When God is angry, fire that devours the earth and it’s harvest is just the beginning. Around mid-November, Israel Folau said the fires and drought were only a “little taste of God’s judgment” with worse to come if nothing changes ¹. More than a month later, the worse had indeed come (or is it yet to come?). In this post, we will look into how the wrath of God will unfold and what we must do according to Scriptures.

The Song of Moses

For a fire will be kindled by My wrath, one that burns down to the realm of the dead below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains.

I will heap calamities on them and spend My arrows against them. I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.

In the street the sword will make them childless; in their homes terror will reign. The young men and young women will perish, the infants and those with gray hair.

Deut 32:22-25

The above is from the song of Moses which was the same sung in Revelation 15:34 before the bowl judgments. In this song, God is explaining how His wrath will unfold.

• Fire: Devour the earth and its harvests
• Calamities: Famines, pestilence and deadly plagues, wild animals
• Sword: Terror and death

Bush fires are just the beginning and are a little taste of what God’s wrath is like.

Remedy is to turn back to God

The PM of Australia, who happens to be a Christian had already responded to God’s wrath and His message through Israel Falou to turn back to Him as appallingly insensitive ³.

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That woe and well-being proceed? Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD; Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.

Lam 3:38-41

If had to paraphrase the above verse, the bush fires had proceeded from the mouth of the Most High for the punishment of the sins of the people. Therefore, let us examine our ways and turn back to God.

¹ Higgins, H. (2019). Folau says bushfires are God’s judgment. The Canberra Times. Available at: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6496449/folau-says-bushfires-are-gods-judgment/?cs=14231 [Accessed 21 Dec. 2019].

² 9news.com.au. (2019). ‘I know people are anxious’: PM makes first public bushfire address since returning from Hawaii. Available at: https://www.9news.com.au/national/scott-morrison-to-return-home-today-after-hawaiian-holiday/265f1aec-28d3-4ada-9529-887fd8c5eb43 [Accessed 22 Dec. 2019].

³ SBS News. (2019). Scott Morrison blasts Israel Folau for ‘appallingly insensitive’ fire comments. Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/scott-morrison-blasts-israel-folau-for-appallingly-insensitive-fire-comments [Accessed 21 Dec. 2019].