Why do bad things happen to good people? If God is caring, how can he let good people suffer and even be tormented by scoundrels? When Joshua led the new generation of Israel into the city of Jericho, God commanded his people to destroy everything including men, women, children, and animals as an offering to him. If God is merciful, how could he so cruel that the whole city of Jericho was annihilated even the innocent children? The first time I had read the Old Testament many years ago before I was not a Christian, I thought the Lord God was a militant god who was always fighting and killing his enemies mercilessly and relentlessly. Whoever violated his commandments would be punished? But is it true that God is unkind, uncaring, and even bloodthirsty?

When David took a census of the people of Israel stirred up by Satan, God was displeased with his action (1 Chronicles 21: 7). David knew he sinned against God by taking the census, for his defense depended on God alone but not the number of his military forces. God therefore would punish David and the people of Israel by giving him three choices—“three years of famine, three months of destruction by the sword of his enemies, or three days of severe plague throughout the land of Israel” (v. 12). David chose the disaster brought about by the angel of God. He answered to the Lord, “Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great. Do not let me fall into human hands” (v. 13).

God shows mercy and grace to those who draw near to him. All men fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Satan is always doing everything possible to make us keep God at bay. Satan is the troublemaker; he is the one who causes us to suffer and pain, and destroy the relationship between God and us.