Natural Disasters​—A Sign of the Times?

“NATION will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.” With these words Jesus Christ explained to his disciples 19 centuries ago that such disastrous events, together with an increase of lawlessness and the worldwide preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom, would introduce a composite sign marking “the conclusion of the system of things.”​—Matthew 24:3-14.

In view of that, we must ask, Are we seeing more catastrophic earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and famines than did generations past? And in spite of advances in science and technology, are proportionately more people suffering as a result?

To many the answer is yes. For example, the magazine New Scientist warns that “the world can expect more disasters in the 1990s than in past decades.” Similarly, in the UN Chronicle of June 1991, the director of the World Meteorological Organization stated: “The trend is quite clear. From the 1960s to the 1980s . . . , there has been a fivefold increase in the frequency of great natural disasters, and a threefold increase in total economic losses.” Providing a little perspective on the subject, World Health, the magazine of the UN World Health Organization, observed: “Examples of natural disasters and their devastating effects can be traced throughout history. However, as the 21st century approaches, we face a changing mix of demographic, ecological and technological conditions which make many populations more vulnerable to the impact of both natural and man-made catastrophes.”

Anyone who pays attention to current events is not surprised at such statements. The news media are never short of sensational stories, be it a volcanic eruption in the Philippines, an earthquake in California, a flood in Bangladesh, a famine in Somalia, a hurricane in Hawaii, or a tidal wave in Nicaragua. Hardly a month goes by without a report of a disaster in one corner of the world or another.

Some people dismiss this as insignificant. They argue that the apparent increase in disasters in our time is merely due to better reporting or to better record keeping. They further argue that more people are suffering from disasters simply because there are more people today. Are these arguments the whole story?

Note what is said in the New Scientist article quoted above. “There were 523 disasters reported in the 1960s and 767 in the 1970s. By the 1980s, the number had reached 1387.” It goes on to explain that “part of the apparent rise during the past decade can be accounted for by the greater openness in reporting disasters in China and the Soviet Union.” Then it adds: “Even so, the number is growing.” The precipitous rise in the number of disasters cannot be explained away by better reporting or better record keeping alone.

Further, the UN Chronicle of March 1992 reports: “During the past two decades, some 3 million people have lost their lives and 800 million more have been affected by ‘the havoc, hardship and suffering’ brought about by natural disaster.” This means that about 1 in every 7 persons living on earth has been touched by some kind of disaster or tragedy. That is truly staggering and leaves little room for doubt that ours is an age of upheaval and unrest.

Since the Bible foretells such a time of great distress, does it mean that God is responsible for the disasters and the suffering resulting from them? Many people think so. But what do the facts show? And more important, what does the Bible show?

[Picture Credit Line on page 2]

Cover: W. Faidley/​Weatherstock

[Picture Credit Lines on page 3]

Middle photo: Mark Peters/​Sipa Press

WHO/​League of Red Cross

Natural Disasters​—Is God Responsible?

“GOD, what have you done to us?”

That was the reported response of a survivor who surveyed the destruction brought by the eruption of snowcapped Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia on November 13, 1985. The resulting mud slide buried the entire city of Armero and killed over 20,000 people in one night.

It is understandable that the survivor might react that way. Helpless in the face of awesome natural forces, people from the earliest times have attributed such disastrous events to God. Primitive people made offerings, even human sacrifices, to appease their gods of the sea, sky, earth, mountain, volcano, and other sources of danger. Even today, some simply accept the consequence of catastrophic natural events as fate or an act of God.

Is God really responsible for the disasters that bring so much human suffering and loss around the world? Is he to blame? To find the answers, we need to take a closer look at what is involved in such disasters. In fact, we need to reexamine some familiar ground.

What Is a “Natural Disaster”?

When an earthquake struck Tangshan, China, and according to official Chinese reports killed 242,000 people, and when Hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida and Louisiana in the United States and caused billions of dollars in damage, such natural disasters made international headlines. Yet, what if that earthquake had struck in the uninhabited Gobi Desert, 700 miles [1,100 km] northwest of Tangshan, or what if Hurricane Andrew had taken a different course and had spent itself at sea, missing land altogether? They would hardly be remembered now.

