Is God the Author of Evil? - Michael Heiser

The discussion focused on the divine council and a spirit sent to carry out God's will, specifically the death of King Ahab. This raises concerns about whether God is the author of evil or deception, referencing Isaiah 45:7. The explanation given is that God decrees events and may allow or use deception as a means to fulfil His purposes, particularly in judging those who do evil. For example, in 1 Samuel 16, God instructs Samuel to use partial truth and misdirection to protect himself and anoint David without directly lying. The concept distinguishes between lying (intentional falsehood) and deception (withholding truth or misdirecting), and Scripture shows God using such means to achieve His ends, as with Joshua’s battle strategy or Rahab’s hidden spies. The view is that God is sovereign in choosing methods, including deception, to bring justice, and humans are not in a position to question His decisions. #ahab #scripture #bible #gospel #michaelheiser