Proverbs 16:4 – The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
Scientists can study only what God has made. Concerning organs in living creatures, they unavoidably ask, “What’s it for?” When they cannot find an organ’s purpose, they label it “vestigial,” like the appendix, or “junk,” like certain DNA segments. Some philosophers, not unreasonably, have pointed to the appendix and junk DNA as evidence against a Creator and in favor of purposeless evolution. (The appendix, however, does have a purpose. It is a “safe house” for good bacteria, which repopulate our digestive system after an illness or a course of antibiotics. “Junk” DNA, it is now known, plays a vital part in the human genome.)
Like a good engineer, God made everything for a purpose. Sometimes the purpose is easy to figure out: every sheepherder knows that the main purpose of a ram and ewe copulating is to get more lambs. The purpose of other things like the appendix, take careful study and time to figure out. Some things, God tells us, we will never know because His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), and some of His plans He keeps sealed until the end of time (Revelation 10:4). About some things in our fallen and corrupted world, God gives us clues in His Word, for example, His purposes for wicked men like Joseph Stalin, or Pol Pot.
God made the wicked “for the day of trouble.” How so? First, God uses the wicked to punish His people’s sin, calling Assyria the rod of His anger (Isaiah 10), and using Babylon for the same purpose (Habbakkuk). Second, the Lord also uses the wicked to show His justice and power when the time comes to call them to account. God said to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you (Exodus 9:16).” God makes even the wrath of man to praise Him (Psalm 67:10).
God’s punishments of the wicked in this age are only partial, and often they thrive for a long time. Why doesn’t God destroy them completely all at once and leave the world clean? He did that once, in the Flood, but evil survived because the human heart remained the same. Starting over again in a New World, as the Puritans discovered, never works as planned because the Old World always comes right along into the New. Second, God does not remove evil people immediately because doing so may harm the righteous, as Jesus taught in His parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). (Recall what happened in Iraq to its Christian communities and many others after the United States decided to play God and uproot Iraq’s atrocious dictator.) Third, God gives people time to repent and time to the repentant to grow in grace.
Godly people, therefore, should not fret at the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73). They have their purpose “for the day of trouble,” sometimes bringing God’s judgment on His straying people, and sometimes bringing God’s judgment down on themselves (Romans 9:22). God has made everything for its purpose, even hurtful and unjust oppressors.
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Dr. Bill Edgar, former chair of the Geneva College Board of Trustees, Former Geneva College President and longtime pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA)
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Oct 1, 2018
Faithful Doubt: Habakkuk, written by pastor Travis Scott, explores the short prophetic book of Habakkuk, in a practical and meaningful way through the lens of a doubter. Travis approaches the passage of scripture from an honest and humble perspective, recalling difficulties experienced as a husband, father, and pastor.
Dr. J. Ligon Duncan of Reformed Theological Seminary delivered the spring 2021 Commencement address at Geneva College on May 10, 2021. Here is an excerpt of that message, entitled, "Every Good Work," from 2 Timothy 3. This excerpt first appeared in the Summer 2021 edition of Geneva Magazine.
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
As busy as college students are, it can be profoundly beneficial for them to seek out and engage in a routine Bible study. Diving deeper into their faith, exploring what the world’s challenges mean to them, and creating a Christian-based path forward can give any college student the direction he or she needs to achieve their best life. Still, it’s not always easy to make that decision—instead of a night with friends or yet another study session for a high-level math class, go to Bible study instead.
Handing our cares and worries over to God gives us peace which keeps us from falling into doubt, as stated in Philippians. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
What should someone with wealth do? Solomon writes, “Pay attention to it and know its condition.” He uses the example of sheep and goats. Wise parents blessed with wealth will teach their children how to work to maintain it. Wise children will accept the burdens of responsibility that go with family wealth, always remembering that riches do not last forever.
The Book of Proverbs has no use for the gullible, viewing them as willful fools. Even when everyone else can see a hateful, deceitful person for what he is, the gullible choose to believe gracious words.
At Easter, a good question to ask is, "How are people saved?" This should be a question that Christians can easily answer, and indeed most can. However, sometimes Christians are less knowledgeable about the doctrine of justification and its important distinctions than perhaps they should be.
How should leaders deal with difficult situations in difficult times? Geneva College’s John Gallo and Jenna Bieber provide a guidebook for leaders. "Lessons from Cain and Abel to Guide Leaders Through Turbulent Times" walks readers through the account of Cain and Abel to teach leaders the importance of justice, mercy, harmony and equality.
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