If God Exists, Then Why is There So Much Evil in the World?
There is much speculation on the topic of Religion on our planet.
Religion can often cause wars and terrorism and hurt throughout the world. The question on almost every persons lips who reside on the planet earth is; If God exists then why is there so much evil in the world?
As with many questions associated with faith, they are often left unanswered, I personally believe that there isn’t an answer to this question, unless you are an atheist believer. There are lots of theories on this topic and I don’t believe I can truly answer any of the peoples question to a satisfactory standard. What ever anyone says and does there will still be evil somewhere on the globe. That is the beauty of the questions we cannot answer, however frustrating they become, every thing is theoretical.
Some people believe that God gave us free will. He gave us free will and chooses not to interfere with our choices; perhaps he wants us to learn the hard way or wants us to find out for ourselves, like he’s doing it for the greater good. God gave us free will, and we choose to use it unwisely.
Many people doubt the existence of God; I have to confess that I have my doubts about the existence of the all powerful, all knowing and all loving being that created the existence of the earth and man. Some people have experienced true horrors in their life, which make them think to themselves “Surely God can’t have wanted me to learn this way”. I have experienced nasty things in my life which make me angry at God. But compared to some people what I have experienced is nothing. I think they have a right to be angry at someone.
There is often an expression used commonly in modern day society. “We’re only human”. Well I think that they’re right, any one who believes that God does these for the Greater good, must be a very strong believer and a very powerful character. Once upon a time I would have said that these people were Naive and Oblivious to the outside world as I have mentioned before in other pieces of writing I have done. But now after researching this question through a popular internet search engine and reading some of people’s opinions I think that they need a figure, a stature of caress, someone to turn to in times of hardship.
I suppose that’s one of the beautiful things about the Christian faith, Gods existence can never be proved. It’s down to the faith that people have and that hope that one day maybe another savoir will come to rid the world of its sins again. Until that day people are just getting on with their lives and hoping that those living a good relative moralist Christian lifestyle will be enough to stop evil from crossing their paths.
God may be letting evil run its course in order to prove that evil is evil and that suffering, which is the unfortunate product of evil, is further proof that anything contrary to God’s will is bad, harmful, painful, and leads to death.
Also im sure many people will have heard of the Ying-Yang theories floating around. Many will think that it’s just some odd Chinese symbol to do with karate. If im honest so did I until I researched into it. Some believe in this theory that there is no dark without light, no good without evil, and no life without death.
It’s possible that the answer is two-fold, that no-one is innocent, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) “and are by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). There is none innocent. Though this is biblically accurate, it does not satisfy the question emotionally. Why do small children suffer for things they have not committed? I must acknowledge that I do not know.
Ultimately, people must trust God who knows the beginning from the end and sees the grand picture. He will have the final word and He will be vindicated.
However this isn’t what I feel about the matter. Perhaps that is the answer. But personally, I believe that God doesn’t exist. I believe in the scientist approach to the creation of the earth. However I acknowledge the Christian beliefs towards that topic. I think that things are influenced by their decisions in life, and some things are just meant and not meant to be.
If I was to look at it from a Christian perspective on the matter perhaps I would believe that suffering is the result of human sin. The world is not the way that God created it and because of that, all are vulnerable to the affects of sin in the world. Why does one person suffer and another does not? Why do catastrophes happen to some and no others? It is because sin is in the world. Maybe there will come a day when the Lord will return and cleanse this world of all sin and all suffering.
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User Comments
Alexis Flint
On February 14, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Because without suffering, there’d be no compassion.
Kairos
On February 16, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Human suffering is a theological question indeed.Therefore, the exstence of God is also being questioned. In my view, God gives us “free will” and this guides us to do things at our own expense. However, during our prayers we ask for protection. In our Christian faith there are guardian angels to protect young kids. But then, where were they when kids were raped or being abused? Until now, 4 years after I studied theology, this is still unclear to me. All I learned are discourses. I do believe in God and always whisper a little prayer for justice, peace and protection.
