This is one of the most profound and challenging questions in human history. In the context of the Great Controversy—the cosmic struggle between Christ and Satan—this question isn’t just a philosophical puzzle; it’s a central part of the story of our world. From a biblical perspective, the answer isn’t that God wants suffering, but rather that He is navigating a complex reality defined by love, freedom, and a temporary rebellion.
The Gift of Free Will
For love to be genuine, it must be freely given. God could have created us as “robots” who were programmed to always do the right thing, but a robot cannot truly love.
- The Risk of Freedom: By giving us the power of choice, God also had to allow for the possibility that we might choose poorly.
- The Origin of Evil: We believe evil didn’t start on Earth, but with the rebellion of Lucifer in heaven. He challenged God’s character, claiming God was a tyrant. To prove His character of love, God has allowed the results of rebellion to play out so the entire universe can see that His way is the only way that leads to life.
A Broken World, Not a Broken God
We often ask why “bad things happen to good people,” but the Bible suggests that we live in a “fallen” world.
- Natural Consequences: Much of the suffering we see is the result of human choices—either our own or the collective choices of humanity over generations.
- An Enemy at Work: Jesus taught in the parable of the wheat and the tares that “an enemy has done this” (Matthew 13:28). While God is the Creator, he is currently allowing a limited time for the “prince of this world” to demonstrate his way of life, which is characterized by death and destruction.
God Suffers With Us
Perhaps the most important point is that God is not a distant observer of our pain.
- The Incarnation: In Jesus, God stepped into our suffering. He felt hunger, rejection, physical torture, and the weight of death. He is a “High Priest” who can sympathize with our weaknesses.
- The Refining Fire: While God does not cause evil, He is a Master at redeeming it. He can take the most painful experiences and use them to develop character, empathy, and a deeper reliance on Him—much like gold is purified in a furnace.
The Promise of Restoration
The current state of affairs is temporary. The Seventh-day Adventist hope is built on the “Blessed Hope”—the return of Jesus.
- The End of Pain: We look forward to a day when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain” (Revelation 21:4).
- Final Justice: In the final judgment, God will set all things right. Every “why” will eventually be answered, and the character of God will be fully vindicated.
It’s okay to feel frustrated or hurt by the brokenness of the world. Even the biblical prophets asked “How long, O Lord?”
Our Blessed Hope
While we live in the “in-between”—the tension between the origin of sin and its final destruction—we do not mourn as those without hope. The Seventh-day Adventist faith is rooted in the “Blessed Hope” that this broken world is not the final chapter.
- He is Present: Walking with us through the fire, as He did with the three Hebrews in the furnace.
- He is Redeeming: Turning our scars into testimonies and our trials into character.
- He is Coming: To finally and forever put an end to the experiment of evil.
Ultimately, God’s “allowance” of evil is a temporary necessity to preserve the one thing that makes life worth living: true, unforced love. One day soon, the universe will look back on this dark era of human history and declare with one voice, “Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!” (Revelation 15:3). Until that day, we hold fast to the hand that was pierced for us, trusting that the God who created us is the same God who will carry us home.