God's Good Intentions

"For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29: 10-13 KJV)

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (II Timothy 2: 4 KJV)

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3: 9 KJV)

"For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." (Ezekiel 18: 32 KJV)

"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33: 11 KJV)

Taken together, what do these verses tell us?

First, they tell us that God has an announced, revealed, or stated WILL regarding every men, that he has a "plan" for all.

Second, they tell us that God's general plans for all men are benevolent, that he has "good intentions" with regard to all.

Third, that the destruction and damnation of any does not please him, is not something that he delights in as an end in itself.

Fourth, his expressed benevolence to sinful men is only of eternal benefit to some of the race of fallen men. To others it is not.

Fifth, his will to uphold his justice is superior to his general benevolence and good will towards fallen men, for some indeed will be punished, in spite of his benevolence, but not in spite of his justice, and will not reap the eternal rewards of this extended benevolence.

Sixth, God's will and pleasure are NOT frustrated, however, because God has decreed that some men will surely reap the full benefit of God's extended benevolence and mercy, by his sovereign choice of them, in accordance, not with his known counsels, but according to his secret ones, according to God's election and predestination. (See Ephesians 1:1-11 & Romans chpt. 9)

God's conditional decrees, dealing with his revealed will to man, do not contradict his unconditional hidden decrees, only seemingly. For the fact is revealed in Scripture that all conditional decrees depend upon the unconditional ones, and not vice versa.

"But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." (Psalm 40: 17 KJV)

It is wonderful to realize that God "thinks upon" us, and that he has plans for us, both revealed and secret ones! Oh to know HIS will! To know he has good and benevolent and purposeful plans for me!

"Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9: 9 KJV)

"Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart." (Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20 KJV)

"Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?" (Ecclesiastes 3: 22 KJV)

"For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit." (Ecclesiastes 2: 26 KJV)

God does not want people to be sad, depressed, and full of care! He wants people to be happy and live fulfilled lives! He wants people to find the key to successful living.

Rejoice in your life! Enjoy all that God has given to man! Yes, yes! But, Solomon cautions us to not make earthly joy and carnal pleasure the chief end in life. He tells us to "be happy" but he warns us to be happy in the right things, to be happy in God and in doing good.

" Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." (Ecclesiastes 11: 9 KJV)

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ecclesiastes 12: 13, 14 KJV)