The lawyer Irwin H. Linton once wrote:

"[If God were a sadist], He could give us infinitely more pain than we do suffer. He could force us to eat, as the drug addict is forced to the use of his drug, by the pain of abstention instead of by the pleasing urge of healthy hunger. All physical functions could be forced by pain instead of invited by pleasure.

"If God were indifferent, why the variety of fruit flavors for the palate, the invariably harmonizing riot of colors in flower and sunset, the tang of salt air and power to vibrate in joy to these things? Why the subtle joys and utter sense of well-being that a believer in Christ often experiences which he cannot even name or describe?

"If God loves His creatures all is explained, except death, pain, and sorrow, and these things would indeed present, as they do present to all but believers, an insoluble problem. But the Bible's explanation is as clear as crystal: 'Death came by sin,' and the glorious end is as succinctly put as the explanation, 'And God shall wipe all tears from their eyes'" [1].

I thought I would end my series of talks this Sukkot by reminding people what Yahweh is not, and most especially not the worst thing that atheists accuse him of being: a sadist. Rather, in spite of death, pain, and sorrow, there are innumeral joys around us and within us. Not only is Elohim (God) not a sadist but life is not purposeless and random either, otherwhise whence the joys in life? Where did joy itself come from?

Whoever heard of a group of amino acids crying for joy inside a cell as as an enzyme catalysing their polymerisation into a protein came into view and they thought to themselves, 'Soon we'll be a protein like that lucky enzyme darting around flinging the likes of us together to contribute the the building of the organism!' Of course not - molecules, atoms and sub-atomic particles are impersonal, and so would the evolutionist's universe be were everything randomly assembled. There would be no love, joy, beauty or anything like that were there not a Supreme Intellgence who was also a Personal Being bringing this incredible Creation into existence and maintaining it. Sin spoils it all, but that's only because of the wrong choices of other personal beings.

Each year we are reminded at Sukkot to focus on the joyful things of life amidst the doom and gloom. Even the nevi'im (prophets) have to take 8 days off and celebrate! I must admit I got off to a bad start today. I experienced a mixture of rage and heart-break as I watched a short video about kidnappers abducting children caught on camera and selling them for goodness-knows-what. Plus I felt really ill this morning and it wasn't long before I had sunk into 'doom and gloom' mode because of all the sin and wickedness in the world.

Then I chanced upon Irwin Linton's citation which I shared with you just now and I was reminded that this was still Sukkot and we are commanded to celebrate with simcha (joy)! And Yahweh meant it. And, no, He doesn't expect us to force joy or do anything artifically. He is saying to us that there is plenty all around us to celebrate in spite of being daily reminded of all the evil in the world. The evil isn't Elohim's (God's) fault anyway. It's the fault of man choosing to sin.

Please use the rest of the day to consider all the goodness that is around you and to give thanks for it. Then consider the world-to-come where all the death, pain, and sorrow has gone for good! It's coming, He's promised it, and His Davar (Word) never returns to Him unfulfilled. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow for the final day of assembly at Shemini Atseret! Amen.

Endnotes

[1] Irwin H.Linton, A Lawyet Examines the Bible (W.A.Wilder Co: 1943), p.122