When God Uses The Wicked As His Instruments

When God became angry at Israel because they “went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land,” He stirred up the wicked (v. 26), and used them as instruments to execute His judgment. God made all things, “even the wicked for the day of evil” (Prov 16:4). He makes “peace, and create evil” (Isa 45:7) – “evil” here does not pertain to sin, because God is not capable of sinning (Hab 1:13). The context of God creating “evil” means something that is the opposite of peace; such as sufferings, disasters, and calamities (Ps 46:1).

For example, He raised up Pharaoh who ended up destroying Egypt (Ex 10:7). He used “Nebuchadrezzar” (Jer 25:9), to destroy Jerusalem and take Judah into captivity! But at the end, God delivered His people by punishing “the king of Babylon and his land” (Jer 50:18). God sent a lying spirit in the mouth of king Ahab’s prophets (1 Ki 22:22). They were used to convince Israel’s king to have an alliance with king Jehoshaphat of Judah and go against the Syrians (1 Ki 22:29). God’s intention was for Ahab to die in battle! Even though God’s true prophet Micaiah (2 Chr 18:30), told him the truth, Ahab would rather believe the positive, feel-good messages of his false prophets.

 Therefore, he died in battle (2 Ki 22:37)! God’s “work is perfect” (Deut 32:4). He sends forth many evil things to judge His people and get their attention (Ps 18:30). He destroyed the earth with flood because it was “filled with violence” (Gen 6:13). At His second coming, He will destroy the heavens and the earth “with fervent heat” (2 Pet 3:12). The only way to escape His wrath is through our Lord Jesus (Lk 21:36). When we trust Him as our Saviour by faith (Rev 14:12), we can be sure that if any evil comes our way, it will be used to work “together for good” (Rom 8:28)! God bless you!

- Pastor Melito Barrera