The Absolute Sovereignty of God

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Hello Family of God,

I will be focusing on the Absolute Sovereignty of Almighty God; how all Christians are to understand its purpose in Creation according to His unchanging Nature, and the Eternal consequences of willful rebellion and rejection against the Most High. My message will consist of:

I. Resistance and willful rebellion against the Sovereignty of God.
II. Absolute Faith and Trust in God is connected to understanding God's Sovereignty.
III. The Sovereignty of God over the the knowledge and wisdom of conscious creatures (His Omniscience).
IV. The Sovereignty of God in the midst of the suffering of His people.
V. The Sovereignty of God over the forces of evil.
VI. The Condemnation of Christ-rejecters.
VII. The hardening of the hearts of the lost/unbelievers and the death of innocent people.
VIII. Closing remarks.

Where do doubts stem from? The root of doubt proceeds from the heart of those who do not fully plumb the depths of God's Sovereignty. Just knowing that God is in control over all affairs does not mean that all will be well in the life of a Christian; there may be challenges which may impede us during our lives here on Earth, but if our desires are first and foremost the pursuit of storing up treasures in Heaven, then we can have an Immovable assurance and Trust in our Heavenly Father and God, that He will make best use of them (e.g., "opposition to our faith, loss of temporal blessings, death of loved ones, and even our sins"; cf. Matt. 6:33-34; 1 Cor. 15:58; 2 Cor. 4:17; Col. 1:26-29).

Doing the Will of God here on Earth as it ought to be done in Heaven is the first step towards understanding God's plan for our lives, and He is the one who is in control over all circumstances we will experience. A heart with a passion for the future Hope which awaits all faithful Christians is to be a priority; for this removes all anxiety and increases our Trust in God's Sovereignty and the strength He imparts to us when much needed (Phil. 4:13; 2 Thess. 2:16-17; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:10). We are to set our affections and exigencies towards the righteousness of God before we can grasp a basic understanding concerning His Will for us (Matt. 6:10), that way, we can have Joy in the midst of persecution, fiery ordeals, etc; and gain a better understanding of how God's Sovereignty is at work in our lives (Ps.126:5; Prov. 10:28; Rom. 14:17; 1 Thess. 2:20; Heb. 12:2; Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:8; 4:12-13; Rev.12:12; et al).

Christians need to first understand the unchanging Nature of God and His Will in their lives through the knowledge of what He delights in: He delights that His children delight in Him, and this begins with having [the mind of Christ] and to continually "abide" in Him as their source of provision in order to live "life" as intended by Him (i.e., "spiritual union"; cf. Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27; Phil. 2:5-8; 3:8-10; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). What godly characteristics did Christ have? He only did the things which PLEASED His Father; and His examples are to be followed, as we walk in:
  • Holiness: (Jn. 17:15-18; Eph. 1:4; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 1:8-9; 1 Thess. 4:3; Heb. 12:14; Jas. 1:27; 1 Pet. 1:15-16)
  • Godliness: (1 Cor. 6:19-20; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; 4:7-8; 6:5-6,17-19; 2 Pet. 3:11)
  • Purity: (Ps. 51:10; Matt. 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:2; Col. 3:5; Tit. 1:15; Jas. 4:8; 2 Pet. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:2-3)
  • Without Hypocrisy: (Prov. 12:22; Matt. 7:24; Lk. 6:31; Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 8:21; Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:23; 1 Tim. 1:5; Tit. 2:7-8; Heb. 13:18; 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:16)
  • Truth and its Application: (Ps. 25:5; Jn. 4:23; 8:31-32; 17:17; 1 Cor. 5:7-8; Eph. 4:15; 1 Jn. 1:6; 3:18; 5:20; 3 Jn. 1:3-4)
  • Divine Love: (Jn. 13:31-35; 17:26; 1 Cor. 13:4-8; Gal. 5:14,22; Eph. 5:2; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Jn. 3:18; 4:7-10,16)
  • Unwavering Trust in Our Heavenly Father, or a Faith that never fails: (Josh. 1:9; Ps. 37:5; Isa. 26:3; Matt. 6:25; Eph. 3:17-19; Phil. 4:6-7; Heb. 11:6)
  • Humility: (Ps. 51:17; Matt. 5:3; 23:12; Rom. 12:10; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 5:21; 1 Tim. 1:15; 1 Pet. 5:5)
  • Obedience: (1 Sam. 5:22; Eccles. 12:13; Jn. 14:15,21-23; Acts 5:29; Rom. 6:16; 2 Cor. 10:5; Col. 2:6-7; Heb. 5:8; 10:35-38; 1 Jn. 2:3; 3:22)
  • Repentance [Does NOT apply to Jesus Christ]: (Prov. 28:13; Isa. 55:6-7; Matt. 3:8; 9:13; Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30; 2 Cor. 7:10; 1 Jn. 1:9; Rev. 3:19)
Thou wilt keep him in [PERFECT PEACE], whose mind is stayed on thee: because [HE TRUSTETH IN THEE]." (Isaiah 26:3)

