By Rick Shrader<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just this week I heard a well-known TV commentator ask a popular \t\tChristian women\u2019s speaker how she can believe in a God who would allow \t\t9-11 to happen. \u201cCould He have stopped it?\u201d he asked, thus implying \t\tthat God is either not powerful or not loving. I concur with \t\tZabriskie\u2019s comment about this having challenging pastoral relevance. \t\tOnly a few weeks ago I visited the home of a man dying of cancer who had \t\talways questioned God\u2019s existence (or at least His relevance). The only \t\tquestion he had for me was, \u201cIf God is good, why does He allow suffering \t\tin the world?\u201d Upon the answer to that question hung the only \t\tpossibility of giving the gospel at such a critical time.<\/p>\n
In \t\this popular book, The Problem of Pain, \t\tC.S. Lewis described the agnostic\u2019s dilemma, \u201cIf God were good, he \t\twould wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were \t\talmighty, He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are \t\tnot happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power or both.\u201d2<\/sup> That is exactly how a lost man thinks. Why would he want to believe in \t\ta God who either does not love us enough to care about evil and pain in \t\tour lives, or else He is not able to do anything about them anyway? As \t\ttragedies are known and felt around the world with such rapidity, people \t\tare confronted with these questions to a greater degree than ever \t\tbefore.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The \t\tclassic atheistic argument looks something like this:3<\/sup><\/p>\n If God existed, He would \t\t\teliminate evil.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Evil exists.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Therefore, God does not exist.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The \t\tclassic theistic answer would look something like this:<\/p>\n Evil does indeed exist.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Since evil exists, good also \t\t\texists.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Good is not incompatible with \t\t\tevil.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Good is actually greater than \t\t\tevil.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n God both exists and is good.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The \t\tbreakdown for the skeptic comes in a) thinking that good and evil cannot \t\tcoexist even for a while, and b) that a good God would have to destroy \t\tevil immediately. The fact is that earth\u2019s history since the Garden of \t\tEden proves that good and evil can exist in the same world, and God\u2019s \t\trevelation shows that God allows this as a probationary time for sinners \t\tto freely repent, believe the good news of Christ\u2019s deliverance, and \t\tsecure an everlasting home in heaven which will fulfill all of his \t\texpectations and more. Far from God being unloving or unable, He is \t\trather longsuffering toward us, not \t\twilling that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance \t\t2 Peter 3:9). The \t\tproblem is man\u2019s selfishness in insisting on some ill-deserved ease, not \t\tGod\u2019s patience in applying the right medicine over the needed time.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While reading in the book of Revelation I was struck with the \t\tprogression of thought in chapter six. The four horsemen (\u201cof the \t\tapocalypse\u201d) are unleashed on the world, bringing terrible destruction, \t\twhile the souls of the faithful martyrs must wait under the altar to be \t\tvindicated by God. The scenario offers a few biblical and yet practical \t\tanswers to our question.<\/p>\n A coming storm. As John watches \t\tthe Lamb open the first seal he hears \t\tas it were the noise of thunder (vs. 1). A storm is coming upon \t\tthe earth such as never was seen in all of history. John Walvoord \t\twrites, \u201cOn a warm summer day one can hear thunder in the distance even \t\tthough the sun is still shining where he is. The approaching dark \t\tclouds and the roar of the thunder presage the beginning of the storm.\u201d4<\/sup> The coming Tribulation period will bring catastrophes, tragedies, \t\tplagues and destruction which can be called \u201cevil\u201d and yet are directed \t\tby the hand of God.