Why?
By Ian Biss (9/16/01)
Tuesday’s chronology of terror - September 11, 2001
8:45 a.m. (all times are EDT): A hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts, crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center, tearing a gaping hole in the building and setting it afire.
9:03 a.m.: A second hijacked airliner, United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center and explodes. Both buildings are burning.
9:17 a.m.: The Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New York City area airports.
9:40 a.m.: The FAA halts all flight operations at U.S. airports, the first time in U.S. history that air traffic nationwide has been halted.
9:43 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon, sending up a huge plume of smoke. Evacuation begins immediately.
9:45 a.m.: The White House evacuates.
10:05 a.m.: The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses, plummeting into the streets below. A massive cloud of dust and debris forms and slowly drifts away from the building.
10:10 a.m.: A portion of the Pentagon collapses.
10:10 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, also hijacked, crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh.
10:28 a.m.: The World Trade Center’s north tower collapses from the top down as if it were being peeled apart, releasing a tremendous cloud of debris and smoke.
11:18 a.m.: American Airlines reports it has lost two aircraft. American Flight 11, a Boeing 767 flying from Boston to Los Angeles, had 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard. Flight 77, a Boeing 757 en route from Washington’s Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles, had 58 passengers and six crew members aboard. Flight 11 slammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.
11:26 a.m.: United Airlines reports that United Flight 93, en route from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California, has crashed in Pennsylvania. The airline also says that it is "deeply concerned" about United Flight 175.
11:59 a.m.: United Airlines confirms that Flight 175, from Boston to Los Angeles, has crashed with 56 passengers and nine crew members aboard. It hit the World Trade Center’s south tower.
4:10 p.m.: Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex is reported on fire.
5:20 p.m.: The 47-story Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex collapses. The evacuated building is damaged when the twin towers across the street collapse earlier in the day. Other nearby buildings in the area remain ablaze.
7:45 p.m.: The New York Police Department says that at least 78 officers are missing. The city also says that as many as half of the first 400 firefighters on the scene were killed
8:30 p.m.: President Bush addresses the nation, saying "thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil" and asks for prayers for the families and friends of Tuesday’s victims. "These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve," he says. The president says the U.S. government will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed the acts and those who harbor them. He adds that government offices in Washington are reopening for essential personnel Tuesday night and for all workers Wednesday.
And now we ask, why?
There is always a lesson to be learned when tragedy strikes, and I believe that there are many ways that God can reach us through the tragedy of terrorism that befell our country last week. This morning we’ll learn the answer to the question that asks, why?
Read Text, Proverbs 24: 15-20
Why do such terrible things happen to innocent people? I believe the answer can be found in these verses.
God is the creator of all things, and He loves His creation. After all, He sent His son because He loved the world so much. John 3:16.
God loves the church goers, but He also loves the terrorists. Hard to believe, you say?
He loves them, whether you and I like it or not. He loves everyone, American or not.
Read Romans 4:5
And because of His great love for the wicked, He gives grace to them by warning them in His word, and He gives those who are His comfort in His word when tragedy strikes.
We see that in our text today. God is trying to get through to those who would do evil before they have a chance to hurt themselves or others.
I. Mercy to the wicked. vs. 15&16
Exposition
God will be proven, He will show mankind that He is Lord! He will not be mocked.
As long as there is a freewill in man, man will do evil, and God warns the one who would do evil. Why? Because God is merciful. He doesn’t wish that any would perish.
God warns the wicked not to hurt the righteous, run from your wicked ways, or you will be brought down by your own deeds.
Application
Why do bad things happen to good people? Because there is sin in this world. Man has the choice to do good, or not to do good. Sadly more often than not man chooses to hurt rather than help others. The sad truth is, the man who would choose to hurt others is going to be brought down by his own terrible acts. Especially when those others are God’s people. There were many of God’s people hurt and killed in this attack, Those who committed this act will be brought down by their own acts. Take the hijackers, for instance, where are they now? Burning in hell. No second chance at redemption for them. They have been brought down by their own calamity just as God said they would.
