Changing The Face of Evil

The Changing Face of Evil World War I The total number of both civilian and military casualties is estimated at around 37 million people. World War II An estimated total of 70–85 million people perished, which was about 3% of the 1940 world population (est. 2.3 billion). The New Problem of Evil… There is a new concentration of evil seems to have taken many people, not least politicians and media by surprise. They would not deny there has always been evil, but it seems to have come home to the western world in a new way. Why has the modern world, particularly the west, been shocked at the appearance of evil? We live in a world where many think that humankind is basically all right Until the past 20 years we have thought that it’s the environment that creates evil 1. We ignore evil when it doesn’t hit us in the face 2. We are shocked when evil does hit us in the face People still continue to this day to suppose the world is basically a good place and its problems are more or less solvable by technology, education, and “development” in the sense of westernization. In other words they need either Western social –democratic ideals or Western capitalism, or a blend of the two. 3. We react in dangerous ways Response to Twin Tower Attacks American President George W. Bush had declared that there was an “axis of evil” which had to be dealt with. British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that the task of the politician was to rid the world of evil. Commentators on the left and on the right expressed doubts about both the analysis and the solution—doubts which the war in Iraq and its aftermath have amply justified. “Lashing out at those you perceive as ‘evil’ in the hope of dealing with the problem--say, dropping copious bombs on Iraq or Afganistan because of Set. 11—is in fact the practical counterpart of those philosophical theories that purport to ‘solve’ the problem of evil…Just as you cannot eliminate evil by act of Congress or by a philosophical argument, so you cannot do so with high explosives. ” N T Wright Question/Discussion: Do you agree with his statement? How do you respond to Jesus’ statement to Peter after he cut off the ear of one of the men, coming to arrest Jesus: Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Mt.26:52 What did Churchill mean by his statement? From a biblical vantage point, would you agree with Churchill? Evil has come to America and taken on a new face causing us to ask, “If God is good and all powerful, why is there such a thing as evil and what is God doing about it?” Oklahoma Bombing April 19, 1995 April 20,1999 Sept.11, 2001 Sandy Hill Elementary School December 14, 2012 Boston Marathon April 15, 2013 Las Vegas October 1, 2017 The sea is part of the original creation and part of the world which God described as “very good.” By Gen.6, with the story of Noah, the rising waters of the flood pose a threat to the entire world God has made. So, from within the good creation itself, come forces of chaos harnessed to enact God’s judgment on the pagan world, but rescuing Noah. No more of the sea until we find Moses and the Israelites standing in front of it chased by the Egyptians with their backs to the sea. God makes a way through the sea to rescue His people and once more to judge the pagan world Note how the Psalmists look back on the story… The Lord sits enthroned over the flood Ps.29:10 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! Ps.93:3-4 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled Ps.77:16 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? Ps.114:3,5 The picture is one of God limiting and judging evil Daniel 7/Heb.2 The sea has become the dark, fearsome place from which evil emerges, the dark power that might do to God’s people what the flood had done to the whole world, unless God rescues them as He did to Noah Note: it is the “son of man” (Jesus) who takes the rule of the earth from the beasts Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Rev.21:1-5 Discussion: Does John literally mean there will be no more sea, or is this a metaphor for something else? But the question is…. Between evils entrance and exit what has God done that will ensure the end goal? And what must we (His church) be doing to help facilitate His end objective? Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” John 18:36 (Jesus) who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father Gal.1:4