Verse of the day: Judges 9:22-24, “After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, 23 God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers.”
This is not the only time that God will use evil to accomplish His purposes. In this case, God used the spirit of ill will as retribution for Abimelech’s treachery against his own brothers. Here is a wrong that was committed against the sons of God’s servant Gideon, and although Gideon was not alive to take vengeance for this heinous crime, the act did not get past God. This is why it is important for us to remember not to take vengeance for ourselves for the wrong done to us, because vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:14-21). The fact of the matter is that God can use both good and evil to accomplish His plan in our lives. He is Creator and all of creation is under His control. When Job suffered all that he did, that was not initiated by Satan. It was initiated by God. Job 1:8 tells us, “Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’” Not only did God initiate it, He also set the boundaries, as we read in Job 1:12 “And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.” In the end, God proves His point to Satan, and Job learned a thing or two about the God who created him. What began as something that appeared as an evil that would destroy Job, God used for His glory and blessed Job abundantly (Job 42:12-16). On another occasion in Scripture, God sent a spirit to trouble King Saul, recorded in 1 Samuel 16:14-16, “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, ‘Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.’” The spirit God sent to distress Saul served two purposes. The first, to trouble Saul for his disobedience, and secondly, to position David for his role as king, seeing that he had just been anointed by the Prophet Samuel in verses 11-13 of this same chapter. Isaiah 45:7 clearly tells us, “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians 12:7, in respect to God keeping him humble, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” The bottom line is that God can use whatever or whomever He chooses to accomplish good in our lives. Those times when it seems that God is allowing evil into our lives, are still under His control, and His promise to us in Romans 8:28 is that He will work all things together for our good. We simply have to trust Him and take Him at His Word.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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