A little story. Someone murders their neighbor, it does not matter the reason ( the daily news seems to think that; if we can find a reason, we can tell ourselves that the problem is only with that one, and not mankind; especially not me). So the murder’s relatives, parents, brothers, sisters, spouse, children, all will suffer both from inside; ( questioning themselves; why did they do it?) from outside; ( you are related to them, so there is something wrong with your group) or maybe you should known something and should have stopped it; so you all are guilty.
On the other side of the street is where we find the family of the person who was murdered. The question of why, the irreplaceable loss, (spouse without their mate, children missing a parent, loss of a child. The friends or family; who may decide; blood for blood and death continues. We are left with; life times of repercussions. All the while; persons who did not do the evil; are paying a cost of the actions of the one who did the murder.
Israel Defeated at Ai Joshua 7
(Look at the damage; from one man’s choice, and cost to the whole nation.)
1But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel. ….. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men ….. 4And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.
Jesus at one point; talked about two accounts of seemingly random suffering or unfairness.
Luke 13 At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2And he responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things?3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. 4Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed — do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.”
Jesus said that suffering is connected to and is a result of sin ( not being as God intended ).
So the question of why do the innocents suffer ; needs to address ( who are the innocents?)
You see that; No man lives to himself and No man dies to himself.
A person’s sin ( not being as God intended ) will spread far beyond the individual; in making others suffer through their decisions and actions. Most blame God; for the suffering in the world, but the fault is ours. What will the decisions we are making now, bring?
So we see that sin has a cost that must be addressed, it does not go away just because it may have happened years or even generations before. The pathway out, is to humble ourselves; and seek GOD’s face. It will still take a while to see the difference, but the following generations; will have a better starting point. It is not on you to fix everything, but like Nehemiah’s project, fix the wall in front of your house.
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