Illustration
The Roman empire was truly the greatest government the world has ever seen. Caesar eventually controlled the entire known world. So great were the Romans that many of their customs and ingenuities are still in practice throughout the modern world. Their form of gov’t is mimicked in that of our own country, our train tracks are spaced according to those of the Roman chariots. Rome was truly a great empire.
Though it was evil, the reason it’s influence extended throughout the world on it’s day is because the Romans were conquerors, any country that would not become subject to the Roman gov’t would be forced into submission militarily, if you even had the appearance of being against the Roman leadership, you would be crucified, or forced into the coliseums to be the entertainment of the people by being slaughtered in front of them.
Believe it or not, it was disease that is credited with the empire’s demise. Std’s that could not be cured ran rampant among the leadership, killing many, making the gov’t weak, opening the door for rebellion to prove successful.
The sins of the wicked will find them out.
The wicked will be brought down by their own dastardly deeds, they will not be allowed to stand. Which brings us to our next point.
II. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Vs 17-18
Exposition
God loves us all, and he grieves when evil acts are committed, but He also grieves when justice must be served, and so should we. God does not rejoice when people do evil, it grieves His heart. God created man for the express purpose of worshiping Him. God wants all people to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, God wants all to be saved. He wishes that none would perish. Be aware, God has a heart, and it is breaking because of these acts of terrorism.
Application
If you’re one of God’s children your heart should be grieving as well. Not just for the innocent, but for the guilty as well. Justice will be served, the wicked will be brought to justice, but when that happens, there are no winners.
Illustration
Within hours of the highjackings that took place on Sep. 11, news of the incidents, and the destruction, death and injury that came as a result of the terrorist attacks, was broadcast world wide. The entire world was in shock, and appalled at the fact that people could commit such a heinous act against anyone, let alone the United States.
Messages of support, condolences, and sorrow poured in from around the world, it would seem that the entire world felt the pain that America was feeling. Everyone that is, except one group of people. These people from a far away land were rejoicing because of the trouble that had befallen the people of a country that they hate. They were dancing in the streets, throwing candy, and singing praises to their supposed god who has brought "justice" to the terrible Americans.
These revelers quickly were shown to the rest of the world by the news agencies, and the world was, as you can imagine, exceedingly disgusted.
I was disgusted when I saw that on TV, and according to this passage, so was God. God will see this country through this terrible time.
The reason the U.S. has stood for so long is because we are not like those Palestinian revelers in the streets of Israel, rejoicing in the pain of others.
III. The Righteous will stand, vs 16.
Exposition
This verse is a word of comfort from God to you, and it’s pretty straight forward. Though the righteous falls seven times, he will rise again. His candle will not be put out. There is nothing the wicked can do about it, because it is God Himself, who will put the righteous back on their feet.
Application
This country and it’s people may be down, but we’re not out, not by a long-shot! There are too many of God’s people in this land. Sure we have suffered a terrible and tragic blow from the wicked. And yes, there is more to come, make no mistake about it, the United States will see more terror in the coming days ahead. The United States may even fall. But God will be there to pick His righteous people back up and if you are one of them, you will stand again. God looks after His people.
Illustration
One night while John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands, his mission station was surrounded by hostile natives. They were intent on killing the Patons and burning the station. Paton and his wife prayed through the night in hopes that God would deliver them. When daylight came the natives were gone. A year later when the tribal chief was converted to Christ, Paton asked him why they did not attack. The chief was surprised by Paton’s question. He asked, "Who were all those men with you?" Although Paton knew of no other men, the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments who circled the mission station with their swords drawn. God’s presence is real, whether or not we see it.
* Angels: God’s Secret Agents, Billy Graham, 1975, p. 3
Conclusion
The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out, and the righteous, though he may fall 7 times, will be raised up again.
The righteous will fall, bad things will happen to good people, and though the righteous will be shaken, even brought down, the righteous will rise again.
Illustration
Maxcy Filer of Compton, California began taking the California Bar Exam in the mid 1960s. He didn’t pass it the first time or the second time. In fact, he didn’t pass the exam until his forty-eighth try. Before earning a passing grade, he failed forty-seven times over a span of twenty-five years. Sometimes the tests of life seem "unpassable," but "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary" (Gal. 6:9).
* Houston Post, Nov. 5, 1991, p. D-7
