Snapshot Series: "Attributing Evil to God"

Snapshot7 Mark 3:22-30
Vrs 22 the accusation of Jesus was that He was casting out demons by the power of Satan. (In essence He was on Satan’s side)

Why Beelzebub?

Quick History 2 Kings Ahaziah was reigning in Israel and he became sick so he asked His messengers to “Go ask Baal-zebub god of Ekron if he was going to recover” But an Angel of the Lord went to Elijah and told him to go meet these messengers and ask them and Ahaziah “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you inquire with Baal-zebub?” Baal-zebub is no god in fact he is Satan “Lord of the Flies” And guess what? You will die. And he did.

(I haven’t read this anywhere but I like it) As we go through Mark we will see people say Jesus is Elijah or a Prophet. So I think that these scribes were saying because most people know this account and what happened.

“Jesus is so far being on Elijah’s side that He is on Baal-zebubs side” and what they were actually doing was Attributing evil to the Lord.

Interestingly enough these religious leaders attribute evil to Jesus after He did something good. Normally people attribute evil to God when something bad happens. But people in this case are saying He is evil when He stopped evil. It actually shows how lost they really are.

Vrs 23-27 Jesus’ response is almost like saying you guys are fools…

1. Vr 23 Satan will not leave on his own. How can Satan cast out Satan? The reason He asked this was because He was reminding them when Satan takes residence He sticks around and continues. That is why in our society you see areas in particular in rough city sections where things are dark continue that way for so long. That is why you see darkness and evil continue in some families (abuse and broken relationships). That is why criminals continue in their evil ways. Satan is not going to chase his own away where he has a foothold or leave on his own

2. Vr 24-26 Division will eventually take its toll. We don’t mix Jesus with…anyone else. COEXIST sticker Plotr Mlodozenieic first came up with the design to promote religious tolerance in 2001 Over 100 people have claimed to have invented this design and there has been lawsuits as well.

Yes we are supposed to be tolerant…”they can believe that and I will not rob them of their rights” but my responsibility to the Lord and love for human beings should tell them the truth of where there broken system will bring them in the end. GOSPEL

Another note…Churches will always have issues on how we do things. Remember as long as we agree on the big things…like the Gospel, calling Sin..Sin and following the Bible.

3. Vrs 27 Jesus came to the strong man’s house. That is why He is doing things like casting out demons. (they all realized the power of Satan.) The strong man is Satan and Jesus enters in and through His blood is setting us free. GOSPEL


Vrs 28-30 The unforgivable sin. (attributing God’s work to Satan)
-They knew who Jesus was but still rejected Him. Some people are at the point in which they are so far gone, their view of the Lord is wrong and not only is it wrong they persist and develop arguments against Him, Jesus is not saying it is not possible for these people to ever be forgiven but if they persist down this same road and die in that rejection there is not hope or forgiveness for them.

In some senses we can go back to the account of Ahaziah, It seems he knew who the God of Israel was but he chose Baal-zebub over Him and he physically died, but we realize that he did not go to be with the Lord.

If we dissect this verse further is illustrates that a person who knows the Lord is already forgiven and no matter how we fall, it is covered under the Blood of Jesus but a person who never enters into a relationship with the Lord has committed the eternal sin of rejection.

Back to the issue of attributing evil to God, now in 2011, as Christians are we ever tempted to attribute evil to God.? When evil comes it is not from the Lord (don’t blame Him) Deut 32:4, Gen 18:24, Job 34:10, James 1:13

Maybe you realize that God did not cause the evil but…

Here is the way the argument goes…if God does not stop evil then He is not good.

When evil comes remember. (from this passage)
-Satan hates you, he wants the evil to continue by you having a bad response to it .
-Stick with Jesus. Dabbling in other explanations besides the truth of the Lord will confuse you and get you off focus.
-Jesus loves you and He is stronger and He shows us that through the Gospel.