Dawn
On February 18, 2009 at 3:01 pm
The book of Genesis tells us how Satan deceived Adam and Eve into taking the apple from the tree of knowlege – God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, and as the account goes on to tell us… they began to die….. as we know from the account they didnt die immediately but their bodies began to die, much like our bodies do today……. past a certain age our bodies deteriate…….. just like then, in our day Satan continues to mislead people, causing havoc and suffering around the world….. Revelation chapter 12 verse 7 to 9 tells us that Satan was cast down from the heavens to earth and that he is misleading the entire inhabited earth……………….. Thus it is not God causing this suffering its Saten…. and one day God will put an end to it once and for all and restore the earth to its original intention ‘ a garden of Eden for us all….. Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 tells us ” He will wipe out every tear from their eyes and death will be no more neither will mourning nor outcry not pain be any more for the former things have passed away”
James
On April 3, 2009 at 12:07 pm
If God say’s He created evil, then God created evil. We are given a choice/freewill to pick either way good or evil. If we pick the latter God will punish us with evil. God created everything including satan, demons, the serpent, the beast and HELL. All created by Gods hands.
There are many many parts of the bible that clearly shows God bringing evil because of people and their sins who provoke God to jealously then to anger then wrapth of evil upon the people.
Exod.32
[7] And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
[8] They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
[9] And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
[10] Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
[11] And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
[12] Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
[13] Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
[14] And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Deut.7
[15] And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
Deut.29
14] Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;
[15] But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day:
[16] (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by;
[17] And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
[18] Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
[19] And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
[20] The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
[21] And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:
[22] So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it;
[23] And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
[24] Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?
[25] Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
[26] For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:
[27] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
[28] And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
[29] The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Deut.30
[15] See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Deut.31
[16] And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
[17] Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day. Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?
[18] And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.
[19] Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Josh.23
[15] Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
Judg.9
[23] Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
1Sam.16
[14] But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
[15] And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
2Sam.12
11] Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
2 Sam.24
16] And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
1Kgs.9
[1] And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
[2] That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
[3] And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
[4] And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
[5] Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
[6] But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
[7] Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
[8] And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
[9] And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
1Kgs.14
[10] Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
1Kgs.21
[29] Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.
2 Kngs.21
12] Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
2 Kgs.22
[16] Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
[17] Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
[18] But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
[19] Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
[20] Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
1 Chr.21
[15] And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
2 Chr.7
12] And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
[13] If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
[14] If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
[15] Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
[16] For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
[17] And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statues and my judgments;
[18] Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
[19] But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
[20] Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
[21] And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
[22] And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
Job.2
[10] But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job.42
[11] Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Prov.16
4] The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Isa.45
[7] I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Amen.
Nations who walk away from Gods commands will recieve a horrible punishment from the Almighty, a punishment filled to the brim with evil.
Isa.45
[7] I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
4Ezra.15
[1] Behold, speak thou in the ears of my people the words of prophecy, which I will put in thy mouth, saith the Lord:
[2] And cause them to be written in paper: for they are faithful and true.
[3] Fear not the imaginations against thee, let not the incredulity of them trouble thee, that speak against thee.
[4] For all the unfaithful shall die in their unfaithfulness.
[5] Behold, saith the Lord, I will bring plagues upon the world; the sword, famine, death, and destruction.
[6] For wickedness hath exceedingly polluted the whole earth, and their hurtful works are fulfilled.
[7] Therefore saith the Lord,
[8] I will hold my tongue no more as touching their wickedness, which they profanely commit, neither will I suffer them in those things, in which they wickedly exercise themselves: behold, the innocent and righteous blood crieth unto me, and the souls of the just complain continually.
[9] And therefore, saith the Lord, I will surely avenge them, and receive unto me all the innocent blood from among them.
[10] Behold, my people is led as a flock to the slaughter: I will not suffer them now to dwell in the land of Egypt:
[11] But I will bring them with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, and smite Egypt with plagues, as before, and will destroy all the land thereof.
[12] Egypt shall mourn, and the foundation of it shall be smitten with the plague and punishment that God shall bring upon it.
[13] They that till the ground shall mourn: for their seeds shall fail through the blasting and hail, and with a fearful constellation.
[14] Woe to the world and them that dwell therein!
[15] For the sword and their destruction draweth nigh, and one people shall stand up and fight against another, and swords in their hands.
[16] For there shall be sedition among men, and invading one another; they shall not regard their kings nor princes, and the course of their actions shall stand in their power.
[17] A man shall desire to go into a city, and shall not be able.
[18] For because of their pride the cities shall be troubled, the houses shall be destroyed, and men shall be afraid.
[19] A man shall have no pity upon his neighbour, but shall destroy their houses with the sword, and spoil their goods, because of the lack of bread, and for great tribulation.
