Proverbs 16:4

booby

did god create "even the wicked"

The Lord has made everything for his own ends, even the wicked for the evil day. Proverbs 16:4

Well, if he created everything, it would include people both good and evil. Just because he created them does not mean he created them specifically to be evil. Mankind was given a gift of this planet and free choice to make his own determinations. Rather than self rule, he chose monarchs and dictators. Mankind itself has furthered the wicked agenda by supporting such a system. Even if you are fading, your very presence in the Hall supports their agenda.

The question remaining, with a very short amount of time left for "your final answer" is...will people continue to give away their personal power to make their own decisions to instead permit someone else rule over them and make the life decisions for them? Will you get your sea legs and learn to stand up in the midst of rough waters? People have always had free will and the ability to chose. Some don't believe they do only because they opt for the easy way out---go along to get alone.

tec

Cameo - good answer.

Perhaps it also simply means that even the wicked (those who have chosen to be against him) will serve his purpose in the end.

Tammy

snowbird

ESV Study Bible has some notes on that, I'm sure.

Syl

booby

I was able to find many thoughts on this from the web. Just wondered what I could come up with here. Thanks for the insightful comments.

Cook My Socks UK

I will just paste what I found on WT Lib for your thoughts:

*** w54 11/1 p. 671 Questions From Readers ***
Proverbs 16:4 (AS) states: “Jehovah hath made everything for its own end; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” Does this mean that Jehovah makes men wicked, perhaps to fit some supposed predestination of his?—D. U., United States.
Jehovah does not create men wicked to fit in with the doctrine of predestination, for that doctrine is a false teaching. (See the May 15 and June 1, 1953, issues of The Watchtower.) And not for a day of evil nor for any other reason did Jehovah make the wicked. To argue so would be to contradict Deuteronomy 32:4, 5 (NW) and Ecclesiastes 7:29 (Le), which texts read: “The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he. They have acted ruinously on their own part; they are not his children, the defect is their own. A generation crooked and twisted!” “Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many (sinful) devices.”
The same Hebrew word here in Proverbs 16:4 translated “made” is translated “ordaineth” at Psalm 7:13: “He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.” They are appointed for use against enemies. In the same way, the wicked are ordained or appointed for destruction in the day of evil, a day that will be evil to them because it will mark the end of their existence. As a class the wicked are made to exist or remain till then, Jehovah knowing how to reserve them or make them remain till that time of his vindication: “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgment to be cut off.” (2 Pet. 2:9, NW) It is this thought that is given by the Septuagint translation of Proverbs 16:4: “All the works of the Lord are done with righteousness; and the ungodly man is kept for the evil day.” The evil day is for the wicked, and the wicked are for the evil day.

*** w07 5/15 pp. 18-19 “Your Plans Will Be Firmly Established” ***
Jehovah has made “even the wicked one for the evil day.” (Proverbs 16:4b) He did not create the wicked, for “perfect is his activity.” (Deuteronomy 32:4) However, he has allowed them to come into existence and continue living until he sees fit to execute his adverse judgment. For example, Jehovah said to Pharaoh of Egypt: “For this cause I have kept you in existence, for the sake of showing you my power and in order to have my name declared in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16) The Ten Plagues and the destruction of Pharaoh and his forces in the Red Sea were indeed memorable demonstrations of God’s matchless power.

booby

*** w54 11/1 p. 671 Questions From Readers ***
Proverbs 16:4 (AS) states: "Jehovah hath made everything for its own end; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." Does this mean that Jehovah makes men wicked, perhaps to fit some supposed predestination of his?-D. U., United States.
Jehovah does not create men wicked to fit in with the doctrine of predestination, for that doctrine is a false teaching. (See the May 15 and June 1, 1953, issues of The Watchtower.) And not for a day of evil nor for any other reason did Jehovah make the wicked. To argue so would be to contradict Deuteronomy 32:4, 5 (NW) and Ecclesiastes 7:29 (Le), which texts read: "The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he. They have acted ruinously on their own part; they are not his children, the defect is their own. A generation crooked and twisted!" "Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many (sinful) devices."

It is cute how they say (See the May 15 and June 1, 1953, issues of The Watchtower.) as though this provides some kind of authoritative information. I realize this is done by them all the time but still I find it funny. Also it is just as easy to say Deuteronomy 32:4, 5 (NW) and Ecclesiastes 7:29 can't possibly mean that the Rock is perfect and just because to argue so would be to contradict proverbs.

cameo-d

tec: "Perhaps it also simply means that even the wicked (those who have chosen to be against him) will serve his purpose in the end. "

I think it is the wicked who put us through all of our tests of "refinement". Their wickedness is the catalyst of how we react to social injustice, horrors, atrocities, etc. Some people ignore the plights of others; if it is not in their immediate group it is of no concern. Some people are followers and join in with the injustice when there might be some advantageous gain for themselves, and thus they are converted to the darkside.

There are metaphorical scriptures about sifting and winnowing. Consider that the grains of wheat must rub against each other causing great friction in order for the grain to be separated from the chaff. Perhaps that is the purpose of the wicked.

The next question is...was this the original intent of us being here? Or did this wickedness come from an outside influence? Was it some defect that evolved within our species?

Proverbs 16:4

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