<\/p>\n Though this period of earth\u2019s history will be worse than any, all of \t\thistory has been filled with violence and suffering. We know that it \t\tcame from the \u201cPandora\u2019s Box\u201d of Genesis chapter three when men and \t\tangels chose to disobey God and bring sin into the world. The storm of \t\tconsequences began there and will culminate in the end times.<\/p>\n Four horsemen by permission. \t\tThe Tribulation scene opens with the opening of the seven-sealed book. \t\tThe first four seals release the four horses and their riders. They \t\tbring war and conquering, death and the sword, famine and starvation, \t\tand finally the sword, hunger and death by wild beasts. This all comes \t\tin a relatively short time span causing the unbelieving earth dwellers \t\tto hide themselves in out-of-the-way places in the earth. In three of \t\tthe four cases John records that this \u201cpower\u201d was \u201cgiven\u201d to each \t\trider. (The third rider on the black horse representing famine needs no \t\tpermission since the famine is already in progress). The same wording \t\tappears throughout the book, especially in chapter thirteen where the \t\tbeast is \u201cgiven\u201d a mouth speaking great things (13:5) and \u201cgiven\u201d \t\tability to make war with the saints (13:7). None of it happens without \t\tGod\u2019s permission. Satan could not touch Job without God\u2019s permission \t\t(Job 1:12, 2:6)<\/p>\n Some would object that if God has to give His permission for evil to \t\thappen then evil is ultimately His fault anyway. Or some might say that \t\ta good God would only allow good things to happen. But, as we have \t\tseen, if evil originated in the choice of angels and men, then a good \t\tGod has allowed their bad choice in order to bring about a better good. \t\tGeisler writes,<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Because God does control and order evil, evil itself is part of a \t\t\ttotal picture of good in the universe. Failure to see this ultimate \t\t\tharmony in the universe with evil in it is like charging an artist \t\t\tfor lack of harmony in his mosaic by concentrating on only one piece \t\t\tof it. One must step back and view the overall picture in order to \t\t\tget the proper perspective of evil.5<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The believers\u2019 questions. Even \t\tin the first half of the Tribulation, many will come to saving faith and \t\tyet suffer martyrdom for that belief. Chapter six and verses nine \t\tthrough eleven give a glimpse of the souls of such saints who \t\twere slain for the word of God, and \t\tfor the testimony which they held (vs. 9). They suffered \t\tunjustly for something which they believed in their hearts. Their \t\tquestion to God is two-fold. 1) How long will their wait be? 2) Will \t\tHe judge and avenge their blood on those who dwell on the earth? These \t\tquestions are identical to the questions today: Can evil exist in God\u2019s \t\tworld without judgment? And how long will it be before the judgment \t\tcomes?<\/p>\n What we know from reading the whole Book is that yes, God will \t\tcompletely purge His floor and tread the winepress of His wrath, and He \t\twill do it in exactly the time allotted by the prophecies of this Book. \t\tBut interestingly, God doesn\u2019t answer these faithful saints with exactly \t\tthat answer. Neither are His ways always clear to us. But any saint in \t\tany age may affirm with Abraham, Shall \t\tnot the Judge of all the earth do right? (Gen. 18:25).<\/p>\n God\u2019s response to saints who suffer. \t\tThe divine response that was given is found in verse eleven and it is \t\tthree-fold. 1) They were to rest yet \t\tfor a little season. Since their own personal suffering was \t\tover, they were to rest in their resting. For those who are presently \t\tenduring trials, it is enough to know that God is in control and that \t\teven this trial will somehow work out for the best in God\u2019s plan (Rom. \t\t8:28). Peter could write, But the God \t\tof all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, \t\tafter that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, \t\tstrengthen, settle you (1 Pet. 5:10).<\/p>\n 2) \t\tThey were to wait until their fellow \t\tservants also and their brethren, . . . should be killed as they were. \t\tThey were to endure until evil had run its course. Sometimes in \t\thistory sin has brought evil on everyone whether in the form of disease, \t\twar or general decadence. Sometimes evil is directed at believers \t\tspecifically because their righteousness is an indictment upon the \t\tunrighteous. Cain slew Abel because \t\this own works were evil, and his brother\u2019s righteous (1 John 3:12). \t\tJesus did not pray that we would escape the suffering of this world but \t\tthat we would be kept from the evil one (John 17:15).