“The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Ps. 33:10-11.
Plans and purposes, the verse above speaks concerning. Throughout redemptive history, God comes from time to time, to ‘signal’ the global population or individual nations, that their plans and purposes are wrong, misdirected and potentially fatal. His message comes in unmistakeable ways, as it did, when Israel was held captive in Egypt. The plagues were a most compelling message. They persuaded Pharaoh, that he should let God’s people go, or continue to suffer the consequences of not embracing Israel’s god. In our world today, we have received a message from God. He has allowed the Thief to have a time-limited access to the global population to do his own evil work.
2 Thes. 2:3-14 ESV says, “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits, to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
God allows this current Satanic work, to signal every man and woman on earth concerning each one’s own plans and purposes. 2 Cor. 5:15 says we were made not to serve ourselves but to serve God and others. Believers reassess how they are doing with His plans and purposes. If each believer serves God’s plans and purposes, God will bless them and preserve them in the ‘time of trouble.’ Ps. 33:18,19.
Those that do not know Him, consider the fragility of life, as some invisible virus brings many to death and sorrow. Then they can observe those who are ‘protected’ and blessed and ask the great ‘harvest-producing’ questions as to why there are those who are blessed and protected.
God so loves the people of the earth that He wants no one to miss out on life—but He forces no one. Let us be the Light that shines in the dark place as we and all others, re-examine our plans and purposes in these days.