The Answerer

I do not believe that God does that these days because if He did, He would let us know that He did it. This whole business of cancer and tumours cannot be simply nailed down to any single cause. Research tells us that there are many known causes and many unknown causes. Cigarettes can cause cancer, alcohol can cause cancer and diesel exhaust particles cause cancer too. A local lawyer has written a book Poison Oils. He believes seed oils can cause health problems and cancer from our food. Obesity also can cause many diseases as can chemicals in sprays and weed killers, etc.

I do know that God will punish people who wilfully break any of his commands. ‘Bad people’ can mean many things. Especially bad are people who know better, but wilfully break God’s commandments. Little children are not old enough to know God’s rules (one of mine died of cancer at 4 years old).

You may have heard some adults say someone is a ‘Philistine’. That means difficult and hard to get along with. In Bible times the Philistines were good at fighting and loved a good fight (war). They were Israel’s enemies. In one fight they captured ‘The Ark of The Covenant’. Bad move by Israel to put it where it could be captured, and a bad move by the Philistines to handle Gods special object as if it was ordinary. God sent “...tumours and rats among them...” and many died. They realised their error and made ‘guilt offerings’ of gold to placate God. They returned the ‘Ark’ after their god Dagon fell on his face – twice. In the second fall Dagon’s head fell off.

All this unusual story is recorded in the Bible. And, ”…seventy Israelites were killed” because they broke God’s laws by looking inside the ‘Ark of The Covenant’. God will not tolerate wilful disobedience and will punish the offenders. That story is in First Samuel, chapter 3 right up to chapter 6.

“Yes!” very much so, but not the same way that humans love certain humans. God’s love is for “…his only begotten Son,” and the whole human race. He created them to be His family in heaven.

God’s love for His son, Jesus, is mentioned at the baptism of Jesus, and at the transfiguration. He said of Jesus: “…my Son whom I love, listen to Him.” (Mt 3:17, and Mt.17:5 and Mk.8:7) Jesus spoke of himself in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

In love, yes, but different to how we love.

Because He is real. If Jesus and his Father, God, were not a reality, the Bible would be just another history book and quietly forgotten. In the 2013 years since Jesus was here believers have steadily increased from 13 to about 2,000,000,000. ‘What is the basis of this religion?’ LOVE! Check out the other religions of this world and see if there is any difference…and what difference can be seen in that society. Better, or worse? In Christianity, eternal life, forgiveness and peace of heart and mind is a free gift. It cannot be bought, earned, or worked for. It is free. Later the receiver WANTS to give God something…and working for God good and plentiful.

There are other religions but not one of them foretells the future that actually comes to pass. Only Jesus said: “I will be handed over to sinful men, be killed and will rise to life again on the third day.” (Matthew Chapter 20: verse 17 to 19) Nobody in all history has said anything like that and had it happen. Neither do those other religions give assured forgiveness of sins and an assured place in heaven.

There are around 300 prophecies about Jesus and most of them have been faithfully fulfilled. The ‘end of the age’ and the ‘second coming of Jesus’ are yet to come. A world dictator (Antichrist) is also yet to come. Many believe that world dictator is not far away. Why? “What do you mean?”

Well this world once had about 1,000,000 people in it. In my Mum’s day there were about 4,000,000,000 but now in my day there are 7,000,000,000 people. Troubles are in store when we get to 10,000,000,000 people. Lots of troubles. All will want food, water, space to live, and fresh air to breathe. All those four things are getting scarcer. Wars will happen…as they have before. These four things will cause trouble and the Bible prophecy mentions them as: “...troubles which the world has never seen before…many will die.” (Matthew chapter 24) Sorry to be a bearer of bad news but I believe it to be true. The Bible prophecy has never been wrong. Jesus promised: “…a new heaven and new earth.” (restored earth)

I will prove it if you bring to me a sample of the love you have for Mum, Dad, Grandma on someone special in a jar so I can see it. You just can’t but I can tell that there is love there by observing you and them together. And also, bring me a sample of how, when you are very upset or your heart is breaking, a hug/embrace with someone special to you makes you feel so much better. You cannot! Can you explain it? I’ll leave that one there.

The Bible says that God created the world and people. Look carefully at the people of integrity, love and compassion and the created world (before ‘WE’ fouled it up) with birds, flowers, beautiful rivers, lakes, animals, etc. Did it all just happen by itself? “No!”

A very observant question indeed for which I thank you. People do say that: ”God took him/her.” I do not agree with saying that lightly.

Why? Well, one must be careful about ‘Putting words in God’s mouth,’ or claiming to know what God’s plans are. I know of a missionary who has gone back to a country in South America to die there. She has spent 55 years of her life over there, telling the people all she can about Jesus. She has learnt to love these people and they are family to her. She has never married and is now around 82 years old.

If I hear that she has died I could say: ”God took her.” Because one can get sick at 82 years old. But if a drunkard who cared nothing for other people died early in life nobody could say: ”God took him,” because he took himself to the grave. Why he became an alcoholic is quite another matter (WE DO NOT KNOW WHY!); only God knows that.

It is easy to say ‘God took him’ but I think that can be superficial or insincere. One should be careful and perhaps think about a more sincere word of sympathy to someone who is hurting. Maybe a hug and the truthful words: ”I’m so sorry,” is much better.