Tornadoes as Judgment, Acts of Nature

–

Tornadoes (whirlwinds) have long been a tool of divine judgment, and now, it seems they are becoming a more common event, for more people, in more areas.

–

–

Tornadoes are described as whirlwinds in the bible.

Some are powerful, but non-threatening, such as the whirlwind that split the Red Sea, or caught up Elijah to heaven, or the one that Ezekiel saw in a vision of heaven.

But others seem destructive, and acts of divine judgment.

Nah 1:3   The LORD [is] slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit [the wicked]: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds [are] the dust of his feet.

Hsa 8:7 ¶ For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

Eze 1:4 ¶ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness [was] about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

*** the presence of God can be actually in the whirlwind itself, and not just a judgment.

Jer 30:23 ¶ Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

Jer 25:32 ¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

Jer 23:19   Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

Pro 1:27   When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

–

–

Even today, tornadoes occur in Israel:

–

–

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=368210326244

–

–

–

(04/05/06):

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3236346,00.html

Dr. Baruch Zvi, a climate expert at Tel Aviv University, said the storm carried the hallmarks of a “mini-tornado.”

Galilee residents witnessed an unusual event Tuesday evening as a “mini-tornado” swept threw the villages of Julis, Fassouta and Jedaideh.

The tornado descended to ground amid a storm that spewed hailstones as big as ping pong balls.

Cars were turned upside-down and electricity poles were broken. About 75 people were lightly injured from hailstones and road accidents caused by the storm.

–

Map of North Carolina during April 2011 tornado event.

http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/north-carolina-tornado-record-map-110419-1406/

–

In the United States

Tornadoes just spread from Oklahoma to North Carolina.

The deadly three-day storm spawned more than 250 reported tornadoes from the Midwest to the South over the weekend, according to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.

But not all of these were single funnel clouds ie., some were what you might call tornado twins and triplets.

North Carolina suffered 22 of the 45 reported fatalities during the weekend storms.

That’s the deadliest outbreak since the “Super Tuesday” storms in February 2008, when 57 people died in Dixie Alley, located in the southeastern extension of Tornado Alley.

April 15-17, 2011 tornadoes

–

–

–

Tornado Alley has been redefined again. We might have to soon call mid-western and eastern America “Tornado country” instead.

http://www.tornadochaser.net/tornalley.html

The 1974 super tornado outbreak took place in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. How many maps include these states in Tornado Alley?

Not very many, some don’t include any of them; even I don’t include all of them. States such as Florida also have many small tornadoes but because the intensity of most of them is low, it is seldom considered as part of Tornado Alley by anyone.

In 1925 the Tri-State tornado killed 695 people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, yet many don’t include these in Tornado Alley, I do. In November 2002 a tornado outbreak took place in Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio, Killing at least 36 people.

Friday, September 20th 2002 a tornado outbreak hit Indiana, I include these states in Tornado Alley, others don’t. History tells me Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee are dangerous tornado states.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=365

–

http://www.weather.com/blog/weather/archive/200904.html

–

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/tornadoUSmap.gif

–

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=948&tstamp=200805&page=5

–

–

Other countries that experience tornadoes

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tornado/country.html

Most occur in the USA.

In raw numbers, Canada probably comes in second to the U.S.

After the U.S. and Canada, Bangladesh and East India probably get the most violent tornadoes; they certainly suffer the deadliest.

Europe may come next in sheer number and intensity. Tornadoes have been reported across the continent, from Scandinavia south to Italy and from Spain east to European Russia.

The United Kingdom gets more than 30 tornadoes a year, which per unit area compares with the Great Plains. But as in Florida, they’re sired by non-super cell storms and thus pack a much softer punch.

The Southern Hemisphere has several hotspots, including southeastern and southwestern Australia; the region encompassing northern Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil; and southeastern South Africa.

Virtually all areas that regularly see tornadoes share one thing in common: they lie 20° to 50° on either side of the equator, in the mid-latitudes.

–

–

Conclusion

Tornadoes can be a natural, or supernatural, events.

As a creation of God, they are under His power and control.

If tornadoes are to occur in our lives, and possibly present a challenge to us, then we must deal with the reality of this powerful occurrence, and how it could affect us.

Outside of a storm cellar, there is little we can do physically to prepare for one of these whirlwinds.

–

In case of danger, I suggest that we do move to safety, but also pray and fall on our face before God, and ask His protection and mercy.

Only He can divert such a powerful thing away from us.

–

In the recent tornado event in my state, I had to do this.

An E F 3 Tornado that was a mile wide, spinning at 175 miles per hour, and advancing forward at a pace of 50 miles per hour, was heading straight for my house.

We already had reports that it was a mile from my house, and headed my way.

This was too powerful for me, but there was Someone who was more than able to help me.

–

–

I immediately began to pray, and ask for God’s help and protection.

It says in God’s Word that if we ask anything of the Father, according to His will (which is to protect and love his own), in Jesus name, that it would be done.

I believe in this promise because God said it.

God answered my prayer in His abundant mercy, and I am forever grateful that he protected my home and family.

–

I encourage all to do the same, and not to wait until there is an emergency either.

We should all seek God’s face early, and establish this relationship of trust and protection and provision.

God is faithful to hear our prayers.