Does God Create Evil?

By Arthur J Licursi

This verse seems to be saying God authors evil, but as we will see this is not as we may think. “I (The LORD) form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil [Heb ‘ra,’ the negative]: I the LORD do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7). Jesus said; “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation [trouble]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 (KJV)

But what is the meaning of God saying “I create evil”? Is God responsible for evil? If God is holy (righteous), and He is, how can He be the origin of evil? For a time, as a young Christian, when I encountered this verse, I was troubled by what it seemed to be saying, but I came to know I mistaken.

The fact is that we live in a fallen world whether we are believers or unbelievers. “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt. 5:45) Today life’s happenstances are not punishment but rather He uses the consequential negative events of health, wealth, and relationships to push the believer to totally turn to Him. He desires that we trust Him in all things, the eternal outcome is what matters most. Thus our sufferings have eternal value… as believers are called to “lay up Treasure In Heaven” (Matt. 6:20), not on the earth.

Note that Isaiah 45:7 (above) contains two sets of contrasts; light versus darkness, and peace versus evil. Stated another way, Darkness is to light as evil is to peace. “Evil” in this sense is the antonym of “peace.” Thus, “evil” here means “trouble,” “hardship,” or “something bad or negative,” the absence of peace.

I could list the many instances in the Old Testament of the Bible in which the word “evil” is used in the sense of God causing bad things to come upon the rebellious “children of Israel,” in response to their transgressions, as His chosen people while Israel was under “the Law.”

During today’s “dispensation of the grace of God,” He offers us ‘peace of heart’ but He does not necessarily remove the negative occurrences in our lives, no matter how much we pray. God’s motive in allowing the negative that comes upon all men, including grace believers, is to be used redemptively, for our eternal benefit ... to push us to grow in faith, trusting in His Son as our Savior and as our life resource… while we hold a Heavenly “Hope of glory” in view (cf. Col. 3:4). He by His life in us empowers us to endure all things.

The Lord is always “working” within us as believers, by the circumstances and situations of life, for us to acknowledge Christ and turning to Him, learning to trust Him in the midst of “all things.” We thus learn to walk in accord with Christ’s guiding “Spirit of life” within us (cf. Gal 5:16, 25), and by which we will spontaneously enjoy His light and have His peace in our hearts and lives amid trials. Consider these verses;

“We know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son… (Romans 8:28-29) “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phili. 2:13)

“Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the Peace Of God, which passeth all understanding, Shall Keep Your Hearts And Minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)

In the Old Testament the LORD brought trouble, hardship, or bad things upon rebellious Israel that they might turn to Him. The O.T. law of blessing and cursing was given to Israel as God’s external way of motivating the Nation Israel walk with Him. Recall that at that time nobody had the “Spirit of the Lord” permanently abiding or in them; thus, David prayed in “… take not thy holy spirit from me” (Psa. 51:11).

• Today, in the case of the unbeliever who does not have Christ’s “Spirit of life” speaking within them, their sufferings are to push them to find Christ as Savior.
• Then also God is always working in and on behalf of His believers who He has “foreknown” from “before the foundation of the earth” (Eph. 1:3) always working “for the good.” We as faithful grace believers will Never Ever See Than Angry Face of God Now or In Heaven’s Eternity.

In the meantime those grace believers who disregard the inner restraint of the Holy Spirit and the revealed written word of God for today, … the Father simply permits them to bear the consequences of their foolish decisions and unbelieving ways. “For he that Soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh Reap corruption; but he that Soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting.” (Gal. 6:8)