God Is Always Good
God's Word is clear as to the nature of the true God–He is always good. In direct contrast to God's loving nature is the Devil, our adversary, the thief, who wants to do nothing but steal, and kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The Devil is always bad. In order to live in God's power, we must maintain a clear mental picture of the goodness of our loving heavenly Father and the badness of the Devil. God never imparts evil to mankind. People who think that God makes them sick, injures them, or kills them are attributing darkness or evil to God, and that is wrong because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5).
Of course there are many apparent contradictions in the Bible that stem from the erroneous idea of God's hurting or killing someone. Most can be reconciled with the proper understanding of the figure of speech, idiom. An idiom is a colloquialism, a peculiar manner of speaking, or an expression with a meaning that cannot be understood from the words alone. An idiom can also be described as a usage of words in a culture that has a meaning different from a strict dictionary definition. In Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, E. W. Bullinger explained that the Hebrew language has an idiom of permission, which is a unique usage of words where active verbs are sometimes used "to express, not the doing of the thing, but the permission of the thing which the agent is said to do."
For example, when Exodus 10:20 says that "the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart" it means "the Lord permitted Pharaoh's heart to be hardened." When II Samuel 6:7 says that "God smote him [Uzzah]," it more accurately means "God permitted him to be smitten." When Genesis 19:24 records that "the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire," it must be understood as "the Lord permitted brimstone and fire to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah."
Having this fundamental understanding that God is always good, let's take a closer look at the Word of God to get a fuller understanding of why and how this idiom of permission is used so that we never attribute folly, or evil, to God.
There are two major factors that contribute to the frequency of this idiom in God's Word. First, the adversary and his activities were not fully exposed until Jesus Christ made a show of them openly. Second, man's freedom of will to accept or reject the law of God allows him to either accept God's Word and appropriate the blessings or to reject God's Word and receive the consequences. Seeing these two factors in the context of the Word further broadens our understanding of the use of this Hebrew idiom.
The Adversary Was Not Fully Exposed Until Jesus Christ Did It
People in the Old Testament knew a little about the Devil, devil spirits, and spiritual influences. The prophets also spoke about the adversary (Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:13-19), although it was often cloaked in figurative language (Ezekiel 28:12). People were aware that devil spirits did affect mankind negatively. However, it was the life and ministry of Jesus Christ that really exposed the network and functioning of the devil-spirit realm. He clarified what the Devil's will is, describing him as a thief and detailing his objectives.
John 10:10:
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.
Look at the emphatic way it is stated: "The thief cometh not, but for to...." This encompasses the sole reason for his actions. Jesus, in contrast, came declaring the one true God so that we could be victorious over the devil-spirit realm and could live more abundantly. He taught his disciples how to be victorious over their personal adversary, giving them power over the spirit realm.
Luke 10:17-24:
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
The Old Testament prophets would have loved to know what Jesus Christ was able to teach his disciples. However, the full exposure of the snare did not happen until after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and the sending of the power of the holy spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Colossians 2:15:
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Although the believers in the Old Testament were not fully cognizant of the spiritual forces at work, they could still express what was going on by using this idiom of permission. Furthermore, and important to note, God specifically instructed His people on occasion to not even mention the name of false gods
Exodus 23:13:
And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
Joshua 23:7:
That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them.
Therefore, instead of saying that the Devil or Belial did something, the people would say that the Lord permitted it to be done. This figure allowed people to explain what was going on and still portray God as sovereign and in control of the situation.
The Books of Samuel are written from man's point of view, revealing man's limited awareness of the devil-spirit realm. In II Samuel we find the idiom of permission used in speaking of the numbering of Israel.
II Samuel 24:1:
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he [the Lord] moved David [permitted David to be moved] against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
However, Chronicles, written from God's point of view and with the proper understanding of the spiritual forces at work in the world, states the literal truth.
