Whenever people lose their lives as a result of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and now coronavirus, The media are only too happy to find a pastor or theologian who insists that God judges sinful people in this way. They then ridicule him and quote another clergyman who contradicts this view: «No,» they assure us, “God is love; God does not judge.” An apparently enlightened theologian will assert that God Tenach (in the Old Testament) was a vengeful, judgmental God, but Messiah Yeshua shows us the best path, the path of love and mercy. The Gnostic bishop Marcion taught this understanding of God in the 2nd century CE. Gnosticism asserted that the fearsome Creator God Tenach (the Old Testament) and the «good God,» the Father of Yeshua the Messiah, are not the same person. Consequently, Marcion removed Tenach from his Bible, and since then his views have been declared heretical.

The reality is that the idea of divine judgment has never been popular, and today it is utterly rejected. Since we, as followers of Yeshua, are not Marcionites and have complete trust in Tanakh, we acknowledge that God truly administers justice and punishes individuals and nations. The Flood of Noah comes to mind. In Tanakh The prophets repeatedly warned God's people about judgment (in Hebrew— mishpat, (which also means «justice»!) that is coming upon Israel. Speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians, the ancient Hebrew prophet Habakkuk acknowledges, «O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment» (1:12). For Israel, a people in a covenant with God, famine, devastating swarms of locusts, and epidemics are curses resulting from a breach of the Covenant, whereas blessings—rain, fertility, and protection from enemies—were rewards for faithful observance of the laws of the Covenant. Lists of the blessings and curses of the Covenant are recorded in Tore: Leviticus, Chapter 26 and Deuteronomy, Chapter 28. And Deuteronomy 27:15–26 contains a list of 12 curses that punish sins ranging from idolatry and various sexual practices to the oppression of the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.

One might think that, because of the unique, cherished relationship between God and Israel and the cause-and-effect relationship between national blessings and curses, God does not expect other nations to live up to His standards. Nevertheless, in Scripture we find that God does indeed judge and punish other nations as well. The prophet Amos lists various neighboring nations of Israel, declaring that for the «transgressions» of any given nation (Damascus, Philistia, Phoenicia, Edom, etc.), «I will not revoke (nor turn away) the punishment» (Amos 1:3–2:3). This proclamation is followed by a list of particularly heinous crimes committed by these nations against one another.

Now is not the time to fully explore the standard by which God judges those outside the covenant community, but Rabbi Shaul, better known as «the Apostle Paul,» tells us about the Gentiles that «they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to it, and their thoughts sometimes accusing and sometimes defending one another» (Epistle to Romans 2:15). This means that God has given people a conscience programmed to understand, on a basic level, what constitutes moral good and what constitutes evil. Accordingly, all people are expected to demonstrate at least a basic level of moral responsibility. How, when, and why God decides to punish people who violate His righteous standards is unclear, especially when pious and righteous people suffer as a result of the punishment of the wicked. Here, Abraham’s understanding of God’s character is helpful. When the destruction of the centers of evil, Sodom and Gomorrah—among whose inhabitants there might have been righteous people—was imminent, Abraham cried out to God: «Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just (mishpat)?» (Torah, Genesis 18:25)

These devastating events were not punishments per se, but warnings—a loud wake-up call—intended to draw people’s attention to God.

But who today is capable of determining when human tragedies are divine punishment? Not even the most pious rabbi, pastor, priest, or theologian has ever attended a divine council (Soda, in Hebrew) in order to hear God’s intentions. What distinguished a true prophet from a false one in Tehran, ...and that is precisely what God's prophets were sometimes privileged to witness at Sode. Micah, the prophet who lived during the reign of King Ahab, is a wonderful example (3 Kings 22:13–28). Jeremiah asked the false prophets of his time, «Which of them stood in the council (Sode) »Gentlemen, who has seen and heard His word, or who has paid attention to His word and listened?” (Jeremiah 23:18). Regardless of whether the current pandemic is divine retribution, we simply lack the spiritual authority to make such a claim.

Franklin Graham was recently asked in a television interview whether he believes that the COVID-19 crisis is God’s judgment. He wisely replied that such suffering and death are linked to the consequences of the Fall and that sin reigns in our world. «The sufferings of the present time,» Shaul teaches, “are due to the fact that creation is in bondage.” Graham is, of course, right. Sin and the Fall are the simplest and theologically most reasonable explanation.

But there are other considerations as well. Before Yeshua healed the man who had been blind from birth, his disciples asked, «Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?» (Yohanan 9:2). People often think that way. Obviously, if a person was born blind, it couldn’t have been because of his own sin! But Yeshua’s answer was unexpected. Neither party had sinned; rather, this happened to him «so that the works of God might be displayed in him» (Section 3). After all, as the Lord explained to Moses: «Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or sighted, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? (Exodus 4:11). In fact, God the Creator does indeed allow tragedy and evil to persist in our fallen world today, but He also offers salvation and hope in Messiah Yeshua.

Natural disasters and pandemics are undoubtedly linked to the fallen state of our world, and we can pray that «God’s works may be revealed.» There is one more factor to consider. In the ancient Hebrew prophet Amos (4:6-13) God issues a series of five judgments. The Lord lists the various disasters He has brought upon the northern kingdom of Israel, such as famine, disease, destruction, and locusts that ravaged the fields and vineyards (Section 10). Each section ends with the words: «And yet you did not turn to (shuv »in Hebrew) to Me," declares the Lord" (lines 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11). The point is clear. These destructive events were not punishments per se, but warnings—a loud wake-up call—intended to draw people’s attention back to God. Regardless of our beliefs about coronavirus or any other natural disaster that causes death and injury, God undoubtedly seeks to draw those who already believe in Him closer to Himself, and invites the rest—those who do not yet believe in Him—to come to Him with faith, as He has declared: «I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who is dying,” says the Lord God; “but turn back (shuv) »And live!” (the prophet Ezekiel 18:32).

So, has God already caught your attention?

About the author: Dr. James K. Hofmayer is a renowned Egyptologist, author, and professor emeritus in the Department of Old Testament History and Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Trinity International University in Illinois, USA.