As the world is decaying at a pace and to a degree as never before, I wonder how many people know why this is happening and growing worse with the passage of time. Why are there wars, famines, diseases, accidents, so-called “natural disasters” such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, senseless acts of all kinds, etc., etc. How many times have I heard someone wonder out loud that, If God is really in control of everything as the Bible says, why is there so much trouble in the world? Good question. The problem is that the source of all of mankind’s problems is the one asking the question and the billions like him/her. How so? you may ask. The answer lies in the fact that the person asking the question is always a “saved, born again, rapture-ready, cross-wearing, Bible-toting, Scripture-quoting member of “the church” who identifies him/herself as a “SINNER SAVED BY GRACE.” The questioner’s self-identity (a sinner saved by grace) reveals the answer to his/her “why” question, which is–SIN–which is always a choice. Read Sin Is A Choice using the key word–Choice. Man, including religious man, chooses sin–the breaking of God’s Law (1 Jn. 3:4)–when the only other answer is RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is the result of obeying God’s Law.

In order to understand why God allows all of the negative aspects of human life to take place, we must, after much prayer and Bible study, realize that IT IS NOT GOD’S WILL FOR MAN TO SUFFER ALL OF THE NEGATIVE, THINGS THAT HAVE BESEIGED MANKIND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. RATHER, IT IS GOD’S WILL FOR MAN TO BE HAPPY, TO HAVE PLENTY, TO LIVE IN SAFETY, PEACE AND JOY. In order to realize what God planned for His most prized creation, we need to turn to Genesis 1:26-28. Here we find Gods, speaking to the other God. I will at this time deviate from the main theme in order to teach a quick lesson on who are the two Gods involved in the creation of mankind and the rest of the universe. In this passage, God was speaking to the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth (Jn. 1:1-4) and Who was the God of the Old Testament Who dealt with Adam and Eve and several other of the ancients face-to-face. For more information about identities of these two Gods use the key word–Old. Now back to Genesis chapter one.

Here we find God (Heb.–Elohim–Gods–) discussing the creation of man. They would make man like Themselves physically (in Their physical “likeness”) and spiritually (in Their spiritual “image”). The physical part would take place automatically with conception. The spiritual part would come in the form of potential/possibility. Man would have the choice of whom he would be like spiritually–either his Creators or Satan. Just as the angels had free moral agency following their creation, man would also enjoy the freedom of choice. One-third of the angels chose to follow Lucifer, who, upon his rebellion against God, became Satan, the devil (enemy). Like their angelic counterparts, humans would also be given the option of emulating their Creators’ image or to go the way of the enemy of their Creators. The Holy Scriptures reveal that when man, including churchman, sins he becomes God’s enemy (Jam. 4:4). Because he claims that sin is part of his nature, man lives his life as an enemy of God and a friend of his true god–Satan–the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). MAN WORSHIPS A GOD; THE QUESTION IS: WHICH ONE? (Mat. 6:24). From this point on I will use the singular Word God.

In order to understand what God had in mind for man (Heb.–Adam), we will examine Genesis 1:26-29. Here God declares that man would have DOMINION (absolute control) over the earth, everything on it and above it and everything in the sea. That statement (vs 26) tells us that the man God had created and his descendants would be in control of everything. Also, man would be BLESSED. Adam and Eve’s fall erased those promises for the people He had created and for those of the following generations until a man named Noah was born, grew up and became “a preacher of righteousness.” Apparantly, Noah was the only righteous person on the earth during his time in that he alone is reported to “walking with God” (Gen. 6:9). In verses six through eight we find God viewing all other people on the earth with a deadly attitude. By the time of Noah’s walk through this life mankind had become terribly wicked in that evilness dominated every thought in his heart (mind). So evil were the people of the earth that God came to regret that He had made man and decided to kill every human being on earth except Noah and his family (6:6-8).

Following the global slaughter which left Noah and family alone on earth, God granted him and his sons the same powers over nature that He had given Adam. He said to Noah and His sons that everything on earth, in the sea and in the air would live in fear of them, thereby restoring man’s dominion over all animate creatures (9:1,2). If it moved, man was to have dominion over it. Nothing has changed for those who “walk with God” in obedience to His Holy Scriptures–His ROYAL LAW (Jam. 2:8)–which He condensed into Ten Commandments. GOD’S WILL FOR MAN HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE HIS CREATION. Any change in man’s relationship with the world around him is dictated by man’s relationship with His Creator.

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), meaning that what He does for one He will do for any person who will obey Him as did Noah. Early on, Adam and Eve were obedient to the Lord. As a result they exercised rulership over the earth and everything on the earth and the seas and everything above them. Their control over everything remained in effect until they sinned, thereby breaking their connection with the Giver of such power. In order to enjoy such blessings they had to walk with God. In order to walk with Him one must agree with Him (Amos 3:3) and obey Him. Man’s obedience would guarantee his (man’s) continued dominion over the earth, the seas and the space directly above them. Then sin once again raised its ugly head, thereby ending man’s dominion over the things of the earth, sea and sky. But God was not finished. He would try one more time to raise up a generation that would obey Him and receive all of the blessings He had reserved for them. He sent the other God–the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14)–to earth as a man to lead the way.