I Chronicles 21:1:
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
There is no contradiction here. Understanding the idiom of permission dissolves the apparent contradiction.
Another example of the use of this idiom in light of man's limited understanding is seen in the Book of Job. God had the account of Job recorded for one major purpose: to show us the goodness of God and the wickedness of the Devil.
Job 1:21:
And [Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
This verse appears to be in direct contrast to what the Book of James tells us about God's nature.
James 1:16,17:
Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
There is no variableness with God. He is not fickle. His will does not fluctuate. He does not contradict Himself. He does not give and then decide to take away. Again the proper understanding of the idiom is necessary: "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath permitted it to be taken away." Job knew that it was his own fear that brought the devastation upon him.
Job 3:25:
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
As we read the account of Job, God adds details necessary to our understanding. However, Job was not fully aware of the spiritual forces involved. He did not have the luxury of reading Job 1:6-12 like we do. Job knew he had an adversary, but he did not initially know much about him. He lamented, later on in the account, that he did not know more about his adversary.
Job 31:35:
Oh that one would hear me behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
It was the Devil who stole Job's health and killed Job's children. It was the Devil who destroyed Job's reputation and wanted to ultimately destroy Job by getting him to curse God, to blame God for all the evil he suffered. However, Job never cursed God. In the midst of the devastation of the adversary's attack on Job, he never succumbed as the Devil wanted him to. He never attributed folly, or evil, to God (Job 1:22; 2:10). Job knew that none of the evil and hurt that had befallen him came from God. Since Job is the first book of the Bible that God had written, we could consider this the oldest and most foundational lesson of all.
God's Law and Man's Freedom of Will
In addition to the Old Testament believers' limited knowledge of the adversary contributing to the frequent use of this idiom, the second major factor was the relationship between God's law and man's freedom of will. Man's freedom of will is a sacred trust from God that He never oversteps. God has allowed men to determine their own lives by controlling their thinking to either believe His Word and accept His will or to not believe and reject it.
Deuteronomy 11:26-28:
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:
And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
God gave us His Word to protect us from our adversary. When we respect Him and do His commandments, He can take care of us.
Deuteronomy 6:24:
And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear [reverence] the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
When God established free will, there had to be a choice. There had to have been an option other than the perfect beauty and order that God created and initiated. God's creation was perfect until the day when iniquity was found in Lucifer (Ezekiel 28:12-15). God did not make Lucifer evil. Rather, God allowed him the freedom of will to love and serve Him. With this freedom came the alternative of evil, which was first manifested in Lucifer. God gave this same freedom of will to mankind.
God set up the universe on the basis of perfect justice. After the fall of man, when Adam transferred his dominion to the adversary, God had to permit the adversary to work. When people refuse to do God's Word and decide to turn away from Him, God can no longer help and protect them because they, by their freewill choice, step outside of the protection of God. People bring evil upon themselves when they turn from God's Word.
Jeremiah 2:19:
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear [respect] is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts
Isaiah 3:8-11:
For Jerusalem is mined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him. for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him. for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Throughout the Word, God makes His will very clear: He doesn't even want the wicked to die. He wants the wicked to change their evil ways and believe His Word.
Ezekiel 33:11:
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel?
If the wicked turned from their evil ways, God could protect them and preserve their lives.
God's will is never the variable in life's situations. The variable is man's response to God's Word. Will he believe and appropriate the blessings or reject the Word and receive the consequences?
Isaiah 59:1,2:
Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
God has given mankind the right to choose, and He will not violate that right.
Deuteronomy 30:15-20:
See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
The Scripture cannot be broken. Therefore when people break God's laws, they, in essence, break themselves on the law of God. God gave man His Word. When men believe and act on it, they are blessed and protected. When men rebel and refuse to listen to God's Word, God can no longer protect them. God recognizes the sanctity of freewill choice. He will never violate man's free will to choose. When man chooses to break the law of God, he receives the consequences of his disobedience.
