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"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all
these things."
"Evil: never rendered `sin'. God brings calamity about as the inevitable consequence
of sin" (The Companion Bible).
Even had the phrase read `good and evil', evil would not necessarily have meant
moral wickedness, but when its antonym is `peace' we know for a certainty that
`calamity' in the form of judgment is the only possible meaning that can be attached to
Isa. 45: 7. The Companion bible says, regarding the word `create':
"Heb. the past participle of the verb bara (create) which, with `evil', requires the
rendering `bring about'. Not the same form as in verse 8, 12 or verse 18, in connection
with the earth. In Jer. 18: 11 the verb is yazar, to frame or mould. In Amos 3: 6 it
is asah, to bring about, a word of wide meaning; its sense has to be determined by its
context. Here disturbance in contrast with `peace'."
It is not our intention to pursue this question of evil, or the correct translation of the
Hebrew word ra, but this has provided a useful example of the value of the antonym
`peace' in deciding the meaning of `evil' in Isa. 45: 7. Neither is it our intention of
dealing with synonym, antonym or homonym in any direct sense in subsequent articles,
but to bring before the reader such evident contrasts as `Bondage and Liberty", "Flesh
and Spirit", "Law and Grace", with the belief and the hope that positive lessons of
spiritual value will most certainly accrue.
No.2. A Study in Galatians.
"Bondage versus Freedom."
pp. 56 - 60
The Apostle Paul knew the value of contrast in presenting the truth, and his epistles
contain a number of helpful examples that will be profitable to study. Upon reading his
epistle to the Galatians we are struck with the forcefulness of his use of at least five pairs
of opposites.
(1)
"Liberty versus Bondage" (Gal. 2: 4).
(2)
"Works versus Faith" (Gal. 2: 16).
(3)
"Spirit versus Flesh" (Gal. 3: 3).
(4)
"Servants versus Sons" (Gal. 4: 7).
(5)
"Law versus Grace" (Gal. 5: 4).
There are lesser examples and some more diffuse than others, but the five selected
above are obvious, and beyond doubt, intentional. Liberty, eleutheria is a blessed word,
both in itself, and in its contrast with all the evils of bondage. The Apostle uses the word
seven times in his epistles, as follows:
"The glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8: 21).