₦airaland Forum

Isaiah 45:7 says:
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.”

I’m genuinely interested in how Christians can read this passage and still claim that their God is a good God. The verse explicitly has God claiming responsibility for not only good but also for evil.

If God created evil, how can he still be called a good God?

At the very least, this verse challenges the idea that God is purely good. It raises the possibility that the suffering and atrocities in the world ultimately originate from God himself, with Satan serving as a convenient scapegoat to preserve God’s image.

KBdownloads:
Isaiah 45:7 says:
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.”

I’m genuinely interested in how Christians can read this passage and still claim that their God is a good God. The verse explicitly has God claiming responsibility for not only good but also for evil.

If God created evil, how can he still be called a good God?

You only READ the Bible but you need to STUDY God's word in order to get the understanding!

MaxInDHouse:
You only READ the Bible but you need to STUDY God's word in order to get the understanding!

Which bible exactly? Normal KJV, ESV, NIV bible or the one your governing body produced for you Jehovah's witnesses?

MaxInDHouse:
You only READ the Bible but you need to STUDY God's word in order to get the understanding!

Can you address the verse itself instead of telling me to study more? I’m asking how Isaiah 45:7, where God explicitly states that he creates both peace and evil, is compatible with the idea that God is wholly good.

KBdownloads:
Isaiah 45:7 says:
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.”

I’m genuinely interested in how Christians can read this passage and still claim that their God is a good God. The verse explicitly has God claiming responsibility for not only good but also for evil.

If God created evil, how can he still be called a good God?

At the very least, this verse challenges the idea that God is purely good. It raises the possibility that the suffering and atrocities in the world ultimately originate from God himself, with Satan serving as a convenient scapegoat to preserve God’s image.

The person that created snyper, hypo have you called any of them evil?

And did you blame Kalashnikov for the bandits using his guns to ki your family members?

O Lord continue burning the Egyptians. Let the plagues never end in their lands and houses forever

Dtruthspeaker:
The person that created snyper, hypo have you called any of them evil?

And did you blame Kalashnikov for the bandits using his guns to ki your family members?

Flawed analogy. The tools you mentioned are neutral, how someone uses them isn’t the responsibility of their makers. On the other hand, God himself is claiming responsibility for evil itself, which is far from neutral

KBdownloads:
Flawed analogy. The tools you mentioned are neutral, how someone uses them isn’t the responsibility of their makers. On the other hand, God himself is claiming responsibility for evil itself, which is far from neutral

You are asking nairaland christians that have been divided into 40,000 different denominations to explain a scripture to you?

Very wise of you.

Goodluck!

KBdownloads:
Flawed analogy. The tools you mentioned are neutral, how someone uses them isn’t the responsibility of their makers. On the other hand, God himself is claiming responsibility for evil itself, which is far from neutral

See yourself. You said "God created evil" and now you change it to claiming responsibility for evil, when you yourself admit that manufacturers are not responsible for how "someone uses their products"?

KBdownloads:
Flawed analogy. The tools you mentioned are neutral, how someone uses them isn’t the responsibility of their makers. On the other hand, God himself is claiming responsibility for evil itself, which is far from neutral

You will not understand the words of God until you believe in the words of God.
I see you don't believe in the words of God so therefore understanding the words of God will be a problem to you.

manuelkel:
You will not understand the words of God until you believe in the words of God.
I see you don't believe in the words of God so therefore understanding the words of God will be a problem to you.

He does not even need to believe to understand.

Ordinary Common Sense is there. If he was thinking right he would understand.

But an evil mind will always be blind and will be put to shame.

KBdownloads:
Can you address the verse itself instead of telling me to study more? I’m asking how Isaiah 45:7, where God explicitly states that he creates both peace and evil, is compatible with the idea that God is wholly good.

OK let's do as you ask!

After the first (original) sin happiness was taken away from the earth and what remains is a struggle to survive till we expire. That is why many became desperate opportunists doing whatever they can just to find a purpose for their existence leading to oppression, intimidation and persecution of the less privileged.

So despite all these God didn't just give up He kept sending obedient humans as prophets to warn or enlighten confused people in order to make them have a rethink regarding their ways of life.

But many have become vicious even to the point of hurting God's servants that is what scares Isaiah the prophet knowing the stiff-necked people he was sent to deliver God's message to.

That is why God told Isaiah saying:

I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, Jehovah, am doing all these things. Isaiah 45:7

What is the import of this verse?

God is telling His loyal servant not to be afraid of either darkness or light because He created both so He can make them work to the advantage of His loyal servants while those planning to hurt them will be frustrated. Think of how God made the sun not to give it's light to Egyptians for three consecutive days yet in other places they are enjoying the day light {Exodus 10:22-23} this same God made the sun to stand still for more than the time it used to be during the days of Gideon.Joshua 10:12-13

What about peace and calamity?

