Was the Earthquake a Judgment of God on Haiti?

I have a few questions.

When I heard Robertson declare that the Haitian earthquake was a judgment of God on that country, I thought it ridiculous and dismissed it entirely based on what I know about science, and what I know of the Bible and of God.

There was an earthquake when the seismic plates shifted. Where these plates meet a tremendous amount of energy can be stored for centuries, and when released and the plates move, earthquakes occur. God certainly knows this, as he is the one who created the plates and created all energy. And I know that God loves all people and wants them to turn to him. In fact the reason he doesn't end all of the suffering and sin on earth now is his longsuffering. He doesn't want people to perish eternally.

So I dismissed Robertson's declarations, as did so many evangelicals.

But I have read statements by Al Mohler, and hear statements by Mac Brunson, that leaves the door open to the possibility that the earthquake WAS indeed a judgment on this nation. Wise, learned men who are our religious leaders.

Said Brunson Sunday in a sermon out of 2 Chronicles 11-14, contrasting the disobedience of Rehoboam and the obedience of Asa:

"If they ever invite me to the Congress or the White House to preach, I'm preaching this. It is not rocket science, figure this out. Rehoboam you sinned against God, the prophet said, God abandoned you. Asa, you have followed God, you have been delivered. I mean its not that hard. God does that with nations....when man is disobedient, when nations are disobedient, the enemy comes. See also the United States in the year 2010.

Don't mistake this. Have your eyes open. Let there be a remnant in this country that understands fully that what we're experiencing in this country is most likely the judgment of God. We look off down at poor little Haiti, and bless his heart, Pat Robertson, you can't help but just to pray for him, you know. He may be right, but what a dumb time to say something like that. But let me tell you something, we don't need to worry about seeing the judgment of God on somebody else, all we gotta do is look within our own borders, and congregation, let me tell you something, we've got the judgment of God here. We gonna have to edit all that out when we get to the TV thing. We don't need to look and say 'Well, is that God's judgment on them?' Folks, listen, you don't need to worry about God's judgment on somebody else, its coming on us, its coming on us."

Not that Robertson is absolutely wrong. No. "He may be right."

Mac is very smart and learned. He hs forgotten more Bible knowledge than I will ever know, and he has been educated at a prestigious seminary. So maybe I've been wrong about my perception of who God and Jesus is, and I need to be set straight.

Some questions that I would like answers to:

- we are all dirty, filthy sinners deserving hell and death, and Christians have been saved by God's grace. However, is it true that those Christians who are mostly obedient, God blesses, but those who are more sinful, God abandons and punishes? Is it true, when we sin as Christians, "the enemy comes"? I am aware of the consequences of sin, but is God ready to bring judgment? Is is true as Brunson says: "the mills of the gods grind slow, but they grind exceedingly fine"?Since we are all sinners, are the gods (whoever they may be) grinding on mills and we're all going to be ground to dust by their mills?

- is God still judging nations today like he did in the Old Testament as Mac suggests? Is he looking for those nations who are "obedient" and those who are "disobedient"? And what is his criteria? What sins does he punish countries for? Does his wrath trump his grace when he delivers punishments like earthquakes that harm little boys and girls?

- so if Pat Robertson "may be right", as Mac admits he may be, why so much ridicule towards Pat? How could it be the wrong time to say the truth? If that earthquake was Jesus' wrath, shouldn't we be proclaiming this to other nations so they can repent? And since when is it the wrong time to speak the truth?

- as I have been critical of for so long: is it true as Mac has said on numerous occasions and reiterates above: is the economy, 9/11, Katrina, the recession, high gas prices - are those all things that are the judgment of God on America? Is God really working behind the scenes to harm Americans?

- if we think Jesus perhaps decided to shake up Haiti and smash buildings and instantly kill thousands and thousands of babies, boys and girls under the rubble, how do we go and tell these same people that the answer to their problems is this same Jesus? "This earthquake that devastated your country was a judgment of God and Jesus on you...but we want you to accept Jesus as your Savior, He is the answer!"

I really already know the answers to my questions, but would love to hear your responses.

What happens on earth - earthquakes, cancers, brain tumors, divorces, tsunamis, murder - it all comes about because of fallen man living in a fallen world. Not one sin or a group of sins committed in a specific time by a specific people, but as the result of ALL sin for ALL time. Romans 8:18-25 makes it clear that all suffering in this present day is part of the corruption of mankind and this fallen world - but that a day is coming when this suffering will cease. To try and hang one event, or a series of events in our country on the wrath of God is blasphemous.

My Bible says it is not God judging people or nations and then exacting his due punishment on them.

What does your Bible say?