Therefore the third man to enjoy such dominion over the things of the world was Jesus of Nazareth. Formerly known as “the Word,” this former God had divested Himself of all of His Godly powers when He became a human being like the human beings among whom He lived. Like them, He would suffer Satan’s attacks and show them how to overcome them. He did this in order to show his fellow man (including us) that it is not only possible to obey God, IT IS COMMANDED (1 Pet. 1:15,16), and that there were tremendous blessings to be received as a result of man’s obedience (Rev. 3:21). One of the blessings of righteousness is to live in the love of God. In order to enter into and remain in God’s love one must obey His Law. As Jesus noted in John 15:19, He, as a man, had to obey God’s Law in order to remain in His love. Yes, you heard that right. God’s love is conditional. It is true that God loves all people (Jn. 3:16) because He created them. However, He has a much greater love for those who obey Him. Read Is God’s Love Conditional? Use the key word Conditional.

Now we will examine the relationship between the MAN Jesus and the natural elements with which He dealt while on earth. Scriptures reveal that Jesus controlled the natural things of the world. God planned for all men to have the same dominion as had the Lord. This Truth is found in John 14:12. Notice that, while on earth as a man, Jesus had total control over vegetation (Mk. 11:13,20,21), fish (Mat. 17:27), the weather (Mk. 4:37-40), etc. He and His people (then and now) also had total control over Satan and his demons whom they cast out of people on many occasions. “Scorpions” refers to demons. Luke 10:19 tells us that His modern saints have that same dominion. I have cast numerous demons out of people. On two occasions Jesus ordered Satan himself to leave His presence. The devil had no choice but to obey Him (Mat. 16:23/ 4:9,10). Read John 14:12. Nothing has changed from God’s perspective. Because of his sins, man remains at the mercy of the devil. This includes churchman who lives in sin, having chosen to obey Satan rather than God.

During Christ’s time on earth those in power hated Him and on occasion tried to kill Him. Though they legally had the power of life and death over Him, “something” always prevented them from killing Him. No enemy ever laid a hand on Him, no stone hit His flesh–no harm ever came to Him. On one occasion He became invisible to those who were going to throw Him off a cliff (Lk. 4:29). Understand this: UNTIL IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO BE BEATEN AND CRUCIFIED ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL, NO ENEMY COULD TOUCH HIM. IF WE OBEY THE FATHER AS DID HE, “NO WEAPON RAISED AGAINST US WILL PROSPER” (Isa. 54:17); “OUR ENEMIES WILL COME AT US ONE WAY AND FLEE SEVEN WAYS” (Deut. 28:7). However, Jesus did warn that some of His people would be martyred according to God’s plan, as was His Son Jesus along with all of the original disciples except Judas and John. Judas committed suicide and John lived in order to compile the writings of the prophets and the apostles into what became the Holy Bible. Of the first apostles, only John died a natural death.

As I stated in the opening paragraph of this lesson, God wants man to live in peace and plenty. He does not change. He still wants man to have dominion over “nature” as well as those whom Satan would use to harm him. However, that power is not awarded to the religious, but to the righteous–those who obey His Law. Substituting church doctrine for God’s doctrines removes all power from the believer because it is a substitute (counterfeit) law. God views church doctrine the same way He views man-made symbols such as crosses, fish symbols, statues, pictures, etc.–HE SEES CHURCH DOCTRINE AS COUNTERFEIT LAWS AND MAN-MADE ITEMS AS FALSE REPRESENTATIONS OF HIM WHICH MAN HAS PLACED BEFORE HIM.

Notice that the disasters listed at the beginning of this lesson affect church people exactly as they do non-church people. Those who are living as did Jesus Christ are not affected by diseases, natural disasters, crime, etc. It is important that we know WHO SENDS THOSE CURSES? Read Second Chronicles 7:13-15 carefully to find out. Notice Who sends the drought, locusts and diseases on GOD’S PEOPLE–AND WHY? Be assured, IT IS GOD WHO BLESSES THOSE WHO OBEY HIM AND CURSES THOSE WHO DO NOT. For the churched and the non-churched the same Truth applies: WE REAP WHAT WE SOW. IF WE SOW THE WIND, WE REAP THE WHIRLWIND. THE OPPOSITE IS ALSO TRUE: IF WE SOW RIGHTEOUSNESS WE REAP BLESSINGS. Note also why church prayers are rarely answered. Note the Word “then” relative to prayers being heard by Him.

God desires that His true saints live happy and prosperous lives. However, in order to do so man must live as did the MAN Jesus Christ while on earth (1 Jn. 2:6/ Rev. 3:21). That is what makes them His people in reality. God calls all who are in the church system “My people called by My name.” However, all that glitters is not gold–read the series using Gold as the key word. Read Who Are God’s People? and “My People Called by My Name,” key words–People and Called respectively.

As I have written before, to determine what kind of life God wants for His people, read the first 13 and 14 verses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy respectively. It is His pleasure to award those blessings to those who obey Him. Conversely, to learn how angry He is toward those who refuse to obey Him, read the remainder of those chapters. L.J.