THE CREATIVE POWER OF GOD (4).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE CREATIVE POWER OF GOD (4).*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Rom 9:17 *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.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

People who contest against God will have God contend against them.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

We began to look at some reasons why God exercises His distinctive creative power.

Firstly, God is sovereign. He is supreme. He does and creates as He pleases, Psa 115:3, 135:6.

Secondly, there are people created for destruction.

Thirdly, why would God create some people for honour while some are unto dishonour.

Yesterday we concluded on the sovereignty and supremacy of God in exercising His distinctive creative power.

Today we will look at the second reason. While it is true that God loves the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die for it, John 3:16, there are people He created for destruction.

Rom 9:17 is a very clear illustration of this. Paul tells us that God raised Pharaoh that He showed His power against him.

Rom 9:18 says He will shew *"....mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth*

Rom.9:17 tells us about God's power over Pharaoh. This story goes back to the book of Exodus.

How did Pharaoh end up on this note of Rom 9:17?

Pharaoh became a vessel of dishonour and destruction because of his rebellion against God by his hardened heart.

It was never God's intention to harden Pharaoh's heart.

He hardened it because Pharaoh's heart was already hardened

God's hardening of his heart was a direct action to Pharaoh's own actions.

In Exd 7:13,14, 22, 8:15, 19, 32, 9:7, 34-35, 13:15 and on each occasion God hardened his heart in return Exd 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17).

Years later, the Phillistines' diviners advised the Phillistines to send the Ark away instead of refusing to and the diviners ascibed the hardening of their heart as Pharaoh did in the Exodus when The diviners said to the Phillistines in 1 Sam 6.6:  *Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did?...."*

So God showed His destructive power on Pharaoh's Egypt because he was rebellious to God.

Pharaoh refused to purge himself of his opposition to God's command to let Israel go.

He countered Moses' miracles.

His magicians mimicked the staff turning to a snake and the first two plagues namely: water turning to blood, and frogs but could not replicate any further. Pharaoh's magician had to admit the third was 'a finger of God'.

Judgment becomes inevitable if humanity fight against God's creative power.

Judgment becomes inevitable if humanity

persists in sin, Gen 6:3.

This was the story of Pharaoh.

People who contest against God will have God contend against them.

*Remorse Corner.*

Anyone who contests against God is a candidate for destruction.

*Call to Word action.*

No one can defeat God's divine authority.

Any change to how God created you will change the way God created you.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Humans are limited in their efforts to defeat God's purpose. Every effort to defeat God's purpose is their most direct way to destruction.

*Prayer.*

Lord let not my heart be hardened against Your will for me, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.