Why did God permit the devastation in Japan?

Many questions have gone through my head since the earthquake and i was hoping that others would help me make sense of what happened in a biblical compassionate manner...Some issues that i was wanting to raise-
1.Was this earthquake man made or God ordained, or even both?
2.Why Japan and why not Uk (or the states or wherever).
3.Who is to blame???
4. Are there any biblical clues to this???

My own thoughts for what they are worth
If the quake was man made totally, then God has no jurisdiction over world events. I dont believe that and so i will assume for sake of argument and my sanity, that God permitted this to happen. After all, we are warned that end times will be marked by odd events most notably earthquakes, and i am a firm believer that we are indeed in end times.

Why Japan?
I had this email
Why Japan?
To my friends waiting for the “Big One” and any others who are not so eager,

Records reveal that Israel averages a major destructive earthquake around every 80 years. The last one was in 1927 and to date they are 4 years overdue! Seismologists are waiting for “Big One”—hardly for the trepidation but for the preparation. Are they ready? More than that, how will it play out in the more than 3 millennia of mischief between Jacob and Esau?

As the Rim of Fire has menacingly surrounded Japan and the entire Pacific arena since the beginning of time, so too has the Afro-Syrian Rift Valley hung like the symbolic sword of Damocles over Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.

Historian Josephus recorded one massive quake some 31 years before the days of Yeshua in which he estimated around 30,000 souls perished. Some 700 years before that, the prophet Amos (1:1) noted another substantial shake that even merited mention in the Scriptures. A rough generalization is that the longer it goes, the larger the next one becomes.

And it is impossible to dismiss from current consciousness that the next major earthquake in the ground that the Almighty deeded forever to Abraham and heirs, could well affect the issue of what happens on the Temple Mount. Built upon ruins and remnants of ruins, that mound of rocks and rubble is unquestionably the most disputed dot on earth, but also by now, the least likely choice of a shifting-sand scenario of instability to construct anything important. Moreover, the un-insurable value to 1.2 billion of the earth’s most edgy admirers of those 2 mosques atop the Mount, make yesteryear’s cartoons from Denmark look like a nanoparticle.

Thus, methinks it’s the Ancient of Days and not Mother Nature that has His eye on every tectonic plate that ever rubbed shoulders with the fountains of the deep!

And for better or worse, a few days ago, Japan somehow got into the queue first.

But first to decry some linguistic perversions—the politicians and their media oriented mentors have been throwing around fairy tale type no-brainers like “lucky” and “Mother Nature” which intellectually amounts to spitting in the eye of an Almighty Creator God. Never mind, these ABC’s of worldview will be sorted out sooner rather than later. But it’s a bit of poor terminology to be using in front of the kids, who could be short changed into supposing that God is not everything He says He is. For shame! But given a fair shake, usually, kids are a bit more cluey than many people give them credit. Sadly too many scenarios are not giving them a fair shake.

But back to earthquakes—why Japan?

In Luke 13:1-5 Yeshua gave some profound insights on explaining disasters:

"Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, 'Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—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.' "

That’s not bad advice for any and all who would moralize on someone else’s distress. Regardless, among the kingdoms of nations the Japanese are quite a model society and have a much better track record than most.

On the other hand, a friend of the folks who publish a fine little magazine they call Petah Tikvah (Door of Hope) did some serious homework on the Japanese governments recent edicts against Israel’s God-given right on their God-given land, re building houses for their God-birthed heritage that He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—forever.

So that really doesn’t look too good for Japan, but it wasn’t those poor citizens who now suffer, but their leaders who must have been listening to political propaganda from Israel’s sworn adversaries like Hamas, Hizbollah, Ahmadinejad, Abbas and all, whose problem is not land, but Jews who are found to be still breathing “Palestinian” air.

For anyone who guesses that God might have gone AWOL, or that there is anything psychologically new under the sun in the last 4 millennia; check out the hatred of Haman (a Palestinian progeny as far back as Esther3:5-6) . That’s true! He was an Edomite offspring of Esau! So when politicians pull the rug from under Abba’s promises to Abraham, it doesn’t help their people who voted them in! See Gen 12:3 to get it straight. The Lord said to Abraham: …“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." To make sure you got it right, the Jews were not God’s “Pets” but God’s Plan . So don’t mess with that plan, from pollies to plain people!

Now this next bit (from the Petah Tikvah researcher) isn’t my stuff—though I’m certainly in identity with it—but here are ample URL’s to read the record of Japan’s MOFA memos or at least enough of them to get the picture:

Exactly 1 year ago March 11, 2010...

http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2010/3/0311_01.html

Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the decision of the Government of Israel regarding the construction of housing units at settlements in West Bank including East Jerusalem, March 11, 2010,

1. The Government of Japan deplores the decisions of the Government of Israel to give permission for the construction of 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem in addition to 112 units in West Bank just after the Israeli and Palestinian leadership’s acceptance of the start of indirect talks. The Government of Japan does not recognize any act that prejudges the final status of Jerusalem and the territories in the pre-1967 borders. Japan demands that the plans should not be implemented.

2. The Government of Japan continues to request strongly that both parties will act in a way that enhances mutual confidence. Japan sincerely hopes that the indirect talks in the peace process will swiftly develop into the resumption of direct talks between the two parties.

