Evil from the Human Perspective
Sunday-February 9, 2025
How Long, O Lord? Divine Answers to Human Questions
Job 30:26, Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 13:22, Malachi 2:17, Psalm 10:1, Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46.
Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. {Ps.35:17}
How Long, O Lord? Divine Answers to Human Questions
Throughout history, God's people have often cried out in distress, longing for deliverance from suffering and injustice. The question “How long, O Lord?” has echoed from the lips of the patriarchs, prophets, psalmists, and even Christ Himself on the cross. This plea is not merely an expression of impatience but a deep yearning for divine justice and the fulfillment of God’s promises.
1. The Cry of the Righteous in Affliction
Job 30:26, Jeremiah 12:1, Psalm 10:1
Job, a man described as “perfect and upright” (Job 1:1), lamented that instead of good, evil came upon him. Similarly, Jeremiah questioned God's justice, asking why the wicked prosper while the faithful suffer. The psalmist also cried, “Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Ps. 10:1).
This recurring question reveals the struggle between faith and sight—the righteous trusting in God’s goodness yet grappling with the apparent success of the wicked. However, God’s response throughout Scripture reassures His people that His justice is sure, though often delayed according to His divine wisdom.
2. Christ Himself Bore This Cry – The Mystery of Divine Silence
Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46
Even Christ, the Son of God, experienced this deep anguish when He cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46; Ps. 22:1). In that moment, He bore the full weight of sin, yet He never lost faith in the Father. This teaches that suffering, even when it seems unbearable, has a divine purpose.
Ellen White explains:
“The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race.” (DA 753)
Yet, Christ’s suffering secured the redemption of humanity, proving that God's delays are not denials, but part of a grander plan for salvation.
3. The Wicked Challenge God’s Justice
Malachi 2:17, Jeremiah 13:22
Malachi records a rebellious complaint against God: “Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” (Mal. 2:17). This mirrors the sentiments of Jeremiah, who asked why suffering had come upon Judah.
The Spirit of Prophecy warns:
“It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell.” (GC 555)
When people persistently question God's justice with unbelief rather than faith, they become spiritually blinded. The true question should not be, “Why does God allow evil?” but “How can we remain faithful until His justice is revealed?”
4. The Shepherd’s Rod: Divine Answers to the Cry of the Saints
The Shepherd’s Rod explains that God’s apparent delay is a test of faithfulness and a means of preparing His people for the final events. The 1260-day prophecy (Rev. 12:6,14) and the 2300-day prophecy (Dan. 8:14) illustrate that God works in measured, predetermined times to bring about His purposes.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1)
Just as prophecy fulfilled in the past proved God's faithfulness, His final work in separating the wheat from the tares (Matt. 13:30) and sealing the 144,000 (Rev. 7:1-4) will bring an end to the cry of "How long?"
The Shepherd’s Rod declares:
“The just reward of the wicked is deferred only for their own good and for the good of others, that they may have a chance to see their mistakes and turn from their evil doings.” (SRod, Vol. 2, p. 173)
Thus, God’s delay is not neglect, but mercy.
5. The Final Answer – A Promise of Complete Restoration
Psalm 35:17, Revelation 21:4
David pleads, “Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.” (Ps. 35:17). Yet, the final answer is found in Revelation 21:4:
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Though we may cry, “How long?” today, God's justice will soon be fully revealed, bringing eternal peace to the faithful and final destruction to sin.
Faithful Waiting Amidst the Cry of "How Long?"
God hears the cries of His people, but His timing is perfect.
Even Christ experienced divine silence, yet He trusted the Father’s will.
The wicked mistake God’s patience for injustice, but His judgment will not tarry.
Prophecy confirms that all things unfold at their appointed time—we must wait in faith.
The final answer is the promise of eternal restoration and the complete eradication of evil.
Let us trust that though the night may seem long, the morning of deliverance is near.
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Rev. 14:12)
Consider the Following
❖ Divine answers to human questions.
— Many questions can come to mind when we are faced with the results of evil. Is it right to question God on this issue? The prophets did, and they received surprising and unexpected answers!
(1) JEREMIAH.
(a) QUESTION: “You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” (Jer. 12:1)
(b) ANSWER: “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5)
(2) HABAKKUK.
(a) QUESTION: “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you,
“Violence!” but you do not save?” (Hab. 1:2)
(b) ANSWER: “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” (Hab. 2:3)
(3) DAVID.
(a) QUESTION: “Lord, how long will you watch this? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions” (Ps. 35:17)
(b) ANSWER: “Let them shout for joy and be glad, all who favor my righteous cause; let them continually say, ‘Let the LORD be magnified, for he loves the peace of his servant! ’” (Ps. 35:27)
(4) JOB.
(a) QUESTION: “Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1)
“Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?” (Job 21:7)
(b) ANSWER: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? […] Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand” (Job 38:2, 4)
— Why do those who do evil do well? Why do those of us who want to follow God suffer? Where is God when I am suffering?
— Jesus himself felt helpless when sin fell upon him (Mt. 27:46.) Evil is not trivial: it hurts, and often we have no answers. But think of God as wanting to eradicate it from the universe even more than we do.
— Are we capable of knowing what God knows? Can we hold God accountable for things we do not know? Are we capable of handling evil and its consequences better than He?
— Until evil is eradicated we will not understand. We must trust in divine goodness.
