Prophecy of the Serpent

Prophecy of the Serpent
(Reprinted from: Doctrine of the Cross, Ed 2 – Chapter: Which Bible, Pg 51,52)

Question: Is it reasonable to think that God only does “good,” and therefore should not allow bad things to happen to good people?  According to  original Bible texts this expectation of God is not biblical. Publishers of modern Bibles have removed the word “Evil” that refers to God’s power to create evil in order to make goodness.

One biblical example of evil for good is when Joseph’s brothers asked Joseph if he would punish them for previously leaving him in a pit to die. (Gen 50:19-20)

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?  And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Five examples of God’s power to create “evil” in early Bible texts is Isaiah 45:7:

The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible:
I form light and create darkness:  I make goodness and create evil. I am the LORD, who does all these things.

 Hebrew-English Bible According to Masoretic Text JPS 1917 Edition:
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the LORD, that doeth all these things. {P}

American Standard Version (ASV, 1901):
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil. I  am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.

King James Version (KJV):
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

The Holy Bible Feminine Translation Version: (FTVBible, 2022)
I form the light, and create darkness; I make goodness, and create evil. I am YHWH, that doeth all these things.

Most, if not all, publishers of modern Bibles changed “evil” to either “woe,” or “calamity,” or “disaster.” However, they were not consistent with this substitution. They did not change the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to tree of woe, or tree of calamity, or tree of disaster. Four modern examples of Isaiah 45:7 follow:

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV):
I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the LORD do all these things.

English Standard Version (ESV):
I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

New International Version (NIV):
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

Hebrew—English Bible TANAKH, JPS 1999 Edition:
I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe— I the LORD do all these things.
In this TANAKH Genesis 2 and 3 the tree of knowledge of good and evil has been replaced with the phrase, “tree of knowledge of good and bad.”

Most, if not all, preachers do not teach fear of God. Instead, they teach comfort to their congregations with description of a God that loves them unconditionally. Bibles have been changed to support this view. However, God chose Abraham, Job and Israel because they feared God. (Gen 22:12, Job 1:1, Mal 3:16-17)

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

In Genesis 3:1-4 did the serpent teach Adam and Eve not to fear God?

3:1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which YHWH God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
3:2. And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat: 3:3. but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
3:4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (FTVBible)

Adam and Eve listened to the serpent, who taught them not to fear God. Consequently God banished them from the Garden of Eden. Isn’t this the same story again, when Bible publishers eliminate the power to create “evil” from God?

Prophecy of the Serpent? …… Fulfilled.

 

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