The Problem of Evil and Divine Providence

Divine providence refers to God's continuous activity in preserving and governing all things through secondary causes ^[2]. This concept encompasses God's care over all creation, including the natural world, animals, and the affairs of humanity ^{[1, 2]}. The problem of evil, conversely, addresses the apparent contradiction between the existence of an all-good, all-powerful God and the reality of suffering and wickedness in the world.

Biblically, God's providence is depicted as extending to every aspect of existence. He is shown preserving creatures (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 36:6; Matthew 10:29), providing for them (Psalm 104:27-28; Matthew 6:26), and even ordering the ways of men (Proverbs 16:9; 19:21) ^[1]. Josephus, reflecting on divine providence, noted its role in the certain accomplishment of prophecy and the distinction God makes between the righteous and the wicked, as seen in the fates of Jehoshaphat and Ahab ^[3]. The scope of providence includes the free actions of individuals (Exodus 12:36; Psalm 33:14-15) and extends to the smallest details, such as the fall of a sparrow (Matthew 10:29) ^[2].

The problem of evil arises when considering the origin and nature of suffering and sin. The Bible attributes the fall of humanity to the disobedience of Adam and Eve, brought about by the temptation of the devil (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 5:12, 19) ^[6]. As a result, humanity is born in sin, with an evil heart, blinded understanding, and corrupt ways (Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 16:12; Ephesians 4:18) ^[6]. The devil is identified as the author of temptation (1 Chronicles 21:1; Matthew 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:5), and those who sin are described as children of the Evil One (1 John 3:8, 10) ^{[4, 7, 8]}. Sickness, too, is sometimes sent by God as a punishment for sin or is permitted by God for the devil to inflict (Deuteronomy 28:59-61; Job 2:6-7; 1 Corinthians 11:30) ^[5].

Theological traditions have grappled with reconciling divine providence with the existence of evil. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, addressed the ungrateful who question God's goodness due to inequality and suffering, such as a person being a cripple from childhood or living in poverty ^[10]. He implies that such questioning fails to grasp the depth of God's goodness.

Reformed and Baptist theologians like John Gill emphasize the inscrutability of God's providential work. Gill, commenting on Ecclesiastes, notes that Solomon "strictly considered and examined" the "various providences of God" but could not fully understand the reasons behind them, suggesting that no one else could either ^[12]. He advises considering "the work of God" in providence, acknowledging that it is "wisely done to answer the best ends and purposes," even when it appears unequal or distressing to human understanding ^{[13, 14]}. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, similarly observes that God "serves the designs of his providence by persons of very different tempers, capacities, and conditions," including those who are rich and poor, highlighting the complexity of divine governance ^[11].

While God's providence is comprehensive, the Bible explicitly states that God cannot be the subject of temptation and that temptation does not originate from Him (James 1:13) ^[4]. Instead, temptation comes from lusts, covetousness, and the devil ^[4]. Despite the presence of evil and suffering, believers are encouraged to trust in God, which serves as a preservative against despair (Psalm 42:5, 11) ^[9]. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to "put an end to the works of the Evil One" (1 John 3:8).