[RESISTANCE AND WILLFUL REBELLION AGAINST THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD]:

The tragedy of all tragedies are the apostates who fall by the wayside because of their lack of self-control, falling into the snares of self-gratifying lusts, carnality, profane appetites for things which are ungodly; and these are causational to the spiritual ruin of one's soul: these are in stark contrast to what Christians are to take pleasure in, and what God desires to fulfill in the lives of His people who share in what He delights in (cf. Ps. 37:4-5; Matt. 6:24,33; Jn. 12:25; Jas. 4:4; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Jn. 2:15-17; Rev. 3:17). The punishment towards those who knew the Gospel and willfully abandoned its Truth will experience the Wrath of God to a greater degree than those who have never heard it (Mk. 6:11; 12:40; Lk. 12:47-48; Jn 19:11; Heb. 10:29-31). Deliberate rebellion against the Sovereign of all Potentates is the highest form of sin, especially when the Loving-Kindness, Mercy, and Righteous Justice of the Most Holy God are held in contempt by the ungodly (Isa. 63:10; Rom. 8:7; 13:2; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; Jude 14-15).

[ABSOLUTE FAITH TRUST IN GOD IS CONNECTED TO UNDERSTANDING GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY]:

"And [ALL the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as NOTHING]: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and [NONE CAN STAY HIS HAND, OR SAY UNTO HIM, WHAT DOEST THOU?]" (Daniel 4:35)

"And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for [WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN]." (Romans 14:23)

I do understand that times can be daunting when things don't go as planned according to how we would normally expect them to, especially when things shift from joyous moments to all hell suddenly breaking loose when we least expect it. God's perfect timing and waiting on Him to make your paths straight can never be fully understood at times until what God has accomplished what needed to be done comes to fruition; then can you look back at those events which were questionable to you and learn what God has taught you, so that your Trust and Faith in Him may continue to flourish as a tree and its plenitude of fruits during harvest, deeply rooted and planted by living waters, whose source is the Sovereign Throne of God (Ps. 1:1-3; Prov. 3:5-6; Jer. 17:8; Jn. 15:1-5; 2 Pet. 1:5-8; Rev. 22:1).

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and [it shall be done unto you]." (John 15:7)

[THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER THE KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM OF CONSCIOUS CREATURES (HIS OMNISCIENCE]:

Since the dawn of science, men and women in academia have attempted to explain away certain miraculous events found in Scripture with science: such as the Creation of the world in 6 literal days, and they do this by reinterpreting them to suit their theoretical findings through their research (e.g., the worldwide flood in the days of Noah, parting of the red sea, etc.), and if all else fails in their studies, they will then pass it off as a myth. This demonstrates that even "Christian" scientists do not fully Trust what the Bible literally says when the context clearly suggests that it does (cf. Ps. 12:6; 18:30; 40:4; 118:8; Prov. 30:5; Jer. 17:5-6; Rom. 3:4; 2 Cor. 5:7).

