Extreme Weather Hits Australia... Again

What used to be considered once-in-a-century or even once-in-500-years rain events in Australia are occurring with far greater frequency. For the last two weeks, the country’s heavily populated eastern coast has been inundated with rainfall levels breaking all records. A meter of rain, almost an entire year’s worth, fell on Brisbane in a three-day period. As a result, devastating floods swept away homes, businesses, and infrastructure in areas that saw similar destruction only a decade ago (Sydney Morning Herald, March 2, 2022). The damage in the states of Queensland and New South Wales is expected to exceed five billion Australian dollars  (News.com.au, March 9, 2022). This flooding follows recent raging fires in the west of the country, and horrendous fires on the east coast during 2019 and 2020 that killed or displaced nearly three billion animals. Australians are witnessing nature’s destructive forces as very few have.

Why is this happening to the “lucky” country? While scientists seek to explain these unusual and increasingly erratic weather events by looking at human impacts on the environment, the Bible points to another cause. Down through history, God has used weather to bless or punish nations and people (Leviticus 26:3–4; Genesis 6:12, 17; Exodus 9:18; Amos 4:7). It should be no surprise that God foretold that if the modern Israelite nations turn from Him and reject His laws, they would suffer increasingly serious consequences, including damaging weather phenomena (Deuteronomy 28:15–24). To understand what is happening to modern Israelite nations today, read or listen to Acts of God: Why Natural Disasters?