some thoughts

One more thought about evil (maybe two). I said in my last post that, the entrance of evil–or at least the potential entrance of evil–was, at least possibly, a necessary outcome of anything other than God coming into existence. Someone may yet say, “even then, God decided to create, and–though it was an indirect outcome, and not an ultimate end of his will–still set the stage for evil to enter.” I suppose we must admit that that’s true. But I think the clear testimony of Scripture is that the entrance of evil into what is, bad as it may be, will be far outweighed by the display of God’s glory in what will be. And, in a very real sense, what has already been–namely, the cross. (See my old post–one of my favorites–called Felix Culpa, or Piper’s excellent essay on this.)

I cannot help but think it’s the same reason why evil has been permitted to reach such heights in history. Pharoah ascended to near global domination, and he amassed a wealth and technological advancement the like of which the world has seen little since. And he was raised–and raised high, we are told–in order that God would get glory over him, and his gods so-called. The higher in power and worldly majesty Pharoah ascends, the more mighty God appeared in his overthrow. I think the same goes for Satan, the substance of which Pharoah was merely the shadow. This is, perhaps, one reason why history has been allowed go on for so long–why God did not complete the whole scheme of redemption within a single generation of the Fall. He’s declared holy and righteous war on the devil (Genesis 3:15); drawing him out, provoking him to new heights of arrogance and folly–only to dash him to pieces each time, and leave him in his shame and misery. Milton writes of this phenomenally in Paradise Lost. There is no end to the power, might, and especially the wisdom of God. He is a mighty warrior. He has the wherewithal to say of his enemies, “let them come. Let them rise to whatever height they can achieve, let them bring out all their host and all their rage and all their wisdom against me–still they are utterly hopeless to stand against the High King of Heaven. I am the LORD, and there is no other–I shall not yield my glory to another. And to get highest glory, I will patiently endure the belching and barking and flexing of this little host of this little rebellion, until the time has fully come. Then their heads shall be crushed as serpents in the grass. And I shall get much glory.”

There is no true threat to the throne of the High King of Heaven. With every new scheme of the enemy, with every display of his utterly hopeless attempts, he only provokes a greater revelation of the infinite depths of the wisdom, the power, the justice, and the glory of Almighty God.

O felix culpa quae talem et tantum meruit habere redemptorem!

Just a couple more thoughts on evil.