The Bible says that the entire Earth will be renovated upon the arrival of Christ when He comes to set up His Kingdom and Sovereignly Rule over all the nations of the world. The topography of the entire Earth will consist of the mountains being made low, the deserts blossoming with flowing rivers, and the seas dissipate to give way for more geographical areas to accommodate the rapid increase of the world's population during the 1,000 reign of our Lord. Now how would these scientists theorize how this could occur? Because they refuse to submit to the Veracity of Scripture and God's [Supernatural power to do miracles] (i.e., "events in which the laws of nature cannot explain their cause"), their "findings" results in foolish and absurd reasoning through explanations that are preposterous in the Eternal mind of God (cf. Job 5:12-13; Isa. 29:14; Jer. 8:9; 1 Cor. 1:19; 3:19).

[THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE SUFFERING OF HIS PEOPLE]:

There is an ENTIRE CHAPTER (Job 38) in which God (who is not "obligated" to answer Job) rebukes Job for questioning His Sovereign Decree. One would think that after God answered Job with that many rhetorical questions, that Christians would learn a valuable lesson from this; apparently this is NOT the case, as this continues to this very day by those who have the audacity to question the plans and purposes of Almighty God. Job felt forsaken by God, but later came to realize that God had not abandoned him during the anguish he experienced (Job 29:5). Not all of life's mental and physical pain can be explained away by deductive reasoning from the mind of finite man; it is God alone who decides whether or not He will reveal the cause of our ordeals, and we are to faithfully submit to His Sovereignty and Wisdom by avoiding sin in the Fear of the Lord (cf. Deut. 29:29; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Eccles. 12:13-14).

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

The Apostle Paul obviously learned quite a bit from Job, but even he continued to press on by pleading with the Lord (Jesus Christ) to remove the thorn in his flesh (lit., "a stake for the flesh" 2 Cor. 12:7-9). This messenger of Satan (Grk. angelos satana), and all other forms in which evil can take are subject to the Sovereignty of God; but we see here that the Lord granted permission for this to occur to keep Paul from being conceited, and with Peter in that he may be [strengthened] and [aware] regarding the schemes of Satan when he crosses paths with him in the road ahead; none of this would have been fulfilled had not the Lord granted permission to Satan to have a go at him (cf. Matt. 8:29; 16:22; 1 Kgs. 22:21-22; Mk. 1:27; Lk. 22:31-32; 1 Pet. 5:8-9).

"[BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom [RESIST STEDFAST IN THE FAITH], knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9)

[THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER THE FORCES OF EVIL]:

"Remember the former things of old: for [I am God, and THERE IS NONE ELSE; I am God, and THERE IS NONE LIKE ME], Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, [I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it]." (Isaiah 46:9-11)

"The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Proverbs 16:4)

"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for [THE DEVIL SINNETH FROM THE BEGINNING]. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)

"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:30)
 

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Atoms were not visible during the era when Jesus walked the Earth, and if it were so, He would have used atoms as an illustration rather than hairs in the present day. The Divine Providence of the Sovereignty of God governs even the most minute of details in existence (e.g., "death of sparrows, hair strands, mundane matters, weather, etc"; cf. Rom. 8:28). Sadly, there are some "Christian" denominations that place more sovereignty upon Satan than that of God Himself; they attribute nearly every negative thing as originating from the Devil. Such behavior is indicative of someone who refuses to take responsibility for their mistakes, errors, or not taking the correct course of action according to the righteousness of God. Divine Providence is always at work in the lives of His children, even when there seems to be a link to hostile forces at work for Satan (Gen. 50:20; Prov. 16:4; Matt. 5:45; 10:29; Rom. 8:28; 11:33,36; Col. 1:17).
  • Somebody gave me the evil eye today: Satan
  • I stubbed my toe against the corner of my desk: Satan
  • I just so happened to catch the cold during the Christmas Holidays: The Devil
  • I got pulled over for a traffic violation: The Devil is probably up to this.
  • The waiter is taking longer than usual with my order than with the other patrons: Satan is definitely behind this.
  • Now what are the odds that it had to rain on the day I planned on taking my wife out to our 33rd Wedding Anniversary dinner (aka Common Grace; cf. Matt. 5:45) -- Satan is out to ruin my day.
"And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For [GOD HATH PUT IN THEIR HEARTS TO FULFILL HIS WILL], and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled." (Revelation 17:16-17)

