God Will Keep Letting People Do Evil Deeds, Until ...

 





I don't know why I find some of the worst Bible commentaries anyone can find online, but I find the worst sometimes.

One commentary tries to say the human race doesn't really have free will, because God, in His sovereignty, limits each and every one of us physically. ... Hhmm. That sounds like unrighteous slavery.

That wrong article makes an argument that when a forceful, foolish leader threatens or imposes death on others, we pray that that leader will be defeated either physically or by limiting or outmatching his level of force.

But, no, I pray to the one and only God who says not to repay evil for evil and who says to pray for enemies.

For me, that means my heart first cries out to God that an enemy would be saved, that an enemy would be opened to know Jesus and to want life in Him. That's what I prayed the first time I realized a kind of enemy of state was in a nation's highest public office, years ago, when some election officials were asked to manufacture votes! And, even before then, I prayed people would have mercy on that man, because I thought, at that time, there was orchestration in the force that was against a nation's Capitol but that that man had not colluded to bring about that orchestration.

Now, I see an Iran seemingly more at prayer than at war, so far, and I pray for de-escalation of warfare in the Middle East. And I want mercy for an increasingly lawless or ruthless Israeli leadership -- and a turn toward humility in whatever leadership we have, here.

You see, I value that, long ago, when many ancestors here in the U.S. became living vessels of God's word, when many became perfect examples of patience in affliction, bearing much fruit of longsuffering, we learned what victory in Jesus really means.

So I take God at His word, that there is a limit to suffering, that there is an end, and that, meanwhile, we're to counsel, rebuke, and still love in a godly way -- in spite of affliction.

We're to trust GOD for healing, reconciliation where possible in Him, and for each step forward.

We're to trust that seventy-times-seven is a finite end, that deliverance in Jesus is promised and real, and that God (and we in His likeness) may wait and wait on, and rebuke and rebuke, those who we love -- until godly victory is sure in as many lives as possible.


~

More reading:

https://billygraham.org/answers/how-corrupt-will-the-world-have-to-get-before-god-will-decide-to-intervene-and-bring-it-all-to-an-end

https://www.gotquestions.org/flood-sin-continue.html

https://biblehub.com/2_peter/3-9.htm

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