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Did God Create Evil?

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Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles Tags: ,

A querist asks, “Using the King James Version, Isaiah 45:7-KJV says that God creates evil. Some people teach that God created evil. I know this cannot possibly be true, for God hates evil (Proverbs 6:16-19). Can you please comment on this text where I can understand it?”

In Isaiah 45:7-KJV, the King James Version states:

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”

It is unfortunate that the King James translators used the word, “evil” in this text. Both the English Standard and New King James Version better translates the Hebrew as “calamity.” The very idea that God created evil is a false teaching as James points out in (James 1:13; cf. Habakkuk 1:12-13). With this thought in mind, let us look at the context of Isaiah 45:7.

In Isaiah 45:1 (cf. Isaiah 41:2; Isaiah 41:25; Isaiah 46:11), God is going to use Cyrus, king of the Persian empire (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Daniel 6:28; Daniel 10:1; Daniel 10:13), to subdue the Babylonians (Isaiah 47:1-15). He would eventually be charged by God to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4).

Given the above background, the text in Isaiah 45:7 is simply stating that God is sovereign over both light and darkness. Light, representing Cyrus’ assured victory (Isaiah 45:1-4) and darkness representing “calamity” to Babylon (Isaiah 47:1-5).

The term “peace” in Isaiah 45:7-KJV, refers to the peace that Israel will enjoy after their captivity ends (Isaiah 45:17; Isaiah 26:1-5). The term “evil” in Isaiah 45:7-ESV, refers to calamities or woes brought upon various heathen nations by God including Babylon (cf. (Isaiah 31:1-2; Isaiah 47:1-5).

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