|
 ANSWER: In order to find the Comfort and Strength offered by the gospel in these situations,
one must embrace the following biblical truths that work together to provide hope.
Biblical Truths
1) God IS Sovereign Over ALL
Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Rom 11:36 “For from him & through him & to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
2) God, HIMSELF, Is MORALLY PURE
Ps 5:4-6 “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.
Hab 1:13 “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Mal 2:16b-17 “So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. You have wearied the LORD with your words. How have we wearied him?” you ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
3) Evil Does Occur On the Earth, But God is NOT Responsible for Evil
Evil On the Earth
2 Chr 12:14 (Rehoboam) “He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD.”
God NOT RESPONSIBLE
Job 34:10ff So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong. He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert
justice. Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world?
Job 34:21-30 “His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment. Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place. Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night
and they are crushed. He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them,
because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. They
caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy. But if
he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he
is over man and nation alike, to keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the
people.”
1 Sam 24:13 “As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.”
1 Jn 5:19-20 “W e know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us
understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in
his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
Ezra 9:13 “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.”
Isa 26:10 “Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of
uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD.”
Micah 3:1-4 “Then I said, ‘Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice, you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh
from their bones; who eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin and break their bones in
pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?’ Then they will cry out
to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them.”
Ps 5:3-6 “ In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked
cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You
destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. because of the evil
they have done.”
Mt 12:35-38 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to
give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by
your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Mt 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
James 1:13-15 “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted
by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil
desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth
to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
1 Jn 5:19-20 “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
4) GOD COULD HAVE STOPPED ALL EVIL BY NOW IF IT HAD PLEASED HIM TO DO SO, BUT HIS DESIRE FOR REDEMPTION AND MERCY TAKE PRECEDENT OVER IMMEDIATE WRATH
Gen 6:6-8 “The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”
5) God Accomplishes His Eternal Objectives through his Providence (which incl the Evil Committed by Satan/Man) At Times HE even employs evil spirits is his workings.
Gen 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Jud 9:22-24 “After Abimelech had governed Israel three years,God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and
the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelech. God did this in order that
the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might
be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of
Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.
1 Sam 16:15 “Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.”
Neh 9:28 “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.”
6) Hope is Found in BOTH:
A. Those in Christ who Suffer before the Forces of Evil Will Be Sustained
Ps 34:16ff “the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from
all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are
crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers
him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”
Ps 22:16-19 (Ex: Christ himself!!!) “Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has
encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots
for my clothing. But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to
help me.
B. Those who Participate in Evil apart from Christ will ultimately receive their just penalty
2 Sam 3:39 (David) “And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of
Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his
evil deeds!”
Ps 10:14-18 “But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The
victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm
of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not
be found out. The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from
his land. You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and
you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that
man,who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
Eccl 12:13-14 (Hidden Sins) “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God
will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is
good or evil.”
Prov 24:19-21 “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. Fear the LORD
and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,”
Ps 21:11-12 “Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot
succeed; for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn
bow”.
Ps 52:1-5 “Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a
sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. You love evil rather than good,
falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah You love every harmful word,
O you deceitful tongue! Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land
of the living. Selah”
1 Pet 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their
prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
7) People are NOT “Good” apart from Union with Christ (Why would God allow this to happen to innocent people?)
Gen 8:21 “ The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.”
Rom 6:23 “ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
8) God Works for GOOD in ALL things
Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
2 Thess 3:2 “And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
9) OUR RESPONSE should NOT be one of Revenge, but one of Righteousness
Rom 12:19 “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Rom 12:21 “ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
|
