A Biblical Understanding A Biblical Understanding of Evil (Part 3)of Evil (Part 3)

Isaiah 14:12ff; Gen 6:1-8Isaiah 14:12ff; Gen 6:1-8Rom 1:16-25; 9:14; John 9:1-3Rom 1:16-25; 9:14; John 9:1-3

Revelation 21Revelation 21(Seminar on the Doctrine of Evil)(Seminar on the Doctrine of Evil)

The Problem of EvilThe Problem of Evil

1. If God is all good, he would destroy evil.1. If God is all good, he would destroy evil.2. If God is all powerful, he could destroy 2. If God is all powerful, he could destroy

evil.evil.3. But evil is not destroyed.3. But evil is not destroyed.4. Therefore, there is no such God.4. Therefore, there is no such God.

Week 1Week 1

Isaiah 45:1-7 presents the Isaiah 45:1-7 presents the truth that God creates evil for truth that God creates evil for

the purpose of making His the purpose of making His Name known.Name known.

Week 1Week 1

Our focus was a gospel-Our focus was a gospel-centered approach to the centered approach to the

problem of evil.problem of evil.

Gospel-CenteredGospel-Centered

Because God’s plan of Because God’s plan of redemption, like a scarlet thread, redemption, like a scarlet thread, runs throughout the Bible we are runs throughout the Bible we are

obligated to seek to relate the obligated to seek to relate the problem of evil to the glory of problem of evil to the glory of

the gospel.the gospel.

Genesis 50:20Genesis 50:20

But as for you, ye thought evil But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it against me; but God meant it

unto good, to bring to pass, as it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people is this day, to save much people

alive. alive.

Week 2Week 2

Evil does not stand as an entity Evil does not stand as an entity or thing outside of God’s or thing outside of God’s

sovereign control.sovereign control.

Origin of EvilOrigin of Evil

A perfect angelic being with A perfect angelic being with free choice chose himself over free choice chose himself over God and the by product was God and the by product was

that which God called evil (less that which God called evil (less than God’s best).than God’s best).

The Fall of SatanThe Fall of SatanIsaiah 14:12…Isaiah 14:12…• How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,

son of the morning! how art thou cut down son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north…sides of the north…

Understanding EvilUnderstanding Evil• Evil is like rust to a car or rot to a tree. It is a Evil is like rust to a car or rot to a tree. It is a

lack in good things, but it is not a thing in lack in good things, but it is not a thing in itself. itself.

• Evil is like a wound in an arm or moth-holes Evil is like a wound in an arm or moth-holes in a garment. in a garment.

• It exists only in another but not in itself.It exists only in another but not in itself.Norman L. GeislerNorman L. Geisler

Evil Came FromEvil Came From(evil comes from)(evil comes from)

Worshipping the Creature Worshipping the Creature more than the Creatormore than the Creator

Turn to Romans 1:16-25Turn to Romans 1:16-25

God’s Best God’s Best (glory)(glory)

EvilEvilEvil is less Evil is less than God’s than God’s

BestBest

Sin is falling Sin is falling shortshort

Sin is missing Sin is missing the markthe mark

Adam and Eve FellAdam and Eve Fell

Evil includes all the by-Evil includes all the by-products of Adam and Eve’s products of Adam and Eve’s failure to choose God’s best.failure to choose God’s best.

Evil as a By-ProductEvil as a By-Product• When lumber is cut When lumber is cut

there is a by-product.there is a by-product.

–What is that by-What is that by-product?product?

• What does a good saw What does a good saw mill do?mill do?

Word of CautionWord of CautionThis does not This does not

mean that God mean that God has obligated has obligated

Himself to turn Himself to turn all evil into good.all evil into good.

Evil Left EvilEvil Left Evil

Revelation 20:10Revelation 20:10• And the devil that And the devil that

deceived them was cast deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the brimstone, where the beast and the false beast and the false prophet are, and shall be prophet are, and shall be tormented tormented day and night day and night forever and ever.forever and ever.

A Promise for Saved PeopleA Promise for Saved People

Romans 8:28Romans 8:28• And we know that all things work together And we know that all things work together

for good to for good to themthem – that love God, that love God,

• to to themthem – who are the called according to his purpose. who are the called according to his purpose.

The Problem of Evil (sin)The Problem of Evil (sin)

Turn to Turn to John 9:1-3John 9:1-3

God Must Judge SinGod Must Judge Sin

And the LORD God commanded the And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: garden thou mayest freely eat:

But of the tree of the knowledge of But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof for in the day that thou eatest thereof

thou shalt surely die. thou shalt surely die.

