Hurricane Katrina: Its Spiritual Parallels
by Tracy Tennant
The alarm has been sounded. A Category 5 hurricane is on its way to your area. You have two choices; flee to a city of refuge or stay and face destruction. Which would you choose? You can run to safety or face the consequences. No matter how many excuses there are for staying in the path of the oncoming storm, no matter how “legitimate” the reasons might seem, the fact remains that there are only two alternatives; leave the area and find refuge or stay and be a victim of the hurricane’s wrath. This is not a commentary on the New Orleans disaster. It is not speculation on whether the storm was God’s judgment on America. Rather, it can be used as an allegory to help us understand both God’s wrath and His salvation.
God has warned us of a coming storm; it might aptly be called “Hurricane Judgment.” Let’s examine the parallels between a hurricane and Judgment Day. One of the certainties about life is that it ends in death. There is no arguing the statistics; ten out of ten people will die. “As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). When we die we either are present with the Lord or are consigned to hell. Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Both died; the one going to the place of torment, the other being received into the “bosom of Abraham.” The apostle Paul tells believers that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). We are warned of God’s wrath (Romans 1:8, 2:5, 4:15, 5:9, 9:22, Ephesians 2:3, 5:6, Col 3:6, 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9, Rev. 6:16-17, 11:18, 15:1, 15:7, 16:1, 16:19, 19:15) We are warned to “flee from the wrath to come” (Matt. 3:7, Luke 3:7).
Scripture warns all of mankind the fate that awaits the ungodly. Yet, God in His infinite patience, has withheld His judgment so that all who might be saved would come to Him, for “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He has warned us of the “hurricane” of judgment. During most of human history the Bible was not available, so how did God get the message out? Paul explains to us in the first chapter of Romans how the creation itself shouts that there is a God in heaven; a Creator. Chapters two and three explain that people inherently know right from wrong because God’s law is written on their hearts.
Paul further expounds that all fall short of the glory of God; all have sinned and all are deserving of God’s wrath. God’s judgment is righteous, yet He has provided forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Even before Christ’s name was known, such as in Old Testament times, the Jews looked forward to a coming Messiah. They were saved by grace through faith in God and His redemption and the promise of a Savior. Gentiles also had the opportunity to know truth. One example of this is Rahab, whose faith is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31, “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” In all parts of the world the works of God are made manifest and those who seek God with all their hearts will find Him.
I am reminded of my husband’s mother, who came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ when she was in her fifties. One night Jesus appeared to her in a dream. Her description of Him was the same as John the Beloved’s; “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire…” (Revelation 1:14). She recounted that she had never felt such love as emanated from Him. The next morning when she awoke, she immediately fell to her knees and asked Jesus for salvation. God knew when and how she could be reached.
Jesus, then, becomes our refuge from God’s wrath. In the book of Numbers, chapter 35, God made provision for those guilty of causing death unintentionally. If a person ran over someone with an oxcart or threw something that inadvertently hit someone and killed him, he was guilty of manslaughter. A relative of the victim then became an “avenger of blood” and could legally put to death the one accused of murder. There were six cities of refuge appointed. The only protection the accused had was to run to a city of refuge, where he could plead his case before the high priest. Once within the city walls, the avenger of blood could not harm him. The manslayer was provided with a fair trial and asylum until the death of the high priest. As long as he stayed within the city gates, he was safe. This City of Refuge becomes a “type” of the sanctuary we find in Christ Jesus.
We are each guilty of sin. Every person ever born, until they come to Jesus, is an object of God’s wrath. We are guilty of Christ’s death---in other words, my sin and yours, put Jesus on the cross. God, as the divine Avenger of Blood, has the right to pour His wrath on us, the result of which is eternal separation from Him; hell. However, He has made a provision for us through Jesus, Who becomes our refuge. If we flee to Him for safety we will find asylum, safe forever in the “heavenly city,” for Jesus is our great High Priest, Who will never die! “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). As it is written in Hebrews 7:25, “He ever lives to make intercession for [us].”
In the case of a hurricane, with today’s weather tracking technology, we have advance warning. A hurricane does not take anyone by surprise. It is said that the back-side of the hurricane is stronger and more deadly than the first. So the hurricane initially hits, then the calm “eye of the storm” passes, and the worse comes afterward. Some people can choose to ignore the warning and remain in their homes. Some can blow it off by believing that the storm really won’t be as bad as reported. Some people can decide to just take their chances and even resent being encouraged to leave; “We’ll be just fine thank you.” An amazing few will have a “hurricane party” and determine to party-hardy till the end.
