The term "calamitous" refers to events or situations that are disastrous, causing great distress or suffering. In the context of the Bible, calamitous events often serve as divine judgments or warnings, reflecting the consequences of sin and disobedience to God's commandments. The Bible is replete with instances where calamitous occurrences are used to bring about repentance, demonstrate God's power, or fulfill His divine purposes.

Old Testament Instances

1. The Flood: One of the most significant calamitous events in the Bible is the Great Flood, as described in Genesis 6-9. Due to the wickedness of humanity, God decided to cleanse the earth with a flood, sparing only Noah, his family, and pairs of every living creature. Genesis 6:17 states, "And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth to destroy every creature under the heavens that has the breath of life. Everything on the earth will perish."

2. The Plagues of Egypt: In Exodus 7-12, God sends a series of ten plagues upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. These plagues, ranging from the Nile turning to blood to the death of the firstborn, were calamitous for the Egyptians and demonstrated God's supremacy over the Egyptian gods. Exodus 9:14 declares, "For this time I will send all My plagues against your heart and against your officials and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth."

3. The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone due to their grievous sins. This event, recorded in Genesis 19, serves as a warning against immorality and a testament to God's judgment. Genesis 19:24-25 recounts, "Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus He overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground."

New Testament References

1. The Olivet Discourse: In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of future calamitous events that will precede His second coming. These include wars, famines, earthquakes, and persecution. Matthew 24:7-8 states, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."

2. The Book of Revelation: The apocalyptic visions in Revelation describe a series of calamitous events that will occur during the end times. These include the opening of the seven seals, the blowing of the seven trumpets, and the pouring out of the seven bowls of God's wrath. Revelation 6:12-14 describes one such event: "And when I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake. The sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind."

Theological Implications

Calamitous events in the Bible often serve as instruments of divine justice, calling people to repentance and faithfulness. They remind believers of the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. While these events can be terrifying, they also offer hope, as they point to God's ultimate plan for redemption and restoration. The Bible assures believers that even in the midst of calamity, God is sovereign and His purposes will prevail. Romans 8:28 provides comfort, stating, "And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."1. (a.) Suffering calamity; wretched; miserable.

2. (a.) Producing, or attended with distress and misery; making wretched; wretched; unhappy.

4190. poneros -- toilsome, bad
... which refers rather to essential character, as well as from sapros, which indicates
degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4190.htm - 8k

Human Sacrifice. Its Absurdity. Its Prevalence. Its Calamitous ...
... Against the Heathen. Section 25. Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its
prevalence. Its calamitous results. But some have been led ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 25 human sacrifice its.htm

Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... buried under fifteen centuries, the corruptions I speak of survive at the present
day chiefly in that little handful of copies which, calamitous to relate, the ...
/.../chapter xiii causes of corruption.htm

Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... Calamitous however it is, that what the Church has long since deliberately refused
to part with should, at the end of so many centuries, by Lachmann and ...
/.../chapter vii causes of corruption.htm

From Kadesh to the Death of Moses.
... nearly at an end, Israel is again found at Kadesh (Num.20:11) on the borders of
Edom where the spies had been sent out and they made their calamitous blunder. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter vii from kadesh to.htm

Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... poioumai where some second or third century copyist (misled by the preceding genitive)
in place of lo'goN writes lo'goU with what calamitous consequence, has ...
/.../chapter ix causes of corruption.htm

Appendix i. Pericope De Adultera.
... soon mentioned: viz. that both alike have experienced the same calamitous
treatment at the hands of some critics. By common consent ...
/.../appendix i pericope de adultera.htm

The Faithful Servant
... in one of his outbursts of generosity would have permitted this, but that Nicanor
happened in at an evil moment and drew such pictures of calamitous effect in ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xxi the faithful servant.htm

Orphanages.
... deplored, they were regarded with deep pity; everything was done which could be
done to relieve them, but it was hoped that out of this calamitous state of ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xiii orphanages.htm

Practical Reflections
... persons but folly, and to others but mere boasting, to point to this young man,
as any fruit of, or recompense for, the costly and calamitous Arctic expeditions ...
/.../murray/kalli the esquimaux christian /practical reflections.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... To Israel this was a calamitous period, embracing four usurpations and murders of
the reigning sovereigns, and three invasions of the Assyrians. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

Calamitous (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Calamitous (1 Occurrence). Psalms 91:3 For He delivereth
thee from the snare of a fowler, From a calamitous pestilence. (YLT). ...
/c/calamitous.htm - 6k

Calamities (16 Occurrences)

/c/calamities.htm - 11k

Visitation (17 Occurrences)
... a general sense: "Visited after the visitation of all men" (Numbers 16:29), ie in
natural death, the usual lot of men, as opposed to a calamitous death; "She ...
/v/visitation.htm - 15k

Unhappy (17 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Marked by infelicity; evil; calamitous; as, an unhappy day. 4. (a.) Mischievous;
wanton; wicked. Multi-Version Concordance Unhappy (17 Occurrences). ...
/u/unhappy.htm - 11k

Worst (8 Occurrences)
... moral sense. 2. (n.) That which is most bad or evil; the most severe,
pernicious, calamitous, or wicked state or degree. 3. (v.) To ...
/w/worst.htm - 8k

Wretched (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Very miserable; sunk in, or accompanied by, deep affliction or distress,
as from want, anxiety, or grief; calamitous; woeful; very afflicting. ...
/w/wretched.htm - 10k

Fatal (5 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Causing death or destruction; deadly; mortal; destructive; calamitous;
as, a fatal wound; a fatal disease; a fatal day; a fatal error. ...
/f/fatal.htm - 8k

Evil (1503 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Producing or threatening sorrow, distress, injury, or calamity; unpropitious;
calamitous; as, evil tidings; evil arrows; evil days. ...
/e/evil.htm - 47k

Disastrous (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Attended with suffering or disaster; very unfortunate; calamitous; ill-fated;
as, a disastrous day; a disastrous termination of an undertaking. ...
/d/disastrous.htm - 7k

Calamitous: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus