EVIL
Where
did evil originate? Is God the author of evil? (`Isa. 14:7`;
`Amos 3:6`.)
<ANSWER>--The word evil in the texts cited has the meaning
in the Hebrew language of adversity. These evils or calamities
were sent upon the Jews as chastisements for their violation
of the terms of the covenant which they had made with the Lord.
The evil here referred to was not evil in the sense of its being
a wrong or a sin. Right and wrong, good and evil as principles
have always existed and always will. Principles are eternal.
Sin was produced by the evil principle becoming active, and
began with Satan who permitted evil to control and dominate
his course of action. Sin and evil were introduced into the
world by Satan when he induced our first parents to disobey
the Divine command. Thus the race has come under the dominion
of sin and death supervised by Satan, the God (ruler) of this
"present evil world." (`2 Cor. 4:4`.) At the appointed
time when the Lord shall again control earth's affairs, establishing
his own kingdom in the earth, Satan is to be bound and eventually
will be destroyed, while evil will gradually cease to be active
until at the close of Christ's reign, when sin and evil in their
various forms, suffering, and death, shall be no more. (`Rev.
21:3-5`.)
Why
does God the great creator who has all power and wisdom permit
the reign of sin and evil in the earth? When we see all of the
sorrow and misery existing in the world because of the evil
we wonder that a just and loving creator would permit these
things when he has the ability to put an end to them at any
time?
<ANSWER>--This is a very important question and one that
thinking minds have pondered by using a fact of history to illustrate
the matter. In ancient times during the reign of a just and
wise ruler over a large part of the earth, a rebellion occurred
in a certain portion of the empire. A usurper arose and, misrepresenting
the character of the emperor, succeeded in inducing the people
of this particular province to no longer render obedience to
their rightful sovereign. Although the emperor had the power
to suppress the rebellion at once, he permitted the tyrant to
rule over the province, and in this way let the people experience
the hardships and evils of misrule, that they might the better
appreciate the advantages of the wise and beneficent reign of
the monarch. Also it would furnish an object lesson to the people
of the other provinces. And thus it turned out. The people in
time grew exceedingly weary of the woe and sorrows inflicted
by the usurper, and when the opportunity finally presented itself
to escape from his dominion, they gladly returned to complete
harmony with their emperor, expressing their allegiance and
full submission to his just commands. Satan, "The God (ruler)
of this present evil world," is to be bound eventually
and the people, liberated from his dominion and tyranny, and
instructed in righteousness, for, when "the judgments of
the Lord are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will
learn righteousness," will then appreciate the wise and
just commands of their creator, their rightful sovereign.
