Jeremiah 31: 7-14

The terrorist attacks on September 11 subjected all Americans to a state of great terror and deep grief. Significant and symbolic landscapes in both the New York City, the financial capital of the world, and Washington DC, the capital of our nation, lay in ruins while countless number of innocent civilians lost their lives.

Watching the images and video footage of a civilian jetliner crashing into one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center building while the other tower was engulfed in smoldering flames from previous crash of another airliner and the subsequent collapse of the two towers made us wonder about the depths of vileness and depravity of humans. Furthermore, these terrorist attacks made us feel, down to our very marrow, the sinful tendencies of humans and gave us an inkling of a sense that perhaps the great day of revelation, as prophesied countless times in the Bible, may be nearer to us than we think.

Terrorism is often referred to as the "new warfare," in which we wage wars against a faceless enemy in places without clear boundaries. In Vietnam, to a degree, and certainly in the Gulf War, the enemy was clearly defined; further, there was a clear objective as to what the armed forces were supposed to accomplish, making the war easier to wage and fight. However, it is much more difficult to find and identify let alone root out the proponents of terrorism and terrorist groups, whose leadership and controlling elements hide themselves deep in crevices of desolate terrain, inflicting mass casualties against innocent civilians and non-combatants from great distances.

Collectively, we all wish that the United States and all other freedom and peace loving nations of this world gather forces to bring justice to those responsible for such atrocities and root out all source of terrorism from the face of this planet forever. Yet, for those of us in our congregation, who not only live in this community but also serve in the military in the largest military installation in the United States, we all must quietly and vigilantly pray for this conflict, this war against terrorism from spreading and expanding further. We must pray for this conflict to end soon, and for some sense of normalcy to return back to our way of life, which may have changed forever. We must pray for an end to this conflict, for retribution and retaliation by the United States and its allies could beget more acts of terrorism around the world, which in turn will call forth greater retributions in what surely would prove to be an endless, vicious cycle.

In reading some news items from the Internet, I came to find out that according to Amazon.com, the one of the largest on-line bookstores, the book by French seer Michel Nostradamus (1503-1566), The Prophesies of Nostradamus, became the best seller over the past week. In regards to the recent terrorist attacks, the following prediction by Nostradamus has captivated the collective attention of netizens, or the denizens of the Internet, worldwide. "In the City of God there will be a great thunder,
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos, while the fortress endures, the great leader will succumb,

The third big war will begin when the big city is burning." Some people interpret the City of God as the city with the Statue of Liberty New York City while the two brothers represent the twin towers of the World Trade Center, and the third big war refers to World War III. However, it is uncertain whether Nostradamus himself made the prediction; furthermore, the fact that similar prophesies regarding revelation occur in the Bible long before Nostradamus ever uttered a prediction should make our collective attention immune to the distractions provided by these tabloid predictions. The master of history is God, our Father, and the end of this world certainly rests within His hands; therefore, there is no reason for us to heed the so-called warnings and predictions that circulate within the media by the virtue of current state of chaos and uncertainty.

I was pretty depressed over the past week. My frustration and anxiety over the terrorist attacks were compounded by the news that one of our parish members suffered a severe injury to the head that may result in permanent cerebral damage and coma. Seeing this member of our family who up until just a few days ago was a bright and cheerful person struggle and fight for her life made me contemplate about the futility of the human life and God’s intent in bringing suffering and pain to good people. Jewish Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote a book called When Bad Things Happen to Good People after losing his son. In his book, Kushner states that even God cannot alter the law of nature and its order on account of us. Furthermore, he goes on to argue that God cannot answer all our prayers, since God is a limited God a Being who cannot answer our prayers when the demands are high and seemingly impossible to attain. Through this point of view that God is limited Kushner attempts to come to a resolution or rationalize regarding the question over the existence of evil and suffering in this world.

We Christians, on the other hand, traditionally hold two firm beliefs regarding God. First, God is omniscient and omnipotent. Second, God is God of good and love. The question arises regarding the existence of evil and suffering in this world, when omnipotent God oversees all His creation. For example, if God were truly omnipotent, then He would have had the power to stop the terrorist attack in New York City; and since He has the power to stop such atrocities, He should have prevented it from happening. And if God is truly God of love and mercy, He must not have wanted such tragedy to descend on His people who believe in Him. Yet, given the fact that such unparalleled and unprecedented terrorist attack victimized God’s people, we can deduce that 1)

God may be omnipotent but not loving and merciful, allowing such atrocity to take place, or 2) God is loving and merciful but not omnipotent, unable to prevent such tragedy from taking place. One thing is for certain: No matter how decrepit the evil may seem, or no matter how great our suffering may be, we, as Christians, cannot give up on the notion that God is loving and all-powerful. It is inconceivable to think that while the clock smith, the creator of clocks, can control the indication of time as reflected by his clock, God, who created this universe, lacks the power to interfere in making of its history. Furthermore, we cannot doubt, even for a second, the loving and benevolent nature of our God, Who sent and crucified His only Son for our sake and salvation. Then why does the loving and omnipotent God let such insufferable pain and evil afflict His people?

