It doesn't actually say that God put thorns and thistles in our lives. It says that 'because of you' (Adam) the ground is cursed. You are automatically reading this as a specific act of God, but to me it makes more sense to read it as a natural consequence of sin. Since Adam had been put in charge of caring for the earth, it makes sense that sinful Adam would not care for it well and suffer the consequences.steve7150 wrote:What do you think it meant that God put thorns and thistles in our life
It does say God would greatly increase the pain of childbirth. It is not my position that God isn't allowed to directly dish out consequences to sin. But this thread isn't about that. It's about whether God specifically says 'yes' to Satan on an evil by evil basis. It's worth noting, though, that the major consequence for Eve was not the pain in childbirth (that's a very temporary pain), but the fact that there would be friction between man and woman. That is, once again, more a consequence of sin in humanity than a direct act of God. Do you envision God specifically creating quarrels between men and women or sending Satan to do so?and brought pain to childbirth?
Why did God create the flood to kill everyone?
I'll push back here too. While God is willing to take responsibility for the flood (6:7, 17), we need not assume that He directly caused it. Everywhere else in the story we have no mention of God being active in the flood. The flood waters came (7:6). The springs of the great deep burst forth (7:11), the floodgates of the heavens opened (7:11), the rain fell (7:12), and the flood kept coming (7:17). Given what we know now (from further revelation), we'd have good reason to suppose that demonic forces were responsible for the flood. God is willing to take responsibility because He did choose to withdraw divine protection against their evil intentions. It seems to me it's very possible to read the flood story not as God's doing, but as the undoing of God's creation by hostile forces. They were able to undo His creation (bring it back to the state it was in at Genesis 1:1... just a bunch of unruly water) because He withdrew. Chaos is the natural consequence of God's grace and mercy being removed from a situation. What was God actively doing in the flood? We're told that God was grieved by the situation (not in a state of fury/wrath). God created a plan to save Noah and his family. God remembered Noah and covenanted with him.
My overall point is this. God set up a world in which loving relationship with God and others was possible. This setup required freedom to choose love. This requirement included the possibility of evil. Some angels and all humans chose evil. All who choose evil maintain their God-given abilities and responsibilities... it's just that now they mis-use their abilities and neglect their responsibilities. This leads to a huge number of negative consequences. If angels who were delegated authority over the weather use their freedom for evil, floods (and the like) can follow. If humans neglect their call to care for the earth, the earth will begin to fall apart. Our merciful God often... even usually... keeps these consequences at bay. But there are times when it is actually better that our Heavenly Father withdraw and let sinful nature take its course. Every parent knows that there are times to discipline (when the child is receptive to discipline) and there are times to withdraw (when the child is not receptive to discipline) and let them have their own way.