Is God in it?

[B-A-C]

Jdg 14:2; So he came back and told his father and mother, "I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife."
Jdg 14:3; Then his father and his mother said to him, "Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she looks good to me."
Jdg 14:4; However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

When Samson was a judge over Israel, the Jews were not supposed to marry people of other races. But Samson sees a daughter of the Philistines he is attracted to.
It says here, that God was in this... It was God's purpose for Samson to be in a relationship with this woman for a while.

This raises a number of questions. Does God sometimes cause people to go against His laws for a higher purpose? Can God makes us desire ( or not desire, as the case may be ) someone we might marry?
Of course God can do anything... He is God. But the question is.. "does" He?

When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, they didn't know he would eventually become the second most powerful person in Egypt. But it seems God knew. It seems Joseph was there for a number of reasons,
but one of the reasons, was that God was going to cause a seven year famine at that time. Eventually Joseph's family comes to live in Egypt with him. This was the start of a 430 year occupation of Egypt by the Jews.
Eventually God has Moses take them back to the promised land. But it seems God had a purpose even in this. .. and it all started with Joseph being sold into slavery.

Now of course selling your brother into slavery would be a wicked sinful thing to do, like marrying a Philistine woman.
But all through the Bible we see things... Lots daughters get him drunk so they can have sex with him. God has Hosea marry Gomer ( a prostitute ) knowing she will be unfaithful.
God allows Satan to kill off most of Job's family as a test. One thing about the Bible, it doesn't pull any punches. No matter how evil or weird something seems to be, the Bible puts it out there.

But back to the question, does God cause people to sin sometimes, to achieve a higher purpose?
Was God also in the causing of the relationship between Samson a Delilah a few chapters later?

Jdg 16:20; She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

It's hard to imagine that God would be in the design of something that causes the Lord to depart from someone. But the Bible says it happened ( at least for a while ).

Now in some cases, it seems what people do, brings God's wrath or calamity upon them, but other times, we don't know why God does something.

Ezek 16:26; "You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to make Me angry.
Ezek 16:27; "Behold now, I have stretched out My hand against you and diminished your rations. And I delivered you up to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd conduct.
Ezek 16:28; "Moreover, you played the harlot with the Assyrians because you were not satisfied; you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied.

Here the Israelites, started giving their blessings to other nations, and started following after foreign gods. So God punishes them ( actually, in this case through several generations )
So it seems they brought this upon themselves. I suppose God could do the same thing today. If a country turns away from God long enough, maybe He says enough is enough.

 

[B-A-C]

Prov 6:14; Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
Prov 6:15; Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
Prov 6:16; These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Prov 6:17; A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Prov 6:18; An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Prov 6:19; A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

I have to say, that last thing that God hates... he that causes divisions and arguments between the brethren, fellow Christians... hmmm.. I wonder if we ever see that here on TalkJesus.
But God causes calamity ( trouble ) to come upon these people. They will be broken... so broken they cannot ever be fixed ( without remedy ).

Prov 29:1; He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Prov 29:2; When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

I have to say, for me personally, I am in a place of mourning for the rulers of this nation. ( Seemingly many nations at this time ).
But again, it says here, people will harden their necks, but then they will be destroyed.... without remedy.

 

[B-A-C]

Exod 7:13; Yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Exod 7:14; Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go.
Exod 7:22; But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Exod 8:15; But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Exod 8:19; Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
Exod 8:32; But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
Exod 9:7; Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
Exod 9:34; But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
Exod 9:35; Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

Seven times Pharaoh hardens his heart against God, so what does God do? Eventually he says fine, and He Himself hardenes Pharaoh's heart.

Exod 10:1; Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them,
Exod 10:20; But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.

Some people say you can always come back to God, but I'm not so sure. It seems sometimes God says enough is enough, I'm done with you.

Rom 1:18; For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Rom 1:19; because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
Rom 1:20; For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Rom 1:21; For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22; Professing to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23; and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Rom 1:24; Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
Rom 1:25; For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Rom 1:26; For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
Rom 1:27; and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
Rom 1:28; And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

I know people in the world today. Some of them are my friends and family. People I love... but I fear for them.
Three times in this passage it says, God had enough. So He just gives them over to their sin. This is what you want?
Fine, I'm done with you. Many people say.. Oh I'll repent someday, I'll get right with God.. "someday".
Someday might never come for some people. God can make sure of it.

 

[B-A-C]

1Sam 16:14; Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.
1Sam 16:15; Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.
1Sam 16:16; "Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well."

1Sam 18:10; Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.
1Sam 18:11; Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.
1Sam 18:12; Now Saul was afraid of David, for the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

Again, it's hard to imagine that God would send an evil upon someone. But the Bible says it happened.
We can speculate on why this happened, but the fact that it 'DID" happen should concern us and cause us to seek the Lord in everything we do.

 

[complete]

'The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water:
He turneth it whithersoever He will. '
(Pro 21:1)

'Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh:
is there any thing too hard for Me?
(Jer 32:27)

'Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil,
neither tempteth He any man:
But every man is tempted,
when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin:
and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Do not err, my beloved brethren.'
(Jas 1:13-16)

'Seek ye the LORD while He may be found,
call ye upon Him while He is near:
Let the wicked forsake His way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let Him return unto the LORD,
and he will have mercy upon Him;
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,
but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth:
it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.'
(Isa 55:6)