If God is loving and good, and at the same time is all powerful, why do we see so many bad things on the earth? Why is one forth of the earth's population starving to death; as just the first problem which comes to mind? If God has the power to stop it, why has He not done so? The simple answer is, of course, that God is not responsible. Let us please consider from the scriptures why God is not responsible.

First, why is mankind suffering in the ways that he is? Why, as the Bible puts it, is all creation groaning and being in pains together? (Romans 8:22) Jehovah built our earthly home and gave us everything we could ever want. He then indicated He would like to provide direction for our lives; so we would not harm ourselves and wind up working against his perfect purposes. (Isaiah 48:17) He told our first parents they should not eat from one of the trees in the Garden where he placed them. Adam and Eve didn't come into existence from nowhere, (Hebrews 3:4) but were created and given loving personal instruction from our creator; even as a parent might instruct a little child not to play in the street. They should have appreciated that loving concern. Sadly, they did not. They disobeyed and became sinful and imperfect in their course. They reaped the reward of the warning Jehovah gave them against eating the fruit forbidden: "You will positively die!" (Genesis 2:17) Exactly why God placed the restriction on that tree is not explained, nor should it need to be. The garden was his. The tree was his. They were (we are all) his; the works of his own hands. (Psalm 19:1) Jehovah is good and loving, and has the right to give us direction. We very desperately need that direction! Adam and Eve (and many others since) disagreed. When they ate the forbidden fruit, what they stole for themselves was the right to make their own decisions about what is right and wrong. Today, then, why do some still ring there hands and ask why the terrible conditions exist on our earthly home? The terrible conditions we experience are a direct result of the rebellion of satan and Adam and Eve. When a woman contracts some terrible disease before having a child, for example, the child will often have the same disease. So it was with sin. We are all sinners, because we were born in sin [from sinful parents]. (Psalms 51:5) A dented pan can not make a loaf of bread without a corresponding dent. We are all sons and daughters of sinful Adam and Eve. The rebellion against God's direction has continued down to this day, and we all suffer as a result. Men kill other men against the direction of God, and on and on the errors go. The terrible suffering of the world of our day is thus of our own making. Since mankind sided with satan in his lie, (Genesis 3:4) and so asserted we would be better off without God's direction; God has allowed time for the issue to be settled. He could possibly have destroyed the rebels and started over, but all his works were/are perfect: Including Adam and Eve. He was confident that, given the chance, some of the sons and daughters of Adam would accept the gift of life He gave our first parents. Aren't we glad He chose to do it that way? We are sons and daughters of Adam. If God had started over, the newly created humans would have had children, but they would not be you or I. We are sons and daughters of Adam.

That is the issue raised by satan's rebellion then: Is Jehovah's rulership good and righteous, or would mankind be better off without his direction? Today the evidence in answer to that question has accumulated. That evidence presents as a world so vile many people don't even want to go on living. The national news reported that shortly after the oil spill disaster in the Gulf, a man killed himself because he simply couldn't take any more. It is untold how many others do so over the terrible things they witness; with no publicity for their pain. How can anyone find real peace and happiness in a world knowing that every day little children are starving, being sold into sexual slavery, murdered, left homeless, and on the list goes. The evidence is in! Any sane person should clearly see: We need God's rulership!

However, God is all powerful. (Psalm 147:5) He can do anything, right? (Psalm 32:17) Why Jehovah God has tolerated badness in the earth all this time seems related to the gift of free moral choice. Some might ask, for example: If God is all knowing and all powerful, why does he not simply look into the future to see where we are all going to be after this issue is settled , and put us there; thus alleviating all pain and suffering immediately. If he can resurrect people back from the dead, why could He not look to see where we will be in the future and resurrect us all as who we will then be; doing so to end all suffering right now? Please let us say something which we will then need to explain: God can not do absolutely anything! He lovingly places certain restrictions upon himself. As an example: God can not lie. (Titus 1:2) Because of who Jehovah has chosen to be, He is good; and thus he will never lie to us. (Hebrews 6:18) Isn't it comforting to know that what God says to us in his word is the absolute truth, and will never fail. We can have that assurance because our Father is not a liar. How comforting! It seems there is another restriction Jehovah has placed upon himself by his act of giving us the gift of freedom. He could have made us wonderful self replicating robots, just running a program of what to do and what not to do. Apparently, that is to some degree what he has made in the animal creation, and they are wonderful. No animal, it seems however, will ever look up at the starry night and thank God he is alive to enjoy all that beauty. It seems none of them will ever become God's personal friends, as we have the opportunity to become. (James 2:23) The creation of mankind was something very special. Even the angels were excited about it. (Job 38:4 & 7) Before man's creation, there were angels who were God's friends. But now, here on the earth, was a flesh and blood creature with the same free moral agency as angels; and with the ability to procreate. Apparently, even angels did not have the capability to reproduce. Mankind had free moral agency to choose friendship with God in recognition that all Jehovah's ways are perfect. At the same time, man could multiply and create new little free moral agents. This new creative effort could not really work, however, if everyone went off to choose for himself what was good and bad. They would soon be killing each other, which is precisely what happened. The second restriction God has placed upon himself then, is this: When Jehovah gave us freedom, he gave up the ability to know how we will use that freedom. God can, of course, cause to happen anything he chooses to cause. He just can not cause a person with freedom to use that freedom in some predetermined way: Freedom ceases to exist when he does. Just as there can not be daylight and dark at the same time, we do not have freedom of choice if it is pre-known what our choice will be. Thank Jehovah for day and night, and thank him for the gift of freedom; and thus for the ability to become his friends - forever! He has allowed these thousands of years (a brief period in his sight) for all the free men and women who have lived [and gained knowledge of truth] to decide where they stood on this issue. Through that period, the evidence has become ever more clear as to whether God is good, and as to whether his laws are good and are needed.

