"Why did this badness happen?" "Why do they need to suffer?" Have you asked questions such as these? Perhaps you were told:
1. "It was predetermined years ago, and therefore it is God's will."
2. "God wanted another angel in Heaven." (When someone dies)
3. "It's God's way to provide population-control." (when addressing weather,
mass-deaths, or disease).
4. "God is punishing you/them/me."
These are some of the responses given in regards to the suffering that people experience across the earth. Some of these responses come even from religious leaders. How do you feel about these answers? Perhaps you have repeated one or more of them yourself. If so, please know that this post is not written to offend. Rather, it is to consider how we've been conditioned by society to think about life's troubles, who we blame, and what the Bible really says. What is the Truth about our suffering?
Review those responses again. What do they have in common? Yes, they all say that God is "in charge" of what took place. He caused it to happen. So, essentially, they all blame God for the consequence. Is this true?
Is God to blame for our woes?
First, thing to consider: Is God in charge?
Immediately, we all want to say, "Yes! Yes! Of course our Great Almighty is in charge! Like, duh!" Right?
Of course, God is the Almighty and is quite capable of anything...especially being in charge of the entire universe, which he created. That is true.
But is he in charge...as in "is God ruling the earth at this time"?
Actually, the Bible never says that either Jehovah or Jesus is ruling the world at this time. In fact, it says quite the contrary. Jesus referred to "Satan" as the ruler of this world.
Does that surprise you? Are you doubting this?
Please go to your Bible and look up the following scriptures:
John 12:31-"Now there is a judging of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out."
John 14:30 -"I will not speak to you much more, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has no hold on me."
2 Cor. 4:3-4- "If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through."
1 John 5:19- "We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one."
Who are these scriptures referring to?
Satan is actually the ruler of this world during this system of things. Jesus not only referred to him as the ruler of this world, but also did not deny this when Satan offered Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world in return for an act of worship. Of course, Jesus denied the offer, but he did not deny that Satan "could" make this offer to him.
Now, of course, this rulership is only for a time. God will end it very soon. Satan knows he has a very short time, and thus we can only expect the conditions to get worse as time goes on.
Revelation 12:9- "So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him."
Revelation 12:12-"On this account, be glad you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time."
Does it not make sense that if a corrupt spirit is ruling the world, that things may run a little less than desirable? His characteristics of hatred, greed, and deceit influence the world that is under his rulership with hatred, greed, and deceit. These attributes of the world lead to suffering, so that is one reason.
Another reason that we see suffering upon the earth is due to our own actions as humans. Humans are born sinful and naturally rebellious since the fall of Adam and Eve. Because of this, we don't always make the best decisions....especially when depending on ourselves or other imperfect humans to make them instead of turning to God. Humans tend to want to have control and dominance over others, which leads to the unfortunate mistreatment and suffering. It also leads to wars and oppression.
Ecclesiastes 4:1 -"Again I turned my attention to all the acts of oppression that go on under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and there was no one to comfort them. And their oppressors had the power, and there was no one to comfort them."
Ecclesiastes 8:9 -"All of this I have seen, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, during the time that man has dominated man to his harm."
The third reason that the Bible says causes suffering is "time and unforeseen occurrences". Have you ever heard the expression "In the wrong place at the wrong time"? Yep. That's it. Simply unexpected events that we didn't see coming. That's life in this system. It happens.
Ecclesiastes 9:11-" I have seen something further under the sun, that the swift do not always win the race, nor do the mighty win the battle, nor do the wise always have the food, nor do the intelligent always have the riches, nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all."
So, in review, there are three main reasons for bad things to happen and suffering upon the earth:
1. Satan as ruler.
2. Human sinfulness.
3. Time and unexpected events.
Does the Bible say that God is at fault for our suffering? No. He is not at fault for wars, oppression, hatred, and bad happenings upon the earth. Not even the natural disasters that take lives or cause hardship. There is no need to blame him, because he is not to blame. This is the world under Satan's rulership. This shows how well Satan directs and controls things. This shows how well humans can do independently without our Creator's direction. This is the rulership that will very soon be replaced by God's Kingdom. Will you welcome it? As we mentioned before, Satan has a very short time.
This is all fine and dandy, but if God can step in and change the badness and end the suffering, then why doesn't he? Why is he waiting? Jehovah always has good reason for what he does or doesn't do. He also lovingly answers for us the questions that we want to know. So we know that we can find this answer in the Bible as well.
Read: Why Does God Allow Suffering To Go On?
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