Evil actions are those that fall short of YAHVEH’s standard of holiness that is sin. The Old Testament, particularly the Psalms, teach that people are born sinful. In the New Testament Yeshua taught that the origin of sin could be traced to the human heart and will (Matthew 6:22-23). The apostle Paul taught that the solution for the evil of sin is the new life that comes from faith in HaMashiach.

WHY DOES YAHVEH ALLOW EVIL TO EXIST?

YAHVEH’S PUNISHMENT OF EVIL IS NOT ON OUR TIMETABLE.
“In the events that followed, YAHVEH punished Abimelech and the men of Shechem for murdering Gideon’s seventy sons.” (Judges 9:24) Abimelech was the opposite of what YAHVEH wanted in a judge, but it was three years before YAHVEH moved against him, fulfilling Jotham’s parable. Those three years must have seemed like forever to Jotham. Why wasn’t Abimelech punished sooner for his evil ways? We are not alone when we wonder why evil seems to prevail (Job 10:3; 21:1-18; Jeremiah 12:1; Habakkuk 1:2-4, 12-17). YAHVEH promises to deal with sin, but in His time, not ours. Actually it is good news that YAHVEH doesn’t punish us immediately because we all have sinned and deserve YAHVEH’s punishment. YAHVEH in His mercy often spares us from immediate punishment and allows us time to turn from our sins and turn to Him in repentance. Trusting YAHVEH for justice means (1) we must first recognize our own sins and repent and (2) we may face a difficult time of waiting for the wicked to be punished. But in YAHVEH’s time, all evil will be destroyed.

YAHVEH HAS NOT GUARANTEED COMPLETE JUSTICE IN THIS LIFE.
“But I tell you to ask those who have been around and they can tell you the truth. Evil people are spared in times of calamity and are allowed to escape. No one rebukes them openly. No one repays them for what they have done. When they are carried to the grave, an honour guard keeps watch at their tomb”. (Job 21:29-32) If wicked people become wealthy despite their sin, why should we try to be good? The wicked may seem to get away with sin, but there is a higher Judge and a future judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). The final settlement of justice will come not in this life, but in the next. What is important is how a person views YAHVEH in prosperity or poverty, not the prosperity or poverty itself.

EVIL WILL COME TO AN END.
“But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” (Habakkuk 2:3) This chapter records YAHVEH’s answers to Habakkuk’s questions: (1) How long would evil prevail (1:2-3)? (2) Why was Babylon chosen to punish Judah (1:13)? YAHVEH said that the judgment, though slow to come, was certain. Although YAHVEH used Babylon against Judah, He knew Babylon’s sins and would bring judgment in due time.

EVIL REQUIRES THAT WE TRUST YAHVEH.
Evil and injustice seem to have the upper hand in the world. Like Habakkuk, Christians often feel angry and discouraged as they see what goes on. Habakkuk complained vigorously to YAHVEH about the situation. YAHVEH’s answer to Habakkuk is the same answer He would give us, “Be patient! I will work out My plans in My perfect timing.” It isn’t easy to be patient, but it helps to remember that YAHVEH hates sin even more than we do. Punishment of sin will certainly come. As YAHVEH told Habakkuk, “Wait patiently.” To trust YAHVEH fully means to trust Him even when we don’t understand why events occur as they do.

HOW CAN PEOPLE RESIST EVIL?

THE MISTAKE OF OUR FIRST PARENTS MUST BE AVOIDED.
“YAHVEH knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like YAHVEH, knowing everything, both good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) Adam and Eve got what they wanted: an intimate knowledge of both good and evil. But they got it by doing evil and the results were disastrous. Sometimes we have the illusion that freedom is doing anything we want. But YAHVEH says that true freedom comes from obedience and knowing what not to do. The restrictions He gives us are for our good, helping us avoid evil. We have the freedom to walk in front of a speeding car, but we don’t need to be hit to realize it would be foolish to do so. Don’t listen to Satan’s temptations. You don’t have to do evil to gain more experience and learn more about life.

EVEN SMALL VICTORIES AGAINST EVIL ARE WORTHWHILE.
“During this time, a man and woman from the tribe of Levi got married. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw what a beautiful baby he was and kept him hidden for three months.” (Exodus 2:1-2) Moshe’s (Moses) mother knew how wrong it would be to destroy her child. But there was little she could do to change Pharaoh’s new law. Her only alternative was to hide the child and later place him in a tiny papyrus basket on the river. YAHVEH used her courageous act to place her son, the Hebrew of His choice, in the house of Pharaoh. Do you sometimes feel surrounded by evil and frustrated by how little you can do about it? When faced with evil, look for ways to act against it. Then trust YAHVEH to use your effort, however small it seems, in His war against evil.

EVIL CAN BE RESISTED THROUGH TRUSTING PRAYER.
“He was the one who prayed to YAHVEH of Israel, ‘oh, that You would bless me and extend my lands! Please be with me in all that I do and keep me from all trouble and pain!’ And YAHVEH granted him his request.” (1 Chronicles 4:10) Jabez is remembered for a prayer request rather than a heroic act. In his prayer, he asked YAHVEH to (1) bless him, (2) help him in his work, (3) be with him in all he did and (4) keep him from evil and harm. Jabez acknowledged YAHVEH as the true Centre of his work. When we pray for YAHVEH’s blessing, we should also pray that He will take His rightful position as Adonai over our work, our family time and our recreation. Obeying Him in daily responsibilities is heroic living.

EVIL CAN BE RESISTED THROUGH SPECIFIC PRAYER.
Jabez prayed specifically to be protected from harm and pain. We live in a fallen world filled with sin and it is important to ask YAHVEH to keep us safe from the unavoidable evil that comes our way. But we must also avoid evil motives, desires and actions that begin within us. Therefore, not only must we seek YAHVEH’s protection from evil, but we must also ask YAHVEH to guard our thoughts and actions. We can begin to utilize His protection by filling our minds with positive thoughts and attitudes.

WE CANNOT DEAL WITH EVIL IN OUR OWN STRENGTH.
“I begged Your disciples to cast the spirit out, but they couldn’t do it.” (Luke 9:40) As the disciples came down from the mountain with Yeshua, they passed from a reassuring experience of YAHVEH’s presence to a frightening experience of evil. The beauty they had just seen must have made the ugliness seem even uglier. As our spiritual vision improves and allows us to see and understand YAHVEH better, we will also be able to see and understand evil better. We would be overcome by its horror if we did not have Yeshua with us to take us through it safely.

YESHUA GIVES US WEAPONS TO USE AGAINST EVIL.
“For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) These who are not “flesh and blood” are demons over which Satan has control. They are not mere fantasies-they are very real. We face a powerful army whose goal is to defeat HaMashiach’s Church. When we believe in HaMashiach, these beings become our enemies and they try every device to turn us away from Him and back to sin. Although we are assured of victory, we must engage in the struggle until HaMashiach returns because ha-satan is constantly battling against all who are on our Adonai’s side. We need supernatural power to defeat ha-satan and YAHVEH has provided this by giving us His Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) within us and His armour surrounding us. If you feel discouraged, remember Yeshua’s words to Peter: “Upon this rock I will build My church and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18).