13God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.
14"But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.
(I often read things that will say that God plagued Egypt to give them a chance to repent, and had they repented, He would have spared them. This cannot be so, or else what He said long before to Abraham could not have been certain. The only reason prophesy "works" is because God causes the things to happen that He says will. If libertarian free will existed, then God's promise here could have been thwarted. The Egyptians would have been free to make a different choice than they did. God is in complete control, and causes all things to come to pass in exactly the way He has determined.)
Genesis 18:19
19"For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him."
(God chose Abraham. Abraham did not choose God.)
Genesis 20:6
6Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
(God is the One who sovereignly kept Abimelech from sinning.)
Genesis 45:5-8
5"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7"God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
8"Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
(Joseph plainly says that it was God who sent him to Egypt, though He used his brothers to do so. One of the best examples, besides the crucifixion itself, of compatibalism.)
Genesis 50:20
20"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
(Notice he doesn't say that God picked up the pieces and made them work out for good. But rather, that God MEANT what happened. And He meant it for good.)
Exodus 3:18-22
18"They will pay heed to what you say; and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us So now, please, let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'
19"But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion.
20"So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go.
21"I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.
22"But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters Thus you will plunder the Egyptians."
(The reason God can say definitely what is going to happen is because He decrees what happens. All of this was already planned, and WOULD happen. There was no chance for the Pharaoh to us his "free will" and repent. Also, it was the Lord who caused the Egyptians to give valuables to the Israelites.)
Exodus 4:11
11The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
(The Lord says here again that He is the One who decides who will be deaf, mute, blind, etc. It does not happen by accident. He does so for His glory. We must accept it whether we understand or not.)
Exodus 4:21-23
21The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
22"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23"So I said to you, 'Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn."'"
(Again, things would happen just as the Lord determined. No "free will" could change them. Also, He says over and over again that He hardened Pharaoh's heart. Yes, his heart was already hard, and he hardened it more himself, but there is a reason the Bible tells us time and again that the Lord did some hardening too. He was making sure that Pharaoh could do none other than that which He had planned and ordained to happen. So that He could deliver His people and be glorified.)
Exodus 6:1
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land."
(Same as above. It WOULD come to pass, just as the Lord had determined.)
Exodus 7:3-5
3"But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
4"When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5"The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst."
(Same as above.)
Exodus 9:12
2And the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
Exodus 9:15,16
15"For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth.
16"But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.
(The very reason the Lord did not strike down Pharaoh all at once is so that He could do as planned and be even more glorified by showing more of His power. It had nothing to do with giving him a chance to repent.)
Exodus 10:1,2
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them,
2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the LORD."
(As stated before, God made sure that Pharaoh's heart was hard enough that he would carry out God's plan completely.)
Exodus 10:20
20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.
Exodus 10:27
27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.
Exodus 11:1
1Now the LORD said to Moses, "One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely.
(What God ordained was sure to come to pass.)
Exodus 11:9,10
9Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt."
10Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus 14:4
4"Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." And they did so.
Exodus 14:8
8The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.
Exodus 14:17,18
"As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
18"Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."
(Nowhere in this whole narative is there any hint that the Lord wanted anything to happen other than exactly what did. That Pharaoh would resist until He performed all His wonders and made a mockery of them that His name would be honored and proclaimed throughout history.)
18"They will pay heed to what you say; and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us So now, please, let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'
19"But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion.
20"So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go.
21"I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.
22"But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters Thus you will plunder the Egyptians."
(The reason God can say definitely what is going to happen is because He decrees what happens. All of this was already planned, and WOULD happen. There was no chance for the Pharaoh to us his "free will" and repent. Also, it was the Lord who caused the Egyptians to give valuables to the Israelites.)
Exodus 4:11
11The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
(The Lord says here again that He is the One who decides who will be deaf, mute, blind, etc. It does not happen by accident. He does so for His glory. We must accept it whether we understand or not.)
Exodus 4:21-23
21The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
22"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23"So I said to you, 'Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn."'"
(Again, things would happen just as the Lord determined. No "free will" could change them. Also, He says over and over again that He hardened Pharaoh's heart. Yes, his heart was already hard, and he hardened it more himself, but there is a reason the Bible tells us time and again that the Lord did some hardening too. He was making sure that Pharaoh could do none other than that which He had planned and ordained to happen. So that He could deliver His people and be glorified.)
Exodus 6:1
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land."
(Same as above. It WOULD come to pass, just as the Lord had determined.)
Exodus 7:3-5
3"But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.
4"When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments.
5"The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst."
(Same as above.)
Exodus 9:12
2And the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
Exodus 9:15,16
15"For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth.
16"But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.
(The very reason the Lord did not strike down Pharaoh all at once is so that He could do as planned and be even more glorified by showing more of His power. It had nothing to do with giving him a chance to repent.)