The Devil is the most deceived of all sentient creatures in existence; he has convinced himself that there is a glimmer of "hope" he may be "victorious" in usurping the Throne of Almighty God. As I mentioned in the past . . . Satan is the slave of God whether he likes it or not, and when God is done with him, He will dispose of this most vile and treacherous creature like the trash that he truly is. The Eternal Lake of Fire (Grk. Gehenna) spoken of by the Son of God Himself was taken from the Valley of Hinnom/Topheth (Heb. Ge Hinnom) located south-east of Jerusalem, and it was the locale of the "trash-heap" where rubbish, carcasses, waste, and other useless materials were used to keep the fires from extinguishing. Human sacrifices were permissible by Kings Ahaz (735-731 BC) and Manasseh (c. 686-642 BCE) during their reign, and later became known as, "the Valley of Slaughter" (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 19:6). Jesus used the location of Gehenna as a metaphor to illustrate the Eternaility of Hell and the Lake of Fire (Matt. 5:22,29; 10:28; 23:33; Mk. 9:43,48; Jas. 3:6).

"And he changeth the times and the seasons: [he removeth kings, and setteth up kings]: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him." (Daniel 2:21-22)

It is God alone who places world leaders in their seat of authority, whether they are for or against the forces of Good; this would also include the Antichrist, who is to rule the entire unbelieving world with deception and trickery. God will test those upon the Earth in preparation for the Great Harvest of the sheep and the goats (cf. Joel 3:13; Matt. 13:24-30, 38-42; 24:31,40; Lk. 3:17; Rev. 11:15-18; 14:15,19). All that God hath created was VERY GOOD; however, we discover that there will be chimeras that will rise out of the bottomless pit (most likely genetically engineered by a high ranking devil) to torment those who refuse to submit to the Absolute Sovereignty of Almighty God. These locusts are NOT helicopters, they are hideous creatures in [body suits] possessed by demonic spirits under the control of Abaddon/Apollyon, the "destroyer" (Rev. 9:11), who is himself under the Sovereign Rule of Almighty God.

"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And [IT WAS COMMANDED THEM] that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. " (Revelation 9:1-3,7-9)

[THE CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST-REJECTERS]:

"And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, [true and righteous are thy judgments]." (Revelation 16:7)

"For [TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS ARE HIS JUDGMENTS]: for he hath judged the great harlot, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand." (Revelation 19:2)

Many take issue with the Doctrine of Eternal Punishment, but they deem it apt that Eternal Life being given FREELY by the Grace of God is unquestionable and fit. There will come a point in time when EVERYONE will acknowledge that the Judgments of God towards all sin are TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS (Isa. 45:23). Every knee will bow and confess Jesus as Lord to the Glory of God the Father. The verb "confess" (Grk. exomologeo) is in the middle voice (reflexive), which means that all humans (saved and condemned), angels (good and bad), and demons who will "affirm/agree" to this Truth by full submission to God's Sovereignty, and "free" will CANNOT prevent this from happening (Rom. 10:9; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; 1 Pet. 3:18-22; Rev. 4:10-11).

"Behold therefore [THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD]: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." (Romans 11:22)

There is a BALANCE to the Justice and Love of God; unlike the god of the Quran, who is fickle and temperamental, and changes on a whim. The Islamic god says that if your "good" deeds OUTWEIGHS your "bad" deeds, then you can gain entrance into his "kingdom" where many virgins await you. This is anything but BALANCED OUT, as the scales of justice are unevenly and unfavorably tipped to one side. It is SAD that many are duped into the lure of the flesh with false promises from a "god" who will one day suffer the Eternal Wrath of the ONE TRUE GOD (Jer. 10:11; 2 Pet. 2:18). This bogus "promise" from this false "god" is NOT the meaning of LIFE in the Truest sense, and the Devil has perverted it with his lies and treachery; for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom. 14:17; Eph. 6:14; 1 Cor. 6:13; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 1:11; 1 Thess. 1:6).

