Good and Evil — Part 2

In one of my recent posts, I opined that seemingly opposite ideas are common and even central to the message of the Bible.  I am convinced that concept is also at the heart of the discussion about good and evil.

In Genesis, we read the story of Joseph and his being sold into slavery by his own brothers (strong evidence that righteousness was not the basis on which God chose Israel to be His people, but that is another debate for another time).   Joseph went on to become second only to Pharaoh and to be God’s instrument to save Egypt and the surrounding people, including Israel, from starvation.  After being reunited with his brothers, Joseph gave one of the best explanations of God’s providence in all of scripture:

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.

For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

So it was not you who sent me here, but God.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Genesis 45:4-8, 50:20 (ESV)

This is not a case of finding a “silver lining” or God’s making the best of a bad situation.  This was God’s decree from the beginning.  Good and evil coexisted in the act of selling Joseph into slavery.

As good and clear as the story of Joseph might be as an illustration, it is not the best.  The greatest good of all human history coexisted with the greatest evil of all time in the crucifixion of our Lord.  As was the case with Joseph, Christ’s crucifixion was also pre-ordained.

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’– for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Acts 4:26-28 (ESV)

In both cases, God had a plan to redeem His people and He carried it out for “good” by those who meant it for “evil.”

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