APL, I will address the list for you, the way I think you believe. I may not get everything right. Please confirm and/or correct as necessary. Thank you.

1. Nature is not a ticking time bomb waiting and eager to unleash its pent up powers. Nature is self-acting. It can and does act according to fixed laws. It does not rely on Jesus to act.

2. Nature is inert. It can do nothing in and of itself. It cannot empower itself to act independent of Jesus. False.

3. Nature does what Jesus empowers it to do or what He permits evil angels to do with it. True. But nature is not solely dependent on Jesus to act. It can act without Him. Evil angels can also empower nature to act without Jesus' involvement.

4. Evil angels cannot empower nature to act. They can manipulate it to wreak havoc but only because Jesus empowers it to act accordingly. False.

5. Animals and natural disasters are entirely different realities as it relates to this topic. Animals act by instincts. False. Nature can also act on its own without Jesus' involvement.

6. Natural disasters act according to Jesus' employment of nature or according to evil angels manipulation of nature (and they can only manipulate it in accordance with how Jesus is willing to permit). False. Nature can act without Jesus. And evil angels can empower nature to act.

7. Permitting divorce and commanding capital punishment and war are also two entirely different realities. False. They are nearly identical issues.

8. Jesus never once commanded divorce. False. Jesus has commanded divorce.

9. But on many, many occasions He commanded capital punishment and war. True. But He only did so because Moses mistakenly assumed killing is right.

10. The idea that He originally did not want the Jews to occupy Canaan through force of arms is unbiblical. False. He wanted to do it all by Himself without help from the Jews.

11. Not once did Jesus forbid the Jews to drive out the occupants of the Promised Land with the edge of the sword. It is implied because He wanted to do it Himself.

12. The idea that holy angels are rejoicing and praising God Almighty for the evil work of evil angels is a hard sell. They're not rejoicing and praising God for the work of evil angels. They are rejoicing and praising God because He is allowing sin to run its natural course.

13. Do you think Jesus is less culpable when He permits evil men and evil angels to cause death and disaster? If so, please explain why. Zero culpability because He will not interfere with their freedom to do and choose.

14. Do you think evil angels are free to wreak havoc however they please? Or, do you think Jesus sets limits and works to ensure they are not exceeded? No, evil angels are not free to wreak havoc at will. Yes, Jesus works to protect the innocent.

MM, Do you know for a fact that the great deluge was directly caused by God? Or could have been that God choose not to prevent it? Same question to Sodom and Gomorrah?

Summarizing Ulrike's statement: sin is destructive, but not destructive enough...

There is a strange abandonment of principle, a lowering of the standard of morality; the sins are fast increasing which caused the judgments of God to be poured upon the earth in the Flood and in the destruction of Sodom by fire.--5T 601 (1889).

The inhabitants of Sodom had passed the limits of divine forbearance--"the hidden boundary between God's patience and His wrath." The fires of His vengeance were about to be kindled in the vale of Siddim. {PP 159.2}
The angels revealed to Lot the object of their mission: "We will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it." The strangers whom Lot had endeavored to protect, now promised to protect him, and to save also all the members of his family who would flee with him from the wicked city. ...

1. So this would mean that with the same act, one would not know if evil caused it or if Jesus caused it.

2. But that it doesn't really matter, because Jesus intended it to happen.

3. So in light of that, you would say that when typhoons kill, maim, and destroy the lives of thousands of people, one should not let it bother them.

4. Jesus intended it, Jesus caused it, or He caused evil angels to cause it, and the result is as He intentionally intended.

5. One should not have any sympathy or give aid to such suffering ones as that would be refuting Jesus' plans and intent. Therefore, one should take a non-nonchalant attitude and say, guess they must have had it comin' to 'em. Or they are being used as an example. I'm sure not going to help them, because if I refute and make null His plans, I could be "punished" for that. Best to forget and get on with my life and hope He doesn't do anything like that to me. But, I best not "hope", for that would be questioning Him and I might be punished for that. How could you not come to that conclusion?

And do you Green, accept what EGW says about "How different appeared their meaning!" when revealed by Christ than are understood in the Old Testament?

MM, Do you know for a fact that the great deluge was directly caused by God? Or could have been that God choose not to prevent it? Same question to Sodom and Gomorrah?

Summarizing Ulrike's statement: sin is destructive, but not destructive enough...

There is a strange abandonment of principle, a lowering of the standard of morality; the sins are fast increasing which caused the judgments of God to be poured upon the earth in the Flood and in the destruction of Sodom by fire.--5T 601 (1889).

The inhabitants of Sodom had passed the limits of divine forbearance--"the hidden boundary between God's patience and His wrath." The fires of His vengeance were about to be kindled in the vale of Siddim. {PP 159.2}
The angels revealed to Lot the object of their mission: "We will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it." The strangers whom Lot had endeavored to protect, now promised to protect him, and to save also all the members of his family who would flee with him from the wicked city. ...

I promised to address these points after you answered my questions. You upheld your end of the deal. Thank you. Now I will uphold mine. I've added numbers to your original post to make it easier to respond to:

1. Unless Jesus tells us personally, we cannot be certain whether He caused it, commanded it, or permitted it. But we can know with absolute certainty He could have prevented it, but for reasons that make sense to Jesus He allowed it.

2. Jesus works to ensure everything plays out according to His plan and purpose. Nothing happens without His involvement.

3. Understanding that Jesus is on control does not prevent us from feeling sad. Jesus laid down His own life on the cross, for which I am very thankful; however, it does not stop me from feeling sad.

4. Things play out accordingly to His plan and purpose.

5. It depends on the situation. Jesus is honored and glorified when Christians rally in support of people hit by war or natural disasters. That is part of His plan and purpose (among many other desired outcomes). In cases where Jesus commanded capital punishment or genocide, He did not expect the Jews to provide relief.