Clearly, then, when we speak of natural disasters, we are not simply speaking of dramatic displays of natural forces. Every year there are thousands of earthquakes, large and small, and dozens of storms, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, and other violent phenomena that do nothing more than become statistics in some record book. However, when such events cause great destruction of life and property and the disruption of the normal way of life, they become disasters.

It should be noted that the damage and the resulting loss are not always proportionate to the natural forces involved. The greatest disaster is not necessarily caused by the most powerful display of natural forces. For example, in 1971 an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale hit San Fernando, California, United States, and killed 65 people. A year later a 6.2 quake in Managua, Nicaragua, killed 5,000 people!

Thus, when it comes to the increasing destructiveness of natural disasters, we must ask, Have the natural elements become more violent? Or have human factors contributed to the problem?

Who Is Responsible?

The Bible identifies Jehovah God as the Grand Creator of all things, including the natural forces of this earth. (Genesis 1:1; Nehemiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:4; Revelation 4:11) This does not mean that he causes every movement of wind or every rain shower. Rather, he has set in motion certain laws that govern the earth and its environment. For example, at Ecclesiastes 1:5-7, we read about three of the fundamental operations that make life on earth possible​—the daily rising and setting of the sun, the unchanging pattern of winds, and the water cycle. Whether mankind is aware of them or not, for thousands of years these natural systems, and others like them, involving the climate, geology, and ecology of the earth have operated. In fact, the writer of Ecclesiastes was calling attention to the great contrast between the unchanging and endless ways of creation and the transitory and temporary nature of human life.

Not only is Jehovah the Creator of natural forces but he also has the power to control them. Throughout the Bible we find accounts of Jehovah’s controlling or manipulating such forces to accomplish his purpose. These include the parting of the Red Sea in Moses’ day and the halting of the sun and moon in their paths across the heavens in the time of Joshua. (Exodus 14:21-28; Joshua 10:12, 13) Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the promised Messiah, also demonstrated his power over natural forces as, for instance, when he calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee. (Mark 4:37-39) Accounts like these leave no doubt that Jehovah God and his Son, Jesus Christ, can fully control all that affects life here on earth.​—2 Chronicles 20:6; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26.

That being the case, can we hold God responsible for the increased havoc and devastation that have resulted from natural disasters in recent times? To answer this question, we must first consider whether there is evidence that the forces of nature have recently become dramatically more violent, perhaps even out of control.

In this regard, note what the book Natural Disasters​—Acts of God or Acts of Man? has to say: “There is no evidence that the climatological mechanisms associated with droughts, floods and cyclones are changing. And no geologist is claiming that the earth movements associated with earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami (earthquake waves) are becoming more violent.” Similarly, the book Earthshock observes: “The rocks of every continent contain a record of innumerable major and minor geological events, every one of which would be a catastrophic disaster to mankind if they occurred today​—and it is scientifically certain that such events will occur again and again in the future.” In other words, the earth and its dynamic forces have more or less remained the same throughout the ages. Hence, whether or not some statistics indicate an increase of some forms of geologic or other activity, the earth has not become uncontrollably violent in recent times.

What, then, accounts for the increase in the frequency and destructiveness of natural disasters that we read about? If the forces of nature are not to blame, the finger of guilt seems to point to the human element. And, indeed, authorities have recognized that human activities have made our environment both more prone to natural disasters and more vulnerable to them. In the developing nations, a growing need for food forces farmers to overcultivate what land they have or to reclaim land by clearing away vital forest covering. This leads to serious soil erosion. Expanding population also hastens the growth of slums and shantytowns haphazardly built in unsafe areas. Even in the more developed nations, people, like the millions living along the San Andreas Fault in California, have exposed themselves to danger in spite of clear warnings. In such circumstances, when an unusual turn of events​—a storm, a flood, or an earthquake—​occurs, can the disastrous result really be called “natural”?

A typical example is the drought in the African Sahel. We normally think of drought as the lack of rain or water, leading to famine, starvation, and death. But is the massive famine and starvation in that area due simply to lack of water? Says the book Nature on the Rampage: “Evidence gathered by scientific and relief agencies indicates that today’s famine persists not so much from prolonged drought as from prolonged abuses of land and water resources. . . . The continuing desertification of the Sahel is largely a man-caused phenomenon.” A South African newspaper, The Natal Witness, observes: “Famine is not about lack of food; it is about lack of access to food. In other words, it is about poverty.”

