I just came across a post I had commented on a while ago and lost (I've finally started writing down where I comment).
On ec4religion.co.cc I left a comment on a post where the writer claimed God did not create evil. When I went back to look, he had responded that "We can quote the Bible out of context to support whatever positions we have but God did not originally create evil".
I'm totally offended. I did no such thing and I'm offended that I am accused of it. Phrased that way makes it an accusation as if I'm deliberately trying to vilify our Heavenly Father! Even if he had said, "That's out of context, it's really like this..." it would have been better. I DO want to read the rest of his post, that just stopped me cold for a bit! The poster says God did NOT originally create evil but scripture specifically says He did. It's a quote directly from Him through Isaiah.
When I first found those verses I quoted there on Did God Create Evil?, I was surprised and had to totally rethink what "evil" is.
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1 Samuel 16:14 "..and an evil spirit from YHWH tormented him."
Judges 9:23 God sent an evil spirit..
Then there's Isaiah 45:7 which says, "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I, YHWH, do all these things."
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Some translations have "calamity" or "disaster" in Isaiah. That's not what I ever considered "evil" before; I always thought it was an active and tangible force that stands against YHWH. So what does that mean for the idea that there is an evil spirit world? What is an evil, tormenting spirit? Especially one FROM YHWH?
I've also read that evil is man's own nature which is selfishness and wanting our own way instead of the way of righteousness that comes from the Holy, the nature we are intended to have.
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Here's a question to ponder...
ReplyDeleteIf God did not create evil, who did? Is there some other being out there capable of creation?
God may have created Lucifer as an angelic being but God knew Satan would rebel and become pure evil.
Some people don't want to think of God as sovereign over anything bad. However, on the contrary, what hope do we have if God is not sovereign over all, light, darkness, well-being and calamity?
Tony
God, if you believe the Bible, spoke everything that ever was and is into existence....No matter how you try to get around this, that is the situation.
ReplyDeleteNow, YHWH doesn't have the best track record for doing just good things...In Isaiah he sent bears to kill 40 children violently, all for making fun of a bald prophet...surely you don't think that is a good thing?
Tony, I'm not totally sure what "evil" really is anymore but I have to believe YHWH accepts, allows, and/or endorses.
ReplyDeleteMatt, if these kids are the kind who rebel against holiness and are juvenile delinquents, the society may have been better off without them. They deliberately went against YHWH's chosen, though it certainly seems the prophet took it as petty, personal revenge. The way it's written in scripture sounds ridiculous but if you think of a gang of kids harassing and threatening an old man, it's not so far out of the realm of reason.
If we accept that God is the Creator of all that is, seen and unseen, it stands to reason that God is also the Creator of evil. Besides, Scripture specifically says that God creates evil. Isaiah 45:7 The Hebrew is 'ra' meaning 'bad', or 'evil'.
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