Judgment of HumanityJudgment of Humanity

Adam’s failure to obey God Adam’s failure to obey God within the bounds of free choice within the bounds of free choice brought the judgment of spiritual brought the judgment of spiritual death followed by physical death.death followed by physical death.

In a Fallen WorldIn a Fallen World

In a fallen world In a fallen world it is impossible to it is impossible to

have the joy of have the joy of tubing without tubing without the chance of the chance of

drowning.drowning.

Ultimately what we would like is Ultimately what we would like is a lake where its impossible to a lake where its impossible to drown but you can still tube?drown but you can still tube?We want the ability to make We want the ability to make

faster and more powerful water faster and more powerful water toys and still not have to worry toys and still not have to worry

about getting hurt.about getting hurt.

In a Fallen WorldIn a Fallen World

• Rape is a hideous sin/crime that Rape is a hideous sin/crime that deserves the harshest of punishmentdeserves the harshest of punishment

• But before we blame God for a rape let’s But before we blame God for a rape let’s think of what would not be possible if think of what would not be possible if God were to eliminate the possibility of God were to eliminate the possibility of rape rape

In a Fallen WorldIn a Fallen World

In a fallen world In a fallen world we must not we must not

blame God for blame God for the deaths the deaths

associated with associated with the weapons the weapons

humanity humanity creates.creates.

In a Fallen WorldIn a Fallen World

Before we Before we blame God for blame God for

deaths in a deaths in a road collapse road collapse

let’s remember let’s remember God didn’t God didn’t

demand roads demand roads to be built. to be built.

In A Fallen WorldIn A Fallen World• In a fallen world In a fallen world

the same spark that the same spark that starts a fire to save starts a fire to save someone from someone from freezing to death freezing to death can start a forest can start a forest fire which destroys fire which destroys homes and lives.homes and lives.

QuestionQuestion

What about natural disasters? What about natural disasters? Hurricanes, tornadoes, Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, tsunamis, earthquakes,

landslideslandslides

Jeremiah 29:18Jeremiah 29:18• And I will persecute them with the sword, And I will persecute them with the sword,

with the famine, and with the pestilence, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: have driven them:

Physical Evil (Calamities)Physical Evil (Calamities)

Turn to Genesis Turn to Genesis 6:1-86:1-8

A just Judge cannot A just Judge cannot turn a blind eye turn a blind eye

toward toward evil.evil.

Think about all the Think about all the attributes of God that will attributes of God that will

be magnified for all be magnified for all eternity because of evil. eternity because of evil.

Consider this IdeaConsider this Idea

The reason the doctrine of the The reason the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer eternal security of the believer

means so much to me is because means so much to me is because I know that left to my own I know that left to my own

devices I might walk away from devices I might walk away from God.God.

The Bible reveals thatThe Bible reveals that

God God MAY MAY have used Al-Qaeda to have used Al-Qaeda to judge America for her sin and judge America for her sin and

then God may have used other then God may have used other armies to judge Al-Qaeda.armies to judge Al-Qaeda.

When we say,When we say,

““But innocent people died in But innocent people died in the twin towers.” the twin towers.” We must We must

remember that there is none remember that there is none good no not one (Rom 3).good no not one (Rom 3).

Questioning GodQuestioning God

When the ultimate giver of life When the ultimate giver of life (God) gives life we (God) gives life we mustmust

recognize that He has the right recognize that He has the right to take life.to take life.

RememberRememberJob 1Job 1

Job’s ExampleJob’s Example

Turn to Job 13:15Turn to Job 13:15

Notice the word “but”Notice the word “but”

Job is StrugglingJob is Struggling

Job trusts in the Lord! But he Job trusts in the Lord! But he still wants to have a still wants to have a

conversation with God.conversation with God.

The Lord Answer JobThe Lord Answer Job

Job 38Job 38

Why does one person live and Why does one person live and another die?another die?

Turn to Turn to Roman 9:14-23Roman 9:14-23

ConclusionConclusion

Turn to Revelation 21Turn to Revelation 21

Our FutureOur Future

2 Peter 3:132 Peter 3:13• Nevertheless we, according to his Nevertheless we, according to his

promise, look for new heavens and a promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. righteousness.

Revelation 21Revelation 21

Vs. 1, 8, & 27Vs. 1, 8, & 27

In the FutureIn the Future

Perhaps an Perhaps an earth that is not earth that is not

cursed will cursed will permit us to permit us to rock climb rock climb

without the fear without the fear of falling. of falling.