Think of how useful water is to life. Can we survive without water? Well water is the most important asset to life yet it's this same Water God used to destroy evildoers in the days of Noah.
OK what about fire?
Of course that is the most destructive thing we humans could think of in fact scientists said it comprises of different gases but what did this God changed fire to?
Do you remember Shadrach, Meshak and Abednego?
Well this God turned the most heated fire into air-conditioner for His loyal servants while the same fire killed Nebuchadnezzar's strongest men!😟

So when you read God's word please ask for the import of what you are reading otherwise you will misconstrue the message.

May you have peace!🙂

MaxInDHouse:
You only READ the Bible but you need to STUDY God's word in order to get the understanding!

The bible 8s God's word, stop fooling around. If you have an answer go at it and stip wasting time

Dtruthspeaker:
See yourself. You said "God created evil" and now you change it to claiming responsibility for evil, when you yourself admit that manufacturers are not responsible for how "someone uses their products"?

Evil exists in the world, and if God truly created it, as he claims in Isaiah 45:7, then he is ultimately responsible for it. If he didn't create it, it wouldn't exist. It’s like someone who manufactures poison, unilke sniper, hypo or guns, which are inherently neutral, poison is created to destroy. Yes people may choose to drink it or use it, but the harm only exists because someone created it in the first place. God creating evil is no different, every act of evil points directly back to the source.

KBdownloads:
Isaiah 45:7 says:
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.”

I’m genuinely interested in how Christians can read this passage and still claim that their God is a good God. The verse explicitly has God claiming responsibility for not only good but also for evil.

If God created evil, how can he still be called a good God?

At the very least, this verse challenges the idea that God is purely good. It raises the possibility that the suffering and atrocities in the world ultimately originate from God himself, with Satan serving as a convenient scapegoat to preserve God’s image.

The Hebrew word translated as "evil" here is ra'ah (or ra), which has a broad range of meanings depending on context. It can refer to moral evil (sin/wickedness), but it often means calamity, disaster, adversity, or woe, especially in prophetic contexts like this. For example:
In Amos 3:6 (KJV): "Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?" Here, "evil" clearly means disaster or calamity, not sin.

The Bible repeatedly declares that God is inherently good, with no evil or darkness in His nature. He cannot be evil because evil is opposition to His holiness.

1 John 1:5: "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." If God were evil or contained evil, this would be impossible.
James 1:17: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." God is the source of all good, unchanging in His goodness.
Psalm 5:4: "For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome."

tctrills:
The bible 8s God's word, stop fooling around. If you have an answer go at it and stip wasting time

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!

You are fortunate today!

Well the answer is right above you thank this OP because i won't even bother to respond if you are the one asking since you don't believe i know better than you!🙂

Dtruthspeaker:
He does not even need to believe to understand.

Ordinary Common Sense is there. If he was thinking right he would understand.

But an evil mind will always be blind and will be put to shame.

Yes, but you know understanding the words of God isn't possible by ordinary common sense. The words of God isn't like physics or mathematics that you have to understand before believing.
You must first and foremost believe in the words of God, the holy spirit will guide you towarss understanding the words of God not just by common sense.
If na by common sense, there are too many words of God that complicates the faith of Christians..... for instance:
“ I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy on ”
“I am the beginning and the end ” and so on.....

MaxInDHouse:
Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!

You are fortunate today!

Well the answer is right above you thank this OP because i won't even bother to respond if you are the one asking since you don't believe i know better than you!🙂

I should thank the OP?
Oga answer the question and stop the foolery

tctrills:
I should thank the OP?
Oga answer the question and stop the foolery

Are you intimidated by my presence here?

Abeg face the OP if you have something worthwhile to say i'm not here for you!🤣

manuelkel:
Yes, but you know understanding the words of God isn't possible by ordinary common sense. .....

It is actually. It is the coded parts which God keeps for His children but the other basic and fundamental parts are very much understandable by any reasonable person

For it is from there that the difference between those want to be truly children of God and those who don't mind having who is their parent, starts

KBdownloads:
Evil exists in the world, and if God truly created it, as he claims in Isaiah 45:7, then he is ultimately responsible for it. ..

Did you not state that "manufacturers are not responsible for how "someone uses their products"?

So how can He be responsible for it?

If that is so, then you ought to be shouting that Toyota and Toyoda is responsible for Anthony Joshua's friends death, since they are the creators of the Lexus.

But did you say that? No

So, you see, you are not thinking straight at all

Dtruthspeaker:
It is actually. It is the coded parts which God keeps for His children but the other basic and fundamental parts are very much understandable by any reasonable person

For it is from there that the difference between those want to be truly children of God and those who don't mind having who is their parent, starts

No bros, you can't understand the words of God by human wisdom.......

