Where Was God on September 11?

I. Why ask the question?

A. Others have asked it

B. How could God allow these terrible things to happen?

C. Was He powerless to stop it? Was He unconcerned about it? From Reader’s Digest: ” How could God make the terrorists who would do such a terrible thing?”

D. Some have answered it, but perhaps in a way that opens up more criticism

E. Email: ” He held up the towers while the people escaped.”

F. What if your loved one was one of the 2,830 who died? If He held it up long enough for many to escape, why not continue holding it up until all could escape? Why did He let it go when He did? Why not create obstacles for all the people (cancelled flights, etc.) When we begin down this road, we come to some illogical and unscriptural conclusions

G. It is like telling a child that God wanted his little brother so much that He took him to heaven.

H. Great way to terrify a kid and make him scared of God. Good intent; terrible approach

I. It was a national punishment for wickedness

J. What proof do we have of this?

K. Some have used passages discussing God’s relationship with Israel of the Old Testament and tried to apply them to the US

L. The United States is not God’s special nation

M. We have been richly blessed But as a nation we have not promoted godly values and there is much wickedness. The church is God’s special nation and people and includes people from all over the world, 1 Peter 2:9 There have been worse nations to punish We must be very careful assigning actions to God.

II. Must always remember that God is in control

A. He rules over the kingdoms of men

B. Daniel 4:34-37 Psalm 2

C. God made the world operate according to certain physical laws, i.e., gravity.

D. Job 38:4-11 - Examples of God’s control

E. Because of these laws we sometimes have accidents or intentional disasters.

F. Cars impacting solid objects at high speed will damage or kill the occupants. If you fall out of a high window, gravity will increase your speed without malice; it is just the natural result of action. When people fly airplanes loaded with fuel into buildings filled with people disaster will surely follow. It would be chaos if our world did not adhere to these laws.

G. God has made man with free will

H. We can chose to obey God or reject Him. C. S. Lewis quote on p.33 of The Problem of Pain.

I. When man disobeys God, he brings chaos into the world.

J. Romans 1:18-32

K. Galatians 5:19-21

L. Would we have murder in the world if people would not hate their fellow man or be bitter or malicious? Would we have the sexual diseases that have killed so many if people were pure until married then faithful until death? Would we use locks and burglar alarms if no one was covetous and there were no thieves? All of the chaos of our world is brought on by those who reject the law of God and will not submit themselves to Him. We have to live in such as world so we may directly or indirectly suffer at the hands of wicked people.

M. It would be unfair for God to force people to do what is right; it would take away from our humanity.

N. God can bring good things out of the evil of men

O. God is the creator, the devil is the destroyer.

P. In creation

Q. God created the world and said it was ” very good.” The devil spoiled the creation with sin and death.

R. But God could even make good come from Satan’s evil.

S. Crucifixion - salvation - Acts 2:22-24; 32-38 Persecution - Gospel spread - Acts 8:1-4 Sin - grace - Romans 5:20-6:4 Pain - power - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

T. Romans 8:28: ” And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

U. Sovereign rule

V. Job 1-2: God can put limits on Satan1 Corinthians 10:13 - Controls temptations

W. Creating the right people for any situation

X. When we follow God’s will, we act like what we were created to be in the first place. Only when we are disobedient do we create chaos in our families, our work, and other relationships. Only when we are disobedient do we become useless and disqualified for every good work.

Y. Ultimately, God will judge the world

Z. The evil will be punished and the righteous rewarded, 2 Thess. 1:5-10 Yet god is longsuffering, 2 Peter 3:9-11

III. Where was mankind on Sept. 11?

A. This is probably the better question since we know God was ruling by His own power but allowing man to do what each one desired.

B. The events were not caused by servants of God obedient to Jesus.

C. God’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, not political, fighting a spiritual war with spiritual weapons, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. The terrorists using fleshly weapons to advance their cause had no concern for the innocent lives of their fellow men and killed them in their ignorance.

D. Those who held life in esteem flocked to help the victims of the disaster.

E. We see God in the actions of those who did the right things to bring good from evil. We can see God’s power of change in the changed lives that followed this disaster, the concern for spiritual things, and families becoming closer.

IV. Where is God in your life?

A. God is in control but He will not force any person to do anything

B. In matters of salvation, Jesus pleads, He does not force His will on anyone, Revelation 3:20.

C. Therefore, you must choose whether you will serve God or Satan.