It was Thursday, 14 January 2016. A woman in Pinson, Tennessee, gave lunch to a four year old girl and a two year old boy, her grandchildren. The boy was named Noah. After the meal, she took them outdoors to run and play. For a short time the woman focused on the girl, and in those few moments Noah wandered into the woods that adjoined the open yard. Soon he was out of sight of his grandmother and became lost. Knowing nothing else to do, the small boy kept walking. The woman tried to locate him and failed; then she phoned the police for help. The time was 1:38 pm. Little Noah walked a mile and a half through the rough and wooded terrain. Realizing something was wrong, he began to cry and frantically call out for his Mommy and Daddy. Searchers were soon combing the area near his grandmother's house, but Noah was already too far away for them to hear his pitiful cries. At last he could go no further. He either sat down, or stumbled, and could not get back up. He was alone, scared, tired, thirsty, and by now getting very cold. No one knows how long he crouched on the ground, trembling with terror and shaking with fear. Finally, the blessing of unconsciousness relieved him of his distress, and little Noah died. After an intensive search by about a thousand people, his precious little body was found a week later on January 21.
I followed these events in the news during that week and prayed fervently that Noah would be found alive and returned to his parents. When he was found dead, my spirit was devastated. I found it difficult to sleep at night, and during the day could hardly think about anything else. I was truly empathizing with this toddler, who weighed only 25 pounds. He was an innocent, sweet child who had never hurt anyone. He had only brought joy and smiles to everyone who knew him, and filled their hearts with love. And yet, he suffered unto death an experience that was about as terrible and cruel as it could be. To have died in the presence of his parents would have been bad enough. To have died in a lighted room would have been bad enough. To have died in a clean, warm bed would have been bad enough. But to die alone, in the dark of night in the woods, lying on the cold ground and utterly scared ... afflicts my spirit beyond description.
In the social media, people (knowing Noah's family were Christians) have asked, "Where was God?" I must confess I myself had thought the same thing, though I did not orally reveal it. Readers of this blog know that I am a Christian. I believe God is the essence of love, goodness, and kindness. But He watched as the worst happened to this helpless, innocent child. We are told in Matt. 10:29 that even a sparrow does not fall to the ground without God knowing it. Why then did He not intervene to rescue Noah and return him to the security, comfort and love of his family? After all, they love and worship God steadfastly. I struggled to reconcile God's loving kindness and Noah's terrible, fatal ordeal. Finally, I came to a conclusion that satisfies me. I share it with my readers in the hope it will be meaningful and helpful to you as you are challenged by similar dilemmas.
There are basically only two powers that operate in the world, the power of God and the power of Satan. God's power is expressed through love, goodness and kindness. Satan's power is expressed through hate, cruelty and destruction of human welfare. Every power we experience about us is the visible operation of these two invisible powers. This applies to the powers of government, human will and the action it produces, and the events that make up our common daily experience. When we observe something good, it is due to God's presiding power. When we observe something bad, it is due to Satan's presiding power.
Why does God not overwhelm Satan so that all we experience is good and life remains pleasant? The answer to this question is absolutely fundamental to the meaning of life, and I cannot address it here in a few words. I will only hint at the answer by bidding you consider what, in military terms, is called Rules of Engagement. In modern warfare there is some agreement among nations as to how war should be conducted. They are by no means always followed, but in the most critical way they are. Take, for example, the war in the Middle East. The United States could have used atomic weapons and defeated the enemy very quickly. But by our Rules of Engagement we did not do that for reasons well enough known to all civilized people.
God evidently also has Rules of Engagement in His war with Satan. With His infinite power He could overwhelm Satan in every instance. But for reasons He has not revealed to us, He chooses not to do that. He has told us (Isa. 55:8-9) that "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
Dear readers, I attribute Noah's terrible, fatal ordeal to the work of Satan. When Noah became alone and lost, Satan saw an opportunity and seized it! It is his delight to inflict as much pain, suffering and hardship on people as he can. He has not an iota of mercy for a two year old child, helpless, innocent and sweet. In fact, the more he can destroy such goodness, the more satisfied he is. For you see, the goodness, innocence and sweetness in little Noah were the gift of God. And Satan's every act is aimed at God, his great enemy.
No one can say why God did not extend His loving hand to save the life of Noah, but we must remember what Christ said to adults in Matt. 19:14, "Let the little children alone and do not hinder them coming to Me, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." God was watching with greatest interest and concern as Noah struggled on until exhaustion and then death overtook him. Satan had then completed his malicious work. Then God took possession of little Noah's pure and innocent soul and placed him forever beyond Satan's cruel hand. Noah is now with God in a state of eternally undisturbed bliss. His companions are angels. He enjoys light, comfort and surrounding beauty we cannot imagine. He is missed, mourned and lamented by the loving family (and others) left behind on earth. But Noah will for unending ages be filled with joy and peace.
Dear reader, in your personal philosophy you may not accept my interpretation placed upon Noah's ordeal and others like it throughout the world. But it makes sense to me; I believe it is true; and I find peace and comfort in it. My inner tension for the past several days is now relieved. I thank you for reading my exposition to the end. May God bless you!
