To answer these questions, we must return to the very beginning. Genesis 1-2 tell us that everything God made was good and ultimately very good. Plants, animals and humans were created with maturity and set in the most perfect garden home. There were no predators and prey, there was no disease and death, there were no weeds and toiling, there was no fussing and feuding – only the most perfect of perfect settings in this world that God created.
Sadly, Adam & Eve CHOSE to rebel against God and believe the lie that God was holding things back from them. Being instructed by God not to eat of the “Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil” and being forewarned of the consequences, should they do so; they chose to rebel against God. This act resulted in what is known as the Fall of Man and the curse on the once perfect world (Gen. 3).
God did not cause the violence, division, evil, suffering, sickness, disease and death. These things came into our world because of the choice made by Adam and Eve to commit high-treason against their Creator – the Holy One Who created them, loved them and set them in a perfect world. They lied, they tried to hide their sin, pride crept in, they tried to cover themselves with leaves, they lied and the downward spiral has continued from that day until now.
While God made a way to redeem them through the blood of the Lamb, that redemption was for their soul; not for the sake of erasing the consequences of their actions. In came sweat, pain in childbirth, murder, sadness, sickness, disease, evil, and all that our world endures today. The suffering and violence that we see today is the result of humans thinking they knew better than God and revolting against Him.
So before you blame God for the condition of our world, realize this is far from the world He created and the plan that He intended. The fallen condition of our world was ushered in by the first Adam; but salvation and redemption is the work of the second Adam – Jesus Christ! For those who know Christ as Savior, we can claim the promise of Rev. 21:4 - And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
So to summarize, God is patiently waiting and delaying His final judgment on this sin-sick and fallen world. He is giving people time to repent and turn from their sin and turn to Him for salvation. God wants each of us to spend eternity with Him in Heaven -- that place where there will be no more suffering, sorrow, sickness, disease or death. For whosoever will may come -- have you invited Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord? If not, what are you waiting for?
Take time to read: 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Cor. 15:26 and Rev. 21:3-4. Also take some time to read back through Genesis 1-2 to see the perfect state of God’s creation and then Genesis 3 to see how the world has deteriorated into the fallen state that we observe today.
