The Biblical Perspective on Evil: Part 5

Chapter 5: A Historical Perspective on Hebrew Concepts of Evil

Class Date: February 16, 2022

Summary: There are two kinds of evil experienced by virtually everyone. Moral evil is what people do to others. There is also natural evil, such as when a tornado destroys a town. How can we believe in a God who is just and loving when these things are allowed to happen? For the ancient Israelites, it was essential to have an explanation that preserved the idea that God is not only just, he is merciful. Throughout the Old Testament, the people of Israel developed several ways of trying to explain evil while upholding the justice of God. This perspective changed over time. The early stories might be summarized by making the following observations:

1) Evil is the result of human alienation from God

2) All people have the potential to become evildoers

3) The potential to commit evil is an inherited trait 4

) The evils that exist in the world cause sorrow in the heart of God

5) The consequence of evil is death

6) There is a power of evil in the world that is stronger than the human will to resist it.

7) God is eternally determined to overcome evil through love for humanity and his good creation.

8) God acts in history in order to bring salvation from evil through chosen people.

9) The story of God’s intervention in human history with a view to saving creation began with the Abrahamic covenant.

10) The entire story told in the Bible is the account of how God bought salvation to God’s people.

The book of Job explains that is someone suffers due to either moral or natural evil, it is because they sinned in some way. Repentance results in the mercy of God. The book of Daniel tells us that the justice of God would be revealed at the end of time. The evil doers would be sent to everlasting punishment, while the righteous would be welcomed into the kingdom of God.