From Enron and Arthur
Anderson to Wall Street and the Vatican to Jesse Jackson and Martha Stewart. And
all those who are lowly and humble and trusting in God’s mercy and justice by
faith will be raised up to the glory of God. “For the Lord alone will be
exalted in that day.” What first tipped me off for sure
that we were entering the Day of the Lord, which is the day of God’s restored
justice on the earth, was the Oscar-winning movie “Titanic” which came out a
few years ago. That “beautiful craft” had been declared to be so strong by
its owners that “not even God could sink it.” Well, they found out
otherwise. The scene in the movie that sent shivers up my spine was where the
corpses of hundreds of men and women dressed in their best finery lay bobbing
quietly in the cold night waters. Only hours before they had been laughing and
drinking without a care in the world. And I knew in that moment that the same
sudden destruction was going to be visited upon millions worldwide. “For you yourselves know full
well that the Day of the Lord will come just like the thief in the night. While
they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then the destruction will come upon
them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not
escape.” (1 Thess. 5:3,4) God or Satan?
Years ago, when I first began to share some of my insights on the Lord
communicating with His whole creation through everyday events, I realized
suddenly I had ventured into a theological minefield. Because along with all
this awareness of His daily public communication comes the realization that if
God is speaking to us in this way, it means He must be very much in control of
every event in heaven and on earth.
That is to say, that our all-powerful, all-present, all-knowing Heavenly
Father is indeed creatively bending every event in time and history to both
communicate and accomplish His desired plan and purpose. Which means there are
no accidents, surprises or uncaused causes in God’s Kingdom. It matters little
whether we define His control over these events as His direct will or His
permissive will (that is, “God allowed it”) - it is still His will. For
Scripture is quite clear that “He works all things after the counsel of His
will.” (Eph. 1:11) “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the
Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Prov. 19:21) “The Lord works everything
out for His own ends – even the wicked for the day of disaster.” (Prov.
16:7)
But what about Satan? Surely it was Satan who brought about such a foul
deed on 9/11 that took so many “innocent” lives. Well, of course it was
Satan. But who is in control of Satan? Is not Satan just one of God’s
creatures, which He uses to accomplish His divine plan? Is he not just the
ultimate “vessel of wrath prepared for destruction,” which God had designed
for the purpose of showing forth “the riches of His glory upon vessels of
mercy?” (Rom 9:22,23)
Do you think Satan just showed up in the Garden of Eden one day as a
surprise to God and proceeded to ruin God’s perfect plan? Of course not. God
created him and placed him there deliberately, knowing full well what he would
do and that He would have to send His Son to die on the cross to recover the
whole messed up mankind. That was the plan from the beginning! Why would he do
that, you ask? My best understanding is given in Romans 11: 32. “For God has
bound all men over to disobedience so that he might show mercy to all.” How
could we ever know the mercy of God, if we didn’t find ourselves in need of
it? Hey, it’s not the way I would
have done it – but then that’s why God is running the universe and I’m
trying to keep my sock drawer organized. I discovered this truth of God’s sovereignty in my own life
after I agreed to make Jesus Lord of my life nearly 30 years ago. I was not
doing such a hot job of running my life before then and He made it clear that
things would go better with Him at the helm. And they have. A whole lot better.
The only time I really encounter difficulty (as distinguished from troubles) is
whenever I grab back the controls again in a panic because I think I can do it
better.
I discovered He is Lord! And not just because I let Him – but because
He is!
Believe it or not, this understanding runs counter to the traditional
mindset in the Church, which constantly teaches that Christians are in control.
Sounds nuts, I know, but that’s what we are taught over and over, whether we
realize it or not. The thought is imbedded in us from the moment we get saved
when we are told, “we chose Christ.” And then we are told that the rest of
the world is lost because they chose not to receive Christ. Like any of us had a
choice in the matter! Baloney! Scripture is very clear that it was “by grace
you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, IT IS THE GIFT OF
GOD; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2:8) I know
God chose me, as he did you, from before the world was made. I merely responded
(by grace) to His choosing when the time came for me to get with the program.
”For He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 1:5) God Is a Micro-Manager
A former godly pastor I knew once shared a story I never forgot. He told
of driving in a car with a Christian man when suddenly a tire blew out, putting
them in a very difficult situation. His passenger immediately saw it as an
attack from Satan that needed to be rebuked. The pastor, on the other hand,
said, “I wonder what God is up to?” It
was two completely different ways at looking at the same situation. That’s not
to say that there aren’t times when Satan does need to be dealt with. Very
definitely there are. But most often, I have found that praising God for the
negative situation you’re in is the quickest way out of it. Witness Paul’s
reaction to being beaten with rods and thrown into a Philippian jail. He started
singing and praising God and an earthquake suddenly sprung the doors wide open.
(Acts 16:25,26)
This principle that God is not only in charge, but micro-managing every
detail of life, is seen most graphically in the confrontation between Moses and
Pharaoh.
Even people who don’t know much about the Bible know that God hardened
Pharaoh’s heart “so that he will NOT let My people go,”. (Ex 3:21) Think
about that for a second. Wasn’t it God’s will that Pharaoh let the people
go? Wasn’t that why He had sent Moses back to Egypt in the first place? Yet
while Moses is telling old Pharaoh to let go, God is making him hold on. Which
means Pharaoh would have probably let the people go on his own if he hadn’t
been supernaturally restrained. So we see that God can work both sides of the
street, accomplishing his will in even opposing ways... because “He is working
all things together for good for those who love the Lord and are called
according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) In fact Paul makes that very point
concerning Pharaoh in his letter to the Romans, showing that “it does not
depend on the MAN who wills or the MAN who runs, but on God who has mercy.”
