One of the big issues that trouble people today is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Similar questions are. “Why do babies suffer and die when they haven’t done anything wrong?”
Some people blame God and say that it is His fault, in fact, they say that God makes people sin so, ultimately, God is responsible for everything bad that happens and bad people are just doing what God has told them to do.
Today’s reading is:
Psalm 37:21–33 (AV)
“The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.”
This section begins with a discussion on the wicked. The people from Sodom were wicked because they had rejected the Lord God and His ways. (Gen 13: 13) These people don’t care about the needs of others but the righteous are merciful and generous. Noah was a righteous man because he believed and obeyed God; (Gen 7: 1, 5)
This is the major contrast on the earth today, the righteous and the wicked. There are those who believe God and do what he says while the rest ignore God and all His ways.
The Lord knows those who are righteous because they believe in Him and He will take care of them, in His own way, in His own time. The people who don’t believe in the Lord will, eventually suffer the consequences and be forced away from His goodness forever.
The Lord sees everything that a good, or righteous person done and cares about everything that happens to him. After all, the Lord even cares for the sparrows and there are thousands of them and many die each day. He cares much more for people, whom He has made in His own image. (See Matt 10: 28-31)
The Psalmist talks about a good man, but he is just giving another name for a righteous man. That is, someone who believes in and obeys the Lord. When the Lord gave Adam His first command, He told Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen 2: 9) This is the first time that we read about evil in the Bible. Even though this was a command, it was also a choice, for God told Adam what would happen if He chose to disobey His command. Good people and evil people are the same as righteous people and wicked people. Good people choose to obey God and enjoy His goodness while evil people choose to reject God and His goodness.
There is only good and evil in God’s creation, there is nothing that is a bit good and a bit evil. God is good and evil is everything that rejects God and His good ways. In fact, God only does perfect things. (Deut 32: 4)
So, we are faced with the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people if God only does good things?” In the beginning God made everything and then, in six days God moulded everything from chaos to perfection, when He had achieved perfection, God rested because there was nothing left to do. God was exactly the same before the first day as He was on the seventh day, creating perfection didn’t make Him tired or weak. Why did God do this if He was able to make perfection straight away? For two reasons, God showed us that every good thing comes from Him and He rested on the seventh day because He knew that Adam would choose to sin and everyone, in a sinful world, would need to rest from time to time. It is also important for us to understand that it is God’s will for us to get what we choose. Some people say that it is God’s will for us to suffer, but that is not true. God can use suffering in our lives to make us better and give us a better appreciation of His goodness. (compare Rom 8: 28)
When Adam and Eve sinned, God’s perfection was destroyed because they chose evil instead of good. They chose chaos instead of perfection. Chaos in unpredictable and disordered. Everybody, at some stage in their lives, chooses to sin and disobey God so everybody has chosen to experience chaos instead of order and security. Even good people live in the chaotic world that has be spoiled by sin. Sometimes they experience the consequences of their own actions, sometimes they experience the consequences of other people’s actions and sometimes they are caught in chaos.
However, everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour will always be secure in their everlasting life. Not only that, the Lord Jesus Christ has promised us an abundant life as well, that is, we can enjoy a rich and satisfying relationship with Him every day as well.
Bad things may happen to good people but good people will never be destroyed by those bad things. In the end, the Lord will come for those who believe in Him and take them away from this evil world forever.