[20] Behold, saith God, I will call together all the kings of the earth to reverence me, which are from the rising of the sun, from the south, from the east, and Libanus; to turn themselves one against another, and repay the things that they have done to them.
[21] Like as they do yet this day unto my chosen, so will I do also, and recompense in their bosom. Thus saith the Lord God;
[22] My right hand shall not spare the sinners, and my sword shall not cease over them that shed innocent blood upon the earth.
[23] The fire is gone forth from his wrath, and hath consumed the foundations of the earth, and the sinners, like the straw that is kindled.
[24] Woe to them that sin, and keep not my commandments! saith the Lord.
[25] I will not spare them: go your way, ye children, from the power, defile not my sanctuary.
[26] For the Lord knoweth all them that sin against him, and therefore delivereth he them unto death and destruction.
[27] For now are the plagues come upon the whole earth and ye shall remain in them: for God shall not deliver you, because ye have sinned against him.
[28] Behold an horrible vision, and the appearance thereof from the east:
[29] Where the nations of the dragons of Arabia shall come out with many chariots, and the multitude of them shall be carried as the wind upon earth, that all they which hear them may fear and tremble.
[30] Also the Carmanians raging in wrath shall go forth as the wild boars of the wood, and with great power shall they come, and join battle with them, and shall waste a portion of the land of the Assyrians.
[31] And then shall the dragons have the upper hand, remembering their nature; and if they shall turn themselves, conspiring together in great power to persecute them,
[32] Then these shall be troubled bled, and keep silence through their power, and shall flee.
[33] And from the land of the Assyrians shall the enemy besiege them, and consume some of them, and in their host shall be fear and dread, and strife among their kings.
[34] Behold clouds from the east and from the north unto the south, and they are very horrible to look upon, full of wrath and storm.
[35] They shall smite one upon another, and they shall smite down a great multitude of stars upon the earth, even their own star; and blood shall be from the sword unto the belly,
[36] And dung of men unto the camel’s hough.
[37] And there shall be great fearfulness and trembling upon earth: and they that see the wrath shall be afraid, and trembling shall come upon them.
[38] And then shall there come great storms from the south, and from the north, and another part from the west.
[39] And strong winds shall arise from the east, and shall open it; and the cloud which he raised up in wrath, and the star stirred to cause fear toward the east and west wind, shall be destroyed.
[40] The great and mighty clouds shall be puffed up full of wrath, and the star, that they may make all the earth afraid, and them that dwell therein; and they shall pour out over every high and eminent place an horrible star,
[41] Fire, and hail, and flying swords, and many waters, that all fields may be full, and all rivers, with the abundance of great waters.
[42] And they shall break down the cities and walls, mountains and hills, trees of the wood, and grass of the meadows, and their corn.
[43] And they shall go stedfastly unto Babylon, and make her afraid.
[44] They shall come to her, and besiege her, the star and all wrath shall they pour out upon her: then shall the dust and smoke go up unto the heaven, and all they that be about her shall bewail her.
[45] And they that remain under her shall do service unto them that have put her in fear.
[46] And thou, Asia, that art partaker of the hope of Babylon, and art the glory of her person:
[47] Woe be unto thee, thou wretch, because thou hast made thyself like unto her; and hast decked thy daughters in whoredom, that they might please and glory in thy lovers, which have always desired to commit whoredom with thee.
[48] Thou hast followed her that is hated in all her works and inventions: therefore saith God,
[49] I will send plagues upon thee; widowhood, poverty, famine, sword, and pestilence, to waste thy houses with destruction and death.
[50] And the glory of thy Power shall be dried up as a flower, the heat shall arise that is sent over thee.
[51] Thou shalt be weakened as a poor woman with stripes, and as one chastised with wounds, so that the mighty and lovers shall not be able to receive thee.
[52] Would I with jealousy have so proceeded against thee, saith the Lord,
[53] If thou hadst not always slain my chosen, exalting the stroke of thine hands, and saying over their dead, when thou wast drunken,
[54] Set forth the beauty of thy countenance?
[55] The reward of thy whoredom shall be in thy bosom, therefore shalt thou receive recompence.