This question is truly difficult to answer. Given the fact that we, as humans, cannot rationally answer this question, we must stand by and watch God’s work through our faith. However, if we were to seek an answer to this question regardless, than the answer may be this: The evil and sufferings take place in this world not out of God’s inability or wickedness, but out of our own weaknesses and limitations as creatures created by God. If God were to intervene every time when something bad or tragic happens, this world would truly become a humorous place.

For example, if a bullet aimed for my head always fails to find its mark, or when God always tilts the steering wheel of a car on a collision course with my car to prevent all accidents and tragedies, the concept of ‘miracle’ will become a moot point and the world will truly become a strange place. Because we are creations of God, we are fragile, always exposed to the elements of nature and certain irrational pain and evil that are indigenous to this world. Our exposure to evil and suffering stems from our own weakness, not from some wicked disposition or inability of God.

To paraphrase about what we talked thus far regarding evil and suffering, 1) Some evil and suffering stem from nature. When a person leaps from a 50-story building, he is subject to the law of gravity as imposed by God; God will not compromise His own law for the sake of performing some miracle. God gave us fire and along with it, the danger of conflagration and arson; He gave us water, and along with it the danger of drowning. 2) Some evil and suffering stem from the powers of Satan, a certain authority of evil. In the First Epistle of Peter, chapter 5, verse 8, it is stated, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." The tragic events of the past week are surely the work of some people who were possessed by the powers of Satan. 3) Some evil and suffering occur due to our own iniquities and sins. For example, a student who fails to study properly and diligently for a test cannot blame his teacher for failing the test. Lack of preparation is one’s own vice; the blame and responsibility for such neglect cannot be transferred to others. God gave us freedom and liberties.

 If we abuse such freedoms, we cannot transfer the blame of resultant pain and suffering to God. 4) God makes reparations for all evil and suffering and guarantees ultimate victory for His people. In the Book of Romans, chapter 8, verse 28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." We believe that, as promised in Revelations, God will pass final judgment on all forces of evil and allow His people to settle on the new land, under new heaven. Evil and suffering will ultimately transform into good and victory. Throughout the course of history, God will strengthen man’s spirits and character through occasional tests and subjection to evil and suffering; however, such tests are temporary, and God will deliver the final judgment to all forces of evil. 5) There will be a day when we, as humans, will truly understand and realize the purpose behind the existence of evil and suffering in this world. As it is recorded in the First Epistle of Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 12, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known," there will be a day when we truly will understand why God allowed such pains, evil, and suffering on this earth throughout the course of its history. 6) Because God loves us, He suffered Himself.

 Because God is love, He crucified His own Son at the cross for our salvation. When Jesus suffered on the cross, God suffered along with Him. Because God is love, He suffered when those innocent victims of the terrorist attacks suffered. Just as it is stated in Psalms 23: 4, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." It is because God, Who is love, is always with us.

When we suffer through great pain, we cannot completely or even sometimes remotely understand why we are subject to such suffering. This is a great myth, a great riddle yet to be solved in our minds. When we accept the fact that it is beyond our understanding and abilities, only then will God take the burden from us. When we are faced with evil and suffering that are beyond our ability to resolve and overcome, God will start His work. God will solve all problems.

Jeremiah, chapter 30, verse 1 through chapter 31, verse 40 is often referred to as the Book of Consolation. Jeremiah was a great prophet of tear, who worked during the great crisis of the kingdom of Judah from 626 BC to 584 BC. Jeremiah, through chapters 1 through 30, emphatically asserts the certain judgment, in the form of Babylonian invasion, that will befall Judah, who went against God’s word while capturing and killing countless number of prophets; then, in today’s scripture, Jeremiah talks of hope of recovery. Up until chapter 30, Jeremiah uses language such as "If you commit such acts…."

Then, from chapter 30, verse 1 on, his expression changes to "I will…." Let’s pay attention to verses 11 through 14 of today’s scripture. "For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord for wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together, for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.

 I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord." This is a promise of hope, abundance, and restoration for the people of Israel, which stipulates that once the people of Israel trust and believe in the loving and all-powerful God and leave their sinful ways, God will restore them and make them abundant.

A man named Norman Neaves of Oklahoma City once confessed and confirmed the following account to the members of his congregation. A man and a daughter returned home from a sea voyage on a life raft, a voyage that claimed the lives of the man’s wife and his son. To the father, who lay on the raft stricken with insurmountable sadness and grief, the daughter asked, "Daddy, does God love us as much as mommy did?" The man did not know how to answer his daughter at first.

 Thinking that he has to say something anything to comfort his daughter, the man pointed to the far horizon, where the ocean met the sky, and said, "Honey, mom’s love reaches farther than you can see in that direction." Facing and looking at her daughter in the eyes, the man continued. "And God’s love reaches farther than you can see in that direction, too." Then looking up at the sky, the man said, "And God’s love is higher than the sky, too." Lastly, the man added, pointing to the bottom of the sea, "And it’s deeper than the ocean as well." After listening to her father, the little girl replied, "Oh, just think, daddy. We are right here in the middle of it all!"

As a nation, and as a church, we suffered a great deal over the past week. We, as weak creatures, cannot hope to comprehend God’s hidden will behind all these events. However, one thing is for certain: Where our understanding and ability to decide and discern ends, God will be there. God will take care of all things that we do not understand and give us a new vision and hope. We eventually witness and confirm God’s word, as listed in Romans 8: 38-39: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Amen.