Why Do Innocent People Suffer?

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

(Habakkuk 1:13) NASB "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?"

(Habakkuk 3:17-18) (17) "Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls," (18) "Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation."

(Job 2:9-10) (9) "Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” (10) "But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips."

(Job 4:7) “Remember now, whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?"

(John 9:2-3) (2) "And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” (3) "Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

(Job 28:28) “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

(Job 34:12) “Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice."

(Job 36:26) “Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable."

(Ezekiel 18:25) "Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?"

(1 Peter 4:19) "Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."

PREFACE SUMMARY

Beloved, this message is one concerning a question that I believe we all have asked ourselves and others at least once in our lifetime and that is " why does most of the bad things usually happen to good people instead of the bad people and why did Jesus wait four days as found in (John 11:3-6) to come see about his friend Lazarus, he had been sent word that his friend was very sick, I mean beloved, he was their spiritual leader and he did not even show up for the wake.

Saints, it was in the late seventies maybe early eighties that I had a vision from the Lord concerning the unseen colossal war that is taking place around us that has helped me prepare for the place in ministry where I am today in other countries walking by faith that all my needs will be met.

Beloved, I was on my way to the Southern Baptist Seminary located in Louisville, Kentucky because earlier, I had been given an invitation from the school to come spend some time on campus and see what the school was about.

Saints, I had a friend that was an enrolled student there and he had played some of my preaching to the faculty which they liked causing the Dean and Faculty of the school to send a word of invitation for me to come live on campus in the dorm with my friend and partake of some free classes to see if I would like to continue my education with this school.

Beloved, after much prayer, I felt a release to take them up on their offer but decided to stop along the way to visit some friends living in Jonesville, Virginia who were an elderly couple and were faithful listeners of my weekly radio program which I usually did live from the studio that was located in Church Hill, Tennessee.

Saints, I had never met these precious people and had only spoken with them a few times on the phone.

Beloved, I stayed with them a few days and still remember the room and being covered with several blankets to keep me warm because back then most people did not have heat at night but would get up early to go to the basement and heat up a coal fired furnace.

Saints of God, I remember like it was yesterday, one particular night while praying, I approached God with the question "Lord, why do innocent people suffer and are usually the ones that get hurt?"

MY VISION FROM HEAVEN

Saints, I shall now make an attempt to reveal the vision that I received from the Lord that really made me do some more studying on the creation of man and his purpose on Earth.