The same can be said of much of the destruction resulting from other catastrophes. Studies have shown that the poorer nations suffer disproportionately higher death rates from natural disasters than do the richer nations of the world. For example, from 1960 to 1981, according to one study, Japan had 43 earthquakes and other disasters and lost 2,700 lives, averaging 63 deaths per disaster. In the same period, Peru had 31 disasters with 91,000 deaths, or 2,900 per disaster. Why the difference? Natural forces may have provided the triggers, but it is human activity​—social, economic, political—​that must bear the responsibility for the large difference in the loss of life and destruction of property that resulted.

What Are the Solutions?

Scientists and experts have tried for many years to devise ways to cope with natural disasters. They probe deep into the earth to seek an understanding of the workings of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. With space satellites they observe the weather patterns to track the paths of cyclones and hurricanes or predict floods and drought. All this research has given them information that they hope will enable them to lessen the impact of these natural forces.

Have such efforts paid off? Regarding this kind of expensive, high-tech measure, one watchdog organization observes: “These have their place. But if they consume a disproportionate amount of money and effort​—if they serve as an excuse to ignore the hazards built into the victims’ societies which make disasters worse—​then they can do more harm than good.” For example, while it is useful to know that the coastal delta of Bangladesh is constantly threatened by floods and tidal waves, that knowledge does not prevent millions of Bangladeshis from being forced to live there. The result is repeated disasters with death tolls numbering into the hundreds of thousands.

Clearly, technical information can be useful only to a point. Another thing that is needed is the ability to alleviate the pressures that leave people with little choice but to live in areas particularly exposed to dangers or to live in ways that devastate the environment. In other words, to mitigate the damage done by the elements would take a thorough reshaping of the social, economic, and political system under which we live. Who can accomplish such a task? Only the One who can control even the forces that trigger natural disasters.

Acts of God Ahead

Jehovah God will not just deal with the symptoms but he will get to the root cause of human misery. He will put an end to the greedy and oppressive political, commercial, and religious systems that have “dominated man to his injury.” (Ecclesiastes 8:9) Anyone familiar with the Bible will not fail to note that throughout its pages there are numerous prophecies pointing to the time when God will take action to rid the earth of wickedness and suffering and to restore an earthly paradise of peace and righteousness.​—Psalm 37:9-11, 29; Isaiah 13:9; 65:17, 20-25; Jeremiah 25:31-33; 2 Peter 3:7; Revelation 11:18.

That, in effect, is what Jesus Christ taught all his followers to pray for, namely, “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:10) The Messianic Kingdom will remove and replace all imperfect human rule, as the prophet Daniel foretold: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”​—Daniel 2:44.

What will God’s Kingdom accomplish that the nations today cannot? The Bible provides a fascinating foregleam of what is to come. Rather than conditions illustrated on these pages, such as famine and poverty, “there will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow,” and “the tree of the field must give its fruitage, and the land itself will give its yield, and they will actually prove to be on their soil in security.” (Psalm 72:16; Ezekiel 34:27) Regarding the natural environment, the Bible tells us: “The wilderness and the waterless region will exult, and the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron. . . . For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain. And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy pool, and the thirsty ground as springs of water.” (Isaiah 35:1, 6, 7) And wars will be no more.​—Psalm 46:9.

How Jehovah God will accomplish all of that, and how he will deal with all the natural forces so that they will no longer be the cause of any harm, the Bible does not say. What is certain, however, is that all who live under that righteous government “will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the blessed ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them.”​—Isaiah 65:23.

In the pages of this magazine, as well as in other publications of the Watch Tower Society, Jehovah’s Witnesses have repeatedly pointed out that God’s Kingdom was established in heaven in the year 1914. Under the direction of that Kingdom, a global witness has been given for nearly 80 years, and today we are at the threshold of a promised “new heavens and a new earth.” Mankind will be freed not only from the ravages of natural disasters but also from all the pain and suffering that have been plaguing humanity for the last six thousand years. Of that time it can truly be said, “the former things have passed away.”​—2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:4.

