THE MAN BEHIND ALL EVIL

                                     

“I shook hands with the devil.” So said the commander of the United Nations forces in Rwanda, reflecting on their failure to stop the genocide in that land during 1994. Commenting on the unbelievable savagery at that time, another observer stated: “if someone still dares to deny Satan, meet me at a mass grave in Rwanda.” Are such atrocities really the work of the Devil?

Most people do not regard wanton violence and cruelty as the work of an invisible wicked spirit creature. Many think that such things are a result of the evil inherent in human nature and that the main caused of evil is our own dark instincts. Others theorize that a group of powerful and wealthy, some sort of a shadowy global network, has been manipulating people for decades in order to rule the world. Then, of course, there are those who blame the national governments and rulers for all the injustice and suffering they see.

What do you believe? Why is it that evil, cruelty, atrocities, and suffering run rampant throughout the world today in spite of efforts to curb them? Why that mankind is seems to be dashing headlong into a self-destructive course, turning a deaf ear to repeated warnings? Is there someone behind it all? Who really rules the world? The answer might surprise you.

WHO REALLY RULES THE WORLD?

Likely you have never met any leaders of organized crime. Does that mean they do not exist? Criminal bosses are skilled at hiding their identity or even operating from behind prison bars. Yet, newspaper headlines about drug wars, prostitution rings, and human trafficking, to name a few, remind us of the corrupting influence and dire consequences of the activities and of the existence of such crime figure. By the mark they leave on human society, we know that criminal leaders exist.

God’s Word, the bible, reveals that Satan is a real person who, like a powerful criminal kingpin, sees to it that his will is accomplished through “lying signs” and “unrighteous deception.” In fact he keeps transforming himself into an angel of light,” says the Bible (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 11:14) the devil’s existence can likewise be ascertained by the marks left by him. Yet, most people find it difficult to believe in any invincible, wicked spirit being. Before we examine more closely what the Bible says about the devil, let us look at some common obstacles and erroneous beliefs that prevent many from accepting the idea the Devil is a real person.

“How could a lovely God create the Devil?” Since the bible says that God is good and perfect, it seems contradictory to think that he would have created an evil, malicious, and wicked being. The fact is that the Bible does not say that God created such a person. On the contrary, it says about God: “the Rock perfect is his activity, for all his was are justice. The point to consider is whether a perfect person created by God could do anything other than what is right. Far from making its creatures like robots, God granted them free will the ability to make their own choices. Hence a perfect, intelligent creature can choose to do well or to do evil. In reality, only deeds performed by an intelligent creature, human or spirit, endowed with free will could have real moral significance.

It follows, therefore, that God would not have granted his creatures’ moral freedom and at the same time prevented them from doing evil should they choose to do so. Clearly, the Devil is not a principle of evil or a dark side of God’s personality but a spirit person who made himself God’s adversary.

Who really is ruling the world?

Today, many feel that is old fashioned to believe in the Devil. However, no explanation for the harsh reality of evil, apart from the Devil, has proved satisfactory. In fact, the attempt to do away with the idea of the Devil has led many people to reject God and any moral boundaries altogether. Like a criminal boss the devil conceals his identity in order to achieve his objective. One important question remains. What will god do with this secret mastermind who is behind all evil and suffering? This we consider in the following article.