Wildfires are raging in the United States right now, leaving a lot of people homeless, injured, and dead.

As you look at the destruction wildfires are causing, you might wonder, is this an act of God as most insurance companies would like to call it?

Is this a curse that God has sent to punish His people?

Are wildfires part of the will of God?

These are hard questions that beg valid answers.

A lot of people are asking these questions, but sadly, they are getting the wrong answer.

As a result, people become hostile against the Most High.

Some are losing their faith while others completely abandon the belief in an ever-loving and merciful God.

So, today, we want to know, are wildfires a curse from the Almighty? Is God causing all the natural calamities on earth which include wildfires? 

The answer can be yes and no.

Let’s dig deeper.

When God sends curses to people

In the Bible, we read that the Almighty indeed sends natural calamities to His people and other nations to punish them of their rebellion, iniquities, and evil.

We read in Deuteronomy 28:15-20:

“But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

“Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.

“Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

“Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

“Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

“The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, [now here’s the reason why these curses would come upon us] because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me.

This is not the only instance when God proclaimed a curse to people when they disobey Him. There are a lot of instances when God sends fire, flood, storms, plagues, and other natural calamities to rebellious people.

Now, does this include the wildfires we are seeing in various parts of the world? It could be, but not, necessarily.

When natural disasters are caused by natural forces

A lot of Christians are quick to point out that it is God’s judgment that has caused natural calamities. However, this is not always the case.

Yahshua or Jesus Christ told us in Luke 13:1-5:

There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

As you can see, Yahshua was telling the people that it is wrong to immediately conclude people suffer because they are worse sinners than us.

In John 9:1-3, we also read that it is not always sin that directly cause a person’s disability:

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 

In most cases, the natural calamities in this world are caused by natural forces and laws that govern our universe. These laws are already set and are enforced whether we like it or not. It does not discriminate. It affects everyone. 

As King Solomon tells us, “Time and chance happen to us all.”

Good coming out from the bad

However, whether you believe it or not, natural calamities are actually there to sustain life and maintain balance on this earth.

For example, wildfires are known to aid in the natural cycle of woods’ growth and replenishment. After wildfires, certain trees are given a chance to grow. Some dead trees are also cleared away giving way for new vegetation to thrive.

Of course, this may not sound so comforting especially for those who have been directly affected by wildfires. But the fact still remains: there are good things that can come out from the bad things.

What calamities should do to us

I believe this is where faith comes in. Natural calamities should bring us close to God not far away from Him. Natural calamities are reminders that we are living in a broken world and it is only God who can deliver us from it. 

God didn’t intend this world to be like how it is today, but because of sin, what was once a perfect paradise, is now subject to decay, mess, and chaos.

However, like what I mentioned earlier, there are good things that can come out of the bad things. Christ mentioned that natural calamities should force us to look into ourselves and see how ready we are in meeting our God. 

That’s why, the main point of Yahshua, which He repeated twice in Luke 13, is that we must repent of our sins so that we will not perish both physically and spiritually!

The wildfires we are seeing should help us turn to God. We must fervently pray to our Heavenly Father who is more powerful than any natural calamity. We can always turn to Him for divine protection, grace, and mercy.

Let us remember what the Bible says in Romans 8:28:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

So, whatever calamities we face, whether it would be wildfires or not, let us remember that God can work all things out for good.

Additional reading:

We live in a dangerous world, but that does not mean that we are left alone. In Psalm 91, King David wrote about the supernatural and divine protection available to us.

To learn more about Psalm 91 and how God protect you from all forms of danger, read the book, Psalm 91: God’s Umbrella of Protection by Peggy Joyce Ruth. Click here to read my book review or get the book here.