Where does evil come from?

[B-A-C]

Where does evil come from? It seems one of places may be God Himself?

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

Jer 19:3 And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
Jer 19:4 Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;
Jer 19:5 They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
Jer 19:6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.

1Sam 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.
1Sam 16:15 Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.

1Sam 16:23 So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
1Sam 18:10 Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.
1Sam 19:9 Now there was an evil spirit from the LORD on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.

God did destroy, pretty much every living thing on the Earth.

Gen 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
Gen 8:1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

[Side note diversion here]
Gen 8:13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

It seems to say here that the flood dried up on Jan 1, 601AC ( after creation ). I never noticed that before.

Gen 7:24 The water prevailed upon the earth one hundred and fifty days.

So then, did the flood happen in 600AC?

Back to God causing destruction and calamity.

Gen 19:14 Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, "Up, get out of this place, for the LORD will destroy the city." But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven,

It seems that God can get jealous.

Exod 20:5 "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
Exod 34:14 —for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—
Deut 4:24 "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

 

[B-A-C]

Collateral damage? Do our sins affect other people?

Dan 6:23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Dan 6:24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Now of course we all know the story of Daniel in the lion's den. How he was set up by certain people in Darius's kingdom.
But after he was taken back out of the lion's den. The conspirators were thrown in. Along with their wives and children.

Why the wives and children also? Were they co-conspirators?

Josh 7:1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.
Josh 7:2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.
Josh 7:3 They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few."
Josh 7:4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.
Josh 7:5 The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

A man named Achan did what God told the Israelites not to do. Because of this, 36 innocent men, who didn't even know that Achan did this were killed. ( Achan was killed later ). Why the 36 innocent men? Why not just Achan?

Job, ah... Job. Maybe the hardest book to understand in this light.

God allowed Satan to test Job, but there was a lot of collateral damage during this test.

Job 1:13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
Job 1:14 a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
Job 1:15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
Job 1:19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Job 1:20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
Job 1:21 He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."
Job 1:22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

All of Job's servants, livestock, and even his children were killed. Were they innocent by-standers in this story? Or perhaps
God was allowing them to be punished for sins not mentioned in the BIble? We don't know. But we know they died.

I think these stories are in the Bible for a reason. There are a few others I could add here, but hopefully these are enough.
In the case of Job, it says he didn't sin. But yet his children perished in the test.

But for the others, Achan, and Daniels conspirators, it seems other people died as a consequence of their sin.
Is it possible other people are affected by our sins?

Numb 14:18 'The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.'

Will God cause innocent descendants to face the iniquities of their fathers? ... even to the 3rd and 4th generations?
Or perhaps, God knows they won't be so innocent?

 

[B-A-C]

A lot of these examples are from the old testament, but what about the New Testament?

Acts 12:21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.
Acts 12:22 The people kept crying out, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
Acts 12:23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Acts 5:5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
Acts 5:6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
Acts 5:10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

What caused Ananias and Sapphira to die? Was it Paul? The Bible doesn't specifically say it was Paul. So then was it God? The Holy Spirit?

1Cor 5:5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Did Paul really turn a member of the church over to Satan? ..."so that his spirit might be saved".

Matt 24:50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know,
Matt 24:51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Will Jesus really throw some people out and "cut ( them ) in pieces"?

 

[Dave M]

Nothing was created on its own, God creates everything, he has purpose in doing so, shall I be so foolish to say what his purpose for doing so is no I wont. God knows best and all things work for the good of his people weather we see it that way or not. Gods ways are not out ways. Praise God almighty !! creator of all things, and all means all ,,even evil

Now I can already see the replies from people who created a "god in there minds, and not one of the bible saying things like God who is love would not create evil, yet it is right in scripture. These same people will ignore the word of God.

Is evil just a temporary thing, to help separate the wheat from the tares, to separate the sheep from the wolves, God already knows, but could it be he is so loving he is letting us know ,,so we can see, and how much more will we appreciate eternal life with out evil !!

Praise God !!

How much evil do we bring on to ourselves, has God not given us the sword and shield the full armor of God to protect us in this fallen world?? he did not leave us defenseless against evil, he gave us the full armor of God, but so many people do not want to use it !! then they blame so much of the disaster on other things, while they could have easily protected themselves.


Isaiah 45:7

New International Version
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

New Living Translation
I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things.

English Standard Version
I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

Berean Standard Bible
I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things.

King James Bible
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

New King James Version
I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.’

New American Standard Bible
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating disaster; I am the LORD who does all these things.

NASB 1995
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.

NASB 1977
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.

Legacy Standard Bible
The One forming light and creating darkness, Producing peace and creating calamity; I am Yahweh who does all these.

 

[Curtis]

Evil can not exist without good as evil is the complete opposite of good.

 

[Dave M]

Evil can not exist without good as evil is the complete opposite of good.

I look forward to the day good exists without evil, I think that happens after the 1000 reign of Christ

 

[B-A-C]

I think that happens after the 1000 reign of Christ

Maybe not immediately after.

Rev 20:7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison,
Rev 20:8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.
Rev 20:9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

[Dave M]

good catch

 

[Brad Huber]

Although satan certainly promotes evil, much evil comes from the hearts of mankind. Sooo... following your heart isnt always a good thing, it depends alot on where your heart is in relationship to God.