Tiger Attack

Recently, on Christmas Day, at the San Francisco Zoo, a 350 pound tiger escaped from its cage and attacked three men. Unfortunately, one of the men was killed. There still exists quite a bit of controversy and discussion as to just how this tiger got out of its cage/environment. Some think it was able to leap a 20 foot moat and then a 12 ½ foot fence to reach freedom. Others think the tiger was somehow aided in its escape. Quite a few, believe the tiger was provoked and whipped into a frenzy which enabled it be motivated to attack the men. Time may tell exactly what happened. Regardless of the exact details of this beast’s actions, a man’s life has ended. In fact, he was hardly a man. He was a 17 year old. His parents are, of course, deeply grieved. A parent never expects to outlive their child!

“Pastor, where are you going with this?” you may wonder. Well, I would like to address the difficult question of God’s involvement in this animal attack. Did God allow this tragedy or did God cause this tragedy? I submit that God planned every single detail and ordained its outworking. IF God allowed it, as opposed to caused it, then some other force or person would have to have initiated it. What force would that be? Is there another force that directs nature (animals, weather, climate, earthquakes, etc…) at God’s allowance? The answer is NO!! God directs nature.

Ezekiel 14:21-23 (ESV) “For thus says the Lord God: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! But behold, some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out; behold, when they come out to you, and you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it. [23] They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord God.”

We may not know or comprehend the “how” of why God directs the way He does, but make no mistake – - HE is the one who holds nature at His control. Nature does His bidding. God rules the world as He sees fit and He answers to no one. He does not need to justify His sovereign and providential dealings with His creation. He is the epitome and origin of justice. He does His own holy will without the advice or urging of anyone.

Ephesians 1:11 tells us that we have been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.

God did not allow that tiger to attack and kill that 17 year old, but rather He caused it.

As difficult as that is for us to wrap our limited, sin-impaired minds around, it IS the truth.

There is tremendous comfort to be gleaned in the midst of such tragedies, since God is up to something. There are no random events of carnage. Because He is the only one who can control nature, we can be assured that He will accomplish His will His way! All life and nature are tools in His hands. We must hold firmly to the truth that calamities are God’s providential work that ultimately glorifies Him!

Tiger attack or not, God is in control!