What, though, about now? Has God been acting in behalf of those in distress due to natural circumstances or otherwise? Most certainly he has but not necessarily in the way that most people might expect.

[Pictures on page 8, 9]

Human activities have made our environment more prone to natural disasters

[Credit Lines]

Laif/​Sipa Press

Chamussy/​Sipa Press

Wesley Bocxe/​Sipa Press

Jose Nicolas/​Sipa Press

Jehovah’s Saving Acts Now

THE Bible tells us this about Jehovah: “Many are the calamities of the righteous one, but out of them all Jehovah delivers him” and, “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial.”​—Psalm 34:19; 2 Peter 2:9.

How does Jehovah come to the aid of his people when they are in distress? Not by miraculously reversing the forces of nature or by some other supernatural act, as many persons think he should, but by another force that most people do not truly comprehend​—love. Yes, Jehovah loves his people, and he has nurtured among them a love for one another so strong that he is able to accomplish for them what appears to be almost miraculous.​—1 John 4:10-12, 21.

Some may argue that at a time of emergency, what is needed is food, medicine, and equipment​—not love. Of course, food, medicine, and equipment are important. However, the apostle Paul reasons this way: “If I have all the faith so as to transplant mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my belongings to feed others, and if I hand over my body, that I may boast, but do not have love, I am not profited at all.”​—1 Corinthians 13:2, 3.

Often we read of relief material sitting on piers rotting or being eaten by rodents while people in need perish from disease and starvation. Or worse still, such material may fall into the hands of greedy and unscrupulous people who make personal profit out of it. Thus, it is one thing to have supplies available, but it is quite another to see that those in distress benefit from them. Genuine love and concern can make the difference.

Love in Action

In September 1992, Hurricane Iniki hit the Hawaiian island of Kauai, population 55,000. Packing winds of 130 miles per hour [210 km/​hr] and gusts up to 160 miles per hour [260 km/​hr], it killed 2 people and injured 98, damaged 75 percent of the homes, left 8,000 people homeless, and caused an estimated $1 billion worth of destruction. Among those living on this small island were some 800 of Jehovah’s Witnesses in six congregations. How did they fare?

Before Iniki actually hit, the congregation elders, under the direction of the traveling overseer, had already contacted all the members of the congregations to make sure that they were safe and secure, ready for the onslaught. Such loving care was instrumental in preventing serious injury or death among the Witnesses.​—Compare Isaiah 32:1, 2.

Even though communication and transportation were badly disrupted, three representatives of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society’s branch office in Honolulu were among the first to arrive on the scene following the hurricane, having been granted special permission by civil defense to fly to Kauai. Immediately, they contacted the local Witnesses and, the next morning, organized a meeting to map out the strategy for relief. A relief committee was set up to assess the needs and to obtain the needed materials through the branch office in Honolulu. Working around the clock, they directed the work of getting supplies to those in need and cleaning up and repairing homes that were damaged.

Witnesses on the other islands responded quickly to their brothers in need. As soon as the airport on Kauai was opened, 70 Witnesses flew in to help. Relief supplies valued at $100,000, including generators, camp stoves, lanterns, and food, were shipped. One of the Kingdom Halls on the island was used as a depot; however, there was some fear that it might be looted. Then some Army trucks pulled up at the Kingdom Hall parking lot, and the drivers asked if they could park their trucks there. The soldiers posted to protect the trucks also eliminated the problem of looting the relief supplies.

The brothers took the generators from house to house, running them at each home for two or three hours to help people keep their freezers usable. Groups of brothers were dispatched to various homes to help clean up and repair the damage. When they worked on the house of a sister whose husband had opposed her fiercely in the past, the husband was so moved that all he could do was stand by and cry. A visitor from the mainland who saw another group of Witnesses working was so impressed by their conduct and organization that he approached them and asked what made them so different. When a brother explained that it was their love for God and for their fellow Christians, the man responded: “How can I get to know God?” (Matthew 22:37-40) Then he added: “You people are so organized you will probably have someone waiting for me when I return to Florida!”