[56] Like as thou hast done unto my chosen, saith the Lord, even so shall God do unto thee, and shall deliver thee into mischief
[57] Thy children shall die of hunger, and thou shalt fall through the sword: thy cities shall be broken down, and all thine shall perish with the sword in the field.
[58] They that be in the mountains shall die of hunger, and eat their own flesh, and drink their own blood, for very hunger of bread, and thirst of water.
[59] Thou as unhappy shalt come through the sea, and receive plagues again.
[60] And in the passage they shall rush on the idle city, and shall destroy some portion of thy land, and consume part of thy glory, and shall return to Babylon that was destroyed.
[61] And thou shalt be cast down by them as stubble, and they shall be unto thee as fire;
[62] And shall consume thee, and thy cities, thy land, and thy mountains; all thy woods and thy fruitful trees shall they burn up with fire.
[63] Thy children shall they carry away captive, and, look, what thou hast, they shall spoil it, and mar the beauty of thy face.
4Ezra.16
[1] Woe be unto thee, Babylon, and Asia! woe be unto thee, Egypt and Syria!
[2] Gird up yourselves with cloths of sack and hair, bewail your children, and be sorry; for your destruction is at hand.
[3] A sword is sent upon you, and who may turn it back?
[4] A fire is sent among you, and who may quench it?
[5] Plagues are sent unto you, and what is he that may drive them away?
[6] May any man drive away an hungry lion in the wood? or may any one quench the fire in stubble, when it hath begun to burn?
[7] May one turn again the arrow that is shot of a strong archer?
[8] The mighty Lord sendeth the plagues and who is he that can drive them away?
[9] A fire shall go forth from his wrath, and who is he that may quench it?
[10] He shall cast lightnings, and who shall not fear? he shall thunder, and who shall not be afraid?
[11] The Lord shall threaten, and who shall not be utterly beaten to powder at his presence?
[12] The earth quaketh, and the foundations thereof; the sea ariseth up with waves from the deep, and the waves of it are troubled, and the fishes thereof also, before the Lord, and before the glory of his power:
[13] For strong is his right hand that bendeth the bow, his arrows that he shooteth are sharp, and shall not miss, when they begin to be shot into the ends of the world.
[14] Behold, the plagues are sent, and shall not return again, until they come upon the earth.
[15] The fire is kindled, and shall not be put out, till it consume the foundation of the earth.
[16] Like as an arrow which is shot of a mighty archer returneth not backward: even so the plagues that shall be sent upon earth shall not return again.
[17] Woe is me! woe is me! who will deliver me in those days?
[18] The beginning of sorrows and great mournings; the beginning of famine and great death; the beginning of wars, and the powers shall stand in fear; the beginning of evils! what shall I do when these evils shall come?
[19] Behold, famine and plague, tribulation and anguish, are sent as scourges for amendment.
[20] But for all these things they shall not turn from their wickedness, nor be always mindful of the scourges.
[21] Behold, victuals shall be so good cheap upon earth, that they shall think themselves to be in good case, and even then shall evils grow upon earth, sword, famine, and great confusion.
[22] For many of them that dwell upon earth shall perish of famine; and the other, that escape the hunger, shall the sword destroy.
[23] And the dead shall be cast out as dung, and there shall be no man to comfort them: for the earth shall be wasted, and the cities shall be cast down.
[24] There shall be no man left to till the earth, and to sow it
[25] The trees shall give fruit, and who shall gather them?
[26] The grapes shall ripen, and who shall tread them? for all places shall be desolate of men:
[27] So that one man shall desire to see another, and to hear his voice.
[28] For of a city there shall be ten left, and two of the field, which shall hide themselves in the thick groves, and in the clefts of the rocks.
[29] As in an orchard of Olives upon every tree there are left three or four olives;
[30] Or as when a vineyard is gathered, there are left some clusters of them that diligently seek through the vineyard:
[31] Even so in those days there shall be three or four left by them that search their houses with the sword.
[32] And the earth shall be laid waste, and the fields thereof shall wax old, and her ways and all her paths shall grow full of thorns, because no man shall travel therethrough.
[33] The virgins shall mourn, having no bridegrooms; the women shall mourn, having no husbands; their daughters shall mourn, having no helpers.
[34] In the wars shall their bridegrooms be destroyed, and their husbands shall perish of famine.
[35] Hear now these things and understand them, ye servants of the Lord.
[36] Behold, the word of the Lord, receive it: believe not the gods of whom the Lord spake.
