Take recent examples. Radical Muslims as well as many Christians view events like 9/11 in which Islamic terrorists murdered thousands in the name of Allah as being an act of God's anger against the ungodliness of Western culture. The Christians may view this as God lifting his hand of protection and restraint somewhat in the sense of "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way." 2 Thessalonians 2:7, allowing these lawless radical Muslims to commit such acts of violence, perhaps in response to things like millions of American women having their preborn babies murdered, the world-wide promotion of feminism and immorality, and the hypocrisy within the Christian community. But what of the war against terrorism? What about Afghanistan and Iraq? Are these not also God's expression of his anger against Islamic terrorism? But the religious elite in the Islamic community are blind to this idea. They are hardened in their hearts.

It is to be noted, as the case of Job, that unjustified suffering occurs. Innocent people may suffer because of other people's sinfulness, whether it be the sinfulness of an individual as in Job's case, namely Satan, or the sinfulness of the society and culture in which they live. Even the early Christian suffered unjustly at the hands of Romans and Jews. Job did a great deal of reflection and debate concerning his suffering, which is appropriate. We shouldn't discourage the suffering from asking "Why me?" God wants them to ask that question. Sometimes the answer is because of their own sin they are being disciplined. Or it may be that they are innocent victims of someone else's sin, or the sinfulness of the society. Or God may have another purpose as with the blind man of John 9

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."