"And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon [the carcases] of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isaiah 66:23-24)

Those who are not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life will rise from the dead unto Eternal Punishment; they will be given bodies fit for spiritual ruin and decay as they will suffer BOTH conscience (shame and contempt) and physical (the Unending Wrath of God's Holy Fire) torment in a body which will endure the torments of their agony for all of Eternity, and they will never experience any rest, not even for a fleeting moment (Dan. 12:2; Mk. 9:44-48; Gal. 6:8; Rev. 14:11). The carcases (Heb. peger -- "bodies of the dead"; i.e., "the spiritually dead") will be the resurrected bodies fitted for corruption, and these lost souls will feel the FULL brunt of God's Burning Anger, which will be never-ending (Isa. 66:24; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 3:12; 18:8; 25:41-46; Mk. 9:48; 2 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 6:2; Jude 1:7; Rev. 14:9-11; 19:3; 20:10; et al).
 
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[THE HARDENING OF THE HEARTS OF THE LOST/UNBELIEVERS AND THE DEATH OF INNOCENT PEOPLE]:

Was God somehow unaware that Pharaoh would not repent of his evil? (Exod. 7:14-12:36). Did this catch God by surprise? Did God finally realize after sending 10 plagues that Pharaoh would not submit to His Absolute Sovereignty? The lesson to be learned here is that EVERY decision God makes are not to be questioned, even if the response to an evil is [immediate] and left to no other option, or even if it appears [irrational at first glance] to the finite mind of man. The Mercy of God is no more or less if He decided to wipe out an entire city (e.g., "Sodom and Gomorrah") without hesitation, or had He decided to give the inhabitants of those cities more time to repent. God told Abraham when questioned by him that He would spare the destruction of those cities if it had 50, 45, 40, 30, or even 20 "righteous" people (Gen. 18:24-32).

"And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also [destroy the righteous] with the wicked?" (Genesis 18:23)

We often see calamity or "acts of God" on the news such as the destruction of cities by natural disasters (hurricanes, forest fires, floods, etc.), and question, "Where is God in all of this? There were many [innocent] lives that were lost in that disaster!" Many see this as an injustice on God's part, but what they fail to realize is that the Judge of all the Earth can do NO WRONG, and that His Judgments are always True and Righteous (Gen. 18:25; 2 Chron. 19:7; Prov. 28:5; Eccles. 3:17). Another reason why we are to leave Vengeance to the LORD to give Divine Retribution to those who have afflicted us for His name's sake (cf. Deut. 32:35; Ps. 140:12; Isa. 61:8; Rom. 12:9).

"There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that [these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?] I tell you, Nay: but, [EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH]. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, [EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.]" (Luke 13:2-5)

It was often misunderstood that deaths, calamities and disasters were the result of Divine Retribution for certain sins committed (cf. Job 4:7; Jn. 9:2), and although there are instances where this would indeed be True as the result of mans fall in the Garden (Gen. 3:17-19; Prov. 24:16); the point Jesus was making is that certain calamities did not occur because some were "worse" sinners than others, but that [ALL] are under the Condemnation of the Wrath of God if they refused to repent of their iniquities. Resistance against the Sovereignty of God in Creation comes from an unregenerate heart that does not fully understand the unchanging nature and extent of God's Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice against sin; it is God who is the lawgiver, and it is God who is the transcendent anchor point of objective moral values (cf. Ps. 36:6; 75:7; Isa. 33:22; Acts 17:31; 2 Tim. 4:8; Jas. 4:11-12; Rev. 20:11-15).

