God is in control but not all events are predetermined.

Who took Job's camels?

 

Who took Job's camels? </font>[/QUOTE]Job 1:17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

 

Did the Chaldeans freely take Job's camels?

 

Did the Chaldeans freely take Job's camels? </font>[/QUOTE]I don't know if it was done "freely", since in doing so they would be sinning, and would have to answer to God for it. All sin comes with a price.

If what you are insinuating is that God authorized them to steal the camels, I would haved to agree that God allowed them to, since He allowed satan to test Job, satan would be the influence on the Chaldeans.

 

Now don't go changing the meaning of "free" on me. I mean "free" as in "free will", as in they were doing what they chose to do.

Let's not insinuate. I am saying three things:

1. According to verse 1:12 God gave all that Job had into Satan's hand, so Satan took Job's camels.

2. According to verse 1:17 the Chaldeans wanted Job's camels so they decided to take them.

3. According to Job in verse 1:21 God took Job's camels and verse 1:22 confirms this fact.

So we have Scriptural proof that the free actions of man (and Satan) can be determined by God.

For another example, who killed Jesus? (see Acts 4:27-28)

 

Hello doulous and welcome to the board.

I look at God being omniscient and self derived as knowing that evil would exist in the truth of nature as He made it in order for good to exist.

Some of what we know about His nature from the Word is that He is Love, Truth, and also that He hates evil. So why would He create something that He hates and is against His nature?

When an all-loving and only good God created the world it was for the good; if there was Adam all by himself and nothing to compare against him; a world with a population of one how could it logically be good without a comparison.

I think about God creating the world and saying in was good. He also said it was not good that man should be alone and He created BOTH male and female. He placed the tree of knowledge in the garden and said do not eat of it but I’m sure being omniscient knew with the circumstances He created what the result would be. This is where free will comes in for me; did He create man to be both good and evil or did He create man as good but allowed evil to exist knowing within the circumstances of Truth as He created His creatures that evil would exist in order for man to be made in His likeness being blessed with a free spirit to choose between good and evil.

He knew of coarse that man would fall with the knowledge of good and evil because WHO can compare himself against God who is the Only all Good, again referring back to the logic of good existing without a comparison of evil. To be in God’s kingdom we must be in His Spirit and that is why I think He planned before the foundation of the world with the grace of His love to give His only Son that we could come to be with Him in the spirit of perfection and gave us a choice within our freedom as He created us to be with Him.

So in a nutshell I think He allowed evil to exist as a truth in the nature that He created to provide for a world with a population of more than one creature with a spirit. I do not think God was the author of sin but allowed it for His purposes and pleasure to create a world with creatures in His likeness and I’m glad he did considering the alternative. </font>[/QUOTE]Ben, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your post centered around your opinion of God creating/not creating sin. Certainly opinion is part of exegesis. We pray that our opinion is actually faithful interpretation of the text. Is this something you have exegeted or is it mostly opinion? That is not a confrontational question, but in order to be fair to others in the thread I believe it is helpful if we separate solid exegesis from well thought out opinion.

 

Always anxious to share some thoughts and maybe learn something new. In addressing God creating/not creating sin first I will say it is beyond our finite comprehension and leads us to a faithful opinion from the exegesis in scripture with regards to comparing scripture to scripture and gets us into the age old questions of the POE (Problem of Evil) The existence of evil from an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent God. Taking these 3 omni’s into consideration I first addressed His character or nature of God from scripture.

God is Love (1John 4:8), Truth (John 4:24) hates evil, His work and ways are perfect.

(Deu 32:4) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

(Psa 18:30) As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Without iniquity:
H5766
עלה עולה עולה עול עול
‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh
eh'-vel, aw'-vel, av-law', o-law', o-law'
From H5765; (moral) evil: - iniquity, perverseness, unjust (-ly), unrighteousness (-ly), wicked (-ness).

In light of this scripture and others for a doctrine to suggest that God is responsible for sin and some of His creatures were designed to be limited from righteousness is not "intellectually honest to the text" or taking the whole of scripture into consideration but of an opinion designed to fit an agenda of man’s belief.

