The verse in question, Isaiah 45:7 (ESV), reads:
“I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.”
At first glance, this verse seems to suggest that God is the creator of evil and calamity. However, a deeper look at the context and original language reveals that this is not the case. Here are several key points to understand what Isaiah 45:7 really means:
1. The broader context of Isaiah
The book of Isaiah contains prophecies to the people of Israel and Judah leading up to and during the Babylonian exile. Isaiah repeatedly calls the people to repentance and faith in God. He pronounces judgment on Israel’s enemies and looks forward to a future restoration of God’s people.
Isaiah 45 itself is addressed to Cyrus, whom God would use to bring about Israel’s return from exile. The overall message is that the Lord is in sovereign control of history and directs the rise and fall of nations according to His purposes.
With this context in mind, Isaiah 45:7 expresses God’s absolute sovereignty even over troubles and disasters. It does not mean God Himself created evil.
2. The meaning of “evil” in this verse
The Hebrew word translated “evil” is ra’. This word has a broad range of meanings including “adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, misery.” While ra’ is sometimes connected with moral evil, often it refers to physical suffering or calamity.
Given the context of Isaiah 45, “evil” here does not refer to moral evil or sin. Rather, it refers to God’s control over calamitous events such as natural disasters, famine, plague, and foreign invasion—evil in the sense of disaster, calamity, or distress.
3. God only brings judgment within history
God brings calamity in response to the sins and moral evil of mankind. Isaiah 45:7 relates to God’s acts within history in judging individuals and nations. Only in this sense does God bring “evil” or calamity.
However, Scripture clearly teaches that God is altogether righteous and morally pure (Psalm 5:4-5; Habakkuk 1:13). He cannot sin or commit moral evil Himself. God does not create moral evil, but He does sometimes use calamity as punishment for evil.
4. Contrast between light/darkness and well-being/calamity
Isaiah 45:7 sets up a contrast between opposites—light/darkness and well-being/calamity. But whereas God directly creates light, we do not assume He creates darkness in the same way. Darkness is the absence of light. Likewise, God brings general well-being, but calamity results from the fallen world’s sinful condition.
This verse is not saying God directly authors evil Himself. Rather, God permits calamity to enter the world because of humankind’s sinfulness. Yet God remains sovereign over it for His purposes.
5. God’s character is morally pure
The Bible consistently reveals God as holy, righteous, and blameless (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 11:7; 1 John 1:5). He cannot contradict His own nature. Habakkuk 1:13 says God is “of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong.”
Since God’s nature is altogether good, He cannot directly create moral evil. When Isaiah 45:7 says God creates “calamity,” this refers to God’s acts of judgment against sin and evil. It does not mean God commits evil.
6. The Old Testament law condemned moral evil
If God directly created moral evil, He would contradict His own law. For instance, the Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20 condemn murder, adultery, theft, lying, and covetousness as morally wrong. The law comes from God’s own righteous character. He cannot violate His own moral standards.
Furthermore, Deuteronomy 32:4 declares, “His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.” God’s ways are always just and right.
7. The broader teaching of Scripture
The full counsel of Scripture must guide our theology, not isolated verses. Several clear passages reveal that God cannot directly cause moral evil:
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1:13)
“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)
“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)
Taken in context and compared to the whole of Scripture, Isaiah 45:7 cannot teach that God directly causes moral evil.
8. The God who brings judgment is the same God who redeems
Isaiah 45 emphasizes that the righteous God who brings calamity against His enemies is the same God who promises to redeem and restore His people Israel. God brings judgment as punishment for evil, but His greater purpose is salvation.
The New Testament further clarifies that God’s plan through Jesus is to rescue people from slavery to sin. God’s loving character is seen most clearly in the gospel—taking evil upon Himself to save sinners.
9. We live in a fallen world under the curse of sin
Life in a fallen creation means we experience calamity and suffering through no direct fault of our own. This is part of the evil that resulted from Adam and Eve’s first rebellion against God (Genesis 3).
Natural disasters, illness, and innocent suffering result from the corruption of sin, not necessarily the direct judgment of God. The good news is that God promises to redeem this groaning world and create “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
10. Evil has a limited shelf life
God has permitted evil for a time under His sovereign direction of history, but He promises to one day eradicate all evil:
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Believers can take courage that the calamity and moral evil of this age will cease. God will judge and do away with evil forever. And we “shall see his face” (Revelation 22:4)—the face of a perfectly loving, righteous God.
Conclusion
While Isaiah 45:7 can be perplexing on the surface, a close examination in light of its context and the whole of Scripture makes it clear the verse is not claiming God directly created moral evil. God brings calamity against evildoers, but His character remains morally pure. He cannot contradict His righteous nature.
The grand narrative of Scripture reveals a loving Creator and Redeemer who is working to rescue people from the evil of sin. The day is coming when sin and suffering will be no more. Then we will experience God’s perfect goodness and well-being face to face.