A Sabbath Message 7/9/22 – Did God Create Evil?

Did God Create Evil?

KJV^(i) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

All things are made of matter. Is evil made of matter or is it a mental disposition (spirit)? There is only one verse in all of scripture that evil is associated with being created and attributed to god.

Isaiah 45:7

I form (H3335) the light, and create (H1254) darkness: I make (H6213) peace, and create (H1254) evil (H7451): I the LORD do (H6213) all these [things].

*H3335 – יצר – yâtsar – yaw-tsar’ – probably identical with H3334 (through the squeezing into shape); (compare H3331); to mould into a form; especially as a potter; figuratively to determine (that is, form a resolution)

KJV Usage: X earthen, fashion, form, frame, make (-r), potter, purpose.

*H1254 – בּרא – bârâ’- baw-raw’- A primitive root; (absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes)

KJV Usage: choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).

*H7451 – רעה רע – ra‛ râ‛âh – rah, raw-aw’ – From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun

KJV Usage: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.]

*H6213 – עשׂה – ‛âśâh – aw-saw’ – A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

KJV Usage: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress (-ed), (put in) execute (-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, [fight-] ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfil, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ([a feast]), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, practise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be [warr-] ior, work (-man), yield, use.

After reading the full context in Isaiah 45:5-10. Let’s try this: I purpose light, I cut down darkness, I advance peace, I dispatch calamity, I bring forth all these.

The English terms I choose from the definitions are also used elsewhere in scripture as follows:

H3336 – purpose – Is.46:11

H1254 – cut down – Josh. 17:15,18; dispatched – Eze. 23:47

H6213 – advanced – 1Sam. 12:6; bring forth – Gen. 41:47, Lev. 24:21, Job 14:9, Is. 5:2,4, Jer. 12:2, Eze. 17:6,8; bring – Gen. 41:32, 50:20

When Satan (the author of evil) told Adam and Eve that they would be as Gods knowing both good and evil and surely would not die (THE BIG LIE), knowing evil and creating it are two different aspects. When Lucifer rebelled because iniquity was found in him, his name was changed to Satan (the adversary, the evil one) which is in opposition to good. (Is. Is. 14:12-20, Eze. 28:11-19)

As used in the tree of knowledge of good and evil in Genesis and elsewhere:

Good – H2896 – טוב – ṭôb – tobe – From H2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well) KJV Usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ([-favoured]).

>H2895 – טוב – ṭôb – tobe – A primitive root, to be ( transitively do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense.(transitively do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense. KJV Usage: be (do) better, cheer, be (do, seem) good, (make), goodly, X please, (be, do, go, play) well.

Evil – H7451 – רעה רע – ra‛ râ‛âh – rah,raw-aw’ – From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun. KJV Usage: adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.]

>H7489 – רעע – râ‛a‛ – raw-ah’ – A primitive root; properly to spoil (literally by breaking to pieces); figuratively to make (or be) goodfornothing, that is, bad (physically, socially or morally). [associateselves and showselffriendly are by mistake for H7462.] KJV Usage: afflict, associate selves [by mistake for H7462], break (down, in pieces), + displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show self friendly [by mistake for H7462], do harm, (do) hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, X indeed, do mischief, punish, still vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse.

Evil was known after Lucifer the anonioted cherub’s rebellion. But did God create it?

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy (G5385) and vain (G2756) deceit (G539), after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (G4747) of the world, and not after Christ.” (Col.2:8)

*G5385 – φιλοσοφία – “philosophy”, i.e. (specially), Jewish sophistry. Derivation: from G5386; KJV Usage: philosophy.

>G5386 – φιλόσοφος – fond of wise things, i.e. a “philosopher”
Derivation: from G5384 and G4680; KJV Usage: philosopher.

>>G5384 – φίλος – actively, fond, i.e. friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.) Derivation: properly, dear, i.e. a friend; KJV Usage: friend.

>>G4680 – σοφός – wise (in a most general application)
Derivation: akin to σαφής (clear); KJV Usage: wise.

*G2756 – κενός – empty (literally or figuratively)
Derivation: apparently a primary word; KJV Usage: empty, (in) vain.

*G539 – ἀπάτη – delusion. Derivation: from G538; KJV Usage: deceit(-ful, -fulness), deceivableness(-ving).

>G538 – ἀπατάω – to cheat, i.e. delude. Derivation: of uncertain derivation; KJV Usage: deceive.

*G4747 – στοιχεῖον – something orderly in arrangement, i.e. (by implication) a serial (basal, fundamental, initial) constituent (literally), proposition (figuratively)
Derivation: neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of G4748; KJV Usage: element, principle, rudiment.

>G4748 – στοιχέω – to march in (military) rank (keep step), i.e. (figuratively) to conform to virtue and piety. Derivation: from a derivative of στείχω (to range in regular line); KJV Usage: walk (orderly).

Have a restful sabbath.

LOLGB+