In studying Ray's material, I came across the fact that "GOD created evil"! I also took note that "ALL things are of God" so He must have created evil along with everything else that exists.
Someone took umbrage at my statement that "God created evil" so I opened to Isaiah 45:7 which states
"I make peace and I create evil". I verified the exact wording in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.
THEN, I looked it up in an old KJV; and there, it was worded "evil". Then I looked in a newer KJV and they repaced "evil" with the word "calamity" and the New International Version substituted the word "evil" for "darkness"! WHO gives "them" the permission to translate the greek word "EVIL" for whatever they wish? Doesn't Rev. 22:19 forbid the "adding/changing" of the scriptures?
Then, just for the fun of it, I turned to Genesis 3:17 and all of them said "--Tree of the knowledge of good and evil"! Why didn't they say the "tree of good and DARKNESS" or "tree of good and CALAMITY"??
And one wonders WHY the "Church of Babylon" has so many spiritually confused people? It comes from confused ministers who study from confused translations of the Bible!! Thank God for Ray!!
Hi Duane,
First, Just a little levity in response to one part of Your comment: " Who gives them permission to translate the word Evil from the Greek," not an exact quote, I certainly didn't give them permission,
, but they did it anyway. Actually, it's the Hebrew Word Ra which the " Bible Scholars," at least the Orthodox Ones that translate the Hebrew work Ra in way or manner that suits them or in a way necessary to fit their preconceived Doctrines. In the New Testament or Greek Scriptures, they often use the Words Evil and Wicked interchangeably. This seems to be a mistake, well, to Me, it is. The Hebrew Word Ra properly translated Evil has no Moral Bias and doesn't refer to a wicked act or thought emanating from Humans. When God brings Evil or Causes Evil to befall people, it has the purpose of benefiting or teaching us, not necessarily at present, but ultimately, somewhere down the line.
Below is an example of a Scripture that I become aware of that is poorly translated, but prior to reading it in the King James Version, I often heard others from the Forum mention it this way: " I have given the Sons of Mankind, an experience of Evil to therefore humble them." Ecclesiastes. 1:13(CLT). Now, when first reading in from the King James Version, I read this, Read below.
Ecc 1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
Now lets break down some of these words contained in this verse. Read Below !
Notice the word sore from the above verse, the word sore is a type of evil, but they translate the Hebrew word Ra(Rah) into the word sore, notice below the definition of Evil, distress, sore, affliction, calamity, etc.
rah, raw-aw'
From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (-ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.]
Now, notice the word Exercise and the word it's translated from found below. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word Anah is Humble self.
‛ânâh
aw-naw'
A primitive root (possibly rather identical with H6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally or figuratively, transitively or intransitively (in various applications). (sing is by mistake for H6030.): - abase self, afflict (-ion, self), answer [by mistake for H6030], chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing [by mistake for H6030], speak [by mistake for H6030], submit self, weaken, X in any wise.
When I first read that verse from Ecclesiastes. 1:13 desiring to check it out myself, I thought to myself, What in the world does this mean and eventually checked the way it's translated from The Concordant Literal Version and realized it now made sense to Me.
Throughout My studies in attempting to learn the Hebrew & Greek terms with their meanings, I find that the Orthodox Bible Scholars are obligated to give the correct definition(s) in their Hebrew/Greek Dictionaries, but they have so many different definitions for any particular word, that they are able to use any particular synonymous word from their list of definitions of a particular word in order to translate the word into any particular Language to conform to their interpretations, using the god of Context, Hermeneutics and Exegesis as their instrument to persuade us peasants to their way of thinking.
In regards to using the Words Wicked and Evil interchangeably, I prefer not to. When Humans perform a deliberate undesirable act towards other Humans, it makes more sense to say it was a wicked act. When God brings about some sort trouble Our way, it's an experience of Evil, but it's not a wicked act, because God never does anything wicked to anyone. Below, Read an example of how some Greek Words are sometimes used interchangeably as wicked or evil. In some of the newer Bible Versions in regards to the New Testament, they are using the word wicked more often and more accurately in reference to Humans committing wicked acts or being wicked.
Orthodox Bible Scholars seem to Use Evil(Greek- Poneros & Kakos) somewhat interchangeably with Wickedness. That which results from Pain, sorrow, distress can be classified as Evil(Greek-Kakos), but not necessarily Greek-Poneros which is Evil resulting from the wicked act of others. The Hebrew Ra depends on the context in the sense of the purpose or motive behind the Evil Act.
Well, Have a good Evening Duane, no time to elaborate on this any further, I'm sure that others will contribute more,
.
Kind Regards, Samson.