How Should we Deal
with Evil Deeds and Evil Behavior Such as Terrorism?
Bible Class
Evil and the
Sovereignty of God
God says, Have you not heard? Long ago I did it; from ancient times I planned it. Now
I have brought it to pass. 2 Kings 19:25. The Lord of hosts has sworn
saying, ‘Surely just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have
planned so it will stand’ Isaiah 14:24-27.
And all the inhabitants of the
earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host
of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; And no none can ward off His hand
or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ Daniel 4:35. Behold, an ashen horse and he who sat on it had the name Death…and
authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword
and with famine and with pestilence… Revelation 6:8. For God
has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose…until the words of God should
be fulfilled Revelation 17:17. And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you
considered My servant Job?.....And the Lord said to
Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your
hand on him (Take his life) Job 1:8, 12.
I am the Lord and there is no other…causing well being and creating
calamity, I am the Lord who does all these Isaiah 45:6-7.
Observation about
Evil and the Sovereignty of God (Noticing what the author wrote)
Analysis
1. Who is involved? God, who is executing His plan in a variety of ways
through a variety of means. The inhabitants of the earth, who live with the consequences of the
execution of God’s plans. Satan and the hosts of
heaven and Job all involved in the execution of God’s plans.
2. What is happening? God’s plans are being executed, plans decided
generations before they happened. Most of these plans have to do with evil
deeds and evil behavior used by God to execute His plans.
3. Where is it taking place? Most of the plans are being fulfilled on earth even
though they were planned in heaven or eternity.
4. Why is this included? Reasons are not given.
5. How is it carried out? God planned
it. As God intends, so it will happen. As planned so it will stand. No one can
ward off God’s plans or question Him. God has given executors of His plan the
authority to do so. God has placed the execution of His plans in their hearts.
God allowed Satan to harass Job. God is the cause of well being and creating
calamity.
6. Anything repeated, contrasted, compared? God planned. Inhabitants of the earth (accounted as
nothing and God does to them according to His will). God’s plans includes
history, people, death, future, judgment, Satan, circumstances, all of which
are impacted by God’s use of evil in execution of His plan.
7. Any commands, solutions, direction? God uses evil to execute His plans and accomplish His
purposes for the world, history, the future, and our lives.
8. Summary: So God is sovereign over everything.
Everything is part of God’s purpose, and all His purposes are carried out even using
evil deeds and behavior to do so.
Synthesis
Subject: God
sovereignly executes His purposes
Predicate:
even using evil people, committing evil acts to fulfill them.
Big Idea: From
God’s perspective all acts, even evil ones, are use to execute His plans.
Interpretation about
Evil and the Sovereignty of God (Understanding what the author wrote)
1. 2 Kings
2. Isaiah 14:24-27 God’s plans to crush the Assyrians in his land will be executed
because God’s sovereign control over all nations cannot disrupt those plans.
3. Daniel
4. Revelation 6:8 This passage says that authority
was given to him that is, from God. So God caused the destruction of the
Ashen Horse.
5. Revelation
6. Job 1:8, 12 God initiated the testing of Job by Satan by reminding
Satan that while he has dominion over much of the world, Satan could not
dominate Job. God uses Job’s suffering by Satan as a demonstration to silence
Satan and elevate Job’s faith and worship of God. So God’s use of Satan’s evil
to harass Job is for a good purpose.
7. Isaiah 45:6-7 As the sovereign Lord of the universe God can do
anything. All that happens, life, death, prosperity and disaster comes from
God.
Summary: From
God’s perspective, all acts are part of His plan. So although all people are
evil and commit evil acts, those are part of the god sovereign plan of God.
Therefore, the results will ultimately bring about the good plan of God (Romans
Application about
Evil and the Sovereignty of God (Putting to use what the author intended)
(1) T or F Accidents happen.
False.
From God’s perspective there is no such thing as a victim or an accident.
Everything is part of God’s purpose and plan and all of these are carried out.
(2) T or F If I get sick or someone hurts me
or I hurt myself, God is responsible for it.
True.
God never shies away from taking responsibility for our life situation (Job
2:3). The sovereignty of God means there are no accidents. God is responsible
for every situation. The Bible does not say God does not cause everything. And
every time the Bible refers to God and His plan, He takes full responsibility
for everything.
(3) T or F If I sin or make mistakes, I am
responsible for those sins and mistakes.
True.
God is not responsible for sin or mistakes because He commits neither (James
(4) T or F God does not need to cause sin and
evil to reveal His goodness.
False.
Without sin, we would experience nothing of God’s grace, His mercy, compassion
and forgiveness. For instance, Satan is simply an unwilling servant of God.
Evil world philosophies and religions only serve God’s purpose of displaying
what the true truth is. Evil, then, requires a discussion of good and a
standard for good. So when a potential evil has been actualized, then you can
say more about what is good, right, correct and moral, than you could have
before.
Take This Test: When
terrorists killed thousands of people on 9/11 2001 in
(1) Did anyone enter eternity (heaven or hell)
early? ______
(2) Did God plan for the terrorists to destroy
thousands of people? ______
(3) Did God plan for the firefighters and the police
to save lots of people? ______
(4) Were those who died victims? ______
(5) Is God responsible for the deaths of thousands of
people? ______