Exodus 10:1,2
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them,
2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the LORD."
(As stated before, God made sure that Pharaoh's heart was hard enough that he would carry out God's plan completely.)
Exodus 10:20
20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.
Exodus 10:27
27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.
Exodus 11:1
1Now the LORD said to Moses, "One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely.
(What God ordained was sure to come to pass.)
Exodus 11:9,10
9Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt."
10Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus 14:4
4"Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." And they did so.
Exodus 14:8
8The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.
Exodus 14:17,18
"As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
18"Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."
(Nowhere in this whole narative is there any hint that the Lord wanted anything to happen other than exactly what did. That Pharaoh would resist until He performed all His wonders and made a mockery of them that His name would be honored and proclaimed throughout history.)
Deuteronomy 2:30
30"But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today.
(More scripture showing that the Lord does indeed harden hearts for His own purposes.)
Deuteronomy 7:6
6"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(God could have chosen any person or people group on earth, but He chose Abraham and His decendents, for no other reason than His good pleasure. God has always done the choosing.)
Deuteronomy 10:14,15
14"Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.
15"Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.
(Again, the Lord could have chosen anybody. He owns everything. But He specifically chose Israel out of all the world to set His love on. He did not love them because they chose Him. He also did not "set His affection to love" any other people group in the world. They were all left in their sin. It is His right to do as He wishes with His creation. Those who object are rebelling against God Himself.)
Deuteronomy 14:2
2"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(God did not choose the Chinese, or the Native Americans. Those were left in their sin at the time. He chose Israel alone out of all the people on the earth. He has always chosen people, and still does.)
Deuteronomy 29:2-4
2And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land;
3the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders.
4"Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.
(Israel kept on complaining and grumbling and worrying, time and time again, in spite of all the awesome things they had seen. This verse makes it clear that they could not "see" because the Lord had not given them the ability to do so. As still today, it is the Lord who must open eyes and ears and give a new heart.)
Deuteronomy 30:6
6"Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
(This was yet a future thing. Even though God had delivered them and done all these wonders, Israel still did not love Him and would not until He Himself caused them to do so. Just as it is with everyone to this day.)
30"But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today.
(More scripture showing that the Lord does indeed harden hearts for His own purposes.)
Deuteronomy 7:6
6"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(God could have chosen any person or people group on earth, but He chose Abraham and His decendents, for no other reason than His good pleasure. God has always done the choosing.)
Deuteronomy 10:14,15
14"Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.
15"Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.
(Again, the Lord could have chosen anybody. He owns everything. But He specifically chose Israel out of all the world to set His love on. He did not love them because they chose Him. He also did not "set His affection to love" any other people group in the world. They were all left in their sin. It is His right to do as He wishes with His creation. Those who object are rebelling against God Himself.)
Deuteronomy 14:2
2"For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(God did not choose the Chinese, or the Native Americans. Those were left in their sin at the time. He chose Israel alone out of all the people on the earth. He has always chosen people, and still does.)
Deuteronomy 29:2-4
2And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land;
3the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders.
4"Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.
(Israel kept on complaining and grumbling and worrying, time and time again, in spite of all the awesome things they had seen. This verse makes it clear that they could not "see" because the Lord had not given them the ability to do so. As still today, it is the Lord who must open eyes and ears and give a new heart.)
Deuteronomy 30:6
6"Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
(This was yet a future thing. Even though God had delivered them and done all these wonders, Israel still did not love Him and would not until He Himself caused them to do so. Just as it is with everyone to this day.)
Joshua 11:19,20
19There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle.
20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(This plainly says that the Lord hardened their hearts for the express purpose of not showing them mercy and destroying them. There is no explaining this away. This is what we all deserve, but He chooses to show mercy on some by His wonderful grace. This is the God of the Bible. Will you worship Him?)
Joshua 24:2,3
2Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.
3'Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
(Abraham, along with his family, were idol worshipers. They were not seeking God. They knew nothing of Him. But God sovereignly chose Abraham and "took" him away to make him His own. This is the way God "forces" people to become His. He changes their hearts to desire Him. If you want to call it "forcing," then I say "praise God for forcing me!)"
Judges 9:23,24
23Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
(God sends and uses evil spirits for His own purposes.)
19There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle.
20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
(This plainly says that the Lord hardened their hearts for the express purpose of not showing them mercy and destroying them. There is no explaining this away. This is what we all deserve, but He chooses to show mercy on some by His wonderful grace. This is the God of the Bible. Will you worship Him?)
Joshua 24:2,3
2Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.
3'Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
(Abraham, along with his family, were idol worshipers. They were not seeking God. They knew nothing of Him. But God sovereignly chose Abraham and "took" him away to make him His own. This is the way God "forces" people to become His. He changes their hearts to desire Him. If you want to call it "forcing," then I say "praise God for forcing me!)"
