Devotionals

Is everything that God does considered good?

by Robert Randle
10/18/16
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Hardly anyone, at least those who believe in God, Ultimate reality, or Source would disagree that one of the characteristics of such a being rests in the notion of One who is the perfect Good. Exodus 34: 6-7a, says: “The Lord, the Lord the compassionate and gracious God, and slow to anger; abounding in love and faithfulness [mercy??], maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Who can accuse God of anything outside of how God describes these qualities to the divine nature? Nevertheless, let’s look at what the Scriptures also reveal about God; as in the following:

Exodus 4: 21
The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt. See that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

Joshua 11: 18a, 19b-20
Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. Not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites who took them all in battle. For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Judges 9: 23a, 24
God sent an “evil spirit” between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons, the shedding of their [innocent] blood might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem.

1 Samuel 16: 14-15; 19: 9a, 11
Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an “evil spirit” from the Lord tormented him. Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an ‘evil spirit’ from God is tormenting you. But an “evil spirit” from the Lord came upon Saul. Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning.

2 Samuel 24: 1, 3a, b, 10
Again, the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he [the Lord] “incited” David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah” But Joab replied to the king, “but why does mu lord want to do such a thing?” David was conscious-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

NOTE: Another version of the same event is recorded in the Chronicles, as in below:

1 Chronicles 21: 1a, 8a
Satan (??) rose up against Israel and “incited” David to take a census of Israel. Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this.”

1 Kings 22: 20-22
And the Lord said, “Who will ‘entice’ Ahab into attacking Ramoth-Gilead and going to his death there?” One suggested this, and another that. Finally a “spirit” came forward, stood before the Lord and said, “I will entice him.” “By what means?” the Lord asked. I will go out and be a “lying spirit” in the mouths of all his prophets, he said. You will succeed in ‘enticing’ him, said the Lord. “Go and do it.”

2 Kings 19: 6a, 7, 9a, 36-37a
This is what the Lord says, I am going to put a “spirit” in him that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword. Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakeh the Cushite king of Egypt, was marching out against him. So Sennacherib, king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. One day, while he was worshipping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword.

Job 2: 1, 3
On another day when the angels came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?” There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright; a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you “incite” me to ruin (destroy) him without a cause.

Job 2: 10b; 42: 7
Job replied. . . “Shall we accept [only??] good from God, and not evil (trouble/adversity)?” After the Lord said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your friends because you have not spoken of me what is right; as my servant Job has.

Isaiah 45: 6b-7
I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create [the] darkness. I make peace, and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things.

CONCLUSION: It seems that “good and evil” are not quantifiable in the human sense of the word as absolutes when it pertains to the Lord. The purpose for which God acts in human history is consistent with his “essential” goodness and as such, any action by God that makes us uncomfortable or which is not easily understood cannot be sufficient proof or evidence to indict the Creator of wrongdoing. Did not God say in Isaiah 55: 8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St #701
Tacoma, WA 98402
October 18, 2016
[email protected]