The Purpose of Evil

Is it possible for God to create without purpose? I cannot imagine such a thing. So l wanted to know what purpose God had in mind when he created evil.

“I make peace, and create evil.” (Isaiah 45:7)

At first I wanted to use another word for evil like “calamity”, or “disaster”, or “bad times” as do the corrupted English versions of the Bible. But I found that it is the same Hebrew word used in the phrase “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. But whether I called it evil, calamity, disaster or bad times…the Bible says God created it. So I continued to ask myself “Why?” and started to search the Scripture for the answer.

In my initial quest it did not help to find verses about God like the following…

“…the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will”, and “all is of God” (Ephesians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 5:18)

Not only did God create evil, it was the “purpose of His will”, for “all is of God”. It is no wonder most of Christendom and Flip Wilson flippantly shrug evil off on the devil with the quip…“the devil made me do it”. But of course God created the devil also…and must have known how he would turn out, in fact he must have created him to do the evil he does.

I knew down deep in my heart that evil must have a necessary purpose since God loves the world and sent his Son to save the world from the very evil He created.

I began to see that evil was temporary when I ran across the following verses in Jeremiah…

“Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them…” (Jeremiah 32:42)

A glimmer of light on this dark subject. God brings great evil upon people, but he also promised to bring them good. Evil in God’s plan must be temporary, so I reasoned that evil will last only until its purpose is finished.

BUT, WHAT IS THAT PURPOSE? Could not God have planned for eternal good without creating evil? It seemed to me I was no closer to that purpose than when I had begun my study. Surely God would have written down somewhere in His Word the purpose for evil. 

I eventually ended up in the book of Ecclesiastes, written by one whom God had given great wisdom, one who had searched out by that wisdom all of the ways of the world…at first what I found lead to more discouragement as I read from the NASB version of the Bible…

“13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. 16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. 18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.” (Ecclesiastes 1:13-18 NASB)

And with that I was prepared to quit searching assuming God had not chosen to reveal his purpose, and He doesn’t have too I reasoned, after all He is God. 

But I did one last thing, I looked up the above passage in a Hebrew interlinear. And there in verse 1:13 and 3:10 was the Hebrew word “laanowt” which I found is only used these 2 times in Scripture. But I could have missed its meaning because the above English version of the bible (NASB) and most other versions had mistranslated the word. Then I read the verses in Young’s Literal Translation and the Concordant Version of the Old Testament and there it was…the purpose for all the evil that comes upon men - “TO HUMBLE THEM”….

“I applied by heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: It is an experience of EVIL Elohim has given to the sons of humanity TO HUMBLE THEM by it…I see the experience that Elohim gives to the sons of humanity TO HUMBLE THEM by it” (Ecclesiastes 1:13; 3:10 CVOT)

God created evil because he knew mankind must be humbled before they can be exalted. Experiencing evil is the means to that end. There was no other way or God would not have created evil. All people are finally and fully humbled by the greatest enemies of mankind – suffering and death…BUT by that experience, they will be able to appreciate the ultimate good to come after their  RESURRECTION TO IMMORTALITY!

“Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep…As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY…. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 22, 54; Colossians 1:21-22)”

Adam and Eve had known only good before they ate of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  But the good they had could not be appreciated without the perspective of evil to contrast it with.  And without the contrast they could not love and appreciate God for their blissful state. So God created evil...thank you Lord!

The Purpose of Evil

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create EVIL: I the LORD do all these” (Isaiah 45:7)

The great barrier to belief in God, and especially to a loving God, is the presence of evil in the world. Quite frankly, I do not blame people for rejecting God or at least rejecting the idea of a God who really cares about people. And I am confident God does not blame them either.

The Bible, read in its entirety, can help us understand evil, but few have read or even had opportunity to read it. After all, the printed Bible was not made available to the public at large until recent times.

So why, if there is a God, did He create evil and why does He continue to allow it to prosper?

                                וְנָתַ֣תִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֗י לִדְרֹ֤ושׁ וְלָתוּר֙ בַּֽחָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם ה֣וּא׀ עִנְין

The above Hebrew is translated in the Concordant Version of the Bible as follows:

“I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: It is an experience of EVIL Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it” (Ecclesiastes 1:13 CV)

God created evil in order that mankind could experience it and be humbled as a result. And when God is through with it, I am confident He will remove it…

“He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day, Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:8-9)

In this present evil age we will be humbled, but we live in faith that although evil is necessary, it is also temporary...the best is yet to come.

"And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:23-25)

The problem I see with most people, even Christians, or especially Christians, is that we are more concerned with the journey than with the final destination. When our eyes are fixed on the evils along the way, we forget what awaits when we arrive. If we just learn to believe God and accept that evil is necessary, but temporary, we begin to see people differently along the way, and start to see the destination…the place where mankind arrives safely in the arms of a loving Father, changed in part by the journey, but finished to perfection by the Master craftsman before the Great White Throne.

So how can we love the God who subjected His creation to suffering and futility on the journey? Because we have been told in the Scripture about the sequel, the destination, and yes the deliverance of all creation and the redemption of all, and the immortality of a perfect new body….Yes, I believe the Bible… all things are working for good!

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints (mankind) according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God - all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)

Theologians have told us that God only works things out for good for those who love God. THAT IS NOT WHAT PAUL IS SAYING. He is saying that ONLY those who love God SEE that even though God subjects His creation to "futility" and suffering, he is working it out for the good of ALL....and eventually the whole creation will be "set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (8:20-21)

When we are in possession of the immortal life that follows our resurrection, we will finally understand why evil was necessary in this present evil age. That it was absolutely essential in the wonderful plan of redemption and reconciliation. Until then we can only have faith that good will eventually triumph over evil.

”… in Christ all will be made alive…when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father… For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death…then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

Man cannot save himself…he must first be humbled…then saved by the one who can.

“For without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22)

Before God allowed evil and sin into the world, He had a plan for its removal. It is the shedding of the blood. Sin demands a harsh judgment - the shedding of blood…death! The innocent sacrificial lamb has died, extending the life of the sinner, but the sinner eventually dies...death is necessary for remission.

The plan of salvation is simple, the execution of that plan is harsh, but the final result is the salvation of both the sinner and the sinless lamb…the deliverance from death…first for the innocent lamb (Jesus), then for all sinners.

Is it that simple? It is for me….it is finished.

“The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. . .” (John 1:29)

 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day...it is finished” (John 6:39; 19:30)

Rescued!

"The Lord will rescue me from EVERY evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:18)

We will be rescued from every evil deed when the Lord has brought us "safely to His heavenly Kingdom."  But for now we live in what Paul calls "this present EVIL age," (Galatians 1:4) and it is His will for us to suffer at least some while we are here.
And why not? Just think about it for a minute. If you have never been ill, could you truly appreciate your health and give genuine thanks for it?  If you had never been hated and rejected, could you truly appreciate being loved and accepted?

EVIL serves as the contrast to GOOD. Adam and Eve would have never known how good they had it, except for experiencing the evil that came when they disobeyed. What we learn from experiencing evil is simple.  Good is better than evil.   God and Jesus are good.  Hitler, Idi Amin, Nero, Satan, and many others are not.

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst." (1 Timothy 1:15)

Paul says that Jesus came into the world to "save sinners" and that he has already saved the "worst."  Tell me, who has a greater need to be saved - the Mother Teresas of the world or the Hitlers of the world?  If he saves the "worst" then it seems logical to me he will save us all.  And he will!