Edited (fixed typos and added a few more things)
A couple of things:
1) We're saved
by grace, not faith (it's
through faith, slight difference). Eph 2:8-10
2) However, we're justified by faith (two types).
a) We're justified before God, and that's through our faith in Jesus Christ which is the first type.
b) We're also justified by works (see James) but that justification is before men. How is that? It's our works which prove (or demonstrate) our faith before the secular world. Otherwise how will they know that we are truly God's children unless they see us do what are "truly" Christian works which will glorify God? As James so succinctly puts it, "
show me your faith without your works and I'll show you my faith by my works (KJV)".
3) As we are told, "there is none righteous, not one" who is without Christ. We are made righteous by the blood of Jesus, not by our own works or deeds, but by "the righteousness of Christ", The Righteous One.
4) I don't believe that anyone is really "predestined for hell". That's a lie of the devil to make us lose hope (and thereby our faith).
5) "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Heb 11:1
We lose hope, the devil has us so don't be deceived by him. It is God's desire that all men would be saved.
1 Timothy 2:1-8 (KJV) 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not
a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
As for the original question, that's a difficult one to answer (perhaps why all these other questions have been popping up). All I can say is, if what I just stated is true, then it becomes a matter of faith. If we truly believe (and belief includes trust), do we trust God will do what's righteous, and just and even if it's something beyond our comprehension, are we willing to trust that all will be well for us?
We hear some much about how so "cruel" he was in the New Testament and how he allows this wicked world to exist under these circumstances but can we really comprehend all? He gives us so much information in the Bible (for those of us who read it) but there's much I'm sure we're lacking.
I do know when those in the Old Testament were destroyed by the Jews, they were heathen nations who were against God, and were attempting to destroy the Jews who were His chosen people. Those same people were sacrificing their own children to Molech on molten altars and practicing many Satanic rituals. In those instances God chose to use His people to perform the task and in others (Sodom & Gomorrah for example) he chose to destroy them Himself (with fire and brimstone).
Perhaps they'd be wise enough to figure it out and turn to the One True God, Jehovah and stop their persecution of the Jews (the same way he shows the rest of the world today when they attach Christians and Jews). It's no accident that America has come to such prominence in the world although that is dwindling as America moves further and further away from God.
Personally, I'd think twice about trying to mistreat Christians if I were of some other religion or group of people (those who consider Christians and Jews to be infidels or bastards).
And I can't believe how so many put down David, who although he committed two horrendous acts, was a brave and great man and who paid the price for what he did:
1) had his first child die during childbirth
2) had one of his sons rape his half-sister
3) had his favorite son (Absalom) turn against him and start a rebellion in his kingdom and
4) had that same son (whom he loved in spite of his rebellion) killed in battle.
David lived a life of misery after he committed that egregious act with Bathsheba and suffered for it the rest of his entire life. I think that death would have probably been less painful for him just as his sin was so painful for God, he being the only man in the Bible being called "a man after God's own heart".
There's no doubt that God loved David dearly (and that loved God dearly as well which can be evidenced by his writing most of the psalms, after his sin and all the punishment he took from God) but God is a righteous God, He is Holy, He is just and He must Judge (judgement is probably God's strangest work).
In the case where God used the Jews to perform the task of judgement I believe it was for the purpose to demonstrate His power through them in hope of showing them that the Jews were His people and that they should leave them alone.
The added benefit might be that they would recognize that the Jewish God was their creator and would instead turn from their false gods and start to follow Him instead of those false gods they were religiously following which were all satanic in nature.