In your opinion:

I would point to the question, Why, would an omnipotent God whose work is perfect “create” sin and could it not exist as a truth in the nature of the world as He created it in the good.

(Gen 1:31) And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Everything God had made was not only good but "very good" so when did He create evil? </font>[/QUOTE]Ben, I don't suppose to have the final word on this. Theologians have been battling with this topic for centuries. I am trying to understand it myself. I quoted a passage in my previous post (Col. 1:16) that God created all things (spiritual and physical). My reason for using that passage was to establish the fact that anything created is by God and no one else.

Here is where I stand on the issue. God created all things. God cannot sin and no sin is found in Him (that is, part of His nature). God not only created all things, He wills all things by His primary or secondary decree.* Sin was created by God in the abstract. When Lucifer sinned the abstract became a reality. Lucifer became the sinner and freely chose to sin. This is the same for Adam. Adam was a moral free agent. He was created without sin but had the ability to sin. He chose, of His own free will, to sin. Once again the abstract became reality. Although Adam had free will, his sin was a result of God's secondary decree (which I will define at the end of this post). Since sin has passed on to all men because of Adam (1 Cor. 15:22), we no longer have the same capability of Adam (the ability not to sin). But I digress. This is not a post about total depravity.

Summary? God created sin in the abstract. Man (and Lucifer) willingly chose to sin and therefore brought in the reality of the trespass.

*God's "primary" will of decree are those things that God decrees and implements directly. God's "secondary" will of decree are those things that God desires to happen but through the actions of others.

 

Sorry, but I am not going to debate every proof text or the meaning of “all” throughout scripture, in this case I have already have agreed that God is in control of all things according to His will. Where I take issue is what His purpose and will consist of and the limitation of His sovereignty to not include free will and holding Him responsible for sin by your doctrine. So, do you agree with the following formula or not?

According to Calvinist doctrine for God to be sovereign He must have predestined everything, true?

1) Necessarily God has fore determined everything that will happen
2) God has determined X
3) Therefore it is necessary that X will happen

… then one must agree that God is responsible for all happenings regardless of the origin being good or evil.

Does God hold men responsible for sin when they do not have the volition to change the circumstances? If so, is God the author of sin? </font>[/QUOTE]Look, in some sense God is "responsible for sin" whether you are an Arminian or a Calvinist. This is because all Christians everywhere have always maintained that

God has absolutely perfect foreknowledge of the future.
God is omnipotent and could stop any sin He wanted to stop
But God does not in fact stop all sin
Therefore, in some sense, He wills or allows sin to occur

blessings,
Ken

 

Ben,

Yep. We're going to have to agree to disagree, although it is a subject I will continue to revisit personally.

 

In a sense by creating “us” God allowed sin but the buck stops there. If God is responsible for the sins of His creatures consider the alternative, NO EPISTEMANIAC !

If you as a perspective father knew that by having a child with the freedoms to have knowledge of good and evil that the child would sin does that make you responsible for his sin? Anyway, God paid the price so that we could be perfect didn’t He?

Biblically God is only good, without moral evil and His work is perfect Deut 32:4 and He made the world and said it was very good Gen 1:31, but to fit some doctrines of those spoiled little children they end up needing to make Him out a liar.

All???

And we know what “perfect foreknowledge” consists of?

Even if it was against the truth as He created it that we have free will?

Wonder why since He’s omnipotent and hates evil.

In some sense? Then how does sin come from an omnibenevolent God?

(Psa 18:30) As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.


(Psa 145:17) The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

(Psa 145:18) The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. </font>[/QUOTE]yep.. the only people who have denied God's absolute exhaustive foreknowledge are heretics like the Socinians and Open Theists....

the analogy of the human father does not work, while the human father may think that the possibility of sin is high, God knows all that will happen, He knows every single individual that has ever been born and what they will do...this He knows about sin before it occurs, He knows exactly what that sin will be... in fact, we see this most and best described in Jesus' crucifixion...
Act 4:26-28 esv The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed (27) for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
(28) to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

God can and does intervene in such a way as to override human will whenever He sees fit, to accomplish His ultimate ends....

