- Mar 28, 2005
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I don't believe that God had any preconceived idea about who was going to be chosen and who was to be left on the outer. People make decisions about what they believe and how they decide to live. Also, out of all the millions of people living in each generation, there is a thread of those who featured in the history of Israel. We have Abraham - Isaac- Jacob - the 12 sons of Jacob who was renamed Israel - Moses - Joshua - and so on, right up to Jesus. I am willing to believe that there were many others who believed in, loved and had faith in God, but they do not feature in the prominent ones who are mentioned in the Bible. It was the same in Acts where Peter, John and James were mentioned, but the other 9 Apostles are never heard of again in the account, yet they would have served the Lord just as effectively, like Thomas who established his mission in India and the region where he went, 45% of the population there are still Christian.
I believe that a more positive decision concerning Esau might have resulted if he had made different decisions, in the same way that Cain would have avoided banishment if he had decided to have a true heart toward God and did what God told him to do when his offering was not accepted in the same way as Abel's was.
God dealt with people in the Bible according to the lives they lived and the decisions they made. But just because some were chosen to be in the mainstream thread of His plan for the nation of Israel and bringing Jesus into the world doesn't mean that many others were not loved in their particular service for God.
There are prominent ministries that are well known for their service for God around the world, but there are thousands of other ministries, itinerate and in local churches that we know nothing about. But all these ministries are in God. It is just that God, in His providence, decides that some ministries should be well known and prominent. Just because someone is not the pastor or an elder of the church they are not doing as effective and powerful service for the Lord.
Saul could have been a great king, loyal to God, but he made wrong decisions and lost his kingdom. It was not what God intended, but God had to go to plan B and anoint David who made the right decisions and became that powerful kind. Eli's priesthood would have lasted for many generations, but because of wrong decisions, he lost it, and Samuel became the prominent figure. God did not choose the nation of Israel to fail and be defeated. That was the result of their decisions.
So God does not arbitrarily decide who is on the inner and who is left out. He just chooses the best person for the job at the time, and those who miss out are guided into less prominent ministries and service.
I believe that a more positive decision concerning Esau might have resulted if he had made different decisions, in the same way that Cain would have avoided banishment if he had decided to have a true heart toward God and did what God told him to do when his offering was not accepted in the same way as Abel's was.
God dealt with people in the Bible according to the lives they lived and the decisions they made. But just because some were chosen to be in the mainstream thread of His plan for the nation of Israel and bringing Jesus into the world doesn't mean that many others were not loved in their particular service for God.
There are prominent ministries that are well known for their service for God around the world, but there are thousands of other ministries, itinerate and in local churches that we know nothing about. But all these ministries are in God. It is just that God, in His providence, decides that some ministries should be well known and prominent. Just because someone is not the pastor or an elder of the church they are not doing as effective and powerful service for the Lord.
Saul could have been a great king, loyal to God, but he made wrong decisions and lost his kingdom. It was not what God intended, but God had to go to plan B and anoint David who made the right decisions and became that powerful kind. Eli's priesthood would have lasted for many generations, but because of wrong decisions, he lost it, and Samuel became the prominent figure. God did not choose the nation of Israel to fail and be defeated. That was the result of their decisions.
So God does not arbitrarily decide who is on the inner and who is left out. He just chooses the best person for the job at the time, and those who miss out are guided into less prominent ministries and service.
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