Why do you believe Satan is evil when the bible says evil is from God?

Question

From an answer I put up a little while ago:

God is the source of all evil.

Nowhere in the bible is Satan linked with evil.

The Bible tells us that God is the proud creator of everything evil. So whenever and wherever you find evil, you can be sure that God is its source.
Source(s):

Behold, this evil is of the Lord. 2 Kings 6:33

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

Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? Amos 3:6

If you want to explain to me how I am taking this out of context, I am willing to listen.

Answer 1

Here is something you can do at home.

Read the Bible from cover to cover. Count how many people God kills either directly or through one of his many "Holy" men. (Don't worry about trying to figure out death tolls from the Deluge, and Passover stories or the many instances describing God or his minions destroying cities and countries with no body count). You'll end up with a figure just over 1.6 MILLION.

This is Jehovah's confirmed body count.

While you're at it, count up the number of people Satan kills. You'll find all of them in the book of Job. You'll have to use some guesswork here. I reckoned it at 12-20 people based on the larger extended family units known to have been prominent in ancient times.

An interesting scriptural fact about the story is that Satan had to get Gods permission to kill those 12-20 people, and God APPROVED.

-SD-

Answer 2

At first blush, this may seem to be a strong argument that God is the cause and source of all evil in the world. It is true that evil results in pain, sorrow, or distress. Take a look at the original words: the Hebrew word "ra" is variously translated as "bad", "gloomy", "evil", "calamitous" and "malignant." With this in mind, does God ever bring evil or calamity?

Well, He rightly brought "evil" or "calamity" on Adam for his disobedience. Hence Isaiah 45:7 refers to God as the creator of evil or calamity. His enforcement of the penalty for sin (death) has resulted in evil or calamity for mankind. Moreover, the Ten Plagues visited upon Egypt is rightly called evil or a calamity. Yet in both these instances, it was rightful administration of justice against wrongdoers. So evil is not always synonymous with wrongdoing. What about Satan?

The first two chapters of Job describe the evil or calamity brought about by Satan the Devil. Compare also Job 1:7-19. Furthermore, Hebrews 2:14 plainly states that Satan has the means to cause death. So contrary to the assertion above, Satan is most assuredly linked with evil.

There is therefore no reason, Biblically, to suggest that evil is always and automatically a wrong thing. Its fundamental meaning leaves room for it to be both wrong or right.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 3

His enforcing of the penalty for sin, namely, death, has proved to be an evil, or a calamity, for mankind. So, then, evil is not always synonymous with wrongdoing. Examples of evils or calamities created by Jehovah are the Flood of Noah’s day and the Ten Plagues visited upon Egypt. But these evils were not wrongs. Rather, the rightful administration of justice against wrongdoers was involved in both cases. However, at times Jehovah, in his mercy, has refrained from bringing the intended calamity or evil in execution of his righteous judgment because of the repentance on the part of those concerned. (Jon 3:10) Additionally, in having a warning given, Jehovah has undeservedly provided opportunities for the practicers of bad to change their course and thus to keep living.—Eze 33:11.

Answer 4

Very good question. And the answer needs to take the context into account rather than just zipping off to another part of the Bible to find where it says something different. There's a whole lot of rationalization in some of these answers. (Yes, I know I'm not really answering as much as critiquing.)

Answer 5

Perhaps the key is in the interpretation of the passages...and that interpretation not necessarily a literal one. To get a fine example of what I refer to, check out the 'Habakkuk Pescher'. It is a prime example of Dead Sea Scroll biblical scripture interpretation, and certainly sets a precedent for 'good vs. evil' biblical interpretation. Supposedly the 'Teacher of Righteousness' is the only person who can correctly interpret the Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets
Millar Burrows translation is particularly easy to follow:
Millar Burrows
'The Dead Sea Scrolls'
copyright1955 by Millar Burrows
MacMillan Co.
Viking Press NY
pp. 365-370

Answer 6

2 Kings 6:33 is about a specific event.
Where does it say God is the source of all evil?
And if you really understood, you would know Satan is everywhere linked with evil.
When bad things happen, what God chooses to do may be termed evil (from our viewpoint) but is righteous judgement.

Answer 7

For the Lord Created Satan, so thus created evil.
So yes, God created all things good and evil.
However, the good will one day destroy the evil and
now is the time for man to choose one or the other.
I know what side I am on. You?

Answer 8

God sent an evil spirit. They still have to obey him. He used them to make points. He still commands them though, or did up until Jesus returned to him. Noone can explain to you why God is not evil but also created things that became evil. That is a rough area to think about. But God is not evil because he is far above it. Meaning, we are in no place to judge God or his actions; these things are too far beyond us to comprehend.
God is a mystery. But he he is definately more powerful than man. I won't question his reasoning for anything. He gave me life and whether you want to believe it or not, he gave you life. Who are we to judge his actions or to say he is anything but good?

Answer 9

Because all Satan did was rebel against the idea that he should be forced to bend knee to another creation of god. So because he stood up to the big bad bully god he has been made out to be the bad guy because heaven forbid people stand up for themselves.

Answer 10

In the bible, the protagonist is a murderer and the antagonist gave Adam and Eve knowledge... Which the protagonist subsequently punished them for gaining. So the bible says that genocide is love, and education is evil.