The LORD creates evil - 16 February 2012 |
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It was Isaiah who said that, not me.
Here are some biblical texts where the LORD God is said to create, bring forth, cause, bring, decree, form or speak evil (ra’, sometimes translated “disaster”) against people:
- The LORD creates ra’: Isaiah 45:7
- The LORD brings forth ra’: Lamentations 3:38
- The LORD causes ra’: Amos 3:6
- The LORD brings ra’: Job 42:11; Jeremiah 4:6; 6:19; 11:11; 19:3; 23:12; 32:23; 32:42; 42:17; 44:2; 45:5; 49:37; 51:64
- The LORD decrees ra’: Jeremiah 11:1
- The LORD forms ra’: Jeremiah 18:11
- The LORD speaks ra’: Jeremiah 19:15
Of course, God does not bring about evil in the same way that sinful human brings do. The LORD does not sin in bringing about evil, for example. But a defence of the unchanging goodness of God in the face of moral evil cannot rely of a diminution of God’s sovereign control over the actions performed. A heftly dose of Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin and Francis Turretin is probably a better place to start.
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Bible, Minister's Blog