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WEDNESDAY EVENING (November 2th) • Prayer & Providence *Providence and the Problem of EvilThroughout this study we have repeatedly returned to the premise that God is and that he isabsolute in all his attributes-holiness, intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, and power. If thispremise is true, God cannot make a mistake; the world that he created was complete, and perfectfor the purpose for which he created it. When the creation was finished, God "saw everythingthat he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen 1:31). This raises the question, if everythingwas very good, how do we account for and explain the presence of evil as it is found in such aworld?What impact does a second premise have on this discussion? - Man is a moral creature,possessing a moral conscience with the ability to choose his own actions.What impact does a third premise have on this discussion? - God put his creation and man underlaw-laws in the physical world to control and direct it, and laws in the moral realm to govern thefree beings in it. Compliance or non-compliance-obedience or disobedience-to these lawsbrings inevitable consequences that produce good or evil results.Using your knowledge of the overall scope of the Bible, how would you answer the following:• What is evil?• From where did evil come?• Can evil be overcome?• Can God so control his world in the midst of evil that his purposes may be achieved?• If so, how?What does Romans 1:18-32 contribute to this discussion?And Romans 8:18-25?God's redemptive plan for man's salvation also includes divine revelation concerning the defeatand final destruction of Satan. What can we learn from Genesis 3:15? Revelation 12:7-17? 1John3:8? Hebrews 2:14-15? Revelation 20:7-10?