“I form 3335 the light 216,

and create 1254 darkness 2822:

I make 6213 peace 7965,

and create 1254 evil 7451:

I the LORD 3068 do 6213 all these [things].” Isaiah 45:7 KJV with Strong’s Numbers

We read this today in our Bible Fellowship class and I was intrigued enough to study deeper with Strong's Concordance this afternoon. We were struggling to understand how Isaiah could say that God CREATED evil, since evil is the absence of God. What I found blew me away! As usual, the original language helps us understand apparent contradictions. And a seemingly simply-worded verse becomes an eloquent essay about how the Lord works within His Creation! I want to share with you my own paraphrase of that verse using what I learned:

"I use light like a potter uses clay – taking all that is Good and True and forming it with my own hands to fit my perfect purposes for you.

I use darkness like a woodcarver uses wood – chopping, splitting, cutting, planing, and polishing your hidden ugliness to create something beautiful for display.

I use peace like a metalsmith uses gold and silver – melting it down with my Holiness and fiery trials so that safety, prosperity, harmony, well-being, contentment, and prosperity fills every part of you to your completion.

I use evil like a woodcarver uses wood – chopping, splitting, cutting, planing, and polishing your physical and spiritual malignancy to create something beneficial.

I, the Great I AM, work upon ALL things – producing, preparing, offering, observing, acquiring, making, fashioning, dealing with, attending to, putting in order, ordaining, instituting, effecting, accomplishing, spending, and squeezing every last drop of all Creation so that by the End of My Plan, nothing that has been done will be able to keep from magnifying my glory!"

Yes, God uses EVERYTHING in Creation - good and bad - to the benefit of His People, but different things require different methods. Something hard and splintery - and sometimes almost completely rotten - like wood (i.e. darkness, sin, evil) needs to be pruned and chiseled with hard metal instruments at a distance from the Carpenter. Something solid and brilliant like silver and gold (i.e. shalom - peace) needs to be melted by Holiness and the fire of trials to bring out its best qualities and fill in every nook and cranny of our "mold" by the Refiner. And something soft and pliable like clay (i.e. goodness and truth) needs some sharp tools for definition, but requires only a loving touch by the Potter's hands.

No, God doesn't GENERATE evil, but He does take it and creatively transform it into abundant blessings for those who love Him! That must make Satan SO MAD!! lol

I am SO amazed at You, God, The Master Artist! And I am so humbled and encouraged by Your reminder that we are Your workmanship! Praise You, Father!