Some people believe that all the bad stuff that happens in the world is all the devil’s fault. But there are times when God does it. And when he does, he always has a witness so that the people affected can keep from being destroyed by the evil that he brings. Look at some of the things that God has done or will do.
God raises up wicked rulers – Prov 16:4. In Ex 9:13-16, God said that he raised up Pharaoh who destroyed his own country [Ex 10:7]. Even so, God gave Moses to Pharaoh and the others in Egypt as a witness to believe in him [Ex 5:2]. They refused. In Jer 25:8-9, God called Nebuchadrezzar, “my servant.” God was the one who raised him up to destroy Jerusalem and take Judah captive. Nebuchadrezzar and the others in Babylon had four witnesses: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Nevertheless, in Jer 25:12-14 we see that God punished the king of Babylon and recompensed them for destroying his people.
God sends lying spirits – In 1 Ki 22:6, 19-23, God sent a lying spirit into the prophets of Israel to convince Ahab to go into battle against the Syrians at Ramothgilead. God intended for him to die in that battle. The prophets all encouraged Ahab to go. Yet, one prophet, Micaiah, told him he would die if he went. Ahab refused to believe him and so he died. In Is 19:1-4, 14 the Lord mingled a perverse spirit in Egypt. They had a witness before the perverse spirit was mingled, but they refused to believe.
God causes deep sleep – In Is 29:10, God caused the spirit of deep sleep to fall on his people. In Is 6:10, Isaiah was sent to make their heart fat, their eyes shut, and their ears heavy. Therefore, in Matt 13:14-15, concerning the parables of the kingdom of heaven, in Jn 12:39-41 concerning believing on Jesus, and in Acts 28:25-27 concerning the preaching of the gospel, Israel’s eyes were blind, their ears were dull and their hearts were fat. In 2 Cor 3:14-16, we read that they have a vail upon their hearts. They have the witness of the words of God in the New Testament, but, as a nation, they still don’t believe. Nevertheless, those who believe what God said and receive Jesus get saved.
God sends strong delusion – In 2 Thes 2:9-12, God sends strong delusion to those who receive not the love of the truth and believe not the truth. They have the witness of the truth but they refuse to believe it. Therefore, they are damned by believing the strong delusion. In Is 30:28, we read that God puts a bridle in the jaws of the nations to get them to do what he wants as he prepares to destroy them and save Israel.
Conclusion: God does these things. When God is the one bringing the trouble, he always provides a witness to his truth. Therefore, you must believe the witness that speaks the truth of the words of God. And if you believe the truth, then you and I must be that witness for the Lord to help others who are willing to believe.