Terror: How Almighty God Uses Man's Wrath to Praise His Name
When terrorists successfully attack and unexpectedly kill so large a number of people, the question arises, "Why did God allow it?" "Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain" (Psalm 76:10). How could man's wrath praise God?
First, that God should allow men to make wicked moral choices, e.g., the mass murders by the terrorists, demonstrates that He will not coerce man into making a right moral choice-- for that, God should be praised. "19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it" (Isaiah 1:19-20).
Second, God must be restraining the amount of evil that does take place in this world, allowing only as much sin and evil that cannot be wisely restrained, i.e., God cannot always wisely prevent sin-- for this, God should be praised. "Then said [Jesus] unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!" (Luke 17:1).
Third, though God is not the author of evil, to be blamed for the evil consequences of sin, i.e., "God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man" (James 1:13), the Saints may rejoice that He so sovereignly regulates and controls ALL moral agents, both Righteous Saints and wicked terrorists, that He can say, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make Peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7). "And all the inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His Will in the Army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the Earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?" (Daniel 4:35).
Fourth, the Almighty is completing His program of Redemption with man, saving and sanctifying all that are willing and appointed, while casting out all those who ultimately reject Him-- for this, God is worthy of our praise. "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" (Daniel 9:24).
And, finally, as we complete this Church Age, ready to begin the appointed Tribulation Week, the removal of the Watching and Waiting Saints at the Pre-Tribulational Rapture will suddenly, globally, and completely lift the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit that works through the Saints and indwells them, i.e., "Ye are the salt of the Earth" (Matthew 5:13) and "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His"
(Romans 8:9)-- for which those who are "accounted worthy" (Luke 6:36) will certainly praise Christ, their LORD and Master. "For the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let [i.e., the Holy Spirit Who now restrains will continue to restrain], until He be taken out of the way [i.e., through the Pre-Tribulational Rapture]" (2Thessalonians 2:7).