God is good, and all powerful, why then is there evil in the world*? Good question! The Bible gives a very good answer. It will be seen that God is not responsible for the existence of evil, but that there is a cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan, and planet earth is its theatre. (*Also referred to as the Theodicy problem.)
In order to understand the answer, we need to go back to the beginning of the Bible.
What was earth’s condition when God first made it compared with earth today? Genesis 1:1, 31
“1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. … 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
The bible uses a parable, in other words an illustration, to explain what happened.
Where do we find the illustration? Matthew 13:24-30
“24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
What do all these things mean? The will Bible explain itself…
Who is the sower of the good seed? Matthew 13:37
“37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man”.
What kind of seed was subsequently sown in the field? Matthew 13:38
“38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.”
Who is responsible for the weeds and how long must this go on? Matthew 13:39
“39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.”
Who is the devil? Revelation 12:9
“9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world”.
Christ Jesus made the universe and everything in it very good. The devil introduced the obnoxious tares, that is evil and death.
Who is responsible for the existence of diseases in the world? Luke 13:16
“16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?” (Context Luke 13:10-16)
So where did this creature come from? Luke 10:18
“18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”
As to all topics of study, comparing both testaments will give us the clearest explanations. Let’s therefore visit the OT to find out what took place in Heaven…
What condition was Satan in before his fall? Ezekiel 28:12-15
“12 Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”
God made this angel (covering cherub) perfect in wisdom, beauty and honoured him with special blessings of being in God’s very presence. There was no excuse to rebel.
How could a perfect being in a perfect environment fall into sin? Isaiah 14:12-14
“12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
Being named Lucifer (the light bearer) from the beginning, discontentment and selfishness grew in his heart as he misused his freewill and then he thought to usurp God’s position. With his fall came the change of names, he became Satan (the accuser) and devil (slanderer).
What was the results of Satan’s rebellion? Revelation 12:7-9, 12
“7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
How many angels joined Satan in his fall? Revelation 12:3-4
“3 .. behold a great red dragon, … 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth”. (Stars are angels as it says in Revelation 1:20.)
How does he feel about being defeated? Revelation 12:12
“12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
Whom is he seeking because of his wrath? 1 Peter 5:8
“8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour“.
Why was Satan cast to the earth? Genesis 3:3-6
“3 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. ” (Context Genesis 3:1-8)
Satan’s rebellion found sympathies on earth when Adam & Eve chose to join him, then the raging war transferred to the earth.
Satan’s mode of warfare are many, but which is one of the most successful? Matthew 4:8-10
“8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
The Old Testament gives us the singular most comprehensive examples of Satan’s devices of warfare. It opens a curtain, as it were, to the invisible war that involve all of us today as mentioned in Ephesians 6:12. The account is found in Job 1:1-22. Study it carefully.
Who are gathered in the Heavenly Counsel? Job 1:6-7
“6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Who did Job serve, worship? Job 1:8
“8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”
What does Satan claim is the reason for Job’s worship? Job 1:9-11
“9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.”
In whose hand does God give Job’s possessions? Job 1:12
“12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”
Can Satan instigate bold crimes? Job 1:13-15
“13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
Can Satan create wars, manipulate the weather to cause natural disasters and the suffering that follows? Job 1:16-19
“16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
How did Job react to his painful experience and did he vindicate God? Job 1:20-21
“20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”
The same drama goes on behind the scenes in each of our lives, the difference is that Job had some understanding of what was going on, today many don’t.
What is earth to the angels? 1 Corinthians 4:9
“9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”
The whole universe is looking on. Whose side will we join? Will we become the Wheat or the Tares. In Christ we have power to choose, to do right and to be the wheat.
Friend,
Is it clear that God has not given excuse to ANY evil that exist today and that it’s a sole product of Satan? Do you desire to say with Joshua: ”As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”? (Joshua 24:15)
The majority of the world is blind to this war and don’t realise that Jesus only saves out of it. If you already have made a decision to serve Jesus, we would encourage you help others be turned from darkness to light. (Acts 26:16-18)
