Section 6

Why So Much Suffering and Injustice?

1, 2. In view of human experience, what questions may be asked?

¹ However, if the Supreme Being purposed that perfect people live on earth forever amid paradise conditions and if that is still his purpose, why is there no paradise now? Why, instead, has mankind experienced so many centuries of suffering and injustice?

² Without question, human history is filled with misery caused by war, imperialistic conquest, exploitation, injustice, poverty, disaster, sickness, and death. Why have so many bad things happened to so many innocent victims? If God is all-powerful, why has he allowed this enormous amount of suffering for thousands of years? Since God designed and ordered the universe so well, why would he allow disorder and destruction on earth?

An Example

3-5. (a) What illustration could help us to understand why a God of order would allow disorder on earth? (b) Which of several alternatives fits the situation regarding earth?

³ Let us use an example to illustrate why a God of order would allow disorder on earth. Imagine, if you will, walking into a forest and coming upon a house. As you inspect the house, you see that it is in disorder. The windows are broken, the roof has serious damage, the wooden porch is full of holes, the door is hanging on one hinge, and the plumbing does not work.

⁴ In the face of all these defects, would you conclude that no intelligent designer could possibly have designed that house? Would the disorder convince you that only chance could have produced the house? Or if you concluded  that someone did design and construct it, would you feel that this person was not skilled and not thoughtful?

⁵ When you more thoroughly examine the structure, you see that it was originally put together well and gives evidence of much thoughtful care. But it was now simply run down and on the way to ruin. What could the defects and problems indicate? They could suggest that (1) the owner died; (2) he is a capable builder but is no longer interested in the house; or (3) he temporarily leased his property to unappreciative tenants. The latter is similar to the situation regarding this earth.

What Went Wrong

6, 7. What happened to Adam and Eve when they broke God’s law?

⁶ From the early Bible record, we learn that it was not God’s purpose for people to suffer or to die. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, died only because they disobeyed God. (Genesis, chapters 2 and 3) When they disobeyed, they were no longer doing God’s will. They pulled out from under God’s care. In effect, they disconnected themselves from God, “the source of life.”—Psalm 36:9.

⁷ Like a machine that slows down and stops when disconnected from its power source, their bodies and minds degenerated. As a result, Adam and Eve deteriorated, grew old, and eventually died. What happened then? They went back to where they came from: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” God had warned them that death would be the consequence for disobedience to his laws: “You will positively die.”—Genesis 2:17; 3:19.

8. How did the sin of our first parents affect the human family?

⁸ Not only did our first parents die but all their descendants, the entire human race, have also been subjected to death. Why? Because according to the laws of genetics, children inherit the characteristics of their parents. And what all the children of our first parents inherited was imperfection and death. Romans 5:12 tells us: “Through one man [Adam, mankind’s forefather] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned [by inheriting imperfection, that is, sinful tendencies].” And since sin, imperfection, and death are the only things people know, some view them as natural and inevitable. Yet, the original humans were created with the capacity and desire to live forever. That is why most people find the prospect that their life will be cut short by death so frustrating.

Why So Long?

9. Why has God allowed suffering to go on for so long?

⁹ Why has God allowed humans to have their own way for so long? Why has he allowed suffering to exist all these many centuries? One vital reason is that a very important issue was raised: Who has the right to rule? Should God be the Ruler of humans, or can they rule themselves successfully apart from him?

10. What ability was given to humans, with what responsibility?

¹⁰ Humans were created with free will, that is, with the ability to choose. They were not made like robots or like animals, who are guided mainly by instinct. So humans can choose whom they will serve. (Deuteronomy 30:19; 2 Corinthians 3:17) Thus, God’s Word counsels: “Be as free people, and yet holding your freedom, not as a blind for badness, but as slaves of God.” (1 Peter 2:16) However, while humans have the wonderful gift of free choice, they must accept the consequences of their choice of action.

11. What would be the only way to find out if a course independent of God could be successful?

¹¹ Our first parents made the wrong choice. They chose the course of independence from God. True, God could have put the first rebellious pair to death immediately after they  misused their free will. But that would not have settled the question regarding God’s right to rule over humans. Since the first pair wanted independence from God, the question must be answered: Could that course result in a happy, successful life? The only way to find out was to let our first parents and their offspring go their own way, since that was their choice. Time would demonstrate whether humans were created to be successful in ruling themselves independent of their Creator.

12. How did Jeremiah assess human rule, and why is this so?

¹² The Bible writer Jeremiah knew what the result would be. Directed by God’s powerful holy spirit, or active force, he truthfully wrote: “I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step. Correct me, O Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 10:23, 24) He knew that humans must have the guidance of God’s heavenly wisdom. Why? Simply because God did not create humans to be successful apart from his guidance.

13. What have the results of thousands of years of human rule shown beyond a doubt?

¹³ The results of thousands of years of human rule show beyond any doubt that it is not in humans to direct their own affairs apart from their Creator. Having tried it, they have only themselves to blame for the catastrophic results. The Bible makes this clear: “The Rock [God], perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he. They have acted ruinously on their own part; they are not his children, the defect is their own.”—Deuteronomy 32:4, 5.

God Soon to Intervene

14. Why will God no longer delay his intervention in human affairs?

¹⁴ Having allowed an ample demonstration of the failure of human rule during centuries of time, God can now proceed to intervene in human affairs and bring a halt to suffering, sorrow, sickness, and death. Having allowed  humans to come to the peak of their achievements in science, industry, medicine, and other fields, there is no longer any need for God to allow more centuries of time for humans independent of their Creator to demonstrate whether they can bring about a peaceful, paradisaic world. They have not and cannot. Independence from God has resulted in a very ugly, hateful, death-dealing world.

15. What Bible counsel would we do well to heed?

¹⁵ While there have been sincere rulers who have desired to help mankind, their efforts have not succeeded. Everywhere today there is evidence of a breakdown in human rulership. That is why the Bible counsels: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.”—Psalm 146:3.

[Study Questions]

[Picture on page 24, 25]

Even sincere world rulers have not been able to bring about a peaceful, paradisaic world