He uses the sins of Joseph's brothers to accomplish His will,
Gen 50:20 esv As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

God plainly uses evil for His own purposes,
man's will is directed by God whenever and for whoever He desires,
Jos 11:20 esv For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

take a lesson from Nebuchadnezzar...
Dan 4:31-37 esv While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,
(32) and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
(33) Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
(34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
(35) all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What have you done?
(36) At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
(37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.


or the Pharaoh...
Exo 4:21 esv And the Lord said to Moses, When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go....
Exo 7:3 esv But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
Exo 7:22 esv But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Exo 9:12 esv But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
Exo 14:4 esv And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
Exo 14:17-18 esv And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.
(18) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

The Pharaoh's hardened heart resulted in sin, God did not sin by hardening his heart, but God used the sin that resulted from the hardened heart to accomplish His greater ends....

blessings,
Ken

 

In a sense by creating “us” God allowed sin but the buck stops there. If God is responsible for the sins of His creatures consider the alternative, NO EPISTEMANIAC !

If you as a perspective father knew that by having a child with the freedoms to have knowledge of good and evil that the child would sin does that make you responsible for his sin? Anyway, God paid the price so that we could be perfect didn’t He?

Biblically God is only good, without moral evil and His work is perfect Deut 32:4 and He made the world and said it was very good Gen 1:31, but to fit some doctrines of those spoiled little children they end up needing to make Him out a liar.

All???

And we know what “perfect foreknowledge” consists of?

Even if it was against the truth as He created it that we have free will?

Wonder why since He’s omnipotent and hates evil.

In some sense? Then how does sin come from an omnibenevolent God?

(Psa 18:30) As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.


(Psa 145:17) The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

(Psa 145:18) The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. </font>[/QUOTE]yep.. the only people who have denied God's absolute exhaustive foreknowledge are heretics like the Socinians and Open Theists....

the analogy of the human father does not work, while the human father may think that the possibility of sin is high, God knows all that will happen, He knows every single individual that has ever been born and what they will do...this He knows about sin before it occurs, He knows exactly what that sin will be... in fact, we see this most and best described in Jesus' crucifixion...
Act 4:26-28 esv The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed (27) for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
(28) to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

God can and does intervene in such a way as to override human will whenever He sees fit, to accomplish His ultimate ends....

He uses the sins of Joseph's brothers to accomplish His will,
Gen 50:20 esv As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

God plainly uses evil for His own purposes,
man's will is directed by God whenever and for whoever He desires,
Jos 11:20 esv For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

take a lesson from Nebuchadnezzar...
Dan 4:31-37 esv While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,
(32) and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
(33) Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
(34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
(35) all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What have you done?
(36) At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
(37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.


or the Pharaoh...
Exo 4:21 esv And the Lord said to Moses, When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go....
Exo 7:3 esv But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
Exo 7:22 esv But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Exo 9:12 esv But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
Exo 14:4 esv And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
Exo 14:17-18 esv And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.
(18) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

The Pharaoh's hardened heart resulted in sin, God did not sin by hardening his heart, but God used the sin that resulted from the hardened heart to accomplish His greater ends....

blessings,
Ken

 

In a sense by creating “us” God allowed sin but the buck stops there. If God is responsible for the sins of His creatures consider the alternative, NO EPISTEMANIAC !

If you as a perspective father knew that by having a child with the freedoms to have knowledge of good and evil that the child would sin does that make you responsible for his sin? Anyway, God paid the price so that we could be perfect didn’t He?

Biblically God is only good, without moral evil and His work is perfect Deut 32:4 and He made the world and said it was very good Gen 1:31, but to fit some doctrines of those spoiled little children they end up needing to make Him out a liar.

All???

And we know what “perfect foreknowledge” consists of?

Even if it was against the truth as He created it that we have free will?

Wonder why since He’s omnipotent and hates evil.

