Lesson 431

(Lesson 431)(10-20-12) Romans 9:14-24, "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"

This lesson is clearly directed to those who, because they do not understand, challenge the ultimate and omniscient power of God.
We have all heard, many times, people asking the question, "how could a loving God take the life of a loving young mother?" Or, "how could a loving God allow a child to be cruelly crippled or deformed?" Those who ask those questions cannot possibly understand that we, as mortals, the "clay" which God molded, are in NO position to challenge the decisions of God.

There is NO "right" or "wrong" by which we, HIS creation can judge the mind of God. The entirety of the universe and the universes beyond, if there were any, all belong to Him! God is the beginning and the end of all things, He answers to nothing except Himself.

Therefore, just as this lesson tells us, there were certain individuals and peoples whom God, from the beginning had preordained to do His bidding and go on to reap His wrath for doing it, seemingly getting, what we would consider, a bad rap. Consider the example of Pharoah and how God compelled him to disobey His order, through Moses, to let the Hebrew people go Hardening Pharoah's heart so that he would NOT obey and let them go. Pharoah was used by our Father to demonstrate His awesome power and in so doing free His people, Israel.

Another example is Judas. He was obviously preordained to betray Jesus to the Romans so that He could die the spiritual death allowing that salvation could ultimately come to everyone who will accept it. Did Judas get a bad deal??~