Divine Dilemma: Wrestling with the Question of a Loving God in a Fallen World

by Ken Ham

Why is there so much suffering today, even for Christians?

In Divine Dilemma, Ken Ham confronts this topic head-on, using personal accounts of illness and loss from within his own family. You and your family will identify with these experiences in this powerful and practical book dealing with one of the most difficult questions we all must face. He understands that, as Christians, we do struggle and grieve in this world, and that is understandable. But, yes, there are answers from God’s Word. And, no … death is not the end.

Down through the ages, one of the biggest issues people have grappled with is why death, disease, and suffering exist in this world. From a human perspective, death appears to be the end for each person, and it is heartbreaking.

For the Christian, this can be a terrible how can we understand death and suffering when the Bible teaches that our Creator God is a loving God?

For the secularist, it’s a reason to reject God and mock Christians for their belief in a loving God.

Is there an answer to this seemingly insurmountable problem? Is death really the end?

In this unique, and at times, emotional book, author Ken Ham speaks from God’s Word and his heart, not only sharing his own personal struggles with this topic but revealing the ultimate solution.

Genres: Nonfiction, Faith, Christian

224 pages, Hardcover

Published June 5, 2023

About the author

Dr. Ken Ham is the president of Answers in Genesis USA and is a well-known speaker and author on the subject of Young-Earth Creationism. He received a bachelor degree in applied science (emphasis on environmental biology) from the Queensland Institute of Technology, and a Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland. He has also received two honorary doctorates: a Doctor of Divinity from Temple Baptist College, and a Doctor of Literature from Baptist Liberty University.

He was a director of Creation Science Foundation (CSF) in Australia, an organization which he jointly founded with John Mackay. In 1987 he moved to the United States, still maintaining his links with CSF.

From 1987 to 1993, Ham worked for the Institute for Creation Research, and in 1994 set up what in 1995 became Answers in Genesis (AiG), a creation ministry dedicated to "upholding the authority of the Bible from the very first verse."

In 2008 Ham was described by well known atheist and evolutionary biologist PZ Myers as a "Wackaloon" for carrying out a prayer session with members of the Pentagon. Ham responded regarding the validity of that prayer breakfastand that PZ Myers and other critics were intolerant of his position.

Reviews

[Beauregard Bottomley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Suffering is part of God’s masterplan. I’m not capable of questioning evil since His ways are higher, and sin is part of His masterplan and we brought it on ourselves. Ham assures me I’m not capable of explaining evil since I do not have his merciful God creator as a foundation.

Ham has a three-step boogie dance: 1) God is Love, 2) We’re not worthy of His love, 3) it’s our fault when we fail him. It’s impossible to get out of that epistemological bubble when you accept the premises. You must be the problem, you sinner you, since God is love.

Sin answers the divine dilemma for him. The only way an all-powerful and all-knowing God can explain suffering is by blaming it on the sinner and that sinner must accept a blood sacrifice of His Son. It all makes sense when a three-step boogie dance is accepted as the only dance routine.

Sin is an imaginary illness with an imaginary solution. Sin believers are always a dirty rag. The better answer to the divine dilemma than his circular blame: never accept the diagnosis.

Ham had an issue with queer folks and gender fluid people. That’s a problem for him, not for me. It's easy to hate the sin not the person when sin is imaginary.

Twice Ham quoted “God so loved the world He gave his only begotten son, and who ever believes in him shall have eternal life.” I wish he quoted the next several lines, the most despicable lines in the NT: Jesus promises darkness for those who do not believe in Him. A wife beater says the same, “be my love, or I will beat you.”

[Some Christian Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent book. Inspiring and comforting that no matter what we or our loved ones go through in this life, if we/they are believers, when we die and are in the presence of our Creator everything will be restored. Hallelujah!

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ken Ham has a gift for clearly and simply explaining the questions that we wrestle with in a fallen world, and he always does so by sharing the gospel and connecting back to Genesis 1-11. This is a poignant book about how he wrestled with the terminal illness of his own brother who passed from early onset dementia in his early 40s.

[Jessica Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Have to say for a book that doesn’t actually answer the question it poses it honestly brought me so much hope and peace. Will definitely read it again and I don’t say that about many books!

[David Lugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple gospel truths applied to a story of his family’s suffering.

[Crystal Fillingim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that every Christian should read. Ken Ham did an excellent job of biblically addressing the difficult topics of sickness, suffering, and death. Through the experience in his own life and family, he shares how he was able to gain an understanding of the painful and difficult to understand things that happen in our fallen world.

Throughout the book, his writing was candid, comforting, and always scripturally sound. While there are some hard truths here, I very much appreciated the way that he handled the difficult topics to help us grow in our faith instead of trying to gloss over pain and suffering in the life of a Christian. I especially found it inspiring how the author was comforted by the sermons on suffering preached by his brother before his death. Seeing how God worked in that situation was so encouraging.

I will say that I would hesitate to give this book to someone right in the throes of sorrow and suffering. Ideally, I think this is a book that we should all read before suffering happens to help prepare us. Or, it would be helpful once we are through the suffering to help gain understanding.

[Becky Filipek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice memorial to Ken Ham's brother Rob, and to his mother. It is also a good reminder that suffering and death are in this world because of mankind's sin. Suffering and death are the norm in this cursed world! But thanks be to God, Jesus suffered, died, and rose again so that we can live with Him forever, if we have faith that He has done it for us. This world is full of troubles, but Jesus Christ has overcome the world.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really wonderful book! My reservations in giving it 5 stars really comes down to the format and way it was written. I found it to be a bit repetitive at times and unorganized/hard to follow what the author was talking about. However, I was thoroughly impressed with the content and the way the author talked about the big question of suffering in the Christian life.

[LAMONT D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very personal story and reflection by Ken Ham (with many family pictures included) while losing his younger brother to a terrible brain disease in his early 40's. Why did this happen to a young man that was such a powerful witness for Jesus? Our author takes on that "dilemma" and tries to answer the questions regarding why bad things happen to good people. He exposes the truth that can be found in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and beyond and applies it to our daily lives for all of us that face limitations and death in this current world. In this book he reviews his seven "C's" that are the foundation for a biblical worldview that takes on the futile hopelessness of the evolutionary worldview espoused by many. Credit goes to his Mum and Dad and their stand on the Word of God that allowed him and led him to eventually become the founder and CEO of Answers in Genesis, the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. As he emphasizes again and again, we do not have all the answers to these tough questions, but we have a certain trust in our Creator and God of the universe that "from the perspective of eternity His goodness in the midst of evil will be revealed." I would recommend this book to any that are questioning why does evil exist and why do good people suffer here on earth.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book about suffering, this was a very easy and interesting read. Ken Ham explained the Biblical meaning for suffering in the world in a clear, precise manner that could be comforting to those struggling with pain, loss, and the bad things that happen in the world. Definitely recommend this book.

[Nmarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Ham recounts the time of his beloved brothers brain disease and eventual passing. How his own mother dealt with the care of his brother and her own grief. An honest look at suffering and death and the reason for it's existence on this earth.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have yet to find a ken ham book i didn't love and, while I did enjoy this book, this might be my least favorite so far. It just felt very repetitive to me and hopped around a bit much. But still a good read.

[Anne Haack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ken Ham honors those he has lost in this life with a theologically sound as well as heartfelt memoir.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

[Kaitlyn Rinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very encouraging book for the believer, and it is helpful to explain the reasons for death and suffering to unbelievers.

[Bradfor Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You

Ken,

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your family’s story. Your book has helped to answer many questions for me and has given me the words needed to help those that come to me with their own questions.

May the lord Jesus Christ bless you and your family.