THE HAITIAN EARTHQUAKE WAS NOT A JUDGMENT FROM GOD!

Don K. Preston

Pat Robertson and other evangelists have gone on record as saying that the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti was a judgment from God because, as Robertson claims, Haiti made a pact with the devil some years ago Personally, I just can’t find that to be true. By the way, I am more than confident that in the days ahead some "prophecy expert," probably Jack Van Impe, will declare to the world that the Haitian earthquake is a sign that we are in the last days! Someone probably has done this already, but I have not personally heard it. Rest assured, however, that someone will do this!

Make no mistake, the voodoo practices in Haiti are wrong. However, while these actions are abhorrent, does that mean that God brought the earthquake as a judgment on those nations? No. Here is why I can’t accept that position.

In the Bible, before God ever brought such judgments on a people or nation, He always sent His prophets to warn the guilty of what was coming, and when it was coming. Jonah was sent to Nineveh to warn them that judgment was coming very soon if they did not repent. When Jehovah was going to carry the 10 northern tribes into Assyrian captivity, He sent Isaiah, Micah, Hosea, and Amos to warn them. These prophets were very specific about what was going to happen, who was going to do it, and when. When God was going to take Judah into Babylonian captivity, He sent Jeremiah, Habakkuk and other prophets to say that Babylon was coming, soon. Jeremiah even predicted exactly how long the captivity would last (Jeremiah 25-29). There are many other examples. The point is, that God did not bring judgments on people or nations without sending His prophets.

Amos expressed it like this: "Surely the Lord does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7). This was stated in the context of the impending invasion of Israel by the Assyrians. To put it simply, God would not bring judgments without telling those to be judged what was coming, when it was coming, and why it was coming!

Now, I believe that God is sovereign and that He controls all things. However, there is a distinct difference between the aforementioned judgments of God decreed and predicted by the divine prophets, and the providential events of history that are under His control, but are not distinct, specific acts of judgment. Providence is God "behind the scenes." Judgments of God as envisioned by Robertson and the other modern tel-evangelists were openly predicted. There is a distinct difference between these kinds of events.