In the absence of a clear prophetic word, it would be nothing short of theological malpractice to claim that any particular plague, tornado, or earthquake is sent as a direct punishment from God for any particular sin. Moreover, we can’t say that such disasters are signals of Christ’s imminent coming – after all, Jesus Himself claimed that wars, earthquakes, and famines would happen throughout human history (Mark 13:7-8), and the last 2000 years have proven Him to be right.

But Psalm 106 does show us that God has, in the past, used such catastrophes to draw attention to His people’s sin, and to draw them back to Himself. While they were wandering in the desert after the Exodus, God’s people clamored for meat to eat, even though God was providing miraculous bread from heaven for them every day. And so God gave them what they wanted – He sent flocks of quail to cover the camp, but also sent sickness along with them (Psalm 106:13-15; Numbers 11:1-9, 31-34). Another time, God sent a plague on the people because they engaged in worship of false gods (Psalm 106:28-29; Numbers 25:1-9).

And so, whenever difficult times come our way, it’s not wrong to let such hardship prompt us to some self-examination. Are we truly thankful for the blessings God has given us, or in our ingratitude do we crave more and more? Are we truly trusting in God to protect us and to provide for us, or have we starting looking to other things, people, or institutions to save us? In our busyness, in our distraction, in our discouragement or in our despair have we forgotten God, the One Who has saved all who trust in Christ from our sins (Psalm 106:21)?

Well, the good news is that if God brings difficulties into our lives to illuminate our sin and refocus our attention, He also hears our cries in our distress (Psalm 106:44). He remembers the covenant promises He has made through His Son, the One Who died for us (Psalm 106:45). And because Jesus rose from the dead, we can be sure that God will keep His promises to forgive us and to cleanse us and to draw us ever nearer to Him, no matter what may happen to us in this life.

Could there be any better reason to turn from our sins and turn to Him? Could we have any greater reason to give Him thanks and praise (Psalm 106:47)?

Psalm 106 (NASB)

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, Or can show forth all His praise?
3 How blessed are those who keep justice, Who practice righteousness at all times!
4 Remember me, O LORD, in Thy favor toward Thy people; Visit me with Thy salvation,
5 That I may see the prosperity of Thy chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, That I may glory with Thine inheritance.
6 We have sinned like our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly.
7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Thy wonders; They did not remember Thine abundant kindnesses, But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
8 Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name, That He might make His power known.
9 Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up; And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.
10 So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them, And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11 And the waters covered their adversaries; Not one of them was left.
12 Then they believed His words; They sang His praise.
13 They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,
14 But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.
15 So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them.
16 When they became envious of Moses in the camp, And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,
17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, And engulfed the company of Abiram.
18 And a fire blazed up in their company; The flame consumed the wicked.
19 They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped a molten image.
20 Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt,
22 Wonders in the land of Ham, And awesome things by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, To turn away His wrath from destroying them.
24 Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe in His word,
25 But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.
26 Therefore He swore to them, That He would cast them down in the wilderness,
27 And that He would cast their seed among the nations, And scatter them in the lands.
28 They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, And ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds; And the plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and interposed; And so the plague was stayed.
31 And it was reckoned to him for righteousness, To all generations forever.
32 They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of Meribah, So that it went hard with Moses on their account;
33 Because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips.
34 They did not destroy the peoples, As the LORD commanded them,
35 But they mingled with the nations, And learned their practices,
36 And served their idols, Which became a snare to them.
37 They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood.
39 Thus they became unclean in their practices, And played the harlot in their deeds.
40 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people, And He abhorred His inheritance.
41 Then He gave them into the hand of the nations; And those who hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were subdued under their power.
43 Many times He would deliver them; They, however, were rebellious in their counsel, And so sank down in their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless He looked upon their distress, When He heard their cry;
45 And He remembered His covenant for their sake, And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.
46 He also made them objects of compassion In the presence of all their captors.
47 Save us, O LORD our God, And gather us from among the nations, To give thanks to Thy holy name, And glory in Thy praise.
48 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the LORD!