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Note on Proverbs 16:4 "The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Prov.16:4) That text as it is rendered in the Authorised Version (KJV) looks suspiciously like an attempt to make God responsible for the existence of evil, both in the heart and in the world; from that it is an easy step to assert a moral obligation upon God to recover all men from evil and usher them into everlasting bliss at last irrespective of their own wish or will, and this has been a tenet held by some Christians in almost every generation since the beginning of the Age. Quite apart from the oft‑debated question whether all men will or will not eventually be saved—and since the deliberate expunging of the 42nd article [see below] in A.D.1562 that has to be regarded as an open question in orthodox Church theology—it is altogether out of accord with the known character and attributes of God to picture him as in any sense of the word initiating or introducing or actively pursuing evil or evil works in order to accomplish his purpose. Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of his throne, (Psa.97:2 RV) and He is of purer eyes than to behold evil. (Hab.1:13) When God created, He saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. Evil is an intrusion subsequent to the time of creation, and had its origin in the deliberate and conscious rebellion of created beings against the laws of God. That their Creator did not stamp out the rebellion at once and nullify its effects in the creation it threatened does not make him responsible for the introduction of evil but only for its permission, for toleration of its existence for a span whilst He works out his purpose among the rebellious ones, allowing them to learn by bitter experience the destructive effect of evil and by his persuasive love be induced, if capacity for repentance be not entirely destroyed, to renounce evil and be restored to harmony and reconciliation with him. The word "himself" in the text more properly denotes purpose or destiny, and other translations render the phrase more lucidly; thus Margolis (JPS) has "the LORD hath made every things for His own purpose" and Leeser "for its destined end." Here is enshrined an important principle, that of purpose in all that God does. The whole progress of Divine creation from the moment when the first atoms appeared out of nothingness to the time yet to come when the temporary intrusion of evil will be a thing of the past and every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father, is the embodiment of a great purpose existing in the mind and Will of God and therefore certain of realisation. Within that purpose lies the end of evil. The Septuagint renders the verse "All the works of the Lord are done with righteousness; and the ungodly man is kept for the evil day." There is expounded the law of retribution. What a man soweth, that shall he reap. (Gal.6:7) The wicked are kept for the day of evil that both evil day and evil men, if such there then be, shall perish out of God’s universe together. That will not be until God has used every weapon in his armoury to induce the erring one to repent, and be reconciled, and take his rightful place in God’s creation. It will be the work of the coming Age to demonstrate that not one son of Adam is left without abundant opportunity thus to accept of the grace of God in Christ. If, after that, there are those who prove themselves completely and irrevocably impervious to the entry of Divine life and Divine love there can be only one possible end. "He... shall not see life." (John 3:36) AOH *Possible expunged 42nd article 1552 A.D. XLII.
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