The Problem of Evil and a Dog

The Problem of Evil and a Dog
“The Banner Man” song by Blue Mink* reminds me of the playfulness of the scene. A great big banner is paraded through the small USA town flowed by the local children some of their family and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. Barking at the heels of such a crowd and especially at the feet of the banner man is a small terrier like dog.
“And the kids and the dogs were laughing as they ran
And the Banner-Man held the banner high
With an Allelujah in his eye
I wished that I could be a Banner-Man…”

I can see it can’t you?

What creates the impression of joy fun and abandonment is the dog with the children in the picture.
The children following, laughing, shouting and singing or crying out are a great source of please to look at. The thing that touches me is one of the little dogs at the man’s heels making it somehow even more joyful a scene. Apparently the dog is laughing!

My issue is:
Why is the dog there?
Is it supposed to be running around, off its leash?
Has it escaped from some home nearby or even a distance away and some family is crying their eyes out looking for it?
It is clearly out of order something is wrong yet everything is right!
Jesus said something at His baptism in Matthew 3:
“And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.” Mt 3:13 (KJV)

Strongs Greek G737 ἄρτι, arti, ar'-tee.
Adverb from a derivative of G142 (compare G740) through the idea of suspension; just now: - this day (hour), hence [-forth], here [-after], hither [-to], (even) now, (this) present.

“Let it be so for now.”
“It is not finished yet, let it be. Suffer it for a while longer…”
So what has that got to do with the dog in the parade?
Well, I can see there may be a lot of joy removed from the picture if the dog is not there and (say) tied up at home in the kennel with his family.
At the same time, I see that something is out of place and needs to be rectified. You know the dog is unrestrained in the picture I have drawn…
As soon as the parade is over it will need to be caught and restrained, as I am sure a running dog will be the notice of the town dog catcher coming to net his prey!
So here is my analogy:
Life is full of such instances of joy and laughter, yet somehow things are not what they strictly should be.
I think the instance of the dog in the picture illustrates what Jesus said at His Baptism that “let it be so for the meantime as I don’t need to be baptised by you now as you so clearly protest, John the Baptiser, but let it be done God’s way. Let it be so for now.”
Sin and the problem of constant evil in a world where the good all powerful God reigns, does not seem to fit.
In the prophet Jeremiah’s day they said: JER 12:1 “Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?”
And so evil seems to mitigate against God’s will since He is all powerful, isn’t He? Why can’t He do something about it? It seems to make mockery of the Christian teaching about God. God is all good and all powerful so why does He not end all evil?
But it doesn’t deny God’s will if God says: “In the meantime it will be like this. Not at all perfect, but a bit messy until my time to fulfil all righteousness on earth has come. Don’t jump to conclusions. My will is being done, and will be done to my honour and glory. In the meantime get busy doing good and spread the gospel!”
“But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires.’ So John agreed.” (Matthew 3:15) (GNB)

A comparison of some translations below:
Mat 3:15 (CEV) Jesus answered, "For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do." Then John agreed.
(Geneva) Then Iesus answering, saide to him, Let be nowe: for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnes. So he suffered him.
(GNB) But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires." So John agreed.
(GNT-TR+) αποκριθειςG611 V-AOP-NSM δεG1161 CONJ οG3588 T-NSM ιησουςG2424 N-NSM ειπενG3004 V-2AAI-3S προςG4314 PREP αυτονG846 P-ASM αφεςG863 V-2AAM-2S αρτιG737 ADV ουτωςG3779 ADV γαρG1063 CONJ πρεπονG4241 V-PAP-NSN εστινG1510 V-PAI-3S ημινG1473 P-1DP πληρωσαιG4137 V-AAN πασανG3956 A-ASF δικαιοσυνηνG1343 N-ASF τοτεG5119 ADV αφιησινG863 V-PAI-3S αυτονG846 P-ASM
(KJV) And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
(KJV+) AndG1161 JesusG2424 answeringG611 saidG2036 untoG4314 him,G846 SufferG863 it to be so now:G737 forG1063 thusG3779 it(G2076) becomethG4241 usG2254 to fulfilG4137 allG3956 righteousness.G1343 ThenG5119 he sufferedG863 him.G846


The song can be found at: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/b/blue_mink/the_banner_man.html
AND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL1rj5ymYwY
The lyrics can be found at: Blue Mink: The Banner Man
Songwriters: Cook, Roger Frederick; Flowers, Herbie; Greenaway, Roger
Lyrics: http://www.chordscenter.com/blue-mink-the-banner-man-lyrics_song-ttnjjj.html

“So we waved our hands as we marched along
And the people smiled as we sang our song
And the world was saved as they listened to the band
And the Banner-Man held the banner high
He was ten feet tall and he touched the sky
I wish that I could be a Banner-Man

And the drums went, boom as the cornets play
And the tuba, "Umba-d", all the way
And the kids and the dogs were laughing as they ran
And the Banner-Man held the banner high
With an Allelujah in his eye
I wished that I could be a Banner-Man

Glory, glory, glory
Listen to the band
Sing the same old story
Ain't it something grand
Glory, glory, glory
To be good as you can
Like a Banner-Man


So we reached the square, on the top of the hill
And the music stopped and we stood still
And a few were saved and the people said
“Amen”
Then we all got up and we formed a queue
And the drums went, bang as the trumpets blew
And we marched right down into the town again

Glory, glory, glory
Listen to the band
Sing the same old story
Ain't it something grand
To be good as you can
Like a Banner-Man

Lalalalalalala

Glory, glory, glory
Listen to the band
Sing the same old story
Ain't it something grand

Lalalalalalalal

Oh Glory, glory, glory
Listen to the band
Sing the same old story
Ain't it something grand

© DICK JAMES MUSIC INC;