In some sense? Then how does sin come from an omnibenevolent God?

(Psa 18:30) As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.


(Psa 145:17) The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

(Psa 145:18) The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. </font>[/QUOTE]yep.. the only people who have denied God's absolute exhaustive foreknowledge are heretics like the Socinians and Open Theists....

the analogy of the human father does not work, while the human father may think that the possibility of sin is high, God knows all that will happen, He knows every single individual that has ever been born and what they will do...this He knows about sin before it occurs, He knows exactly what that sin will be... in fact, we see this most and best described in Jesus' crucifixion...
Act 4:26-28 esv The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed (27) for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
(28) to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

God can and does intervene in such a way as to override human will whenever He sees fit, to accomplish His ultimate ends....

He uses the sins of Joseph's brothers to accomplish His will,
Gen 50:20 esv As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

God plainly uses evil for His own purposes,
man's will is directed by God whenever and for whoever He desires,
Jos 11:20 esv For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

take a lesson from Nebuchadnezzar...
Dan 4:31-37 esv While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,
(32) and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
(33) Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
(34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
(35) all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What have you done?
(36) At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
(37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.


or the Pharaoh...
Exo 4:21 esv And the Lord said to Moses, When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go....
Exo 7:3 esv But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
Exo 7:22 esv But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Exo 9:12 esv But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
Exo 14:4 esv And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
Exo 14:17-18 esv And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.
(18) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

The Pharaoh's hardened heart resulted in sin, God did not sin by hardening his heart, but God used the sin that resulted from the hardened heart to accomplish His greater ends....

blessings,
Ken

 

In a sense by creating “us” God allowed sin but the buck stops there. If God is responsible for the sins of His creatures consider the alternative, NO EPISTEMANIAC !

If you as a perspective father knew that by having a child with the freedoms to have knowledge of good and evil that the child would sin does that make you responsible for his sin? Anyway, God paid the price so that we could be perfect didn’t He?

Biblically God is only good, without moral evil and His work is perfect Deut 32:4 and He made the world and said it was very good Gen 1:31, but to fit some doctrines of those spoiled little children they end up needing to make Him out a liar.

All???

And we know what “perfect foreknowledge” consists of?

Even if it was against the truth as He created it that we have free will?

Wonder why since He’s omnipotent and hates evil.

In some sense? Then how does sin come from an omnibenevolent God?

(Psa 18:30) As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.


(Psa 145:17) The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

(Psa 145:18) The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. </font>[/QUOTE]yep.. the only people who have denied God's absolute exhaustive foreknowledge are heretics like the Socinians and Open Theists....

the analogy of the human father does not work, while the human father may think that the possibility of sin is high, God knows all that will happen, He knows every single individual that has ever been born and what they will do...this He knows about sin before it occurs, He knows exactly what that sin will be... in fact, we see this most and best described in Jesus' crucifixion...
Act 4:26-28 esv The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed (27) for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
(28) to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

God can and does intervene in such a way as to override human will whenever He sees fit, to accomplish His ultimate ends....

He uses the sins of Joseph's brothers to accomplish His will,
Gen 50:20 esv As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

God plainly uses evil for His own purposes,
man's will is directed by God whenever and for whoever He desires,
Jos 11:20 esv For it was the Lord's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

take a lesson from Nebuchadnezzar...
Dan 4:31-37 esv While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,
(32) and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
(33) Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.
(34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
(35) all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What have you done?
(36) At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.
(37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.


or the Pharaoh...
Exo 4:21 esv And the Lord said to Moses, When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go....
Exo 7:3 esv But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
Exo 7:22 esv But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Exo 9:12 esv But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
Exo 14:4 esv And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
Exo 14:17-18 esv And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.
(18) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

The Pharaoh's hardened heart resulted in sin, God did not sin by hardening his heart, but God used the sin that resulted from the hardened heart to accomplish His greater ends....

blessings,
Ken

 

God never does anything without a purpose, so the question should be,

What was the purpose of allowing evil to exist in the first place, if God isn't willing for any to perish???

 

To glorify Himself.