Human Suffering and God’s Providence: An Exegetical Study of Genesis 50:15–21

Abstract

The existential reality of pain and suffering in the world today remains one of the most discussed objections to the existence of God. The question, posed as a trilemma, is often asked; “How can an all-powerful and all-loving God sit back and watch all this pain and suffering going on?” The argument further suggests that God is either all-powerful or all-loving, but he cannot possibly be both, as evidenced by the presence of evil in the world. Or can he be? This paper argues that God’s character and response to suffering and pain reveal that he is all-powerful, all-loving, all-wise, and eternal with a clear picture of events from outside time. The paper emphasizes the addition of these two elements because they significantly change the paradigm of the trilemma raised above. This paper appropriates the story of Joseph in Genesis 50:15–21 through an exegetical analysis of this section. The study shows that God, in his transcendence, has been there from the beginning, organizing the pain system that, even amidst a fallen world, still bears the mark of genius and prepares us for life in the world. More precisely, this article argues that while in the end, the result (that is, the greater good) might provide for an emotionally satisfying answer, God's reason(s) for permitting evil remains inaccessible to us. Thus, we are simply incapable of comprehending fully God's knowledge, the intricacy of his plans, or the profound nature of the good he aims at in providence.