It is amazing how God is blamed for all the horror we see around us, even among Christians who should know better. Even people who acknowledge a real personal devil believe this; furthermore, the devil himself is sometimes seen as the victim.

This needs to stop. Let the blame be put where it belongs, on the shoulders of, mankind and Satan who goads men into ever greater depths of evil.

Some of God’s defense is given in the book of Ezekiel.

“The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, ‘What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.’” Ezekiel 18:1-3.

The proverb God quoted above was spoken in Jerusalem and by the exiles in Babylon after king Nebuchadnezzar had carried them off from their land in Judah.

The children were accusing God of unrighteousness by punishing them for the sins of their fathers, which was the reason for the exile to begin with.

The reality is that the fathers and the children were warned numerous times that such a thing would happen if they did not turn away from their sinful, idolatrous ways.

Fathers, and this means all of us, must remember that whatever judgment they bring upon themselves is going to affect the whole family. This is a fact that is continually ignored and is the reason the world is sunk up to its axles in muck.

God continues His defense as follows.

“Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4.

Here we see God’s ownership, and our personal responsibility. We are reminded that God is sovereign and can do anything He wants. But He does not, God deals with individuals according to their ways, “the soul who sins shall die”.

You cannot know everything there is to know about your neighbor, so you cannot judge what their just deserts are.

Even we are blind to our own faults and backbite against God for things that we have brought upon ourselves.

Let us see if we can draw this to a logical conclusion. The British naturalist David Attenborough was once asked why he did not believe in creation, since he had seen firsthand evidence of the complexity of nature.

Interestingly enough he did not argue the point but went on to give an example approximately as follows.

Deep in Africa there is a little boy fishing from a riverbank, in the corner of the little boy’s eye is a microscopic worm, in time the worm will blind the little boy.

On the surface, his reasoning is good, how can a loving God allow a little boy to go blind?

It is easier to believe in a remorseless evolution ravaging a small child than it is to believe that God would allow it. This is where the emotionalism of this argument takes over the rational side. It would be an injustice to God to leave it at that.

There are two options here, both complicated as you might expect.

One, God could just heal the child, but this would reward the idolatry of his people, and they would assume that the healing was a miracle from their gods, and a confirmation that they were the true gods.

God sometimes heals under these circumstances for reasons of His own, but you can see why it does not happen often. The demonism behind idolatry is malevolent and highly destructive, which is what put this child in jeopardy to begin with.

It is not as though God is not constantly warning humanity about these things, the Scriptures tell us this.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6.

And again, in the book of Romans:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:18-21.

In Psalm 19:1-6 above the world around us is given a tongue that speaks to every language, moreover it is obvious to all on the earth. However, notice in Romans that there are those who “suppress the truth”.

I believe that the militant atheist is a good example of this. For too long people have been treating this group as though their doctrines of demons were a legitimate belief system.

In reality atheism is a cover for suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. The verses in Romans 1:19-20 also state that these things are clearly seen.

God’s wrath is against all ungodliness, because they knew God but rejected Him.

All of nature cries out for the Creator God, from the intricacies of DNA to the fine balance of the natural world. And beyond into the accuracy of prophecy, and archaeology, even finds like Noah’s ark, all point to the living God.

One may start out pleading ignorance, but in time, it comes down to suppressing the truth in unrighteousness for one’s own motives, period.

For this reason, God gave them over, not because He wanted to, but because they wanted it. “Sin is a moving, undulating, and living thing”, a man I knew once said; this is a truth.

Once men fall into sin, it starts to drag them down, and indeed, whole societies degenerate, history shows this. God speaks of these people later in Romans.

“…who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:25.

When you read Romans chapter one, you will note the decline of society as it is described in Romans 1:21-32.

If the first option of just healing the little boy in Africa would only encourage everyone to continue following the demonic in idolatry, would the second option be any better?

The second option seems like a good one, God could just come down and take over the rule of the earth Himself. There you have it, King God, how simple is that.

Did you know that that would upset everybody?

Just think no more promiscuous sex, no more men’s magazines, pornography, soap operas, or lurid romance novels.

No more carousing to all hours, no more fighting, petty thefts, or harassing your neighbor, no more bullying, beating the wife, child abuse, or lusting after your neighbor’s things. The world would be a dull place indeed.

God’s rule would be idyllic; there would be no more disease, war, famine, deadly weather, or crime. Despite this, men would rebel against God in a very short time, just as they are now.

Back to square one where the boy in Africa is going blind, the worm is the result of the fall of mankind into sin.

But God deals with individuals, as He would with the little boy and all of us, God is a righteous God and is near to all, do not forget this when the going gets rough.

Mister Attenborough has formulated a logical reason to reject the God of the Bible, but it makes him guilty of calling God an unrighteous monster and shows a shallow insight of God for such a brilliant man.

Still this logic frees him up to reject God and follow whatever path he may wish, which is what the little African boy’s parents did to begin with.

Sickness, Disease, Pestilence, and Death! Part 1 posted on 12-31-19, updated on 3-22-24 ck.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.