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us [ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS], through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:2-4)

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and [IS PROFITABLE] for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

"Now these things were our [EXAMPLES], to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Now [ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED UNTO THEM FOR EXAMPLES]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Cor. 10:6, 11)

God obviously knew from the beginning since He transcends Time and Space; the purpose illustrated here is so that this lesson may be handed down through generations to those who are Faithful to the Commands and Sovereign Purposes of God, and NOT to question, WHY? As mentioned earlier, we have the example of Job, and the purpose and lesson we discover from it that will enable us to remain steadfast in our sanctification; we are instructed to apply what we've gleaned from the saints of the past to our Christian walk in order to remove any unnecessary doubts which may hinder our spiritual growth (cf. Ps. 119:97-105; Jn 13:14-15; Acts 20:18; 1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Cor. 2:14-16; Eph. 4:11-13; Col. 2:10; 3:16; Heb. 4:12-13; 1 Pet. 2:1-2; 1 Jn. 2:20).

"See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: [I kill, and I MAKE ALIVE; I wound, and I HEAL]: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For [I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I LIVE FOR EVER]." (Deuteronomy 32:39-40)

As long as the Sovereign God lives, which is FOREVER, He will accomplish all that is promised to His people. The lifting up of hands meant to "swear by an oath", and it was used as an anthropomorphism when applied to the Sovereign God (cf. Isa. 45:23; Jer. 22:5; Dan. 12:7; Heb. 6:17; Rev. 10:5).

One of the arguments most used to demean the moral conducts of the God of Holy Scripture by atheists is: "If God is all-loving, why would He allow for so much suffering in this world: such as the death of infants and "innocent" men and women?" First of all, there isn't a single soul that has ever entered into this world through the womb of a women that was/is deemed innocent; humans are considered sinful from the womb to the tomb, and the denial of this reveals that such a person does not have the Truth in him/her, and therefore stands condemned if not repented of (Ps. 14:1-7; 51:5; Eccles. 7:20; Matt. 19:16-22; Lk. 16:15; Rom. 3:9-18,23; 5:12,19; 1 Cor. 15:22; 1 Jn. 1:7-10). Failure to acknowledge this Truth is arrogant and prideful, and denial of this leads to the damnation of the soul; the Devil sinned from the "beginning" -- for it was his pride and "confidence" in "himself" which brought about his irrevocable sentence in the Eternal Lake of Fire. Pride is innate in the heart of man passed on from the serpent and his rebellious nature; this is why all humans are guilty of sin, and are naturally the children of the Devil (cf. Isa. 14:12-15; Matt. 13:38; Jn. 8:44; Eph. 2:2; 1 Jn. 3:10).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but [if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit]." (John 12:24)

What is the Greatest evil ever perpetrated since the beginning of Time until now? What about the death of the Son of God? It is without doubt the Murder and Crucifixion of the Sinless Son of God by the hands of sinful men, and yet it fulfilled the Perfect Plan of God. This event in History was instrumental in bringing many to Salvation, and there would not be a single soul that would be saved from the Wrath of God without this momentous event in History; all would ultimately end up in the Eternal Lake of Fire would it not have been for the Mercy, Grace, Forgiveness, and Loving-Kindness of the Creator God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. The fate of every living creature with breath in its lungs are in the hands of the Sovereign God (cf. Job 1:12; Jas. 4:13-15).

It makes my blood boil when "professing" Christians and atheists place more significance on the death of "innocent" human beings than the murder of the Son of God; this just reveals how "worthy" they consider the our Lord Jesus Christ. Their hypocrisy and feigned pretense of "love" towards Him is manifested as a lie, and they are found guilty of a Judas kiss. This two-faced betrayer considered 30 pieces of silver (4 months pay for a slave) of more value than the Priceless Shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sinless Son of God. All the suffering that every single human being has and will ever endure is infinitesimal to the horrendous suffering that the Son of God experienced, and that is an understatement; It was so horrific that Jesus began to sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane ("hematohidrosis" Matt. 26:38; Lk. 22:14).

"And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11)

It is the proud heart of sinful men and women who want to replace God on His Throne as if they possess the ability to judge the deepest recesses of the human heart. Man was made perfect from the beginning as the pinnacle of God's creation, and it was pride that led to rebellion and the fall of man. The serpent told Eve that human beings would be as "gods" if she ate of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9). The problem was that man was already made in the image of God to begin with (Gen. 1:26-27), and rebellion against the Sovereignty of God marred the nature of man into possessing the nature of Satan (Gen. 6:5; Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22; Eph. 2:2-3; 1 Jn. 3:8-10).

