MM: Does God allow evil to happen? Does He allow wicked men to work evil? Does He allow evil angels to work evil? Is it His will to permit evil-doers to work evil?

TE: God *never* wants evil to happen.

TE: This [DA 764] has two main themes, it seems to me. Well, maybe three. The first two I was thinking of is that death is caused by separating from God. "he separates from God, and thus cuts himself off from life." The second is that the glory of God destroys the wicked, which is caused by their wrecking their character: "By a life of rebellion, Satan and all who unite with him place themselves so out of harmony with God that His very presence is to them a consuming fire. The glory of Him who is love will destroy them." The third theme is that their death is not caused by God, but by themselves.

MM:Tom, you seem to be suggesting that Jesus contradicted Himself, that He refuted and rejected His earlier commandments.

TE: Not at all. Jesus Himself addressed the objection you are making as follows:

3The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. (Matt. 19)

God made certain accommodations because of the hardness of their hearts, but His will was clearly revealed by Jesus Christ. *God's* way is not "eye for eye and tooth for tooth" but "love your enemies," "bless those who despitefully use you" "walk the second mile" "turn the other cheek." This is how God is, as we see clearly revealed by Jesus Christ, who did just these things.

MM: That simply is not true, is it? Again, what does demanding double punishment have to do with justice? How does this attitude represent the character of Jesus?

TE: You're talking about Rev. 18:6, right? Which is dealing with the corrupt system of Babylon? The angels are expressing their desire that this wicked system come to an end.

I'm not understanding why you don't understand that their cry is a cry for justice. It's like the cry of the souls under the altar.

Their attitude represents the attitude of Jesus because Jesus also wants things to be set right. He hates the system of Babylon also.

GC 539, 540
God has given in His word decisive evidence that He will punish the transgressors of His law. Those who flatter themselves that He is too merciful to execute justice upon the sinner, have only to look to the cross of Calvary. The death of the spotless Son of God testifies that "the wages of sin is death," that every violation of God's law must receive its just retribution. {GC 539.3}

TE: This paragraph should not be read in isolation, but in conjunction with other things she wrote (for example, in conjunction with the chapter that she started the book with!)

Tom, your intense labors to prove it is not God, but evil angels, who punish and destroy sinners

Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow". (Isaiah 1:17)

This is what the LORD says: "Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed." (Jeremiah 21:12)

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Administer true justice: show mercy and compassion to one another." (Zechariah 7:9)

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.( Isaiah 30:18)

I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations… A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory (Matthew 12:18-21).

Theme number one seems to conflict with two and three. If separation causes death, when would two and three occur?

MM: Tom, your intense labors to prove it is not God, but evil angels, who punish and destroy sinners seems to suggest that God is too merciful to "execute justice", that it is not like Him to cause death and destruction.

TE: What??? We've been discussing this for several years. Where have I ever in the 4 years or however long it's been that we've discussed this said this? Where did you get this idea from?

The way God will destroy is plainly stated in inspiration, and I have quoted these sayings to you many times. For example, EGW writes of how God will show He is the living God by His withdrawal. #92122

God, and His angels, destroy by withdrawing. #92025

How does this take place? "No longer combat Satan in his efforts to destroy."#92025

But both Scripture and EGW make it clear that Satan causes the destruction, and that the holy angels simply release the winds of strife. The point here is that inspiration often presents God as doing that which He permits. #92025

The command by God to the Holy Angels is "Release!". This is how the holy angels destroy. #92025

The angels do not act out of harmony with the character of God as revealed by Christ. When Christ was urged to destroy, by calling fire from heaven, He replied, "You know not of what spirit you are." The spirit of Christ is not to destroy, but to restore. Christ is the restorer. Satan is the destroyer. #92025