[37] Behold, the plagues draw nigh, and are not slack.
[38] As when a woman with child in the ninth month bringeth forth her son, with two or three hours of her birth great pains compass her womb, which pains, when the child cometh forth, they slack not a moment:
[39] Even so shall not the plagues be slack to come upon the earth, and the world shall mourn, and sorrows shall come upon it on every side.
[40] O my people, hear my word: make you ready to thy battle, and in those evils be even as pilgrims upon the earth.
[41] He that selleth, let him be as he that fleeth away: and he that buyeth, as one that will lose:
[42] He that occupieth merchandise, as he that hath no profit by it: and he that buildeth, as he that shall not dwell therein:
[43] He that soweth, as if he should not reap: so also he that planteth the vineyard, as he that shall not gather the grapes:
[44] They that marry, as they that shall get no children; and they that marry not, as the widowers.
[45] And therefore they that labour labour in vain:
[46] For strangers shall reap their fruits, and spoil their goods, overthrow their houses, and take their children captives, for in captivity and famine shall they get children.
[47] And they that occupy their merchandise with robbery, the more they deck their cities, their houses, their possessions, and their own persons:
[48] The more will I be angry with them for their sin, saith the Lord.
[49] Like as a whore envieth a right honest and virtuous woman:
[50] So shall righteousness hate iniquity, when she decketh herself, and shall accuse her to her face, when he cometh that shall defend him that diligently searcheth out every sin upon earth.
[51] And therefore be ye not like thereunto, nor to the works thereof.
[52] For yet a little, and iniquity shall be taken away out of the earth, and righteousness shall reign among you.
[53] Let not the sinner say that he hath not sinned: for God shall burn coals of fire upon his head, which saith before the Lord God and his glory, I have not sinned.
[54] Behold, the Lord knoweth all the works of men, their imaginations, their thoughts, and their hearts:
[55] Which spake but the word, Let the earth be made; and it was made: Let the heaven be made; and it was created.
[56] In his word were the stars made, and he knoweth the number of them.
[57] He searcheth the deep, and the treasures thereof; he hath measured the sea, and what it containeth.
[58] He hath shut the sea in the midst of the waters, and with his word hath he hanged the earth upon the waters.
[59] He spreadeth out the heavens like a vault; upon the waters hath he founded it.
[60] In the desert hath he made springs of water, and pools upon the tops of the mountains, that the floods might pour down from the high rocks to water the earth.
[61] He made man, and put his heart in the midst of the body, and gave him breath, life, and understanding.
[62] Yea and the Spirit of Almighty God, which made all things, and searcheth out all hidden things in the secrets of the earth,
[63] Surely he knoweth your inventions, and what ye think in your hearts, even them that sin, and would hide their sin.
[64] Therefore hath the Lord exactly searched out all your works, and he will put you all to shame.
[65] And when your sins are brought forth, ye shall be ashamed before men, and your own sins shall be your accusers in that day.
[66] What will ye do? or how will ye hide your sins before God and his angels?
[67] Behold, God himself is the judge, fear him: leave off from your sins, and forget your iniquities, to meddle no more with them for ever: so shall God lead you forth, and deliver you from all trouble.
[68] For, behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you, and they shall take away certain of you, and feed you, being idle, with things offered unto idols.
[69] And they that consent unto them shall be had in derision and in reproach, and trodden under foot.
[70] For there shall be in every place, and in the next cities, a great insurrection upon those that fear the Lord.
[71] They shall be like mad men, sparing none, but still spoiling and destroying those that fear the Lord.
[72] For they shall waste and take away their goods, and cast them out of their houses.
[73] Then shall they be known, who are my chosen; and they shall be tried as the gold in the fire.
[74] Hear, O ye my beloved, saith the Lord: behold, the days of trouble are at hand, but I will deliver you from the same.
[75] Be ye not afraid neither doubt; for God is your guide,
[76] And the guide of them who keep my commandments and precepts, saith the Lord God: let not your sins weigh you down, and let not your iniquities lift up themselves.
[77] Woe be unto them that are bound with their sins, and covered with their iniquities like as a field is covered over with bushes, and the path thereof covered with thorns, that no man may travel through!
[78] It is left undressed, and is cast into the fire to be consumed therewith.
The Word of The Lord.
Yes!! God creates evil.
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