On Evil

There is a truth evident in scripture that many are reluctant to accept - one that most believers would rather not even contemplate. It has the power to turn a friendly discussion into a fierce debate. Because of this, I warn you - if you would prefer to remain calm, if you would rather not read something absolutely infuriating, make haste and click your way right out of here. For those intrepid souls who remain, however, read on. Do remember, though - you've been warned.

“I form light and create darkness, I make well-being [good] and create calamity [evil], I Am the L-RD, who does all these things.” ~ Isaiah 45:7

How can we understand such a verse? How does it pertain, if at all, to the acts of sin, hatred and violence we witness daily? Has G-d simply left us to our own devices? Why does He allow evil? Even worse, does He actually cause it? Who's in charge here?

Mankind is replete with sinful desire. He cares not for G-d's instruction and, by and large, revels in his rebellion. He commits all manner of sinful acts against others - most of the time completely intentionally. Yet, Isaiah, when speaking of HaShem, didn't write, "I form light, but man forms darkness, I make well-being and man creates calamity, I Am the L-RD and I'm responsible for only the good stuff." He wrote something quite contrary.

You might ask, "Isn't man the author of evil?" And while, yes, man can be an author - man can’t truly “create”. Man, then, is an author of acts of evil - an engineer, an architect. And like those craftsmen, he’s able to arrange elements and materials that previously existed, but not to speak realities into existence himself. The heart of man is depraved. His intention is to manipulate and distort reality, as much as he's able, into self-centered acts. In man's desire to worship himself, essentially, he becomes an agent of, or vessel for, evil. His rebellious will formulates many dark devices - but he is merely manipulating these pre-existing, created elements of power, exaltation, the ability to cease life, to his own benefit. Man did not create these elements. Man cannot. G-d did. Isaiah did not misquote Him.

This, of course, is not to say that G-d is “evil”, as many have, unfortunately, come to understand the situation, but that He is the Creator of absolutely everything - including free will. Having created beings with free will, G-d has allowed the evil equation. If you give your child the freedom to make any decision they like, you're fully aware that the wrong, harmful decision is well within their grasp. And while they didn't create that option, they're compelled to attain it. It's an inescapable reality - a fallen being will fall, repeatedly. What's particularly astounding about G-d giving us free will is that He, obviously, foreknew absolutely everything we'd do with it. That's a bit unsettling, isn't it? Is it possible that even our concept of what evil is has been corrupted? I believe it has - and that corruption wouldn't be such an issue if we didn't subconsciously incorporate it into our theology.

Clearly, we can only comprehend so much (or very little, actually) about the nature of HaShem. Just as clearly, our own ideas far too quickly fill in the voids. So, what is this concept "evil" to which we refer so casually? Is it not man taking the attributes of G-d onto himself? Isn't that, basically, what Adam and Chavah did? Was their act in Gan Eden truly evil? Disobedient, certainly - but diabolical? It might not seem so, but it absolutely was, if you understand that all power, glory, exaltation, honor, knowledge, worship, life, and the cessation of life, belongs to HaShem. When man puts on these elements himself, when he distorts these re-purposed powers for his own gain, when he attempts to exalt himself over G-d, his intention can only ever be what we refer to as evil. Century after century, man composes his epic poem of malice from an exalted glossary of attributes stolen directly from G-d. History has recited this dark work for so long, attributing the ownership to man, that many falsely assume G-d to be hateful, absent, or simply a myth. The distortion has finally eclipsed the reality.

Can G-d be jealous? Yes. Can He be vengeful? Certainly. He can hate. He can kill. But is He evil? Of course not! These attributes, which we wield in destruction, are G-d’s alone to possess. We, as His creations, have no right to possess them (as Mashiach Yeshua has made clear), much less, project our own distortions and lack of understanding onto The Eternal One. When ha satan embodies these attributes, why does he do so? Is it not to “be like G-d” – to exalt himself over G-d’s Creation? It is no different with man. What are pride, murder, rape, slander? Some will simply say “evil”, and while that is certainly true, to be more clear, more rational – these are mere distortions, or misappropriations of power and control. These are acts of power perpetrated by otherwise powerless, created beings. To create darkness, you must place an obstruction before light, but you haven’t actually “created” anything at all – you’ve merely concealed or distorted something else.

Though we are unable to comprehend HaShem, we surely know enough to understand that He is completely unlike us. We also know that if we, mankind, were to cause something “evil” to happen, chances are, it would be because our motivations were self-serving to begin with. It's unwise to project this, our own sinful nature, onto our Creator, however. HaShem accomplishes all things in perfection – even seemingly chaotic things – for His glory. Our understanding of time, events and purpose is finite – His plans, infinite. Many are uncomfortable with this, though. They so desperately desire a god who behaves and thinks like they do, that they fabricate a deity like themselves – or what they think a deity should be like, rather than what He actually is like. Introducing, the mentality behind the whole of man’s bloody interaction with his fellow man throughout history - most often, in the name of religion.

Perhaps you disagree with the ideas I've put forth. I hope that you do, actually - as I'm still trying to figure things out and enjoy these types of discussions immensely.

What is "evil" to you?