JON SWALES TWITTER: JONSWALES77

PROJECT

TUTORSCHOOL OF THEOLOGY EXPRESS

WHY THE HELL DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN?SUFFERING, SATAN AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

Specific Divine Reason

EVENTSORDAINS

Strong Sovereignty

ALLOWSWeak

Sovereignty

Human Agents Spiritual Agents

Natural Phenomena Micro/Macro

!

!

“The dark threads are as neededIn the Weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silverIn the pattern He has planned.”

–Benjamin Malachi Franklin

“Lord, You see a grand design that You imagined when You breathed

me into life.  And all the chaos comes together in Your hands like

a masterpiece of Your picture perfect plan.”

–Casting Crowns

Q. 27. What do you understand by the providence of God?A. The almighty and ever-present power of God whereby he still upholds, as it were by his own hand, heaven and earth together with all creatures, and rules in such a way that leaves and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and unfruitful years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, and everything else, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand.

–Heildelburg Catechism

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW“Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless

the Lord has done it?” (Amos 3:6, ESV)

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:33, ESV)

“I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who

does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7, ESV)

“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 8:28, ESV)

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20, ESV)

“this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” (Acts 2:23, ESV)

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW• “Everything happens for a reason,” • “God has his reasons,” • “God’s ways are not our ways,” • “Nothing happens by accident,” • “God knows what he is doing,” • ‘Jesus wanted to call her home.’ • “God’s timing is the right timing,” • “This tumour will not grow 1mm beyond what

God ordains/allows”

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

EVENTS

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

EVIL

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

RAPE

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

TORTURE

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

PAINFUL DEATH

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

FAMINE

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

GENOCIDE

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

GENOCIDE

God has a reason for everything

If God is Good then God has a good reason for everything.

BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW

ALLOWS Specific Divine Reason

ORDAINS

Suffering and Evil

How do you pray?

(1) Moral Responsibility (2) Questions God’s Character (3) Inconsistent with Scripture (4) Resignation Rather than Revolt

WARFARE WORLDVIEW

Rebuking Hostile Waters

“You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the

sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might

not again cover the earth.” (Psalm 104:6–9, ESV)

WARFARE WORLDVIEWRebuking Hostile Waters Cosmic Monsters

“In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the

twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.” (Isaiah 27:1, ESV)

WARFARE WORLDVIEWRebuking Hostile Waters Cosmic Monsters Conflict with heavenly beings

“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to

the wicked? Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.””… “I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any

prince.” Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!” (Psalm 82:6–8, ESV)

WARFARE WORLDVIEW

HUMANS

DO NOT LOVE GOD DO NOT LOVE NEIGHBOUR

YHWH EVIL

LOVE GOD LOVE NEIGHBOUR

WARFARE WORLDVIEWSatan

“in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of

disobedience—” (Ephesians 2:2, ESV)“now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31, 14:30,16:11)

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the

image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4, ESV)“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against

the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the

evil one.” (1 John 5:19, ESV)

WARFARE WORLDVIEWJESUS AND HOLY WAR

!

Mark 1:34 (ESV)!34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.!

!

Matthew 8:16 (ESV)!16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he

cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.!!

Luke 4:41 (ESV)!41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he

rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.!

Text Brief Description

Mark 1:21-28//Luke 4:31-37 Synagogue in CaparnaumSpirit Cries out and recognizes Jesus

Mark 5:1-20//Matt 8:28-34//Luke 8:26-39 Gerasene Demoniac (2 in Matt), Legion of Demons, enter pigs.

Mark 7:24-30//Matt 15:21-28

Syro-Phoenician womans daughter

Mark 9:14-29//Matt 17:14-21//Luke 9:37-43 Evil Spirit that makes a boy deaf and dumb.

Mark 16:9 Mary Magdalane had seven demons.

Matt 12:22-30/Luke 11:14-23 (also Mk 3:20-30)

Demons cast out of a man, Jesus is accused of having done this in power of Satan. Matt: blind and mute, Luke :Mute

Luke 13:10-17 Crippled woman on the sabbath in a synagogue.

Matt 9:32-34 Dumb man with a demon, accused of doing this by ‘prince of demons’

Text Brief Description

Mark 9:14-29//Matt 17:14-21//Luke 9:37-43 Evil Spirit that makes a boy deaf and dumb.

Matt 12:22-30/Luke 11:14-23 (also Mk 3:20-30)

Demons cast out of a man, Jesus is accused of having done this in power of Satan. Matt: blind and mute,

Luke :MuteLuke 13:10-17 Crippled woman on the sabbath in a synagogue.

Matt 9:32-34 Dumb man with a demon, accused of doing this by ‘prince of demons’

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God

was with him.” (Acts 10:38, ESV)

“And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease. (mastix) ”” (Mark 5:34, ESV)

“for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases (mastix) pressed around him to touch him.” (Mark 3:10, ESV)

“In that hour he healed many people of diseases ((mastix)) and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.” (Luke

7:21, ESV)

STORMS AND SATAN

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being

swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked

the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea

obey him?”” (Matthew 8:23–27, ESV)

WARFARE WORLDVIEW

WARFARE WORLDVIEW

Theology & Worship Discipleship

Prayer Pastoral Mission

Eschatology

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death

shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”” (Revelation

21:1–4, ESV)

WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE BLUEPRINT WORLDVIEW? !

WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE WARFARE WORLDVIEW? !

WHAT CONTRIBUTION COULD THE WARFARE WORLDVIEW HAVE FOR YOUR OWN LIFE OF MISSION AND DISCIPLESHIP AND THAT OF YOUR MISSIONAL COMMUNITY?

JON SWALES TWITTER: JONSWALES77

PROJECT

TUTORSCHOOL OF THEOLOGY EXPRESS

WHY THE HELL DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN?SUFFERING, SATAN AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL