Hebraic Musing – How do you define “Evil”?

The word “Evil” appears 569 times in the KJV Bible, what might it mean?  Where does it come from?  What causes it?  We are familiar with the challenging verse “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...” Romans 3:23 NKJV  Free will and personal choice direct our steps to heaven or hell and those steps are defined as good or evil. 

Where does that prevalent and pervasive evil come from?  Let’s start by defining what is evil.  The dictionary definition of evil –   a: morally reprehensible: sinful, wicked. an evil impulse. b: arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct.

Could evil be as simple as pernicious selfishness?  (Pernicious - having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way)   Or could evil come from our drive for immediate gratification, without regard for others?  Most people, including “Christians”, tend to worship their triune god – me, myself and I.

Does pride keep us from seeing the truth of our own nature?  Does pride blind us to our own pride?

Where & when does selfishness begin?  What’s one of the first words a baby learns and uses? 
      A – “Mine” as they grab the object.

Are pride, selfishness and arrogance the seeds that grow in us and produce an evil nature?  Yet we are told in Proverbs 8:13 that “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.”

Does the root and cause of evil come from our self-centeredness that tends to ignore consideration for others?  It is so easy to develop and rely on “tunnel vision” to focus on ourselves and not the other person(s).  If so, then complete evil is achieved when we have blind selfishness; with no recognition of the other(s).  And this might be at the root of egomaniacal desires to maim, kill or destroy in order to satisfy one’s own desire(s) at the expense of the desires, feelings, position or life of “others.”

How many “others” are there?  While preaching a message on our need to love “others”, I defined “others” as seven billion people.  My pastor immediately corrected me saying - “The number of ‘others’ is seven billion minus one.”

Profound questions:
 - Was evil created, or did we discover it within us as a consequence of our free will?
 - Didn’t our omniscient Creator God realize what would happen when He gave us the ability to choose?

Summary – The nature of evil is a twisted, myopic, childish, self-centered point of view. 
So, what is the opposite of evil?  Biblical answer – “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:16 NKJV

Points to Ponder

How to keep evil from creeping into our lives?

Why does the Bible have to keep telling us to “Love one another”?

Who should we put first?    Ourselves?   or   Others?

Why is it so hard to teach children (& adults) to share?

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

 Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          September 26, 2023 
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   

Note – Inspired & excerpted from “The Books of Enoch, The Angels, Watchers & Nephilim” by Joseph Lumpkin
   (Extensive commentary on Apocryphal books frequently mentioned, referenced & alluded to in our Bibles!)