|
SYDSS provides up to date bloggings on a variety of subjects.
Why does god permit wickedness?
There was a demon possessed man. He wore no clothes, only shackles that he had burst apart, with cuts all over his body, long hair, crazy eyes. One day he was walking down from the tombs onto the beach, and their to his astonishment was God, son of the most high god.
At once the demons fell down before him and shouted : “What have we to do with you, son of the most high god! Did you come hear to torment us before the appointed time. I beg you, do not torment us”
God said what is your name and the demons inside the man said “Legion”, because there were thousands of demons inside of this man.
The demons said “Please, Send us into those pigs over there”. So God permitted them to do so. And about two thousand pigs ran over the precipice into the sea and drowned.
Why did God allow those wicked demons to keep living? They did some terrible things to that possessed man and those around him. Similarly, why does God allow wickedness that we see today?
This account holds the answers. There are two things that are very clear in this account which is recorded in Matthew, Luke and Mark.
The first thing is that God had the power to destroy those demons. Think about it, there where thousands of Demons in that man…..and only 1 God. When God ordered the demons out of the man, they didn’t say “oh yeh, you and who’s army.” No, those demons were terrified, they begged God not to destroy them. And today, God still has the power to destroy any wicked beings.
So, if God had the power, why didn’t he destroy them? Turn to Matt 8:29 with me to read this.
And, look! they screamed, saying: “What have we to do with you, Son of God? Did you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Yes, even these wicked demons acknowledged that they would be destroyed at an appointed time. Thousands of demons, in unison, acknowledged that God had the power and an appointed time to destroy them. Who can possible contest this fact?
So we know that the wicked will be destroyed at an appointed time, and this day is getting closer. Why does god wait to bring judgment against the wicked? To answer this we must remember that the originator of wickedness is Satan. And Satan has made two claims that he needs time to prove. Up until that appointed time, Satan will try to prove that
1) humans can rule themselves without God
2) humans will not serve God out of love
These are the two claims satan has made. An example of Satan’s challenge to god in job 2:4, and I’ll read from Jerusalem Bible – words it nicely.
Satan challenged God here and said JOB 2:4 “a man will give away all that he has to save his life. But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his bone and flesh; I warrant you, he will curse you to your very face.” Satan was accusing Job, and all humans of serving God only for what they can get out of the relationship.
God has granted Satan time to prove his point, but in the end Satan, the demons, wicked humans and all wickedness will meet an end similar to those thousands of pigs who ran off the cliff and drowned. Only these ones will be destroyed a little differently, let read Rev 20:10
10 And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur”. Which means their eternal destruction and a world free of wickedness. Until then, let us remember that there is an appointed time, even the demons acknowledge this, let’s not forget it.
And they put in to shore in the country of the Ger´a•senes, which is on the side opposite Gal´i•lee. 27 But as he got out onto land a certain man from the city who had demons met him. And for a considerable time he had not worn clothing, and he was staying, not at home, but among the tombs. 28 At the sight of God he cried aloud and fell down before him, and with a loud voice he said: “What have I to do with you, God Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 (For he had been ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For over a long time it had held him fast, and he was repeatedly bound with chains and fetters under guard, but he would burst the bonds and be driven by the demon into the lonely places.) 30 God asked him: “What is your name?” He said: “Legion,” because many demons had entered into him. 31 And they kept entreating him not to order them to go away into the abyss. 32 Now a herd of a considerable number of swine was feeding there on the mountain; so they entreated him to permit them to enter into those. And he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered into the swine, and the herd rushed over the precipice into the lake and drowned. 34 But when the herders saw what had happened, they fled and reported it to the city and to the countryside.
Mark 5:2
a man under the power of an unclean spirit met him from among the memorial tombs. 3 He had his haunt among the tombs; and up to that time absolutely nobody was able to bind him fast even with a chain, 4 because he had oftentimes been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains were snapped apart by him and the fetters were actually smashed; and nobody had the strength to subdue him. 5 And continually, night and day, he was crying out in the tombs and in the mountains and slashing himself with stones. 6 But on catching sight of God from a distance he ran and did obeisance to him, 7 and, when he had cried out with a loud voice, he said: “What have I to do with you, God, Son of the Most High God? I put you under oath by God not to torment me.” 8 For he had been telling it: “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.” 9 But he began to ask him: “What is your name?” And he said to him: “My name is Legion, because there are many of us.” 10 And he entreated him many times not to send the spirits out of the country.
11 Now a great herd of swine was there at the mountain feeding. 12 So they entreated him, saying: “Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.” 13 And he permitted them. With that the unclean spirits came out and entered into the swine; and the herd rushed over the precipice into the sea, about two thousand of them, and they drowned one after another in the sea. 14
Matthew 8:28
Gad•a•renes´, there met him two demon-possessed men coming out from among the memorial tombs, unusually fierce, so that nobody had the courage to pass by on that road. 29 And, look! they screamed, saying: “What have we to do with you, Son of God? Did you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” 30 But a long way off from them a herd of many swine was at pasture. 31 So the demons began to entreat him, saying: “If you expel us, send us forth into the herd of swine.” 32 Accordingly he said to them: “Go!” They came out and went off into the swine; and, look! the entire herd rushed over the precipice into the sea and died in the waters. 33
|