<\/p>\n 3) \t\tThey were to rest and wait until these things that God was allowing and \t\tdirecting should be fulfilled. \t\tEvil will cease one day, but only when God\u2019s benevolent purpose is \t\tcomplete. There are many things we know from Scripture that are yet to \t\tbe fulfilled and it would be useless of us to ask God to by-pass what He \t\thas already written. Such will be the case in the Tribulation when the \t\tprophetic clock has begun to move again. Without being fatalistic, in \t\tthe age of grace, where we do not see every time and purpose indicator \t\tas clearly, we must trust God that He is fulfilling His purpose in the \t\tbest possible way, dealing with sin on His own righteous schedule.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n God \t\tis bringing a stop to evil in \t\tthe world! But He is doing it in the best way and with the best \t\ttiming. His faithful believers know with the Apostle Paul \t\tthat we must through much tribulation \t\tenter into the kingdom of God! (Acts 14:22). We may add two \t\tconcluding thoughts for those who are in the midst of suffering.<\/p>\n First, prayer is a God-given avenue for relief, comfort and change! \t\tThe effectual fervent prayer of a \t\trighteous man availeth much (James 5:16). By the eighth chapter \t\tof Revelation we observe the prayers of the persecuted saints coming up \t\tbefore the throne of God as incense (8:3-5). The effect of these \t\tprayers shakes the earth even in the midst of the Tribulation! (see also \t\tPsalm 18:6-9 and 2 Sam. 22:5-10). Our prayers are always answered! \t\tEven if that answer is to endure suffering without fully understanding \t\twhy. This brings us to the second thought.<\/p>\n Second, history is God\u2019s will! Once events go from the future to the \t\tpast, we do not need to pray about them or to worry and grieve over \t\tthem. Rather, Paul says, In every \t\tthing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus \t\tconcerning you (1 Thes. 5:18). Once God has allowed even evil to \t\thappen, we must realize He did that for reasons perhaps known only unto \t\tHim. Someday in heaven we will see how every prayer of ours affected \t\tthat outcome, and how our patient endurance was used of God for His own \t\tglory and the advancement of His will.<\/p>\n There is a good reason why many of the hymns in our hymn book end with a \t\tverse speaking of heaven. \u201cDon\u2019t think me poor or deserted or lonely, \t\tI\u2019m not discouraged, I\u2019m heaven bound\u201d or \u201cI heard about a mansion He \t\thas built for me in glory, and I heard about the streets of gold beyond \t\tthe crystal sea.\u201d Maybe it\u2019s because that\u2019s the way the Bible ends! \t\tAnd God shall wipe away all tears from \t\ttheir eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor \t\tcrying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are \t\tpassed away (Rev. 21:4).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Notes:<\/p>\n 1. Quoted by Charles Feinberg, \u201cThe \t\tImage of God,\u201d Vital Theological \t\tIssues, Roy Zuck, ed. (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1994) 52.<\/p>\n 2. C.S. Lewis, \t\tThe Problem of Pain (New York: \t\tMacmillan, 1962) 26.<\/p>\n 3. See Norman Geisler, \t\tThe Philosophy of Religion \t\t(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974) chapters 14-17.<\/p>\n 4. John Walvoord, \t\tThe Revelation of Jesus Christ \t\t(Chicago: Moody Press, 1974) 124.<\/p>\n 5. Geisler, 340.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Can God Stop Evil? By Rick Shrader \u00a0 rhaps the most frequently asked question by skeptics today is why God allows evil to exist. From the holocaust to Columbine to 9-11, it has become more common and even acceptable to question why a good God allows human beings to suffer. In 1965 Stewart Zabriskie wrote, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[123],"tags":[172,178],"class_list":["post-987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-doctrine-theology","tag-sin-world-evil"],"yoast_head":"\nThe classical answer to the problem of \t\tevil.<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
A practical answer to the problem of \t\tevil.<\/h3>\n
\n
And so . . .<\/h3>\n