seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 “If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword,
with the sword they will be killed.”[d]
into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword,
with the sword they will be killed.”[d]
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
One of the footnotes points to Jeremiah 15:2. Here's the verse in a little context.Jeremiah 15:1 Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! 2 And if they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘Those destined for death, to death;
those for the sword, to the sword;
those for starvation, to starvation;
those for captivity, to captivity.’
those for the sword, to the sword;
those for starvation, to starvation;
those for captivity, to captivity.’
I know Jeremiah to be one of those guys who knew about the Persians..... and how they conquered Jerusalem. The people were murdered.... the babies were slammed against the rocks until they were dead.... and those who were deemed strong enough to work but too timid to revolt were gifted with a ring through their nose... and a chain to tie them to the next guy. Those who were fitted with that ring and chain... were marched away to enslavement for the rest of their lives. Jeremiah was the guy who warned them.... straighten out.... or else.This is where predestination and free will collide.
If everyone uses their free will to prevail.... then someone is going to be a bully... that's what they want and that's what they will do.
If everyone uses their free will to prevail.... then someone is going to be a Believer.... that's what they want and that's what they will do.
Not everyone will use their free will in a way others will approve.... some are going to argue.... that's what they want and that's what they will do.
God controls the past, present, and future. God knows how our free will is going to be used.... because God knows the future.
Bullies and Believers are on two sides of the same coin.... but they never quite join up... and sometimes the bully is going to take a swipe at the Believer... war.
Every now and then... the bullies are going to win.... that's just how it will work.... and Believers will be drug down with the bullies... war.
Some will sit 30 feet from everyone.... so their "free will" doesn't poison them.... but their day will come soon enough too.
We will all get some kind of ring through our noses.... it's destined to happen.... how we handle it... that's the proof of quality of our free will.
This is where predestination and free will collide.