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Providence of God, The — Is his care over his works -- Ps 145:9. Is exercised in Preserving his creatures. -- Ne 9:6; Ps 36:6; Mt 10:29. Providing for his creatures. -- Ps 104:27,28; 136:25; 147:9; Mt 6:26. The special preservation of saints. -- Ps 37:28; 91:11; Mt 10:30. Prospering saints. -- Ge 24:48,56. Protecting saints. -- Ps 91:4; 140:7. Delivering saints. -- Ps 91:3; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 63:12. Bringing His words to pass. -- Nu 26:65; Jos 21:45; Lu 21:32,33. Ordering the ways of men. -- Pr 16:9; 19”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Providence — Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God's providence extends to the natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the brute creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), and the affairs of men (1 Chr. 16:31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan. 2:21; 4:25), and of individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4:13-15). It extends also to the free actions of men (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; ”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 15, section 19: that although Ahab hoped Jehoshaphat would be mistaken for him, and run the only risk of being slain in the battle, yet he was entirely disappointed, while still the escape of the good man Jehoshaphat, and the slaughter of the bad man Ahab, demonstrated the great distinction that Divine providence made betwixt them.] 44 (return) [ We have here a very wise reflection of Josephus about Divine Providence, and what is derived from it, prophecy, and the inevitable certainty of its accomplishment; and that when wicked men think they ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Temptation — God cannot be the subject of -- Jas 1:13. Does not come from God -- Jas 1:13. Comes from Lusts. -- Jas 1:14. Covetousness. -- Pr 28:20; 1Ti 6:9,10. The devil is the author of -- 1Ch 21:1; Mt 4:1; Joh 13:2; 1Th 3:5. Evil associates, the instruments of -- Pr 1:10; 7:6; 16:29. Often arises through Poverty. -- Pr 30:9; Mt 4:2,3. Prosperity. -- Pr 30:9; Mt 4:8. Worldly glory. -- Nu 22:17; Da 4:30; 5:2; Mt 4:8. To distrust of God's providence -- Mt 4:3. To presumption -- Mt 4:6. To worshipping the god of this world -- Mt 4:9. Often strengthened by the perversi”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sickness — Sent by God -- De 28:59-61; 32:39; 2Sa 12:15; Ac 12:23. The devil sometimes permitted to inflict -- Job 2:6,7; Lu 9:39; 13:16. Often brought on by intemperance -- Ho 7:5. Often sent as a punishment of sin -- Le 26:14-16; 2Ch 21:12-15; 1Co 11:30. One of God's four sore judgments on a guilty land -- Eze 14:19-21. God Promises to heal. -- Ex 23:25; 2Ki 20:5. Heals. -- De 32:39; Ps 103:3; Isa 38:5,9. Exhibits his mercy in healing. -- Php 2:27. Exhibits his power in healing. -- Lu 5:17. Exhibits his love in healing. -- Isa 38:17. Often manifests saving grace to”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fall of Man, The — By the disobedience of Adam -- Ge 3:6,11,12; Ro 5:12,15,19. Through temptation of the devil -- Ge 3:1-5; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14. Man in consequence of Made in the image of Adam. -- Ge 5:3; 1Co 15:48,49. Born in sin. -- Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5; Isa 48:8; Joh 3:6. A child of wrath. -- Eph 2:3. Evil in heart. -- Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jer 16:12; Mt 15:19. Blinded in heart. -- Eph 4:18. Corrupt and perverse in his ways. -- Ge 6:12; Ps 10:5; Ro 3:12-16. Depraved in mind. -- Ro 8:5-7; Eph 4:17; Col 1:21; Tit 1:15. Without understanding. -- Ps 14:2,3; Ro 3:11; 1:31. ”
I John “I John 3:8 (BBE) — The sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first. And the Son of God was seen on earth so that he might put an end to the works of the Evil One.”
I John “I John 3:10 (Darby) — In this are manifest the children ofGod and the children of the devil. Whoever does not practise righteousness is not ofGod, and he who does not love his brother.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Despair — Produced in the wicked by divine judgments -- De 28:34,67; Re 9:6; 16:10. Leads to Continuing in sin. -- Jer 2:25; 18:12. Blasphemy. -- Isa 8:21; Re 16:10,11. Shall seize upon the wicked at the appearing of Christ -- Re 6:16. Saints sometimes tempted to -- Job 7:6; La 3:18. Saints enabled to overcome -- 2Co 4:8,9. Trust in God, a preservative against -- Ps 42:5,11. Exemplified Cain. -- Ge 4:13,14. Ahithophel. -- 2Sa 17:23. Judas. -- Mt 27:5.”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Lord, I have no good beyond Thee.” ( Ps. xvi. 2 .) The ungrateful, however, and unfeeling say, that this were worthy of God’s goodness, that there should be an equality amongst all. Tell me, ungrateful mortal, what sort of things are they which thou deniest to be of God’s goodness, and what equality meanest thou? “Such an one,” thou wilt say, “has been a cripple from his childhood; another is mad, and is possessed; another has arrived at extreme old age, and has spent his whole life in poverty; another in the most painful disease”
Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 29:13: This shows how wisely the great God serves the designs of his providence by persons of very different tempers, capacities, and conditions in the world, even, 1. By those that are contrary the one to the other. Some are poor and forced to borrow; others are rich, have a great deal of the mammon of unrighteousness (deceitful riches they are called), and they are creditors, or usurers, as it is in the margin. Some are poor, and honest, and laborious; others are rich, slothful, and deceitful. They meet together in the business of this world, and have dealings with ”
Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 9:1: For all this I considered in mine heart,.... What goes before, in the latter end of the preceding chapter, concerning the various providences of God, the difficulty of finding out the reasons of them, and the fruitlessness of attempting it; and also what follows, the work of Providence: Solomon gave his mind unto, attended it with great application, and strictly considered and examined it, in order to find it out, but could not; and if he could not, no other man could. And he had a good intention in all; his views were, even to declare all this; for the end of ”
Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 8:16: When I applied mine heart to know wisdom,.... The nature and causes of things; the wisdom of God in his providence, and the grounds and reasons of his various dispensations towards the children of men: the Targum interprets it, the wisdom of the law; and to see the business that is done upon the earth; either the business of Providence, in dealing so unequally with the righteous and the wicked, before observed; and which is a business very afflictive and distressing for curious persons to look into, not being able to account for it: or the labour and toil of m”
Ecclesiastes (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ecclesiastes 7:13: Consider the work of God,.... This is dressed to those who thought the former days better than the present, and were ready to quarrel with the providence of God, Ecc 7:10; and are therefore advised to consider the work of God; not the work of creation, but of providence; which is the effect of divine sovereignty, and is conducted and directed according to the counsel of his will, and is always wisely done to answer the best ends and purposes: everything is beautiful in its season; contemplate, adore, and admire the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, displayed t”

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