Evil is becoming common place in our society and it challenges us to wonder why. When we open the Bible we can find help in making sense of evil.

In Isaiah 14:11-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-15, we understand that evil was birthed in the free-will heart of a created angel named Lucifer who is now known as Satan, and who has brought his war against God to the human family.

In 1 John 3:8 we read that “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” We wait patiently as our Lord approaches the task of redemption perfectly for our sake (2 Peter 3:9) and so it doesn’t happen ever again (Nahum 1:9).

In Matthew 13:24-28, 36-43, Jesus tells a parable about how Satan has sowed “weeds” into the good field of humanity. In the parable we learn that the “weeds” will exist until the harvest of the saints when Jesus returns, and the “weeds” will be gathered up to be burned.

In 2 Timothy 3:13 we read “But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” If we are to understand that we are getting closer to the end of the age, and I believe we are, the “weeds” that Satan has sowed are two types: those who commit the evil and those who seek to spin it in order to deceive.

Many run to spin tragedy and deceive us in hopes that we will not consider the real cause of evil. This is why the godless clamor to blame everything but the one responsible for sin. The hatred for truth, for Jesus, for the Bible, for all who stand as Christians in God’s grace – the hatred for such – is enough for voices of society to speak deception to keep the spotlight off the truth.

In John 10:10 we read “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Our times are marked by those who will work with Satan in promoting death or those who will stand with Jesus in promoting life.

We grieve with those who lost loved ones in terrorist attacks, senseless mass shootings, and natural disasters, but let us grieve like those who have hope in the Giver of Life and take comfort in His promises.

• Psalm 27:1 promises that the Lord is our light in the darkness of these days and there is no need to fear what others can do to us.

• Jeremiah 29:11 promises that the Lord has a plan for your life and whatever happens to you is in accordance with God’s plan, whatever that time table is.

• Hebrews 9:27 promises that the sand will run out on the hour glass of your life at God’s timing and we ought to always be ready to meet our Lord face-to-face.

• Philippians 1:21 promises that just as Paul saw the options between living and dying as a win-win either way, so should we as we believe in Jesus (John 6:47).

Another post I’ve written on this topic: Why Evil?