BIBLICAL & SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS

It’s heartbreaking to see children suffer, and our minds can wander to the inevitable question, “Why is someone so innocent suffering so badly?” Only God’s Word can give us answers about suffering—and offer comfort. When we allow God’s Word to inform our thoughts, however, we see a different picture. All children—in fact, all people—suffer to one degree or another while living on this earth because humanity is under the curse of sin (Romans 5:12). And no one is innocent, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

The Bible uses strong language to describe any form of compromise with worldly thinking. And it doesn’t just apply to the ancient Israelites. Hosea 4:12 says, “My people ask their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand declares to them; for a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have played the harlot, departing from their God.” Hosea used strong language against his fellow Israelites, calling them harlots because they had violated their vows to remain faithful to the one true God by adopting the false gods of the pagan nations into their own system of worship.