is this an example of God withdrawing His protection? it just "fell into my lap", folks. i didnt go looking for it. didnt have a clue it was out there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_tide

How does the sacrifice of Christ enlighten our understanding of the plagues?

The quotes posted above include ones that speak of holy angels causing death and destruction. Yes, she also wrote about evil angels causing death and destruction too. Which is why I believe both will be involved during the out pouring of the seven last plagues.

Right. I've been asking you to cite examples of Jesus withdrawing His protection, while He was here, and permitting evil men or evil angels to punish and kill unrepentant sinners. So far you've only cited the cross which I do not view as an example unless of course you are looking at Jesus as an example of an unrepentant sinner.

But this doesn't really makes sense, does it? On the face of it, something must be wrong with an interpretation that has holy angels and evil angels doing the same thing.



You've asked this question several dozen times, and I've answered several dozen times, sometimes with lists with many examples, sometimes with just one item. Have you forgotten? It's very odd that you would say, "So far you've only cited the cross."

But since the cross has come up, let's discuss it. How do you see that the cross enables us to understand the plagues?

Also, I should add, that Teresa's point is well taken in that Jesus had laid aside prerogatives of His divinity, so that it was not His role to withdraw His protection, permitting evil men to punish and kill unrepentant sinners, etc. His role was to reveal the Father. So a more accurate question would be, where was God's character in respect to His withdrawing His protection revealed, and I can think of no better example of the cross, and resulting problems viz a viz Jerusalem and the nation as a whole.

Excellent points. Would it even be possible for Jesus to withdraw protection He did not have? Is it possible for us to reveal God's character?
Hmmmm....

Tom,

You haven't yet explained how God's act of removing His protection would be any better than directly removing life, specially in view of the fact that through these "permissions" He accomplishes His purposes.

the egyptian plagues were literal.

but could the revelation plagues be symbolic? i mean the 6th plague, we all know, is pure symbolism. so are the other ones also?

Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

could this be symbolic of the widespread drought and famine?

God has not restrained the powers of darkness from carrying forward their deadly work of vitiating the air, one of the sources of life and nutrition, with a deadly miasma. Not only is vegetable life affected but man suffers from pestilence. . . . These things are the result of drops from the vials of God's wrath [GOD TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT WHICH HE ALLOWS OR DOES NOT PREVENT. SEE EXODUS 7:3; 8:32; 1 CHRONICLES 10:4, 13, 14.] being sprinkled on the earth, and are but faint representations of what will be in the near future.--3SM 391 (1891). {LDE 27.1}
Famines will increase. Pestilences will sweep away thousands. Dangers are all around us from the powers without and satanic workings within, but the restraining power of God is now being exercised.--19MR 382 (1897). {LDE 27.2}

I have been shown that the Spirit of the Lord is being withdrawn from the earth. God's keeping power will soon be refused to all who continue to disregard His commandments. The reports of fraudulent transactions, murders, and crimes of every kind are coming to us daily. Iniquity is becoming so common a thing that it no longer shocks the senses as it once did.--Letter 258, 1907. {LDE 27.3}

God's Purpose in Calamities

What mean the awful calamities by sea--vessels hurled into eternity without a moment's warning? What mean the accidents by land--fire consuming the riches that men have hoarded, much of which has been accumulated by oppression of the poor? The Lord will not interfere to protect the property of those who transgress His law, break His covenant, and trample upon His Sabbath, accepting in its place a spurious rest day. {LDE 27.4}
The plagues of God are already falling upon the earth, sweeping away the most costly structures as if by a breath of fire from heaven. Will not these judgments bring professing Christians to their senses? God permits them to come that the world may take heed, that sinners may be afraid and tremble before Him.--3MR 311 (1902). {LDE 28.1}
God has a purpose in permitting these calamities to occur. They are one of His means of calling men and women to their senses. By unusual workings through nature God will express to doubting human agencies that which He clearly reveals in His Word.--19MR 279 (1902). {LDE 28.2}
How frequently we hear of earthquakes and tornadoes, of destruction by fire and flood, with great loss of life and property! Apparently these calamities are capricious outbreaks of disorganized, unregulated forces of nature, wholly beyond the control of man, but in them all God's purpose may be read. They are among the agencies by which He seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger.--PK 277 (c. 1914). {LDE 28.3}

Let's discuss His purposes first.



The purpose is to win the Great Controversy. God does this through revelation. He reveals His goodness, and He reveals Satan's evilness (or sin's destructiveness). When people cause God to withdraw His protection, and Satan responds by revealing his character (or the destructive power of sin is revealed), God's purpose is served.

Regarding how it's better, it's better because rather God acting like Satan, God permits Satan (or sin) to act like Satan (or permits the effects of sin to be seen), and reveals what it's like to act like Satan (or what the effects of sin are). That helps God in winning the Great Controversy.