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The Brevity of Life and How Jesus handled two tragic incidents in the Bible!

ACTION POINT: Read the entire chapter of Luke 12 and 13:1-5!

By

Bernie Lutchman

The massive earthquake which just hit parts of Japan will resurrect several strains of
discussion, not just among the educational secular elite and intelligentsia, but even
among Christians, about ³How can a Good God allow this to happen´?

In fact this question and its assorted versions have been used by atheists, secularists
and those who hate the God of the Book (which is what the word ³BIBLE´ means). It has
been so since ancient times, but blaming God for natural tragedies and illnesses have
been increasing in its boldness in the past 300 years.
nyone who has watched the Tsunami just wipe out houses, cars and ships in its wake
during the current tragedy in Japan, would be stunned at the ferocity and sheer power
of nature.  twenty foot plus wall of water, advancing at up to 560 mph, is a scary thing
to watch, even from thousands of miles away in the safety of the Midwestern United
States!

This brings a little mentioned incident in the Gospel of Luke. Here is Luke 13: 1-5 (NLT)
³About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee
as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. ³Do you think those Galileans were
worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?´ Jesus asked. ³Is that why they
suffered?

THE TOWER OF SILOAM

aot at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And
what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them?
Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless
you repent, you will perish, too.´ (Bold emphasis mine)

Two things were reported to Jesus by most likely His disciples or one of the many
curious hangers-on, who turned against Him in John 6:66! One was that Governor
Pilate was killing people from the same region Jesus grew up in! t the first look, some
may say Jesus acted very non-chalantly to that news. He did not. He came to teach.
Before one can form the proper biblical view of these hard verses, ?



?

 

My knowledge of Christ shows me that Christ is more interested in the eternal soul of a
person than anything else on the earth ± IF it comes down to such a thing. The
Galileans were killed and persecuted in the Temple for obeying the Laws of the Torah
(or the ancient Jewish Law). Jesus would know if their faith was strong enough and had
already judged them according the Plumbline of Father braham!

He had the same reaction to the news about the 18 who died at the Pool of Siloam! The
Lord showed His Hand when He said ³YOU TOO WOULD PERISH ± UNLESS YOU
REPENT´!!!

Both these situations recall what Jesus Himself said in Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."Emphasis mine.
Repentance is a topic for another day. To remain in focus here, Jesus actually revealed
that both the Galileans killed by Pilate ND the 18 killed in the Pool accident did NOT
make it into heaven! He said they perished«´unless YOU REPENT, you WILL
PERISH TOO!!´

This is the first instance in the Bible of Jesus Himself saying who is already in hell! The
good news is GOD DOES NOT WNT NYONE to perish«.and that means NOONE!
NONE!! ZERO! ZIP! ND! NUGHT!

³The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. ao, he is
being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants
everyone to repentÑsays 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT). There it is! Those same words ± ³perish´
and ³repent´!! I think if this were me, I would get it by now«and that is ± God is trying
to tell me something!

So at first glance, it will seem like a harsh reaction from the loving Jesus (to the Galilean
slayings and the tragic Siloam accident). It would seem contrary to the Sunday
message we all hear about from ³tickle-your-ears´ preachers. To understand His
reaction here, please let us back up to  
 Before I publish the entire chapter of
Luke here (for the most part), I must say WHY I am doing this, and then let the Word of
God get on the platform and speak for itself while I get out of the way!!!

ONSIDER THESE THREE THINGS

First, how can an atheist/agnostic/deist/doubter (for they are all the same) blaspheme or
criticize Holy God as bsolute, bsolutely uncaring and even bsolutely Judgmental,
WHEN THEY DO NOT BELIEVE HE EXISTS! There are only two types of people in
this world ± those who believe and those who do not. Under the terms of logic, those
who make absolute statements like this about God, and then say there is no such things
as bsolute Truth are guilty of doublespeak! They themselves have just made an
bsolute Statement contradicting themselves!

Therefore, they have lost their case and credibility!

Secondly, men of all tribes, tongues and races in the Developed World ± from China to
Chihuahua (Mexico); from Tokyo to Thailand; from Rome to Romania; from London to
Lima; from Spain to Siberia; from Maine to Madagascar and from New York City to New
Zealand ±have heard the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For centuries, since the Moravians sent out their first missionaries to the West Indies,
men and women have risked their physical lives in the service of lmighty God to fulfill
the Great Commission and take the Good News to the Ends of the Earth!

(Here is the Great Commission Matthew 28:19-20 NLT) ³{

 




 
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go
and make disciples of all the nations,] baptizing them in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I
have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the
age-





  


    

 

  
 
  
 
 
   
 
    
    
 




   
     


    


    

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Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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