Since COVID began in early 2020, our individual lives have changed a great deal. That has also led to many somewhat dramatic changes in our country and throughout the world. The change list includes the closing of schools for more than a year in many places, to people unable to sustain their individual small businesses, to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and to the rampant inflation that we experienced two years ago in the US and are still feeling its negative impact today. We still face many of the difficult repercussions resulting from the changes that have greatly impacted our lives just in these past four years. We all hope that the world can return to some sense of normalcy (whatever this means today!), but I don’t believe too many people are optimistic that such a change will occur any time soon.
I would further suggest that in the last month alone, I have heard the word “evil” used more often in the print and spoken media than previously in my entire lifetime. The term evil was not used much by the media in their lengthy reporting of COVID or the other issues highlighted above, but the atrocities inflicted on Israel by Hamas on October 7 led to much global outrage and outpouring of the “evil” inflicted on the Jews who were attacked and slaughtered in their homes. Then over the course of the next few weeks and still continuing today, we have seen different groups attempting to redefine evil, including many in our own country!
Note the following scripture written by the prophet Isaiah as he pronounced the six woes, or judgments, in Isaiah 5:8-23 that would befall anyone from Israel who was unresponsive to God. The fourth woe was:
Isaiah 5:20 – Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
The prophet Isaiah is quoted directly in the New Testament over 65 times, far more than any other Old Testament prophet, and mentioned by name over 20 times. The Israelites knew that Isaiah was a true man of God, and that he spoke God’s Word directly to them. Isaiah’s greatest prophecy is the following scripture which also ties in to evil and good.
Isaiah 7:14-15 – Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with a child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. 15He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good.
Today we still have the responsibility, as Isaiah proclaimed, to refuse evil and choose good. David also provides us excellent advice in Psalm 37 which was clearly written to his fellow citizens rather than to God, to whom he addressed many of his other Psalms. Here is David’s clear and excellent advice for us living in today’s world in verses 1-11:
Psalm 37:1-11 – Do not get upset because of evildoers, do not be envious of wrongdoers. 2 For they will wither quickly like the grass, and decay like the green plants. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. 6 He will bring out your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not get upset because of one who is successful in his way, because of the person who carries out wicked schemes. 8 Cease from anger and abandon wrath; do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing. 9 For evildoers will be eliminated, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. 10 Yet a little while and the wicked person will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. 11 But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
There is nothing else for me to say! David’s words here are as clear and insightful for today’s world as when he wrote them thousands of years ago. I would strongly encourage you to read the remaining 29 verses in Psalm 37 to hear the rest of David’s message to mankind. I will close with Daniel’s verse 27 which is so simple but yet elegant and most appropriate for God’s children:
Psalm 37:27 – Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever.
Amen!