In Closing:

"And he said unto me, [IT IS DONE]. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." (Revelation 21:6)

God declares to the Apostle John, [IT IS DONE] (Grk. ginomai), and this is in the PERFECT TENSE: which is a completed action that is never to be repeated again. This is the ETERNAL STATE, which has YET TO TAKE PLACE. This is why those in the Family of God can be GUARANTEED that this WILL take place, and that He [IS] TRUE AND FAITHFUL to bring it to pass (cf. Deut. 7:9; 1 Sam. 26:23; Ps. 36:5; 40:10; 88:11; 89:1-2,5,8,24). I'm quite certain that all of has had an experience with "close" friends or family members who just weren't there for us when we needed them the most; well . . . God will NEVER fall into that category, because He is not a mortal creature prone to failure with excuses as to why they have let you down. God has NEVER failed me even ONCE, and I don't "hope" that He will not fail me in the future . . . I KNOW that He will NOT fail me, and such is an IMPOSSIBILITY to suggest that this may ever occur.
  • God is True and Faithful: (Jer. 42:5; Rev. 21:5)
  • God is TRUE: (Dan. 8:26; 1 Pet. 5:12)
  • God is Faithful and True: (Rev. 3:14; 19:11; 22:6)
  • God is Truth: (Ex. 34:6; Deut. 32:4; 1 Kgs. 17:24; 2 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 25:5; Jn. 8:32; 14:6)
"But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." (Psalm 115:3)

Even if supernatural entities possessed the capability to move back and forth in time or space via hyper/inter-dimensional travel (cf. 2 Kgs. 6:17; Job 1:6; Jn. 3:13; 2 Cor. 12:2-4; Rev. 4:1; 19:11; 21:2), they would in NO WAY hinder or thwart the Absolute Sovereignty of God's Divine Purpose; it would be an IMPOSSIBILITY regardless of how many futile attempts they may strive at doing so, because the finality of every one of their "choices" is SEEN by God, and NOTHING escapes Him (Ps. 139:2-8; Dan. 2:22; Lk. 8:17; 12:2-3; Heb. 4:13). The Triune God and His Christ will reign as Sovereign over ALL for Eternity, and every creature is powerless to stop Him, and their vain efforts will only prove that it is God Almighty who will have the LAST LAUGH (cf. Jn. 15:5; 19:11; 1 Cor. 3:19-20).

God is the Eternal I AM: He does not "look into the future" to decide what choices to make in the here and now based on what [WILL] or [MAY] occur; He [IS] Self-Sustaining and Self-Existent. All of God's Divine and Immutable Attributes (i.e., His "Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence") are intertwined in a perfect tapestry as they are revealed in History to His Family, and verbs often used in the PAST TENSE point to the CERTAINTY that the event mentioned WILL come to pass (Isa. 53:1-11; Rom. 8:18,21,28; 2 Tim. 2:10). Nevertheless, ALL prophetic events on God's Timetable will most assuredly come to pass without hindrance or variableness; whether they are vengeance upon the wicked, or promises to those who Love Him (cf. Josh. 21:45; Rom. 4:20-21; 2 Cor. 1:20; Phil. 1:6; Heb. 10:23; 2 Pet. 3:9; Rev. 6:9-11).

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. [HE THAT SITTETH IN THE HEAVENS SHALL LAUGH]: the Lord shall have them in derision. [THEN SHALL HE SPEAK UNTO THEM IN HIS WRATH], and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." (Psalm 2:2-9)

"[THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL REJOICE WHEN HE SEETH THE VENGEANCE]: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth." (Psalm 58:10-11)

When all is said and done, it is the Lord God Almighty and His Christ (i.e., God's Anointed) who will reign FOREVER as the Sovereign Potentate over All Creation.

"And the [SEVENTH] (7 is indicative of completion; for God's ways are Perfect) angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, [THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER]. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." (Revelation 11:15-18)

God Bless!
 
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