There are numerous places in Scripture where God says that He will "send" or is said to have "sent" a disaster, a plague, pestilence, delusion, an evil spirit, a cruel and ruthless enemy army, ferocious man-eating wild animals, and other harsh judgments. Atheists use such passages to castigate the God of the Bible. Some theologians use such passages to present theological views of God that make Him appear to be harsh, unloving, and unfair. Other Christians avoid such passages altogether, believing that certain parts of the Bible are too difficult or irrelevant. However, an often neglected principle of Bible interpretation is found in the statement that "God is said to 'send' or to 'have sent' that which He merely did not prevent or hinder." When we understand this truth then we get a better picture of the God who is exactly like Jesus Christ.
