Did God Create Prostate Cancer?

Last week I got some bad news.

I have prostate cancer.

Conventional teaching says that there was no disease in Eden……that disease came along with Adam and Eve’s sin…….that disease is, directly or indirectly, the work of Satan.

We generally don’t attribute disease to God.

But, there can be no question that God tolerates disease. This week I am going to upset a lot of you……..by raising the possibility that God created a disease………specifically prostate cancer.

Bear with me.

The first people on earth, Adam’s children, grandchildren, etc. lived a long time……hundreds of years. Methuselah is the poster child for this longevity……969 years. Many others lived almost as long.

Prostate cancer is a lethal disease of old men. 80% of 80 year old men have it. The number is likely much higher for 100 year old men. Prostate cancer could not have existed in the era of Methuselah. It is inconsistent with that kind of longevity.

What happened?

I’m not sure why, but in Genesis 6:3, God decided that we would only live 120 years…….and it’s been downhill ever since.

Fast forward a few centuries and nearly all men 80 years and older have prostate cancer. In summary, a lethal disease that could not have existed in the era of Methuselah is ubiquitous among old men today. And our decreased longevity reflects it.

It is quite plausible that God created prostate cancer as a tool to limit our longevity…….to achieve his goal of 120 year lives. And, if God created prostate cancer, could he have created other diseases as well…….perhaps breast cancer……..heart disease?

By now you may be ready to post a red hot rebuttal. But, the reason for this post really has very little to do with prostate cancer…….or any other diseases for that matter.

We have a tendency to ascribe everything that we like in this world to God…….and everything that we don’t like to Satan. The corollary is that, in our minds, we don’t allow God to do anything that causes us pain. Instead, we blame it on Satan……or Adam……or the other guy’s free will. Because, if something causes us pain, it must be evil…….and if it’s evil, it must come from Satan……or Adam………or the other guy………anybody but God. In other words……….God wouldn’t dare do anything that I don’t like! I won’t allow it!

In a way we indirectly censor God. We erase anything that we don’t like from God’s CV.

This is precisely why we like the New Testament so much better than the Old Testament.

This mindset puts us in charge of God’s history……and we love being in charge.

But, this is backwards…….God is in charge of our history………both the good……..and at least some of the bad.

Please don’t get me wrong here. God tolerates all of the bad things that befall us. But, he does not cause them all.

And here is the key point.

God loves us. He loves us when he tolerates our misfortunes……and he loves us on those occasions when he orchestrates them. In all of this God promises us a good future……because he loves us.

And here is the hard part.

We need to trust God and his promise.

This is easy when you get the big promotion…….the new car…….when your child is born. It is much much harder when your child dies…..when your wife gets cancer……..when you get old……..when you get prostate cancer.

I believe that God values our love. I also believe that our loving God and trusting in his love is far more valuable to him in our times of pain……when disaster strikes…….because it is so much harder for us to do. Trust, in the face of disaster, is much rarer than in the good times. That makes it more valuable…….to God.

So…….disaster strikes……..and we cry out….WHY????

And he whispers……..trust me……I love you.

And then he waits to see how we handle the disaster.

Father, please strengthen me…….so that I can trust you and love you…….in the good times…….but even more so………. in the storm. Amen

I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the Lord, do all these things.

God, NIV

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.

Paul, NIV

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

John, NIV