MaxInDHouse:
Are you intimidated by my presence here?

Abeg face the OP if you have something worthwhile to say i'm not here for you!🤣

The problem is not your presence, it is the foolery

Dtruthspeaker:
It is actually. It is the coded parts which God keeps for His children but the other basic and fundamental parts are very much understandable by any reasonable person

For it is from there that the difference between those want to be truly children of God and those who don't mind having who is their parent, starts

No bros, you can't understand the words of God by human wisdom.....

1 Corinthians 2:13: "This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words"

This is why people see Christian faith as contradictory because they try to understand the words of God by mere human wisdom. It's not possible, you might understand a few but the derogatory terms of the words of God, you need the holy spirit to understand that and you have to be a believer first and foremost.

You might be smart and sharp enough to understand, but what about others?? The congregation are they like you.??

Some people are like parasites always following true Christians just to look for trouble so it's better to avoid them! Romans 16:17

Dtruthspeaker:
It is actually. It is the coded parts which God keeps for His children but the other basic and fundamental parts are very much understandable by any reasonable person

For it is from there that the difference between those want to be truly children of God and those who don't mind having who is their parent, starts

manuelkel:
No bros, you can't understand the words of God by human wisdom.......

Look at two brothers in Christ arguing.

Shameless people.

Dtruthspeaker:
Did you not state that "manufacturers are not responsible for how "someone uses their products"?

So how can He be responsible for it?

If that is so, then you ought to be shouting that Toyota and Toyoda is responsible for Anthony Joshua's friends death, since they are the creators of the Lexus.

But did you say that? No

So, you see, you are not thinking straight at all

There’s a fundamental difference here. Cars are tools, objects that can be used for good or harm depending on human choices. Evil, by contrast, is not a tool, it is inherently destructive. If someone claims to create evil itself, as Isaiah 45:7 says God does, then that being cannot be considered all good, which is the initial point of my argument.

SarcasticWords:
You are asking nairaland christians that have been divided into 40,000 different denominations to explain a scripture to you?

Very wise of you.

Goodluck!

Exactly what you said started happening.

manuelkel:
No bros, you can't understand the words of God by human wisdom.....

1 Corinthians 2:13: "This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words"

This is why people see Christian faith as contradictory because they try to understand the words of God by mere human wisdom. It's not possible, you might understand a few but the derogatory terms of the words of God, you need the holy spirit to understand that and you have to be a believer first and foremost.

You might be smart and sharp enough to understand, but what about others?? The congregation are they like you.??

If understanding the bible requires belief and the guidance of the holy spirit, then non-believers can never critically evaluate it. Any contradiction in the bible can simply be dismissed as the person not having the holy spirit to understand it. By that logic, a muslim could say the same about the quran, and a hindu about their holy book. They could also claim that only believers guided by their god can truly understand it. What makes them wrong? In other words, you’re dismissing any argument from a non-believer by saying they need to first believe to understand it, which doesn't hold up.

manuelkel:
No bros, you can't understand the words of God by human wisdom.....

Who cannot understand
“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, 'What makest thou?"

Or is it wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than 10 mighty men?

Or is it the wicked plotted against the just and gnasheth upon him... But The Lord shall laugh at him?

Corinthians and others are special messages meant only for the children of God. That is why it clearly stated "to the church at Corinth". Meaning, it is not for everybody

KBdownloads:
There’s a fundamental difference here. Cars are tools, objects that can be used for good or harm depending on human choices. Evil, by contrast, is not a tool, it is inherently destructive...

Did you not say tha "poison is inherently created to destroy"? Yet you also admitted that manufacturers are not responsible for how someone uses of their products.

So, evil is exactly like your poison which you have admitted and confessed that manufacturers are not responsible for how someone uses of their products.

So, your accusation against God is evil and so you are the one who has done evil today

KBdownloads:
✓ Isaiah 45:7 says:
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things.”
I’m genuinely interested in how Christians can read this passage and still claim that their God is a good God. The verse explicitly has God claiming responsibility for not only good but also for evil.
If God created evil, how can he still be called a good God?
At the very least, this verse challenges the idea that God is purely good. It raises the possibility that the suffering and atrocities in the world ultimately originate from God himself, with Satan serving as a convenient scapegoat to preserve God’s image.

The God described in Isaiah 45 is the God of the Israelites and not some God of the Christians ....a totally different nation from the Israel spoken of in the book. The justification of the goodness of God of Israel -- YHWH --- is not merely the content of the one verse which you are on about there, but the collection of ideas expressed by Him through His many prophets of Israel on why He is the epitome of goodness where it concerns man, His creation. 🥱🥱🥱