Now we turn to the application. God has warned all who dwell on the earth of a coming storm called the judgment, one that will determine where eternity is spent; either in heaven with Him or in hell without Him. Those who are wise have fled the wrath to come by seeking asylum in Jesus Christ. Those who are foolish have ignored the warning. Some of them say, “There is no God, therefore there is no judgment.” Others say, “We’ll take our chances. We’re pretty good people. Surely God will take us to heaven based on our merit.” A few will believe there is no hope because they think God cannot forgive the things they’ve done or the way they’ve lived, so they think to “ride out the storm” and take their due. The really foolish will “party-hardy” until the very end, proclaiming “Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die!”
The initial effects of the storm take place; some wind and light rain. It seems like it will be nothing more than just an average thunderstorm. The wind picks up and quickly becomes a gale, with violent winds and driving rain. The eye passes over. It is calm. In the eye of the storm the sun can be shining. The air can be still. If one did not know that there was more to come, he could just relax and breathe a sigh of relief. If he has survived thus far without injury, he might be inclined to think that the worse has passed and everyone made a big “to-do” about nothing. Just as he gets comfortable again the backside of the hurricane suddenly hits, unleashing all its fury, sweeping away all in its path. The hurricane is no respecter of persons; it is a great leveling agent. It does not matter if one is rich or poor, black or white, male or female. Likewise, those who live without God will perish without God, regardless of social status, race, or gender.
Unfortunately, the message of the gospel has been watered down in many instances. No longer do we hear over the pulpits that there is a coming judgment. No longer do we hear that hell is real. Where are the voices of warning? Where is the alarm being sounded? It is our responsibility as Christians to be that warning voice. If we don’t hear it in our churches, we must preach it in our homes and wherever we have the opportunity. There will be a judgment.
Physical death is certain, but spiritual death can be avoided. There will be no excuse for those who do not take hold of Jesus Christ. Peter talks of those who are “willingly ignorant” (2 Peter 3:5). There is enough evidence for people to see and know that God is real. There is enough evidence that proves the Bible to be God’s word---inerrant and complete. There is enough evidence that Jesus is indeed God in the flesh. Why then don’t they believe? Because they are willingly ignorant. To recognize there is a God is to recognize we are accountable before Him. If we are accountable before Him then there must be an admission that we do not meet His standard and are therefore sinners. If we admit we are sinners we must confess our sin. If we confess our sin, we are admitting guilt. If we admit guilt, we must accept the punishment. To accept the punishment would mean recognizing we are deserving of hell. To recognize that God is just, and because He is just He must punish sin, is to admit that there is nothing we can do to avoid the penalty; not our “goodness,” not our list of good deeds, not even our sincerity. It is human nature to resist submission and admit helplessness. There is too much at stake, especially one’s pride.
Pride was Satan’s downfall and is the downfall of the lost as well. To break us of that pride, for we know that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6), God has made salvation simple; so simple that even a child can understand. All it takes is the recognition that we are sinners, which leads us to confess our sin against Him, admitting that we cannot save ourselves, which causes us to run to the foot of the cross to plead for salvation from death and hell. Numbers 21:6-9 is a *type* of the salvation of God.
And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.
And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
The serpent is representative of sin. We have all been bitten by sin and it will kill us; “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The serpent was lifted up on a pole, foreshadowing Christ being lifted up on the cross. Scripture says that Christ was “made to be sin for us.” (2 Cor. 5:21). Sin has to be judged, so Christ was judged in our place. He became the recipient of the full wrath of God while hanging on the cross. Just as many of the Children of Israel refused to behold the serpent on the pole and died as a consequence (it is painful to look on our sin and see it being judged), many people today refuse to look to Jesus Christ and the cross to be saved because it is “too easy.” The cross therefore becomes a stumbling block for them;
(1 Cor. 1:18-25); For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
People don’t like being told that they are not “good enough.” They like to think that if they do good deeds, refrain from drunken brawls, and don’t steal from the Girl Scouts they will get at least some degree of reward, even if it is polishing doorknobs in heavenly mansions. However, God doesn’t let us live forever in His presence because of our righteousness. It is Jesus’ righteousness that is credited to our account when we accept Him as our Savior and make Him our Lord. But many people would rather ignore the evidence and disregard the warnings---willing ignorance (that means stupid on purpose) ---than to submit to God’s authority.
So what about you? Have you made Jesus your “City of Refuge” or will He be your “avenger of blood?” Will you flee from Hurricane Judgment or be a willing partaker of its wrath? If Jesus is your High priest and refuge, will you warn others of the coming storm or stand by while they perish? The choice is yours.
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Copyright © 2005 Equipping Christians Ministries