And then again, this year on 1/11, 2/8, and 2/10 Japan released statements telling Israel not to build in east Jerusalem. http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2011/2/0210_02.html

Statement by the Press Secretary, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the situation in East Jerusalem February 10, 2011

1. The Government of Japan is concerned about the Jerusalem municipal planning committee’s approval of a plan to build housing units for Jewish people in the Sheih Jarrah of East Jerusalem.Such act goes against the efforts by the international community to resume the negotiations.

2. The Government of Japan does not recognize any act that prejudges the final status of the territories in the pre-1967 borders nor Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem. Japan urges Israel to refrain from any unilateral act that changes the current situation in East Jerusalem.

And the Petah Tikvah analyst also dug out several more incriminating cables from Japan’s MOFA to badger Israel which I just deleted for brevity’s sake. But they are all listed and repeated in the Koenig report below.

Now this is not knee-jerk analysis. I began musing these matters the day the disaster hit, but unforeseen interruptions kept me from my office. Guess who engineered that?

But as most of you know I like at least 2 or 3 witnesses. And I got them!

Bill Koenig’s research soon surfaced in another email forwarded from the far side of the planet—South Africa. It’s just more of the same—only much more!

https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/12eaf7476c745e1f

The URL is Koenig’s full page World Watch Daily report of International News from March 13, 2011 including some of what we have already given above from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs pressuring Israel to yield to the demands of their sworn adversaries.

Most of you would know of Koenig’s research by now. He’s written “Eye to Eye” which detailed ten disasters that struck America for over a decade, each one following a US government betrayal of Israel in their struggle for survival in a sea of Islamic venom. Unreal! It’s yesterday’s prophesies in today’s world!

But HOLD IT. Once more—why Japan? Whatever their government did or didn’t do, it wasn’t a fraction of what Europe has done. Or the Heinz 57 Islamist collaboration that pulls puppet strings in the UN, or the Iranians or the entire Arab League, or the White House! Or look at the sinisterly connived Apartheid Week going on right now on some 90 college campuses around the globe where the Peace Now poodles and the campus crackpots advocate divesting from Israel’s economic survival and well being at the turn of every corner. Why not give this crowd of God-cursers a wet down?

Why Japan? Not sure.

Again the Japanese are polite and longsuffering people even if their leaders…?? Well, it’s the same everywhere these days! And the folks from Christchurch were nice people too.

And compare that with how bitterly anti-Semitic the Middle East, Europe and the rest of the Globe has become! Could it be that the Most High wanted to test the most moderate offenders first?

But remember what Billy Graham said some 50 years ago? “Unless God judges America soon, He’s going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

And above all remember what Yeshua said in Mt. 24:7—"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places".

For sure, there’s more to come!

Father God warned us there would be days like this.

But the Greek Philosophers told us not to worry about HIM!

And one Prime Minister we all know well, agreed…No worries mate!

Unfortunately Mother Nature never did learn to read or write and didn’t even warn us in a text message!

Not a few of my friends reckon they won’t be around for the final fray. I can’t find that in my Bible unless I first do some massive deleting, but Rev 22: 19 frowns on personal text editing.

Moreover I have found much more comfort, not to mention credibility, in Psalm 91:7—"A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you".

So be sure not to purge Psalm 91:7 from your posterity promises. It’s a good verse. And the best news is—when approaching Abba with the problem--it works!

So let’s fasten our seat belts for the next few years of Adventure with Abba! It should be safe enough. And don’t forget to keep an eye on how Mother Nature messes up the Economy or how Humanism handles the next tsunami!

And as it was in the days of Noah….

Blessings and Shalom,

Victor Schlatter, South Pacific Island Ministries, Inc.

Now a few years ago i would have agreed with this-but see on being closer to the Lord and knowing more about scripture i just dont buy that stuff anymore. If it were simply a matter of how folk respond to Israel, i would have several objections. Biggest of which would be-why Japan and say not UK or Germany. Germany did terrible things to the Jews in WW2 and as far as i can see-they have never experienced a judgement. It doesnt add up and so-I have to assume that there are other reasons for what has happened.

My best guess-and frankly that is all i can offer. Is to look biblically at other nations that have been judged in scripture in such a harsh manner and draw some suggestions.
Exodus 19 vs 18 ( 8And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly)-Moses was about to give the 10 commandments and the first of which was thou shalt have no Gods before me...
1 Kings 19 vs 11-Elijah in the cave, lamenting the Israelites rejecting the covenant.
Zecharia 14 vs 5-A prophesied earthquake prior to the return of the Lord and heralding the worship of God. 9And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
Mathew 27 vs 50-ish-At the death of our Lord, the temple veil rent in two and those that were witnesses became afraid and recognised Jesus.
Revelation 6 vs 12-Another prophetic earthquake which leads to the heathen hiding himself from the wrath of God.

In some ways it was a helpful excerise-and in others not because in the flesh i dont see any clear link-And yet in the spirit the message is spelt out loud and clear.
Earthquakes are a moment of reference in time. An occurance spelling out the power of this God that we worship. A God who demands the worship of mankind and who will not continue to tolerate anything but full allegance. There are no other Gods beside him. He is one. He was, he is and he is coming again.

Why Japan and not my country, or your country?
Simply time. It will happen-today shinto-ism, or bhuddism, tomorrow Mary worship, Moon god worship....

There are no other Gods but the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
L