“ A time to weep, and a time
to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”
Today, we like so many across this country
and the world, mourn over the senseless violence and needless pain caused by
disillusioned and evil human beings.
The
question is often asked, why does God permit evil to exist?
Evil as defined by Webster is: “that
which produces unhappiness: anything which either directly or remotely causes
suffering of any kind.”
A question people will invariably ask is –
Did God, the Almighty One, the One who is all wise and all powerful, – did God
know that all these tragic human events would take place?
The obvious answer is – yes. God is
omniscience – He is all knowing – there is nothing in the events of human life
that catch Him by surprise. As we are told in scripture, He knows the end from
the beginning in all human history – even to that which is yet to be written.
To answer the question though, we need to
understand from God’s Word how God is dealing with the world and more
specifically – you and I in this age.
We know that God is perfect in every way –
perfect in wisdom, perfect in love, perfect in justice – The psalmist says in
psalm 5 that our “God is a God who takes
no pleasure in wickedness; and no evil dwells with Him”
God, in His infinite wisdom, has been
dealing with mankind in diverse ways in the dispensations of time. We are living in the
dispensational age of grace that started when the perfect Son of God came to
this earth – whom scripture says was full of grace and truth. And in this
dispensational age of grace – God is not dealing with nations, with churches,
with organizations or with families, no matter what people try to tell us. God
is dealing with individuals – He’s calling individuals. He’s calling
individuals from every nation across this globe – from every tribe and every
kindred.
Unless we understand God’s glorious plan
for the redemption of all mankind, God’s glorious plan of the
ages or what Paul calls God’s “eternal purpose” in Christ Jesus – unless we
understand God’s dispensational dealings with man then we cannot answer the
question – Why does God permit evil to exist?
In
God’s infinite wisdom, mercy and love – God created man as free moral agents,
with a free will – the freedom to choose. At the moment God is dealing with you
and me and all of those who have responded to the gospel call. He’s preparing a
bride for His Son and He’s not doing it gratuitously – He’s not just doing it
because He wants a bride for His Son – He’s doing it because He has an ultimate
and glorious plan beyond that.
But now, He sits back and allows man to make
his own decisions, to create his own dilemmas, to seek to formulate his own
solutions, to fail and to experience misery and pain. The evil conditions of
the world today are not God’s doing. They are the result of the work of sin and
degradation working in the hearts and minds of mankind for 6000 years.
Why does God permit evil to exist?
Sometimes it is the only way crucial lessons in life can be learned.
In life, it is painful for parents to see their
child go thru the school of hard knocks and learn a lesson the hard way – thru
trial and error. I believe, it is infinitely more difficult for God, who is
perfect – perfect in wisdom, perfect in justice, and perfect in love – to stand
back and let man do despicable and contemptable deeds against his fellow man.
At the end of this age God will ultimately
offer mankind the choice – which world would you like to live in? – today’s
world of evil, violence and constant conflict? Or a world where there will be
perfect peace and harmony amongst humanity. A place where true and purposeful
love can be experienced. A place where swords and weapons of warfare will be
hammered into plowshares and pruning hooks, and war to never be learned again. The
choice seems simple.
God’s kingdom is coming. Our Lord Jesus
taught His disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as
it is done in heaven – and that prayer has been prayed for 2000 years and
it’s going to be fulfilled – God’s kingdom is coming upon this earth. God’s
kingdom of righteousness is going to replace Satan’s kingdom of unrighteousness,
and you and I will play a crucial role in bringing about that transition.
In the age to come God will use Christ and
the Church to bring healing and blessings to all the families of the earth.
This is what humanity is waiting for:
8 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth
comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for
the children of God to be revealed. … 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its
bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the
children of God. Romans 8
Everyone who has died from Adam to the last
person before Jesus’ return will be coming back in the resurrection – from those
23 beautiful children who died in the Texas flood to all who have died due to
the atrocities of evil men, from last week’s horror in Utah to the numberless
acts of deadly human violence down through the centuries. All are coming back,–
because God’s Word says they are, and His Word never returns to Him void.
Ultimately, men’s hearts will not change
from the evil intents that consume them until they allow the Prince of peace
and the Lord of love into that heart.
To that end -
We say marantha! – come Lord Jesus come! – that this evil and adulteress
generation will end and your love, mercy and justice will reign supreme to the
glory of Almighty God. And all God’s people said – amen!
Br. D. Gorham
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