(Rom. 9:I5-17)
The story of Job is another great example. Here the curtain is lifted to
reveal a behind-the-scenes peek of how God operates. It is revealed that God has
set up Job for a test by pointing him out to Satan as one of His best followers.
The great seducer is then seduced into taking the challenge and proceeds to make
Job’s life a living hell. But the outcome is a forgone conclusion because it
was God’s plan to use Job as a living parable to teach all generations some
valuable truths. Which was that we should “be imitators of those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Heb. 6:12) That we can trust God
for mercy and blessings and justice, even when it looks for awhile like we’re
getting the short end of the stick.
And if we didn’t get that lesson from reading Job, James spells it out
for us: “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of
the Lord’s dealings (not Satan’s), that the Lord is full of compassion and
is merciful.” (James 5:11) So Satan was sent out on another mission of failure
- what a loser - and Job, who God knew would pass the test with flying colors
(because I’m sure God was helping him), is doubly blessed in the end to the
glory of God.
But Job is an Old Testament saint. What about the authority of the New
Covenant believer in Jesus Christ? Haven’t we been given power over Satan, a
defeated foe? Yes we have. We certainly can do a lot more to Satan than Job
could. Which is exactly why I think God sends him around to bother us - so we
believers can practice on Him and discover that we really do have authority over
him. If Satan had a choice, I’m sure he’d stick to tormenting unbelievers
who have no weapons of warfare with which to kick his butt. Why go and mess with
the saints who are really the only ones who can cause him trouble? Besides, why
stir up the believers? Most believers are either too fearful or too lazy to go
looking for him. Why get them all stirred up with sickness or persecution or
difficulties in their lives, which might cause them to dig into the Scriptures
and learn how to get healed or delivered? And then go out and do the same for
the rest of the world.
No - Satan may be evil, but
he is no dummy. That’s why God makes him do it. Either to try us. Or to
discipline us so we confront certain sins and weaknesses in our life to get set
free. To quote Job, he’s the fire that God uses so that we will “come forth
as gold.” (Job 23:10) And on occasion, for those so chosen, he’s the one who
sheds the blood of the martyrs.
A perfect example in the New Testament where God clearly uses Satan for
the betterment of the Church is a passage concerning “Paul’s thorn.” As
many faith teachers correctly point out, “thorns” throughout the Bible are
the persecutors of God’s people. So the thorn which Paul described as “a
messenger sent from Satan to buffet me,” was the demonically inspired
persecution he faced wherever he went. It was not an eye disease or some other
physical ailment, as some thought. But what is overlooked in the discussion is
that this satanic attack was clearly sent from God! For when Paul tried to get
God to remove it, He was informed that it had been sent to keep him humble in
light of the many great revelations that had been given to him. And furthermore,
God informs him that - “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected
in weakness.” (2 Cor. 9) Paul understood that what Satan meant for evil, God
was working for good. The weaker Paul was in his own natural strength, the more
God could operate through him supernaturally. Conclusion This understanding that God is in
total control actually offers much peace in knowing that life isn’t just
happening willy-nilly outside His jurisdiction or knowledge. Or that Satan is
running around loose inflicting his evil will on hapless believers and
unbelievers. But there is a difficult side to it all. Which is the uncomfortable
realization that in an event such as 9/11, where many good and innocent people
died (even believers), that God is ultimately responsible. To this I can only
say that we have to start with the working premise that God is a good God who
loves us and that we can always trust Him to do the right and perfect thing. Like Job, we rarely can see the
end from the beginning, so we must trust that when we gain the perspective of
time it will all make perfect sense.
That’s the truth Jacob’s beloved son Joseph discovered years after
his jealous brothers had sold him into slavery in Egypt. Even though he had
every reason to resent his brothers for what they had done to him, when he meets
them again he embraces them and kisses them on the neck. Why? Because he had
seen the hand of God in all that had befallen him. He understood that he had
been sent to Egypt in advance to prepare a place for His family when the drought
hit. So he tells them: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant
it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people
alive. (Gen. 50:20)
I would like to conclude with a word of sympathy to any dear reader who
may have had a family member or friend or known someone who perished on 9/11. By
sharing this insight I do not mean to trivialize their deaths by suggesting they
lost their lives simply so God could deliver a message. Or that they were merely
collateral damage. Like the Holocaust, there are events for which there are no
satisfactory explanations. Even in the story of Job, which we know was just a
God-designed test, all of Jobs children died. How do you explain that? We
can’t. Each of us has a role to play in God’s plan. And each of us only has
a predetermined amount of time on the earth to it live out, whether conscious of
God’s plan for our life or not. We can only assume that all those who perished
that day had completed their God-given task. We know some died actively as
heroes. Others as passive victims. But all finished their course and have gone
home to receive the reward God had planned for them.
We know that our God is a God of redemption. The fact that He
deliberately allowed His creation to be lost so He could find it again doesn’t
change that fact. His stated desire is to see all men saved and made whole.
“That none should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet.
3:9) And if that’s what God wants, I can only assume that He will bring it to
pass.
He loves us all. More than we will ever know. And He will keep us through
the days ahead.