The Reality of Evil and Our Proposed Response

“Do not quench the Spirit…examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” (rf. 1 Thess. 5:18–22 NASB)

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (rf. Matt. 6:13 NASB)

            As I pen this article, the mass shooting at the Country music concert in Las Vegas, Nevada has just occurred, killing over 50 people and injuring over 500. The terrorist attacks on London are still very fresh on our memories. Those in the Western world with a secular worldview have a difficult time reconciling what they perceive as the taking of innocent human life for the sake of pure anger or extremist ideology. They believe that it is just a matter of finding the correct political solution, that those who desire such deaths can be helped ahead of time with proper counseling or broad scale gun control or those with ideological or religious “axes to grind” can simply be brought to the bargaining table and “peace in our time” can be reached for all concerned. Not only is this view a pipe-dream, it is overlooking the principle feature found in the scenario. As much as we do not want to face up to this reality, we are dealing with evil in one of its many forms, an evil that is wreaking havoc, largely because of our own willful ignorance of its deceptive ways and actions. We fail to see evil in all of its manifestations.

            Jesus says in John 10:10 that “the thief comes to steal, to kill and to destroy”. He, on the other hand, gives life and provides blessing to those who are His sheep, to those who believe and trust in Him unto salvation. In sharing this information, Jesus is stating details regarding the very nature of evil that emanates from its source, the Evil One or Satan. Those who serve him take from others their lives, their property, the things that mean much to them and seek to bring about their destruction, both physically and spiritually. In whatever form they take, these servants of Satan will leave ruined lives and devastation in their wake, pain and suffering as their calling cards.

            Here we are in the month of October, quickly approaching a day of celebration of what is typically thought to be an innocent celebration for children (and adults as well), namely Halloween. Yet, how many of us have considered how this day brings out characters in stark contrast to the life-giving qualities of Christ. Witches, warlocks, mediums and other examples of partakers of magic, witchcraft, divining, and necromancy are all strongly condemned as abominations by the Lord (rf. Dt. 18:9-14; II Kgs. 21:1-6). Vampires, monsters, werewolves, zombies and many other examples of creatures whose existence is predicated upon devouring people and terrorizing the living are simply extensions of “the thief” in Jesus’ description (rf. Jn. 10:10). They have come to take life, not to give it. When we find ourselves caught up in the “fun” of this particular “holiday”, especially as Christians, we unwittingly are exalting the merits of evil, instead of the benefits of our Savior and Lord. There truly is “joy” that we can have “in the Lord” (rf. Ps. 33:1) and enjoyment in things that He blesses; therefore, we do not have to participate in worldly exploits that both implicitly and explicitly promote dark and evil messages in order to have a good time as believers in Christ.

            Honestly, I believe the rise of evil in our time is designed to be a “wake-up call” to God’s people, in particular, because we have been slumbering too long in a blanket of a self-made reality that seeks to dismiss suffering and is devoid of an appreciation for the Biblical doctrine of evil. As God has done a number of times in the past, I sense that He is doing once again in our present. He is using a growing evil entity to get the attention of His people to draw them back into His embrace. He used Nebuchadnezzar to put Jerusalem under siege and to draw the kingdom of Judah back to Him (rf. Jer. 39:1ff). He used the same tactic to chastise the Jews for refusing to accept their long-awaited Messiah by sending the Romans to overthrow Jerusalem and to destroy their prized Temple (rf. Matt. 24:1ff). The rise of ISIS, Iran or North Korea could be one more instrument that God is using to shake His people from their stupor, to help them to see clearly that evil is real, that their Enemy is desiring their overthrow, but, more importantly, that the Lord is and will always be their Protector, Provider and Sustainer as He has promised in His Word. He wants only for His flock to trust completely in Him as their God and King. Are we willing to do this now and to see evil in its true light, clearing away the deception, participating no longer in its schemes? These are questions only a heart trusting in Jesus can truthfully answer.