Isaac, a tropical storm which meteorologists are predicting will strengthen into a category 2 or category 3 hurricane as it passes through the Gulf of Mexico, is barreling its way towards New Orleans. The storm is expected to make landfall in the city on the seventh anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Four southern states have declared emergencies, and the governors of Alabama and Louisiana have canceled their trips to the Republican convention in order to focus on disaster preparedness efforts. On August 29^th, 2012, seven years to the day Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, Isaac is expected to hit. Katrina was declared one of the worst natural disasters in US history. Around a million people were evacuated from their homes and over a thousand people lost their lives in the devastating flooding that followed. One of the south's most productive cities was virtually wiped off the map within the space of a few hours. Many perceived the Katrina disaster to be divine judgement upon the nation for its involvement in the Gaza disengagement. Certainly the storm destroyed one of America's most decadent cities, making landfall on the same day that the “Southern Decadence” parade was to get underway. Less than a week after the disaster, homosexuals were marching through the streets of what remained of New Orleans, even as thousands were suffering from homelessness and hunger. Isaac is also expected to make landfall just as this year's “Southern Decadence” festival will be commencing.

Quote: “The storm, which analysts predict will be upgraded to a hurricane before it reaches land, is expected to hit the coast of Louisiana later on Tuesday or early on Wednesday, according to the latest predictions by the National Hurricane Center.

Of course it is humanly impossible to state categorically whether Katrina constituted divine judgement upon the United States for its involvement in the division of God's land, or whether it had more to do with the decadent lifestyle of the city's inhabitants. But from the Biblical record we know that God often concerns Himself with the affairs of men, and has spared and executed judgement on specific cities and nations in the past and has promised to do so again in the future. Sodom and Nineveh come to mind. It is interesting to note that in both cases, the mercy of God is very evident, although the outcome in each account couldn't be more different. In the case of Sodom the Lord had promised Abraham that he would spare the entire city if He found even ten righteous people in it (Genesis 18:32). He didn't find ten but He did provide a way whereby the three righteous that He did find could be saved. As the Scripture says, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished”, 2^nd Peter 2:9. In the case of Nineveh, the entire city believed God, and judgement was averted (Jonah 3:10).

While we don't have prophets in the world today, the message is still the same. This time the warning is not being given against a particular city or nation, but the Bible states that God “commandeth all men every where to repent. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead”, Acts 17:30-31. God can still judge a city as He judged Sodom and Gomorrah. But even if He chooses not to, there is another judgement day coming, one in which every person will give account to God. But God has once again provided a way whereby you can be escape the judgement, through believing on His Son for salvation. Just as God was willing to show His mercy to the cities of Sodom and Nineveh and save all those who believed the message, so He is willing to save all those who will repent of their sins and put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave His life upon the cross for you. He bore God's judgement for your sin when He died upon the cross. And all who receive Him as their Saviour shall have their sins forgiven and have eternal life in heaven (John 3:16). Have you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Source Telegraph