To establish his sovereignty, and at the same prove He is absolutely fair, Jehovah has appointed another to sit in judgment of whether his rulership is righteous. Jehovah appointed Jesus as king of all creation, and gave him life within himself. (Revelation 17:14 ; Romans 2:6-7 ; 1 Timothy 6:13-16) Even with all that freedom and power: Jesus supports the rulership of his Father. (Hebrews 10:5-7 ; Psalms 40:7-9) Jehovah himself provides one witness to the righteousness of his rule, and Christ Jesus provides the second witness. (John 8:17-18) This arrangement to appoint Jesus as Jehovah's judge is made clear in first Corinthians the fifteenth chapter; and is central to the theme of the Bible. (See 1 Corinthians 15:24 and further explained in verses 25 through 28.) As the Bible there teaches: In the end times, after Jesus has broken up the works of the devil, (1 John 3:8) Jesus hands the kingdom back to his Father. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) We might even try to imagine what Jesus will say: "Here it is Father, an earth full of perfect happy people, just as you intended when you put Adam and Eve in the garden." In and by that act of handing the kingdom back to his father, Jesus judges Jehovah's rulership as righteous and good. Jesus is a free son, and having life within himself, he is not forced to return the kingdom: It is his free will choice to do so. One thing very special about all of this is that the decision to support his Father's sovereignty has rested [and rests] with Jesus all during these thousands of years since God's promise (at Genesis 3:15) that Jesus would prove faithful. Jesus was tested to the absolute maximum; to the point of a horrible death as an evil doer on a torture stake. Yet, through it all, Jesus remained faithful just as his Father said he would. Satan believed Jesus would fail. Maybe he still believes Jesus will fail. Remember, it yet remains for Jesus to return the kingdom to his Father. What do you believe? Do you believe, as Jehovah does, that Jesus will prove to be a faithful son and hand back the kingdom? Or do you believe as satan: That Jesus will be selfish, just as satan himself is? There is something very special we can learn is this: Jehovah got to know Jesus so well, long before He gave Jesus the assignment, He knew Jesus would never prove unrighteous. (Proverbs 8:22-24 and 30-31) Jehovah can get to know you, so as to judge you righteous as well, but only after you have absolutely decided for yourself who you are. That is how Abraham became God's friend. (James 2:21-23)

Did God foreknow, that some would abuse their freedom so as to make themselves bad. (Deuteronomy 32:5) They were free and so the choice was theirs, but even God could not foresee how they would use the gift. Did He imagine it might happen? Possibly; or maybe even probably. In any case, the gift of freedom is too valuable not to give! The thing to remember is that sin and wickedness is a result of the bad choices of our forefathers, and of ourselves. God did not cause it, but rather is doing away with it all through Christ Jesus. What ever pain we suffer here can be terrible, but will be forgotten when we are in eternity, being "glad before him" all our days. May we all come to be persons Jehovah is "specially fond of." (Proverbs 8:22-24 and 30-31) To have the opportunity to become friends with the Creator of all the universe is too wonderful... And yet; that is the choice which is ours! It is the choice which is yours!

This is the greatest story ever told, and it is all true! Praise Jah you people! [(Psalms 83:18 King James Bible) 18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 104:33-35 NWT) . . .I will sing to Jehovah throughout my life; I will make melody to my God as long as I am. 34 Let my musing about him be pleasurable. I, for my part, shall rejoice in Jehovah. 35 The sinners will be finished off from the earth; And as for the wicked, they will be no longer. Bless Jehovah, O my soul. Praise Jah, you people! (Psalms 111:9-112:1 NWT) 9 He has sent redemption itself to his people. To time indefinite he has commanded his covenant. His name is holy and fear-inspiring. 10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom. All those doing them have a good insight. His praise is standing forever. 112 Praise Jah, YOU people!. . .]

Jehovah has sent "redemption" into our midst in the form of Christ Jesus, and all we need do is express faith! Study your Bible and imitate the love God has shown for all!

[Some might assert that for God to put the wicked to death is unloving and unkind; or even hateful. The truth is, the Bible and our observations of life teach us happiness comes from, among other things, obedience to our creator. (Psalms 34:8) Those who have come to know and really understand the "truth," and yet choose to be disobedient, are not happy. They are in fact miserable, and are sliding into madness. (2 Timothy 3:8-9) They would shortly die on their own. For Jehovah to put to death the wicked is very likely an act of loving kindness, even to them. It certainly is a lovingkindness to the ones the wicked would kill and otherwise abuse. All who will gain eternal life must understand and support what our Father is doing: The wicked who refuse to change must be destroyed because they are hurtful. (Psalms 9:1-5) Get to know our Father by reading your Bible. In doing so you can fully trust that Jehovah can get to know who should live and who have willfully made the choice they must die. (Acts 13:46)]

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