In all, Jehovah’s Witnesses assisted in cleaning up and repairing 295 homes on Kauai. Of these, 207 required minor repairs, but 54 were severely damaged, and 19 were totally destroyed. Their work also included calling on every known Witness on the island to make sure that each one was cared for. When supplies were delivered to a sister, a Buddhist neighbor observed that he had not received even a tea bag from his group. Another lady, who had her house cleaned by a Witness team, said: “You have been coming to my door for a long time, and I thought of you as good neighbors, but this expression of neighborly love shows me what your organization is about. Thanks for all your hard work.”

Besides caring for the material needs of all their fellow Christians, those in charge of relief were equally concerned about their spiritual well-being. Less than two days after the hurricane, several congregations were already holding their meetings. Quickly, small book study groups were back into operation. Ten elders from the other islands came to Kauai to assist the local elders so that shepherding calls could be made on every Witness on the island. The next Sunday, all six congregations had a Watchtower Study, a 30-minute talk on relief procedures by a member of the Relief Committee, and a concluding 30-minute talk by a member of the Branch Committee who had come over from Honolulu for this purpose. An on-the-scene report states: “All were comforted by the fine direction given and felt spiritually ready to tackle their remaining problems. There were very few dry eyes in the audience as the program concluded, and applause was spontaneous.”

A Worldwide Brotherhood

Such love and concern is a mark of Jehovah’s people worldwide. When Cyclone Val swept through Western Samoa about a year earlier, it caused quite a lot of damage, but Jehovah’s Witnesses in other parts of the world quickly came to the aid of their brothers there. Later, when the government provided funds for all the religions​—including Jehovah’s Witnesses—​to repair their premises, the Witnesses returned the funds with a letter stating that all their damage was already fixed, and the funds could be used to repair some government buildings. Their action was reported in a local newspaper. Noting this, a government official told a Witness that he felt rather ashamed of his own church because they had accepted the money from the government even though all their buildings that were damaged during the cyclone were covered by insurance.

Similarly, in September 1992, when the Ouvèze River in southeastern France flooded and devastated Vaison-la-Romaine and 15 surrounding communities, the Witnesses responded quickly. Overnight, the flood had claimed 40 lives, destroyed 400 homes, damaged hundreds of others, and left thousands of families without water or electricity. Early the next morning, Witnesses from the local congregations were the first to come to the aid of flood victims. Those in need of shelter were lovingly taken in by Witness families in the region. Hundreds of Witnesses came from far and near to offer assistance. A relief committee was set up in the nearby city of Orange to coordinate the efforts of four teams of volunteers, who removed mud and cleaned houses, washed mountains of mud-soaked clothes, and prepared and delivered food and drinking water throughout the affected areas. They even volunteered to clean up a local school and several municipal buildings. Their tireless efforts were appreciated by their brothers and people in the community alike.

In many other places, Jehovah’s Witnesses have suffered from disasters, such as floods, storms, and earthquakes, just as everyone else has. Understanding that these are the consequences of unforeseen or unpreventable circumstances, they do not blame God or anyone else. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) Rather, they are confident that the self-sacrificing love of their fellow believers will come to their rescue no matter what dire circumstances may befall them. Such loving acts are a result of the faith they share in common. The disciple James explains: “If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day, yet a certain one of you says to them: ‘Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,’ but you do not give them the necessities for their body, of what benefit is it? Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.”​—James 2:15-17.

The Source of True Protection

Rather than expect miracles in the form of divine intervention of some sort, Jehovah’s Witnesses realize that protection is to be found in their worldwide Christian brotherhood. As a matter of fact, what that brotherhood is able to accomplish in times of distress is nothing less than miraculous. They remember Jesus’ words found at Matthew 17:20: “If you have faith the size of a mustard grain, you will say to this mountain, ‘Transfer from here to there,’ and it will transfer, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Yes, mountainous obstacles disappear when true Christian faith, coupled with love, goes into action.

Jehovah’s people worldwide feel the protective hand of their God in these unstable and perilous times. They feel as did the psalmist: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you yourself alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in security.” (Psalm 4:8) Confidently, they focus their attention on the task at hand: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) And with certainty they look forward to the realization of Jehovah’s promise of a peaceful, righteous new world, in which they will no longer experience disasters of any kind, man-made or natural.​—Micah 4:4.

[Pictures on page 12]

Witnesses came from far and near to help flood victims