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In Isaiah 45, God says "I make peace, and create evil". Does this mean God created evil? If God made everything, didn't he make evil, too? Why?

2007-01-25 04:09:09 · 19 answers · asked by Meeowf 3 in Arts & Humanities Philosophy

Isaiah 45:7 (King James Version):
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

2007-01-25 04:11:43 · update #1

19 answers

Actually, I believe the word is better translated "calamity" or "disaster" which is quite different from the word "evil."

God does bring about calamity, but the Bible does not say that He creates evil. Calamity can bring glory to God. Calamity can show the awesome power of God. Calamity can bring a person to the point of seeking God.

At the very least, God does allow evil to exist. Nothing is outside of His control. Did God actually create evil? That's a very hard question to answer, but the "Got Questions" link below should help.

2007-01-25 04:48:10 · answer #1 · answered by Mom x 4 3 · 0 0

Hebrew word translated "evil" here means "sorrow, wretchedness, calamity, adversity or affliction."

Simply put, Isaiah knows, Cyrus would know and declare to the whole world, and we should know today, that God is in control. Since this prophecy was given long before God’s people went into the captivity Isaiah now announces deliverance from, they could be comforted through the captivity by knowing God is in control.

Isaiah’s point is that there are not two gods or forces in heaven, one good and one bad, as in a dualistic “yin and yang” sense. “Cyrus was a Persian, and Persian had a dualistic concept of God and th world. Their good god they called Ahura-mazda and the evil god Angra-mainya. The former had created the light, the second the darkness.” (Bultema)

But God has no opposite. Satan is not and has never been God’s opposite. There is one God. He is not the author of evil; evil is never “original,” but always a perversion of an existing good. Yet God is the allower of evil, and He uses it to accomplish His eternal purpose of bringing together all things in Jesus (Ephesians 3:8-11 and 1:9-10). If God could further His eternal purpose by allowing His Son to die a wicked, unjust death on a cross, then He knows how to use what He allows for His eternal purpose.

“Undoubtedly the Lord is no representative of evil as such, but He does make use of evil so that it may bring forth good.” (Calvin, cited in Butlema)

When God does great, miraculous things, it is easy to believe that He is in control. When times are hard and the trials heavy, we need to believe it all the more.

I hope this helps - God Bless You!

2007-01-25 05:10:28 · answer #2 · answered by www.youravon.com/slam 1 · 0 0

Jesus, who meditated deeply Isaiah's thoughts, said that God made the sun shine on the good and evil, thereby hinting that God feels responsible over those who are wayward. Consciousness is God's highest gift to man. And along with consciousness comes the ability to choose. Our ability to choose wisely and rightly comes from our heart's orientation. We can choose the "good" that is passed down by our parents, elders, tradition, etc. or choose "evil"--reject the "good." The problem is, some of the teachings of our parents, elders, and traditions are inferior choices. Evil, ultimately, is poor or inferior choice. We all commit evil when we choose poorly, or when we fail to choose what is perfect. When Saddam Hussein was facing his final moments, someone shouted, "Go to hell!," convinced that here was one evil monster facing his just destiny. His reply, in the form of a question, is cynical but profound: "The hell that is Iraq"? Under Saddam, things weren't great. Not under him, things are totally out of control. Probably more civilians died (and more will continue to die) when he was no longer in control. So which condition was more evil? Life is complex and holds many intriguing questions. The way to approach such legitimate questions is keep an open mind and resist from an "Either this way or not at all." God is the originator of everything and He still is. Jesus, in John 10, quotes Psalm 82, which states that we are all "gods" (elohim), the children of the Most High (Elohim). Whether you believe Jesus or not for who he is, he's made a powerful point: man is also his own author and creator. You choose the life and create the life you choose, for better or worse, for evil or for good. Bless your heart! Keep your faith!

2007-01-25 05:31:02 · answer #3 · answered by Chern 1 · 0 0

Great question... i've wondered this myself.

My question found basis on the creation of Lucifer. God was the first of everything ... He has created everything... therefore there should be no doubt He created Lucifer and inside of him was evil, jelousy, spite, etc. So, where does this leave my faith? God is still Love and as easily as He can create He can destroy ... which is the idea of Heaven - God has destroyed all evil within the walls of the New Jarusalem.

I do believe God has created evil and all the effects of hate ... but He also gave us free-will to choose how to deal with its influence in our lives. We can either follow Love or follow nothing ... follow hate or fall behind. In all honesty, i find relief in the idea God is incredibly similar to us ... We are made in his likeness, right?

Dont allow your question to corrupt faith you may have.

2007-01-25 05:08:37 · answer #4 · answered by Standing in Line 3 · 0 0

God isn't a God of evil. enable no one say whilst he's tempted, that he's tempted by ability of God. (James a million:12-20) each and every solid and ideal present comes from the father in heaven. God made and created Lucifer a intense Arch Angel, for His glory yet he became made with possibilities purely like us. God did no longer make devil a robotic neither did He make us that way! he's a robust God and He left us with possibilities. God gave particular training for human beings to maintain on with purely as he did Lucifer/devil yet they weren't obeyed. Is that Gods fault that guy chosen to no longer obey their writer? Is it Gods fault that Lucifer needed God's place? No this is not! each and every thing created or made must be examined to work out if this is going to pass. Lucifer failed the attempt and so did we human beings. His call became replaced to devil because of the fact of his unruly techniques against God. He took a million/3 of the angels with him in revolt against God. He hates God's advent so he hates us too. we can ought to answer for our possibilities even although God gave them. we've the potential to elect rightly. devil has not greater hazard because of the fact he damned his very own spirit from the intense archy. there is no redemption for him because of the fact he became an evil angel, a spirit. we are flesh and blood with spirit interior us with a view to be redeemed (offered back for God's provider). Jesus is the respond, for what the 1st Adam did no longer and could no longer do, Jesus (the 2d Adam) did. we've redemption by his shed blood. Satans day is approximately again to an end. no longer something final continuously different than God, His Son (The observe) and the Holy Spirit. All issues would be made new!

2016-11-01 06:31:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

In this case, evil is merely calamity. Calamity would be perceived as evil by the person experiencing it.

Like, if God punished a certain people with a calamity such as firey death from above, it would be perceived as evil by the people being burned. Not evil as in moral evil. Like, God is going to tell someone to worship another God, etc.

2007-01-25 05:27:00 · answer #6 · answered by Emperor Insania Says Bye! 5 · 0 0

It honestly doesn't matter to me. but I'd assume it'd be because if there was no evil, there'd be no good. Only neutral. Balance is ever present in the basic fundamentals of the universe.

2007-01-25 04:12:41 · answer #7 · answered by Answerer 7 · 0 0

Yes he created evil cause if he didnt than people wont respect good people 2day who deserve respect

2007-01-26 01:16:27 · answer #8 · answered by tammy 3 · 0 0

There's only one Maker...So, whatever you think you see and judge to be good and/or evil was made by Him who makes. Of course, that does not mean it is good/evil, but merely your judgment.

2007-01-25 05:11:09 · answer #9 · answered by Alex 5 · 0 0

God is everything. There is no point where God ends and something else begins.

For this reason God is everything that we see as good and everything that we see as evil.

love and blessings Don

2007-01-25 04:14:35 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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