Bible Texts. Eph 3:11. “This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Isa 14:24. “‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.’” Isa 14:26. “‘This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth.’” Isa 46:11. “‘I have purposed, and I will do it.’” Jer 4:28. “I have purposed: I have not relented nor will I turn back.”
T.e word does not occur in the Old Testament. Gen 50:20. “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” Hag 2:9. “‘And in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of Hosts.’” Note: In the New Testament the word providence occurs once in the King James Version - Acts 24:2, but not in the Revised Version. John 5:17. “But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is working still, and I am working.’” Rom 8:28. “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”
1 Cor 10:13. “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength.” This same thought is also found in Isa 49:7; 1 Cor 1:9; Heb 10:23.
Rom 7:12. “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.”
Ps 119:172. “My tongue will sing of thy word, for all thy commandments are right.”
Ps 36.5. “Thy steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the clouds.”
Ps 119:89,90. “Forever, O Lord, thy word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Thy faithfulness endures to all generations; thou hast established the earth, and it stands fast.”
1 Peter 4:19. “Therefore let those who suffer…entrust their souls to a faithful creator.”
There is no limitation to the forces which God will employ to uphold his purpose.
Again we have a group of scriptures. Deut 33:27. “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Ps 91:1. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty.” Ps 121:4. “Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Rom 8:28. “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” Ps 34:15. “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry.”
God upholds all things—material and spiritual. Heb 1:3. “He reflects the glory of God…upholding the universe by his word of power.” Ps 104:30. “When thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created.” Ps 145:20. “The Lord preserves all who love him.” Ps 121:7. “The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.”
The universe is stable—even in apparent instability. There is security in the presence of cataclysmic upheavals.
The Divine Counselor fairly well understands the functioning of the Paradise Deities, but he has trouble with the performances of the Absolutes.
While the universe is not infinite, it seems to be permeated by infinity.
The Absolutes seem to:
A. Supersede matter.
B. Transcend mind.
C. Supervene spirit.
While English words can only partially convey cosmic meanings, let us examine these terms:
A. SUPERSEDE. To make void by superior power; to cause to be set aside. To replace. To displace. To supplant. To defer action.
B. TRANSCEND. To rise above or beyond the limits or powers of—to overpass. To excel; to outstrip. To go beyond the limits of knowledge or experience.
C. SUPERVENE. To happen as something additional—unlooked for. To occur without reference or relation to something else. To be added to. To occur otherwise than as an additive. To occur in a manner not antecedently predictable.
Nature is a time-space resultant of two cosmic factors:
A. The perfect rectitude of Paradise Deity.
B. The finitude of local universe creations:
(1) Experimental plans.
(2) Executive blunders.
(3) Insurrectionary errors.
(4) Incompleteness of development.
(5) Finite wisdom.
The majestic and perfect background of nature is qualified—even marred—by the mistakes and disloyalties of the finite creations.
Therefore is nature whimsical—stable underneath, but otherwise variegated and changeable.
But the Old Testament presents the picture of a jealous God. See the second commandment—Ex 20:5. “You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” See also Ex 34:14. “For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
This concept of a jealous God was later exalted to a higher level. See Zech 1:14. “‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.’”
Intending man to be the masterpiece of creation, God is jealous for him when he in any manner belittles himself.
The fact of God, the divine law, is changeless.UB 102:7.2
God and the universe are not identical—one is cause, the other effect.UB 102:7.1
Bible texts. Mal 3:6. “‘For I the Lord do not change.’” James 1:17. “Every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Ps 33:4. “All his work is done in faithfulness.” Ps 119:90. “Thy faithfulness endures to all generations.”
The Hebrews believed that “without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin.” Heb 9:22. “Under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
Man holds onto the pagan concept of blood atonement. But Moses at least made an end of human sacrifice.