- May 3, 2022
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Anybody who has spent any time in Scripture will come up with questions. We read things that seem harsh or "unfair." That is because we look at things through human eyes. In Eze 18:25,29, 33:17,20, God is accused of being unfair. In Rom 3:5 and 9:14, Paul states that some claim God is unrighteous. Abraham questioned God, Gen 18:25.
Psalm 145:17 and other verses proclaim that God is righteous in all He does. We must remember that God is not a man, doesn't think like a man, and doesn't do things as a man thinks things should be done. God is working His plan how He has purposed to do it. He has is own agenda to follow. People would be much better off if they saw how they fit into God's plan.
In Eph 1:11, ...according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will. "All things" means exactly that, not some things.
Is 14:24 The Lord of hosts has sworn, "Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass. As I have purposed, so shall it stand.
Isaiah 46:10-11 Declaring the end from the beginning...My counsel shall stand, and I will do all of my pleasure...yea, I have spoken it, I will bring it to pass.
I think about Nineveh. God sent Jonah to warn the city of coming destruction if the people didn't repent. We all know what happened. Nineveh was a wicked city, or rather a city filled with wickedness. But so were Sodom and Gomorrah. The Nations Israel defeated were so wicked that God had commanded the Jews to either destroy or drive them out of the promised land. The Philistines were wicked, a thorn in the side of Israel for hundreds of years, until David finally defeated them and absorbed their territory into the nation. I want to point out that there is nothing in Scripture about any "degree" of wickedness," i.e., this place or people were more wicked than others and that one city or people were to be punished because they were more wicked than others. Wicked is wicked.
Sodom and Gomorrah. God purposed to destroy these two cities, and He did. He didn't have Abraham or Lot warn these cities of the coming destruction, and the people weren't given a chance to repent. When asked, "Why Nineveh and not Sodom and Gomorrah, the standard answer is that God "knew" that Nineveh would repent, but Sodom and Gomorrah wouldn't. While that is convenient, it isn't correct.
Jesus taught that the people of Sodom would have repented and changed their ways if given the chance,
Mat 11:23 And you, Capernaum, exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. If the mighty works which have been done in your presence had been done in Sodom, I tell you Sodom would still be in existence today.
Pretty clear what Jesus said. If the city of Sodom had witnessed the same miracles and healings Jesus had performed in and around Capernaum, the people of Sodom would have repented, and the city would not have been destroyed.
Mat 11:21 Woe to you, Chorazine, and Bethsaida! If the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sidon and Tyre (in the Old Testament days), they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago.
Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazine were all located close together, and all had seen or knew about the miracles and works of Jesus. Yet the huge majority did not believe in him. Some people believe that if others could see a miracle, they would believe. This is not true. Many people had seen Jesus do miracles and healings, yet never believed. Jesus condemned these three cities because they were witnesses to the power of God but rejected Jesus. How often did people demand that Jesus do a miracle on the spot?
So, to answer the question, obviously, it was God's purpose that Nineveh not be destroyed during the time of Jonah (Even though God had Nineveh destroyed 200-plus years later) and it was God's purpose that not only would Sodom and Gomorrah be destroyed, but that they would never exist again.
Psalm 145:17 and other verses proclaim that God is righteous in all He does. We must remember that God is not a man, doesn't think like a man, and doesn't do things as a man thinks things should be done. God is working His plan how He has purposed to do it. He has is own agenda to follow. People would be much better off if they saw how they fit into God's plan.
In Eph 1:11, ...according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will. "All things" means exactly that, not some things.
Is 14:24 The Lord of hosts has sworn, "Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass. As I have purposed, so shall it stand.
Isaiah 46:10-11 Declaring the end from the beginning...My counsel shall stand, and I will do all of my pleasure...yea, I have spoken it, I will bring it to pass.
I think about Nineveh. God sent Jonah to warn the city of coming destruction if the people didn't repent. We all know what happened. Nineveh was a wicked city, or rather a city filled with wickedness. But so were Sodom and Gomorrah. The Nations Israel defeated were so wicked that God had commanded the Jews to either destroy or drive them out of the promised land. The Philistines were wicked, a thorn in the side of Israel for hundreds of years, until David finally defeated them and absorbed their territory into the nation. I want to point out that there is nothing in Scripture about any "degree" of wickedness," i.e., this place or people were more wicked than others and that one city or people were to be punished because they were more wicked than others. Wicked is wicked.
Sodom and Gomorrah. God purposed to destroy these two cities, and He did. He didn't have Abraham or Lot warn these cities of the coming destruction, and the people weren't given a chance to repent. When asked, "Why Nineveh and not Sodom and Gomorrah, the standard answer is that God "knew" that Nineveh would repent, but Sodom and Gomorrah wouldn't. While that is convenient, it isn't correct.
Jesus taught that the people of Sodom would have repented and changed their ways if given the chance,
Mat 11:23 And you, Capernaum, exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. If the mighty works which have been done in your presence had been done in Sodom, I tell you Sodom would still be in existence today.
Pretty clear what Jesus said. If the city of Sodom had witnessed the same miracles and healings Jesus had performed in and around Capernaum, the people of Sodom would have repented, and the city would not have been destroyed.
Mat 11:21 Woe to you, Chorazine, and Bethsaida! If the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sidon and Tyre (in the Old Testament days), they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago.
Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazine were all located close together, and all had seen or knew about the miracles and works of Jesus. Yet the huge majority did not believe in him. Some people believe that if others could see a miracle, they would believe. This is not true. Many people had seen Jesus do miracles and healings, yet never believed. Jesus condemned these three cities because they were witnesses to the power of God but rejected Jesus. How often did people demand that Jesus do a miracle on the spot?
So, to answer the question, obviously, it was God's purpose that Nineveh not be destroyed during the time of Jonah (Even though God had Nineveh destroyed 200-plus years later) and it was God's purpose that not only would Sodom and Gomorrah be destroyed, but that they would never exist again.
