The Wicked and the Day of Evil

Q: Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. [Since] God created the wicked for the purpose of the day of evil does that mean that [the] wicked are living a purpose driven life?

A: Thank you for your question. I am not sure what you mean by a "purpose driven life," since that is a phrase not necessarily originating from the pages of the Bible, but from Christian literature. With that said, God has not specifically created people for specific purposes in the sense that those people do not have a choice regarding how they will behave or that they are destined for hell. What this passage is saying is that the wicked, those who are unbelievers, have a place of punishment awaiting them. It is another way of talking about hell. Depending on the translation you use, each version uses wording that implies a final judgment. There is "day of evil," "day of trouble," "day of disaster" and "day of doom." Regardless of which translation you choose, it seems clear that the context is in regards to a final judgment.

We know from the greater context of the Bible that God has not created people to specifically go to hell. At most, we could say that He has created those who choose to be wicked to face punishment. If we look at another translation of the same verse this becomes clearer. The version of Proverbs 16:4 that you have used is from the King James Version (KJV). The New International Version (NIV) says, "The LORD works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster." In this translation the use of "The LORD works out everything for his own ends" makes more sense. It is more evident that the context of the verse is to show God's control over everything instead of implying that the "purpose" of the lives certain people lead are so as to send them to hell. The New American Standard Version renders Proverbs 16:4 as "The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil." Again, the meaning would seem to indicate God's control over everything rather than God creating people specifically for the purpose of being wicked.

The idea of God being in control over everything is often labeled as Sovereignty. By definition, this simply means that God has "absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure." This idea of God's sovereignty is a theme throughout the entirety of scripture. Daniel 4:35 says, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"" Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other." And one of the most well known verses in the Bible reflecting God's sovereignty is Romans 8:28. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Ultimately, it is God who will teach us the meaning of His Word through the discernment given to us by the Holy Spirit.

One way to supplement the teaching of the Holy Spirit is through using scripture to interpret scripture. At first glance, and because of the translation you used, it is easy to see why you asked the question that you did. But, when we use other, clearer scriptures, it helps us interpret the more difficult ones. The wicked are not leading "purpose driven lives." Rather, God's "purpose" for the "day of evil" is for the wicked. When it comes to God's sovereignty and His overall plan for mankind, He has designated an eternal destination for both the wicked and the righteous. However, we must understand that the wicked and the righteous got that way because of their own choice. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." The key word in this verse is "whoever." That means that God has offered eternal life to all mankind and whoever accepts Jesus Christ as their savior will be counted as righteous. Whoever does not accept Jesus Christ as their savior will be counted as wicked and will be punished on the day of evil. I hope this answers your question.