Does God Intervene in Human Affairs?

As anyone who knows me or has read my work is aware, I have no interest in politics. Nevertheless, I want to preface this paper by briefly mentioning two events involving politicians: the assassination of President Kennedy and the attempted assassination of Presidential candidate Donald Trump.

On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy, a Catholic, was assassinated. On July 13, 2024, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, a nondenominational Christian, survived an assassination attempt. These two events provide the point of departure for this paper. Did God allow the death of President Kennedy but protect Mr. Trump? 

Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson gave voice to several of Mr. Trump’s supporters when he suggested that God saved Mr. Trump’s life. (See Newsweek article dated September 16, 2024).

This leads to an interesting question: does God intervene in the lives of some individuals and not others? If so, why, and based on what criteria does God intervene?

In order to address this question, we must admit that it is an arrogant presumption to claim to know the mind of God. Nevertheless, it is possible (I think) to investigate whether there is a scriptural and or theological basis for arguing that God intervenes on the part of individuals or groups. To do so requires an examination of God’s dominion and what Catholicism means by divine intervention.

The Dominion Of God

Within the context of philosophical cosmology, to speak of God’s dominion is to speak of God’s sovereign control over creation. This control can be seen in three separate, though interrelated layers of governance.

First, God has sovereignty over the universe by virtue of being the cause of creation. (See Genesis 1-2). God’s sovereignty over His creation is exhibited at various points in the Bible. God refers to His dominion over His creation in His rebuttal to Job. “Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size? Surely you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it?” (Job 38:4-5).

In the second way, God sustains His creation in its existence. Thomas Aquinas referred to God as the ground of existence. That is, God is the fount from which existence springs. This concept of God as the sustainer of creation is, of course, biblically supported. The Acts of the Apostles says of God, “In him we live and move and have our being,” and Hebrews 1:3 tells us that He [God] “sustains all things by his mighty word.”

Finally, we can speak of God as intervening in His creation. It is to this aspect of God’s governance that I turn next.

What Is Divine Intervention?

The terms divine intervention and miracle are, for the most part, synonymous. Nevertheless, there are slight differences.

Divine intervention is viewed as God’s involvement in a situation for the purpose of changing, ending, or preserving the situation. Divine intervention can occur directly or through secondary causes. It is also feasible to claim that God’s governance as the sustainer of creation is a form of divine intervention.

A miracle is “a sensibly perceptible effect, surpassing at least the powers of visible nature, produced by God to witness to some truth or testify to someone’s sanctity” (Hardon, John. Catholic Dictionary, 2013). 

Here, I think, one can begin to see a clear difference between divine intervention and a miracle. Divine intervention can be understood as God acting as a cause, among other causes in the natural order. On the other hand, a miracle involves (or usually involves) a violation or suspension of the laws of nature (i.e., the laws of physics).

All of this provides the foundation for the question at hand: Does God occasionally intervene in the lives of some individuals or groups?

The Biblical Data

There are numerous examples of God intervening in His creation. Whether these events constitute miracles or divine interventions is open to interpretation, however. I will reference two events from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive.

One of the most famous examples of divine intervention in the Old Testament is the parting of the Red Sea. As the Israelites fled from Egypt, they found themselves trapped between the Red Sea and the pursuing Egyptian army. God parted the Red Sea through divine intervention, allowing the Israelites to cross safely. (Exodus 14:21-22).

While the above example is God intervening for a large number of people, the story of Daniel tells of God intervening for one person. God intervened when the prophet Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den, shutting the lions’ mouths and protecting Daniel (Daniel 6:20-23).

In the New Testament, the story of Lazarus depicts an example of the miraculous. In John’s Gospel, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating God’s power to intervene even in the face of death.

Finally, the story of Saul/Paul. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read of Saul, an enthusiastic persecutor of Christians. However, while traveling to Damascus, Saul encounters the risen Jesus. The result of this encounter is that Saul is renamed Paul. More importantly, Paul becomes a devoted apostle of Christ.

A Present God

Catholics are not deists. We do not accept the belief that some impersonal power created the universe and left its creation to its own devices. Rather, Catholicism believes in a personal God who is “a very present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1-2). Additionally, the biblical data, coupled with Catholic tradition, suggests a God that indeed intervenes at times in the world.

Still, we are left with an impenetrable mystery that cannot be solved on this side of the eschaton: When, why, and under what conditions does God intervene?