Vs. 19,20 “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Vs. 3,5 “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Since the events of September 11^th individually and as a nation we have been asking the same burning question   Why?   Where was God on September 11th?  Why did God stop the planes from crashing?   Why were some people saved from the horrors of that day?  Why were others placed in arms way?  Why?

John Stott wrote in his book The Cross of Christ, “The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith, and has been in every generation.”

Suffering is not part of God’s original created order.  Suffering only entered the world because Adam and Eve sinned.  While much of the world’s suffering is the direct result of sin not all suffering is.  The suffering we are experiencing is the result of war and sin.

Suffering is never good in and of itself, but God is able to use it for good.  Nicky Gumbel wrote in his book Searching Answers.  “Suffering is used by God to draw us to Christ, to bring us to Christian maturity and to bring about His good purposes.”

Whether it is the tragic death of one or of six thousand we are bound to ask WHY.  In response to September 11^th, the Rev. Billy Graham stood in the pulpit of the National Cathedral and said, “I do not know why and boldly called a nation to return to God.”  In response to September 11^th, the Rev. Jerry Farwell said, “This is God’s judgment against America because of our sins.”

I would guess that if I asked for a show of hands to indicate which man of God you thought was right I would see a disproportionate amount of hands in favor of the Rev. Billy Graham.

I suspect that the Rev. Jerry Farwell’s remarks might be seen as being disloyal to the United States, disloyal to the lives of those who died in the World Trade Center, in the Pentagon, in the four airplanes that were used as missiles.  To insinuate that we were deserving of these tragic events is repulsive and to tie the works of Ben Laden with God’s judgment is absolutely wrong.

However this is not to say that God could not bring charges against the United States as God did against Israel.  It is very clear that as you read the charges God levies against Israel that the United States is just as guilty.  Israel was perverting justice, they were oppressing the poor, they were turning from God to idols, they were trusting their wealth and their military strengths and alliances.  In spite of their sacrifices and their offerings it was obvious to God that they lacked a sincere faith and devotion.  Their actions clearly demonstrated that they had broken their moral and spiritual covenant with God.

I t is clear that Israel would suffer because of their sins. The consequences of turning from God and trusting in their idols, their wealth, their military, their alliances, their independence from God would make them susceptible to the attack of foreign nations.

The why of suffering is also being raised in our gospel story in Luke. It is apparent that Pilate had killed Galileans because he thought they were rebelling against Rome.   His motivation to some extent was no different than Ben Laden who thinks, in a perverted way, that America is rebelling against Allah.

The questions arise concerning God’s judgment.  Did God judge them because of their excessive sin?  Is God giving back to the people what they deserve?

Jesus is told of this story with the expectation that He would denounce Rome. But Jesus didn’t.  Instead He opened the question of sin and suffering.  He responds to their story about Pilate killing Galileans with His own story about the eighteen workers that died when the tower in Siloam fell on them. Jesus then asked,

“Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?
I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus deflects the questions about sin as it relates to suffering.  Whether a person is killed in a tragic accident or miraculously survives is NOT a measure of that person’s righteousness.

We don’t know what the response was of those to whom Jesus was speaking.  I would imagine that their response was similar to the responses I have heard regarding the Rev. Jerry Farwell’s remarks.  Struggling with our own concept of justice and righteousness we don’t take kindly to this call of repentance.  We want to respond to the atrocities of September 11th with vengeance and retaliation.  Yet Jesus wants us to respond with repentance.  Jesus’ concern for us is no different then the concern He had for the people in front Him, that we will destroy ourselves if we do not repent.

Jesus calls us to examine the issue of judgment in light of the tragic events of September 11th. These events exposed our vulnerability and mortality.   What we should be contemplating is not the cutting short of these particular lives, but the fact that life terminates.  Jesus argues that judgment will come to all of us if we do not repent.

We are not to compare sinners, God doesn’t. The only reason we would compare or identify specific sinners as the reason for the atrocity of September 11th is to excuse ourselves as not being as bad as others.    In the face of the atrocity of September 11th Jesus wants us to repent.

Repentance is not an emotion.  It is a reorientation to a new life.  It is not mere regret or an apology.  It is a change of direction.

The prophetic word of God and Jesus are not words of condemnation they are words that should challenge us to look at our own day of judgment.  May it lead you to repentance, so that the prophecy of God will become a reality.