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Why
Does God
Permit Calamities?
Chapter 6
Supposed Objections
Some say God was unjust to
judge and then condemn the whole human race in father Adam. What
was the alternative? Create each of the billions of humanity
individually and give each an individual trial? Recall the
scenario of the baby and hot stove. Lacking experience, Divine
wisdom knew most, if not all, of humankind would disobey
Him—just as father Adam did. Then there would be billions of
individually condemned sinners, not just one. To salvage that
disaster, each sinner would require a separate redeemer. What a
mathematical challenge that would pose!
But God in His infinite wisdom
found a way to condemn all in one man (Adam), so that He could
redeem all in one man’s death (the perfect man Jesus). “For if
by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which
receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).
Human History Horrendous
Some complain that the
tragedies of history have been horrendous—at times, unbearable.
If God is loving, why hasn’t He at least limited their severity?
Psalm 76:10 assures us that
God is limiting man’s wrath (man’s inhumanity to man) to only
those experiences that will praise Him—accomplish the purposes
of His plan for mankind. All human evil which is in excess of
what is necessary for humanity’s schooling will be restrained.
Actually, civilization would have aborted or adversely mutated
itself time and again if it wasn’t for this Divine restraining.
But the schooling of the permission of evil must of necessity be
severe.
Man has to learn once—for all
time—not just the error of sin, but also its horrific
consequences. For the most part, the scenario of sin must be
played out in ghastly detail in order for this lesson to be
thoroughly learned. Further, these terrible details of sin’s
consequences must become the facts of history to be studied for
the eternal welfare of all. The experiences of each have not
been the same. This is obviously true of those who died as
babies or children. Actually, the Scriptures reveal that man’s
total experience with sin will be studied throughout eternity.
Certainly in the Kingdom, when the dead are raised, the total
experience of all mankind will be shared. What a motivation this
composite history of evil will be to inspire all to love the
ways of righteousness.
Future Creations
Isaiah 45:18 informs us
concerning the earth that God “created it not in vain, He formed
it to be inhabited.” It is logical to conclude that this is true
for the myriads of other planets in the universe. In future
creations on these planets, intelligent beings will not need a
learning experience with sin. Sin and its sequel of evil will no
longer be mere theory. Sin and evil are now an actual fact not
only in the history of the earth but also the universe. A vivid
account of this history will be conveyed to all future
creations. This is another reason the scenario of sin must be
played out in such sordid detail on earth.
Spectacle to Angels
The angelic hosts of heaven
are intensely watching the drama of sin and evil as it unfolds
on earth. Angels are primarily learning the bitter consequences
of sin by observation. In order for this lesson by observation
to be effective, it must run its course in gruesome details.
Restraining the Severity of
Evil
But there are ways in which
God is limiting the severity of humankind’s experience with
evil. In love, God has cut off nations and whole groupings of
people before their consciences became irrevocably scarred by
experiencing evil. Otherwise there would be no conscience left
to which God could appeal when they come forth from their graves
in the Kingdom (John 5:29).
Both the Ten Commandments and
the preaching of the Gospel for a witness in all nations have
had a tremendous influence on the moral laws of the nations,
thereby limiting the practice of evil.
In his book Out of Control,
Brzezinski reminded us that the insane evil of the 20th century
was due to the unprecedented knowledge of our day. God kindly
withheld this explosion of knowledge until the “Time of the End”
(Daniel 12:1, 4). This explosion of knowledge is having its
God-intended effect—the destruction of our social order to make
way for God’s Kingdom.
Why Will the Kingdom
Succeed?
If Adam failed in his test of
obedience, what assurance is there that mankind will pass the
test for eternal life in the Kingdom? There are four fundamental
reasons. The first three are experience, experience and
experience. The fourth is that mankind will be in the hands of a
sympathetic Priesthood.
Experience
The factor of personal
experience is all-important. Adam had no experience with the
consequences of sin. In the Kingdom each person will have a
vivid memory of every pain, sorrow and tragedy, and realize
their debilitating effect on mind and body. Every encounter with
man’s inhumanity will be relived time and again as they interact
with these same individuals in the Kingdom. What a challenge
each will face, to ask forgiveness and to forgive. This is one
of the many practical ways they will learn to develop love one
for another. What a refreshing contrast life will be in the
Kingdom when they experience the rewards of health, peace and
happiness for righteous living. Also, Satan, the one who took
Eve down the “primrose path of deception,” will be bound.
A Sympathetic Priesthood
Humanity will be in the hands
of Jesus and His Church (his faithful followers) who will be
Kings and Priests to the world. Think of being in the hands of
King Jesus—a King who was willing to die for his subjects that
they might have life. Think of the compassion he developed for
sinners by the sufferings he received at their hands. The more
they opposed him and harmed him, the more he learned to
understand and love them. Think also of humankind being ruled
and helped by members of the faithful Church, who will be
associate rulers and priests. They were once fellow
sinners—representatives of every type of humanity. They have
experienced every sort of tragedy which man has suffered. Oh,
what an incentive it will be to realize that members of the
Church understand and can help them out of every temptation to
disobey!
Because man’s past experience
with sin and assistance from the sympathetic priesthood in the
Kingdom will be so effective, the Scriptures speak of those who
gain eternal life as the “sand of the sea” in number (Genesis
22:17-18). Yes, the experience with evil will enable the vast
majority of mankind to share the joys of eternity.
When the testings of the
Millennial Kingdom are over, as mankind stands at the threshold
of eternity, they will look back on the permission of evil and
thank God for every tragedy and every sorrow. What an invaluable
lesson! Compared to eternity, it will seem but a moment. And
then “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there
shall be no more death neither sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation
21:4).
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