.. For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Isa 26:9

Righteous Judgments of God

Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.

Rev 15:4

When Australia Post told to take the rainbow flag down from their Cobargo office, the town decided fly the rainbow for them. ²

Two years later: The main street of Cobargo was engulfed by flames, with dozens more buildings destroyed or damaged. ⁴

Lithgow celebrates anti-homophobia day for first time featuring LGBTIQ services, speakers and performers. ⁶

Two years later: The fast-moving Gospers Mountain fire ripped through Lithgow, on the western-edge of the Blue Mountains, destroying homes. ⁷

As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Jude 1:7

But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,” says the LORD; “I will kindle a fire in its forest, And it shall devour all things around it.” ’

Jer 21:14

God is angry with Sydney. He had kindled a fire in its forest and it devoured all things around it. As Jesus warned in Luke 13:2-5, unless they repent they will all likewise perish.

Businesses and offices had closed due to hazardous smoke conditions in Canberra. Air quality in Canberra is more than 10 times hazardous levels according to local health authorities, having peaked at more than 20 times hazardous levels on Wednesday. ¹³ Sydney was covered in smoke a few weeks earlier ¹⁴. In scriptures, being filled with smoke symbolically represents the presence of God (Exod 19:18) and His glory (Rev 15:8).

Instead of rain for drought, God sent more fire

Mr Morrison said he was praying for rain in drought-affected areas, and he urged those who “believe in the power of prayer” to pray too. “I pray for that rain everywhere else around the country. And I do pray for that rain. And I’d encourage others who believe in the power of prayer to pray for that rain and to pray for our farmers. Please do that,” he said. ⁸

.. Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

1 Kgs 18:27

Scott Morrison, the PM of Australia who claims to be a Christian, considers the judgment of bushfires for the abomination of homosexuality and abortion as ‘appallingly insensitive’. ¹⁰ Not sure which god is he praying to. After all, the golden calf by ancient Israel (Exod 32:4-5) and the silver idol by Micah (Judges 17) were also called YHWH. Hence, the God of the Bible is appallingly insensitive to Scott Morrison’s prayers by giving more fire instead of rain.

One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

Prov 28:9

Hope in the midst of bushfires

“Praise the Lord,” O’Connor says. “I’m not a very religious person. But the Lord looked after us. Twenty years fighting fires, I’ve never seen anything like this. ⁵

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.

Isa 59:1

An atheist recognises God inside Mallacoota’s bushfire ‘apocalypse’.

“The sirens started up. At that point, I was praying. I was an atheist mate for 25 years. I was praying to God. I was praying to Jesus. Turn the wind (cut) ” ¹¹

“Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:10

Edit: Jeffery was ­– ­incorrectly – labelled by some media as the “atheist who turned to prayer” when he asked God to change the direction of the wind as the fire front approached, to push it back away from the wharf. This is precisely what happened, however Jeffery who has been Christian for over 25 years only mentioned his former atheism to show he understands how ridiculous his story may sound to those who don’t believe in “the God of the Bible”. Jeffery describes their “miraculous” escape as “a mercy, because, honestly, I know the alternative eternity that Jesus talked about and he doesn’t want anyone to go there.” He is hopeful this situation could serve as “a wake-up call” that “helps people realise that there is a God and he does love them, that the only safe place is behind that cross.” ¹⁵

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¹ ABC News. (2020). Cobargo shops fly rainbow colours after Australia Post flag ban. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-24/cobargo-flies-rainbow-flags-after-post-office-ban/8967600 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

² Country town hoists the rainbow flag for posties. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-24/country-town-hoists-the-rainbow-flag-for-posties/8968490 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

³ ABC News. (2020). Cobargo burning. [online] Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-31/cobargo-burning-1/11834562 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

⁴ ABC News. (2020). ‘We’ve got no water left so we weren’t able to defend,’ says local after blaze engulfs NSW town. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-31/nsw-bushfires-cobargo-fire-destroys-towns-main-street/11834322 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

⁵ Davidson, H. (2020). Relief and anger in Balmoral, the bushfire village that ran out of water. the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/23/relief-and-anger-in-balmoral-the-bushfire-village-that-ran-out-of-water [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

⁶ Moloney, P. (2020). Lithgow comes out to celebrate its rainbow community. Lithgow Mercury. Available at: https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/4658760/lithgow-comes-out-to-celebrate-its-rainbow-community/ [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

⁷ 9news.com.au. (2020). Missing man found, as fire destroys homes in Lithgow, NSW. Available at: https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-bushfires-lithgow-one-man-missing-fire-destroys-homes/27931d5a-bb72-44ea-b19a-bcf77aecb7d3 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

⁸ NewsComAu. (2020). ScoMo encourages Aussies to pray for farmers and ‘love’ each other. Available at: https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/love-each-other-pm-preaches/news-story/892b8b738d5a0bd5882c61541829c4d4 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

⁹ ABC News. (2020). Scott Morrison at church on Easter Sunday. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-17/prime-minister-scott-morrison-and-wife-jenny-sing-during-an-eas/11610994 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

¹⁰ SBS News. (2020). 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 2 Jan. 2020].

¹¹ Youtube.com. (2020). ‘When will this nightmare end?’: Inside Mallacoota’s bushfire ‘apocalypse’. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPN1SODmaMw [Accessed 2 Jan. 2020].

¹² Rfs.nsw.gov.au. (2020). Fires Near Me. [online] Available at: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me [Accessed 3 Jan. 2020].

¹³ Bladen, L. (2020). Canberra has worst air quality of major cities, forcing attractions to close. The Canberra Times. Available at: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6563401/canberra-has-worst-air-quality-of-major-cities-forcing-attractions-to-close/ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2020].

¹⁴ Hromas, J. (2020). Sydney smoke: bushfires haze smothers landmarks – in pictures. the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/gallery/2019/dec/10/sydneys-top-landmarks-smothered-in-smoke-in-pictures [Accessed 3 Jan. 2020].

¹⁵ All Who Were. (2020) Prayer saved thousands in Mallacoota, claims ‘atheist’ – Eternity News. Retrieved January 08, 2020, from https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/prayer-saved-thousands-in-mallacoota-claims-atheist/?fbclid=IwAR2i7K-CrLj5cl-9SleDeS5szf5fjE8iG0Ad0WlP2numvvJHp32tibUfDMM