Judges 9:23,24
23Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
(God sends and uses evil spirits for His own purposes.)
1 Samuel 2:25
22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
23He said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?
24"No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the LORD'S people circulating.
25"If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death.
(It does not say that the Lord desired to put them to death because they would not listen, but that they would not listen because the Lord desired to put them to death. Whatever God does is righteous just because He does it. We cannot accuse Him of unrighteousness because it is He alone who determines what is righteous.)
1 Samuel 10:9
9Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.
(It is, and always has been, God who changes hearts. He does not leave it up to us to change our own hearts. We cannot do so.)
1 Samuel 16:14-16
14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.
15Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.
16"Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well."
(Again, God uses and sends evil spirits for His own purposes.)
1 Samuel 16:23
23So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
(Same as above.)
1 Samuel 18:10
10Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.
1 Samuel 19:9
9Now there was an evil spirit from the LORD on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.
2 Samuel 17:14
14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the LORD had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring calamity on Absalom.
22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
23He said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people?
24"No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the LORD'S people circulating.
25"If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the LORD desired to put them to death.
(It does not say that the Lord desired to put them to death because they would not listen, but that they would not listen because the Lord desired to put them to death. Whatever God does is righteous just because He does it. We cannot accuse Him of unrighteousness because it is He alone who determines what is righteous.)
1 Samuel 10:9
9Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.
(It is, and always has been, God who changes hearts. He does not leave it up to us to change our own hearts. We cannot do so.)
1 Samuel 16:14-16
14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.
15Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.
16"Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well."
(Again, God uses and sends evil spirits for His own purposes.)
1 Samuel 16:23
23So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
(Same as above.)
1 Samuel 18:10
10Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.
1 Samuel 19:9
9Now there was an evil spirit from the LORD on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.
2 Samuel 17:14
14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the LORD had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring calamity on Absalom.
1 Kings 3:8
8"Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.
1 Kings 12:15
15So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
(The Lord again here, as many other places, is making sure that what He has determined comes to pass. He made sure that the king would not listen, so that He could carry out His plan.)
1 Kings 12:24
24'Thus says the LORD, "You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me."'" So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.
(Same as above. It had come from the Lord, to accomplish His purposes.)
1 Kings 22:20-23
20"The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.
21"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.'
22"The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.'
23"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
(We see here again the Lord using devils to do His work. He is the One who determines all that will happen. And He has no problem claiming that He is the One ultimately responsible. Neither did any of the saints of old. It is only recently that people have decided that the God of the Bible is not nice enough, and we must make Him nicer in order to worship Him. As if He doesn't have the right to do whatsoever He pleases.)
2 Kings 19:25
25'Have you not heard?
Long ago I did it;
From ancient times I planned it
Now I have brought it to pass,
That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.
(God does what He has planned. Man's "free will" cannot change what He has planned.)
8"Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted.
1 Kings 12:15
15So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
(The Lord again here, as many other places, is making sure that what He has determined comes to pass. He made sure that the king would not listen, so that He could carry out His plan.)
1 Kings 12:24
24'Thus says the LORD, "You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me."'" So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.
(Same as above. It had come from the Lord, to accomplish His purposes.)
1 Kings 22:20-23
20"The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.
21"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.'
22"The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.'
23"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
(We see here again the Lord using devils to do His work. He is the One who determines all that will happen. And He has no problem claiming that He is the One ultimately responsible. Neither did any of the saints of old. It is only recently that people have decided that the God of the Bible is not nice enough, and we must make Him nicer in order to worship Him. As if He doesn't have the right to do whatsoever He pleases.)
2 Kings 19:25
25'Have you not heard?
Long ago I did it;
From ancient times I planned it
Now I have brought it to pass,
That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.
(God does what He has planned. Man's "free will" cannot change what He has planned.)
2 Chronicles 10:15
15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2 Chronicles 11:4
4'Thus says the LORD, "You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me."'" So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.
2 Chronicles 18:18-22
18 Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
19"The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.
20"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'
21"He said, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.'
22"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
2 Chronicles 25:20
20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash because they had sought the gods of Edom.
2 Chronicles 30:12
12The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.
(The Lord changes people's hearts to do what He desires. They do not change their own hearts.)
2 Chronicles 36:22,23
22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah--the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
23"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!'"
Ezra 1:1,5
1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom
5Then the heads of fathers' households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
Job 1:21
21He said,
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
(Notice Job doesn't say the devil takes away, even though it was the devil whom God used to do so. All the old saints realized that all that happens is ultimately God's doing, and that we are to praise Him regardless because He is God.)
Job 23:13,14
13"But He is unique and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does.
14"For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.
Job 42:1,2
1Then Job answered the LORD and said,
2"I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
(Job again recognizes that all that happens is because of God's will. The whole book of Job is an awesome testimony to God's sovereignty in all things.)
