God creates evil. God is good. No problem?

Isaiah 45:7 is an extremely interesting and potentially explosive verse. It reads,

 I form the light, and create darkness:

I make peace, and create evil:

I the Lord do all these things.
(Isaiah 45:7 KJV)

In God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment, author Jim Hamilton comments on this verse:

Isaiah 45:7 teaches that God is absolutely sovereign over all that is. This should not trouble us with questions about God's goodness. We know that he is good. He showed his goodness to Moses when he revealed himself as a saving and judging God (Ex. 33:18-34:7). Rather than being troubling, the teaching of Isaiah 45:7, that Yahweh created evil-that is what the text says-is a comfort, because it tells us, as hymned in "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," that behind the frowning providence of God hides a smiling face. God has good purposes that are not thwarted but accomplished by evil. Apart from this, hope could be challenged. But if God is even sovereign over evil, hope can be affirmed with full-throated, unabashed resolution. God will be glorified by all that is, even if we do not yet understand how everything will come together. (204, emphasis mine)

Though this passage provides numerous interesting ideas to investigate, I want to focus on the material that I emphasized. Dr. Hamilton suggests that this idea about God creating evil should not cause us to question God's goodness. For some, that statement might cause some consternation and leave them feeling as if the good doctor is not being entirely upfront. However, consider what Hamilton does not say.

He does not say that this is not something that requires some serious contemplation. He does not say that there is no mystery here. He does not say that this is really easy to understand.

What he says is this portion of Scripture should not cause us to question God's goodness because we know that he is good. And I concur.

Think of the great mercy extended to us at Christ's expense. Consider God's love in not rejecting humanity outright, but rather his offering redemption and reconciliation to his enemies. Deliberate his patience with us as we worship at the idols of this world. Reflect on all he suffered as our substitute. Speculate on  the great joy he has for us, even now, in him.

Is there any room for questioning God's goodness? We must think over difficult doctrines and reconcile them with what we know to be true; God is good.

Chapter 11- The Goodness of God

"The goodness of God is seen in the variety of natural pleasures which He has provided for His creatures. God might have been pleased to satisfy our hunger without the food being pleasing to our palates—how His benevolence appears in the varied flavors which He has given to meats, vegetables, and fruits! God has not only given us senses, but also that which gratifies them; and this too reveals His goodness. The earth might have been as fertile as it is without its surface being so delightfully variegated. Our physical lives could have been sustained without beautiful flowers to regale our eyes, and exhale sweet perfumes. We might have walked the fields without our ears being saluted by the music of the birds. Whence, then, this loveliness, this charm, so freely diffused over the face of nature? Verily, "The tender mercies of the Lord are over all His works" (Ps. 145:9)."

"The goodness of God is seen in that when man transgressed the law of His Creator a dispensation of unmixed wrath did not at once commence. Well might God have deprived His fallen creatures of every blessing, every comfort, every pleasure. Instead, He ushered in a regime of a mixed nature, of mercy and judgment. This is very wonderful if it be duly considered, and the more thoroughly that regime be examined the more will it appear that "mercy rejoiceth against judgment" (Jas. 2:13). Notwithstanding all the evils which attend our fallen state, the balance of good greatly preponderates. With comparatively rare exceptions, men and women experience a far greater number of days of health, than they do of sickness and pain. There is much more creature—happiness than creature—misery in the world. Even our sorrows admit of considerable alleviation, and God has given to the human mind a pliability which adapts itself to circumstances and makes the most of them."

"Would God be "good" if He punished not those who ill-use His blessings, abuse His benevolence, and trample His mercies beneath their feet? It will be no reflection upon God’s goodness, but rather the brightest exemplification of it, when He shall rid the earth of those who have broken His laws, defied His authority, mocked His messengers, scorned His Son, and persecuted those for whom He died."

"When others behave badly to us, it should only stir us up the more heartily to give thanks unto the Lord, because He is good; and when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should only the more reverently bless Him that He is good. We must never tolerate an instant’s unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary, but His nature is always the same." (C. H. Spurgeon).