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Charles Spurgeon

God's sovereignty over disasters!

Isaiah 45:7-8; Revelation 19:6-7
Charles Spurgeon March, 29 2025 Audio
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absolute sovereignty of God extends to all things, including wars, disasters and plagues. Scripture testifies that these events are neither random nor outside of His control. God ordains all things, including calamities. Nothing happens outside His sovereign decree. Yet, while God decrees and governs all things, He remains perfectly holy and unstained by sin.

"Come and see the works of the Lord; the desolations He has brought on the earth!" (Psalm 46:8)

From the decimating earthquake, to the devouring fire;
from the devastating tsunami, to the deadly plague;
from the volcanic eruption, to the destructive hurricane
--the Bible clearly teaches that all what we call "natural disasters" fall under the sovereign decree of Almighty God. He governs all of His creation according to His decreed will--yet He remains unstained by sin, executing His sovereign purposes in justice, wisdom and righteousness.

"Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?" (Amos 3:6)

When the earth quakes beneath us, let us not attribute it to chance, or accident, or laws of nature--but to Him who alone shakes the pillars thereof. Storms at sea, earthquakes on land, and tempests in the sky--are but the outstretched rod of Jehovah, calling men to repentance and reminding them that He alone is God!

Though God ordains all these events, He remains holy and without sin. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5). He does not do evil, nor can He be accused of injustice. God's purposes are always just and righteous. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Genesis 18:25).

Let us, therefore acknowledge God's sovereign hand in all things,
bow in reverenc

In his sermon "God's Sovereignty Over Disasters," C. H. Spurgeon expounds on the doctrine of divine sovereignty, emphasizing that God governs all events, including wars, natural disasters, and calamities, which are not random but ordained by His decree. He supports this argument with multiple Scriptural references, notably Isaiah 45:7-8 and Revelation 19:6-7, illustrating how God's control extends to the very forces of nature. Spurgeon underscores that while God decrees calamities, He remains perfectly righteous and just, unaffected by sin, affirming the Reformed doctrine of God's holiness. This teaching has significant practical implications, encouraging believers to trust in God's good and wise governance of all events, even those that appear to be destructive or chaotic, ultimately leading to a posture of reverent fear and worship toward God as the sovereign ruler.

Key Quotes

“Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations He has brought on the earth.”

“When the earth quakes beneath us, let us not attribute it to chance, or accident, or laws of nature, but to Him who alone shakes the pillars thereof.”

“Though God ordains all these events, He remains holy and without sin.”

“Let us therefore acknowledge God's sovereign hand in all things, bow in reverent fear, and trust in His perfect wisdom.”

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty over disasters?

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over all disasters, governing them according to His perfect will.

Scripture clearly shows that nothing happens outside the sovereign decree of God, including natural disasters and calamities. For example, Isaiah 45:7 states, 'I form the light and create darkness. I bring prosperity and create disaster.' This emphasizes that even in disasters, God's sovereignty is at work, executing His purposes in justice, wisdom, and righteousness. Ultimately, these events call humanity to repentance and serve His overarching plan.

Isaiah 45:7-8, Revelation 19:6-7

How do we know that God ordains all things, including calamities?

The Bible affirms that all things, including calamities, are ordained by God in His sovereign plan.

Throughout Scripture, God's absolute sovereignty is repeatedly affirmed, including over disasters and calamities. For instance, Lamentations 3:38 states, 'Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?' This underscores the belief that nothing occurs by chance, but rather everything is decreed by God, who remains perfectly holy and blameless even amid suffering. His divine governance serves a just and righteous purpose.

Lamentations 3:38, Isaiah 45:7

Why is acknowledging God's sovereignty important for Christians?

Acknowledging God's sovereignty is crucial as it provides comfort and assurance of His control in times of trouble.

For Christians, recognizing God's sovereignty over all events, including disasters, offers immense comfort. It reassures believers that nothing happens outside of God's will, leading to a trust in His righteousness and wisdom. The belief that God is sovereign encourages Christians to respond with reverent fear and submit to His plans, understanding that His purposes are ultimately just. It also prompts a call to repentance for humanity amidst turmoil, encapsulating the idea that God uses such events for His glory and purposes.

Isaiah 45:7-8, Revelation 19:6-7

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

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God's sovereignty over disasters The absolute sovereignty of God extends to all things, including wars, disasters and plagues. Scripture testifies that these events are neither random nor outside of His control. God ordains all things, including calamities. Nothing happens outside His sovereign decree, yet while God decrees and governs all things, He remains perfectly holy and unstained by sin.

Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations He has brought on the earth. from the decimating earthquake to the devouring fire, from the devastating tsunami to the deadly plague, from the volcanic eruption to the destructive hurricane. The Bible clearly teaches that what we call natural disasters fall under the sovereign decree of Almighty God. He governs all of His creation according to His decreed will, yet He remains unstained by sin, executing His sovereign purposes in justice, wisdom, and righteousness.

Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He moves mountains without their knowing it, and overturns them in His anger. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people. Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants. Then the earth shook and quaked, the foundations of the mountains trembled, they shook because he burned with anger. The Lord rules over the floodwaters, the Lord reigns as King forever. He looks at the earth and it trembles, he touches the mountains and they pour out smoke. Fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather obey him.

I will bring disaster on the world, therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty in the day of His burning anger. The Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness. I bring prosperity and create disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things.

Look! The Lord's anger bursts out like a storm, a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not diminish until it has finished all He has planned. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain, and brings out the wind from his storehouses. Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says, In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it? I sent plagues on you like the plagues I sent on Egypt long ago. I killed your young men in war and led all your horses away.

When the earth quakes beneath us, let us not attribute it to chance, or accident, or laws of nature, but to Him who alone shakes the pillars thereof. Storms at sea, earthquakes on land, and tempests in the sky, are but the outstretched rod of Jehovah calling men to repentance, and reminding them that He alone is God.

Though God ordains all these events, He remains holy and without sin. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. He does not do evil, nor can He be accused of injustice. God's purposes are always just and righteous. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?

Let us therefore acknowledge God's sovereign hand in all things, bow in reverent fear, and trust in His perfect wisdom. Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad, and give Him glory.

Revelation Chapter 19, Verses 6 and 7
Charles Spurgeon
About Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834 — 31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. His nickname is the "Prince of Preachers."
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