15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the LORD might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2 Chronicles 11:4
4'Thus says the LORD, "You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me."'" So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.
2 Chronicles 18:18-22
18 Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
19"The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.
20"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'
21"He said, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.'
22"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."
2 Chronicles 25:20
20 But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, that He might deliver them into the hand of Joash because they had sought the gods of Edom.
2 Chronicles 30:12
12The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.
(The Lord changes people's hearts to do what He desires. They do not change their own hearts.)
2 Chronicles 36:22,23
22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah--the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
23"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!'"
Ezra 1:1,5
1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom
5Then the heads of fathers' households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
Job 1:21
21He said,
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
(Notice Job doesn't say the devil takes away, even though it was the devil whom God used to do so. All the old saints realized that all that happens is ultimately God's doing, and that we are to praise Him regardless because He is God.)
Job 23:13,14
13"But He is unique and who can turn Him?
And what His soul desires, that He does.
14"For He performs what is appointed for me,
And many such decrees are with Him.
Job 42:1,2
1Then Job answered the LORD and said,
2"I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
(Job again recognizes that all that happens is because of God's will. The whole book of Job is an awesome testimony to God's sovereignty in all things.)
Psalm 22:9,10
9 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother's breasts.
10 Upon You I was cast from birth;
You have been my God from my mother's womb.
(David acknowledges that any trust he had in God was because God made him trust.)
Psalm 33:10-15
10 The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
Psalm 65:4
4How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
To dwell in Your courts
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.
(David recognized that God does the choosing.)
Psalm 105:23-25
23Israel also came into Egypt;
Thus Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24And He caused His people to be very fruitful,
And made them stronger than their adversaries.
25He turned their heart to hate His people,
To deal craftily with His servants.
(The psalmist says that it was the Lord who caused the Egyptians to hate the Israelites, so that He could carry out His plan that He had from the very beginning.)
Psalm 115:3
3 But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
Psalm 139:16
16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
(The Lord has determined exactly how long each person should live.)
Proverbs 16:4
4The LORD has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil.
Proverbs 16:9
9The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:33
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD.
Proverbs 20:24
24Man's steps are ordained by the LORD,
How then can man understand his way?
Proverbs 21:11
The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
9 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother's breasts.
10 Upon You I was cast from birth;
You have been my God from my mother's womb.
(David acknowledges that any trust he had in God was because God made him trust.)
Psalm 33:10-15
10 The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
Psalm 65:4
4How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
To dwell in Your courts
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.
(David recognized that God does the choosing.)
Psalm 105:23-25
23Israel also came into Egypt;
Thus Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24And He caused His people to be very fruitful,
And made them stronger than their adversaries.
25He turned their heart to hate His people,
To deal craftily with His servants.
(The psalmist says that it was the Lord who caused the Egyptians to hate the Israelites, so that He could carry out His plan that He had from the very beginning.)
Psalm 115:3
3 But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
Psalm 139:16
16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
(The Lord has determined exactly how long each person should live.)
Proverbs 16:4
4The LORD has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil.
Proverbs 16:9
9The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:33
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the LORD.
Proverbs 20:24
24Man's steps are ordained by the LORD,
How then can man understand his way?
Proverbs 21:11
The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
Isaiah 44:18
18They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.
Isaiah 46:10,11
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.
(The Lord does not want things He cannot have. Whatever He wants, that He gets.)
Isaiah 53:11
11As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
(Jesus was actually bearing the sin of those He came to save. Had He born the sin of every single individual, then none would be in hell.)
Isaiah 55:10,11
10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
(The Word will accomplish its purpose, whether that purpose is for saving the elect, or hardening the reprobate.)
Isaiah 63:17
17Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
(Isaiah recognized that it was God who was sovereignly determining the state of their hearts. And the Lord does not rebuke him for doing so, and included it in the Bible without explanation.)
Jeremiah 10:23
23I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself,
Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.
(Another OT saint recognizing God's sovereignty.)
Daniel 4:35
35 "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'
Amos 3:66
66 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
18They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.
Isaiah 46:10,11
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.
(The Lord does not want things He cannot have. Whatever He wants, that He gets.)
Isaiah 53:11
11As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
(Jesus was actually bearing the sin of those He came to save. Had He born the sin of every single individual, then none would be in hell.)
Isaiah 55:10,11
10 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
(The Word will accomplish its purpose, whether that purpose is for saving the elect, or hardening the reprobate.)
Isaiah 63:17
17Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
(Isaiah recognized that it was God who was sovereignly determining the state of their hearts. And the Lord does not rebuke him for doing so, and included it in the Bible without explanation.)
Jeremiah 10:23
23I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself,
Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.
(Another OT saint recognizing God's sovereignty.)
Daniel 4:35
35 "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, 'What have You done?'
Amos 3:66
66 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
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