Act of God or Coincidence? A Closer Look

The first time I ever saw a reference to an “act of God” was on a legal contract my husband and I were about to sign.

An “act of God” is:

a direct, sudden, and irresistible action of natural forces such as could not reasonably have been foreseen or prevented, as a flood, hurricane, earthquake, or other natural catastrophe. – Dictionary.com.¹

Putting aside widespread events like hurricanes or other natural disasters, might there be other situations that could qualify as an “act of God”?

Looking at it from a Christian perspective, this can raise some interesting questions.

You may recall that during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, some news outlets reported that a large power outage plunged parts of the city into darkness.

This unexpected outage happened a day after the appalling opening ceremony at the Games.

You know what I’m talking about.

Per Reuters, the “entire” city was not affected (as some have reported), but several residential districts in Paris went dark.

Having experienced several power outages where we live, it is alarming when those outages occur. Before we bought a generator, we would often lose hundreds of dollars worth of food because the outages would last for hours.

That being said, I can’t imagine what it would have been like living in Paris, to have millions of people there for the Games, and your district suddenly goes dark. It can be a serious safety issue.

Besides the power outage, there were other disturbances during the Games, including major transportation issues and food shortages. 

I’ve heard people say and read some of the headlines that the power outage – no matter how widespread it was – was an act of God. The opening ceremony was clearly blasphemous.

So what do you think?

Act of God, or coincidence?

Questions Remain, Skeptics Mock, yet God is Sovereign 

Nothing that happens here on earth escapes God’s attention.

God is Sovereign.

The opening ceremony at the Games was no surprise to Him.

Was He sending the world a message?

Were the many reported problems experienced at the Games an act of God, or just a coincidence?

I reached out to a respected online Christian ministry resource to gain some perspective.

Here’s what they had to say:

The phrase “Act of God” is usually used in legal and insurance contexts to describe natural events beyond human control, like earthquakes, floods, or storms. Biblically, there are certainly instances where God intervenes directly in the world, either to protect, to judge, or to accomplish His will. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s direct actions — think of the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 7-12) or the flood in Noah’s time (Genesis 6-9). These were clear acts of God, meant to fulfill a specific purpose.

When it comes to the 2024 Olympics, it’s not a stretch to consider that God might have been making His displeasure known. We don’t know, and while we can’t definitively say, “This was an act of God,” the timing is certainly striking. God has a history of using natural events to get people’s attention, and a sudden, major power outage in the wake of such blatant disrespect perhaps was a sign. We can’t say for sure.

In the Bible, God doesn’t just let sin go unchecked. Galatians 6:7 reminds us, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” When people or nations mock what is holy, they experience consequences. Sometimes these consequences are natural results of sinful behavior, and other times, God intervenes more directly. Whether this power outage was an “Act of God” in the literal sense or not, it certainly serves as a reminder of the seriousness with which God views blasphemy and disrespect toward Him.

Throughout scripture, God uses both blessings and hardships to turn people’s hearts back to Him. When things go wrong, especially after a clear act of defiance against God, it can serve as a wake-up call. It’s an opportunity for repentance and reflection. Ultimately, whether the power outage was a direct act of God or just a coincidence, it doesn’t change the fact that God is sovereign, and nothing happens outside of His knowledge and control. This event should remind us to stay vigilant in our faith, to pray for those who mock God, and to be aware of the spiritual battle that rages on around us. – GotQuestions.org.²

So, were the many problems at the Olympics an act of God or a coincidence?

On this side of Heaven, only the Lord really knows.

That’s good enough for me.

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¹ Act of God definition from Dictionary.com. © Random House, Inc. 2023. Retrieved from act of God

² Quotation from gotquestions.org (personal communication, August 9, 2024).