Biblical Concept: Nature and Acts of God.
The Triune God of the Bible created the heavens and earth in their perfection—Genesis 1:31-2:3. This creation was so perfect, the first humans had no need of clothing—Genesis 2:25. When God commanded humanity to subdue the earth, see Genesis 1:28, it was a very different earth than the one we currently inhabit.
The difference maker was and is angelic intervention. Through clever techniques, Satan brought disobedience into the human condition—Genesis 3:1-7. God judged this disobedience and the judgment extended to all creation—Genesis 3:17-19 and Romans 8:18-22.
Further angelic
intervention, see Genesis 6:1-5, brought humanity to the lowest of spiritual
conditions. God judged this human
wickedness through a flood that radically changed the earth—Genesis 6:13 (“with
the earth”). The flood broke the earth
into continents and the resultant plate tectonics cause a variety of natural
disasters like earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic eruption. The flood also replaced the atmospheric
greenhouse of original creation with cold, wind, rain, snow, thunder,
lightning, tornado, and hurricane.
Angelic intervention and human disobedience to the Triune God of the Bible brought a Divine judgment which changed perfect creation to groaning creation—Genesis 1:31-2:3 and Romans 8:18-22. The earth’s “pains of childbirth” remind humanity of their fallen condition and the need for redemption—Romans 1:20 and 8:20-23 and compare 2 Peter 3:13.
Conclusion: Because of angelic and human volitional rebellion to the Triune God of the Bible, the earth is a much more dangerous place to live-- by Design. Instead of perfect creation, the earth now functions with harsh natural cycles: “the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Romans 8:22b). These spasmodic episodes of nature are called by some: “acts of God.” The spasmodic episodes of nature are the result of angelic and human volitional rebellion and are necessary to control their evil (Compare Job 37:1-13).