"The LORD is GOD" -2

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." (Psalms 34:19) So, if you really believe the power is within God to make something from nothing, then why not believe that He can make something good from anything bad? Again, if we look at Jesus, we can see the greatest example of something good can come from tragedy; because the tragedy of His suffering was so messed up, there was no reason He should have been punished like He was, especially since He had done nothing but heal people and bring His people hope. But like the verses from Romans said, it's not really about who your father is, but about the seed of the promise, and those that are of the seed, they are called righteous. Actually, the word for "afflictions" which is used in the verse above, is also the same word for "evil" used in verse 16, where it says, "The face of the LORD is against them that do evil". Remember how I said that word 'evil' was so generic, meaning everything from sad at heart, to really really bad; well it works the same with afflictions, which is why there are so many, as in, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous". This word used for "evil" and "afflictions" is the same word used by Joseph as he assured his brothers when they pleaded for his forgiveness, saying, "Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought 'evil' against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:19 & 20) You have to wonder about all the afflictions Jesus suffered for us in those last hours, and why they were so beyond the normal punishment that might be given to even a murderer, or worst type of criminal; why should He have to bare so much pain and humiliation in the process of giving His life for us? Why do bad things happen to good people? Is God the one who performs the evil? No way! Evil and afflictions are part of this fallen world; yet it is God that delivers us out by the afflictions and the evil that were perpetrated upon His Son: the Jewish leaders and the Romans had meant it evil against Him, but God meant it unto God... "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:31-34)