If a man jumped off a cliff and killed himself, we would understand that the man was responsible for the consequence of his own death. Even though God is the One Who established the law of gravity, we would not say God killed the man, because the man broke God's physical law of gravity. Likewise, God is not responsible for the consequences when man breaks the spiritual laws of God. The fact that God declares what the consequences of unbelief are does not mean that He actively imparts them to mankind. Why would a loving God ever want to harm or to kill people? He doesn't! The Bible teaches in Hebrews 2:14 that the Devil holds the power of death. He is the one who brings and causes the calamity, not God.
This account of Saul gives us a good example of how this idiom of permission is used in the context of man's breaking the law of God.
I Chronicles 10:3-5:
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
It is obvious from the record here and in I Samuel 31:3-5 that Saul took his own life. He killed himself. However, in Chronicles this record continues and shows the underlying reason for Saul's death: he broke the law of God.
I Chronicles 10:13,14:
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; And inquired not of the Lord: therefore he [the Lord] slew him [permitted Saul to be slain], and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
Here we see clearly this idiom of permission. I Chronicles 10:4 says Saul killed himself, and I Chronicles 10:14 says that God permitted Saul to be killed. Saul brought the consequence of death upon himself because he forsook the true God and turned to the devil-spirit realm. The Devil is the one with the power of death, and it was he that authored and instigated the death of Saul.
Let's look at some other examples of this idiom of permission.
Exodus 12:29:
And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
Again, this verse contradicts all the clear verses on the subject. The proper understanding of this verse is that "...the Lord permitted all the firstborn in the land of Egypt to be smitten...." By taking a closer look at the context we will see that there is one verse of scripture which handles the smiting of the firstborn both idiomatically and literally. The first part of the verse handles it idiomatically.
Exodus 12:23:
For the Lord will pass through to smite [permit the smiting of] the Egyptians....
The second part of the verse explains what literally happened.
Exodus 12:23:
...and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer [permit] the destroyer [the Devil] to come in unto your houses to smite you.
The destroyer, the Devil, literally and actively killed the firstborn. God simply had to allow it to happen because the Egyptians did not obey His Word. God knew that the Devil would act in this manner, so He provided protection for His people in the Passover God gave the people His Word. If they observed the Passover as He prescribed, putting the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel, He would protect them and not allow the Devil, the destroyer, to kill their firstborn. If people did not obey, God could not protect them, and the destroyer was permitted to kill the firstborn.
The question often arises as to why the adversary would kill his own people. Again, the adversary's nature is to steal, kill, and destroy, and he succumbs to it even when it means the death of his own people at times. Furthermore, if there is an opportunity for him to kill, maim, or harm and cause God to receive the blame for it, he will. The adversary likes nothing better than to have people attribute evil to God. Now when you read of God actively causing harm, injury, or death, you can identify this as the Hebrew idiom of permission.
Summary
Recognizing and understanding the Hebrew idiom of permission allows us to rightly divide God's Word and not to attribute evil, or folly, to God. The frequency of this idiom in the Old Testament was due in part to the lack of awareness of the spiritual forces at work. It was also due to specific instruction God gave Israel at times to not even mention the names of other gods. Man's free will to accept or reject the law of God also contributed to its frequent occurrences.
The proper understanding of the relationship of God's law and man's free will demonstrates that man brings evil upon himself when he breaks the laws of God and walks outside of God's protection. The very form of the idiom kept God always in control of situations and His sovereignty unquestioned. When man is outside the stronghold of God's protection, he is prey to the Devil, who as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).
For us to live in God's power we must have a clear mental picture of the goodness of God and the badness of the Devil. Let's drive into our minds the truth that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. By keeping a clear picture of the goodness of God before us, we can live in God's power. Our freewill choice to believe and do the Word appropriates God's blessings and keeps us in the center of His will, protected by the everlasting arms of our loving heavenly Father.
Shirley La Fave
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