WHY GOD ALWAYS
TAKES THE BLAME

When I first began my research and study on the character of God in the summer and fall of 1976 I would talk to anyone who would listen. One pastor and his wife had always been friendly to me, inviting me to speak in their church from time to time. So, when I shared my findings with them they said, But Mike, God Himself tells us in His own Word, the Bible, that He destroys. My response was, Yes, I know there are texts like that, but God is just taking the blame. He didn't really do it. Then the pastor's wife stunned me with this response. Well, then God lied. Isn't that what you are saying? That was the end of that brief exchange and we went our separate ways. But it really made me start thinking about why God is always claiming to be responsible for acts of violence, deaths and disasters of various kind which I knew He did not do directly. But how could I prove that He didn't actually do it but only was taking the blame? And why is He always taking the blame?

Well, first of all He does not always take the blame. It just seemed that way at first. For example, we have the story of the first born in Exodus 12:12 and 23. In Ex. 12:12 God tells Moses "I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn." Then in vs. 23 we get a break through when the Lord explains to Moses the mechanics of how this actually happens. Please notice that there are two personalities operating here. "For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, (stand in front of the door to protect the house against any enemy entering) and will not suffer (allow or permit) THE DESTROYER to come in unto your houses to smite you. The Hebrew word here for destroyer is "shachath" which means to "decay, mar, corrupt or destroy." See Prov. 28:24. And Jer. 4:7. "The destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way." The true Lord is never referred to as "The Destroyer." Never. "GOD DESTROYS NO MAN." "Christ's Object Lessons, Page 84. Christ is always and forever the restorer and Satan is always the destroyer. God never changes. James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 89:34.

The book of Job is another example where it is clear that Satan is the destroyer. Read chapters 1 and 2 and you will see how the Lord gives Satan permission to destroy Job's property and children. It was a test to see if Job would blame God and curse Him to His face or not as Satan predicted he would before the Universal Council. Well, in spite of these terrible losses Job refused to blame God. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." Job 1:21, 22. But as you will see when you read Job 2 Satan was not done accusing Job before all the sons of God at this same heavenly council. This time Satan was allowed to put painful boils all over Job's body. Just one boil can cause excruciating pain, so think how much poor Job must have suffered. "So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." Job. 2:7. But that was not the end of the test because his wife turned against him and told him to "curse God and die." And then three of his best friends came to see him and the next 35 chapters of the book, 42 chapters in all, are a record of Job's dialogues with them. Finally, beginning with chapter 38, the voice of the "Lord" out of the whirlwind challenges Job to stand up like a man and answer his questions. I will not comment on any of this because I already have gone into great detail in a previous article which is on my website intitled: "JOB'S FINAL TRIAL AND THE FINAL DECEPTIONS." I think you will find it very insightful with an ending that will surprise and fascinate you.

In my book, "INTO THE FATHER'S HEART," 412 pages, published in 1982, I deal with our topic in-depth in chapter 2, entitled, "WHY DOES GOD ALWAYS TAKE THE BLAME?" On page 15 under the subheading, "BIBLE PROOF THAT GOD TAKES THE BLAME," I refer to I Chron. 10:13, 14 as an example of how God takes the blame for Saul's death when verses 4 and 5 clearly show that Saul committed suicide.

Have you ever wondered why Christ was so vehemently opposed when He was here in the flesh? I used to puzzle over that but I don't anymore. The reason is because He was revealing the true character of His heavenly Father and Satan was going crazy trying to figure out how to stop him. Lucifer was being exposed before the heavenly universe as a liar and murderer. When Jesus sent out 70 more disciples in addition to the original 12 they had great success and returned "with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" Luke 10:17. Jesus responded with these words: "And He said to them, I saw Satan falling like a lightning [flash] from heaven." Vs. 18.

Jesus was looking into the future with His keen prophetic eye to the time when Lucifer would no longer be welcomed in heaven by the angels nor by the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds. He knew what was transpiring with His disciples building up to that time when the "Accuser of our brethren" would be cast down. Rev. 12.9-13. In John 12 we see a further insight into this event of the casting down of Satan. The time frame is right after Lazarus was raised from the dead. The people who witnessed this crowning miracle of His ministry just couldn't stop talking about it. "The group that had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from among the dead, kept telling it to others--bearing witness." John 12:17. Amplified Bible. The next verse tells how the crowd went out to meet him and vs 19 reveals the intense frustration, jealousy and fear of the Pharisees who were saying "among themselves, You see how futile your efforts are and how you accomplish nothing. See! The whole world is running after Him!" Amplified Bible. Then we see some Greeks who desired an interview with Jesus and the Saviour's response is again based on His ability to see into the very near future when He is going to die a horrible death on the cross. But instead of giving into sorrow and self-pity He sees the glorious victory that will result from this sacrifice and compares His coming death to a grain of wheat which must die in order to produce a rich harvest. Then He speaks to His followers who were no doubt coming in from all directions, hanging on every syllable and word that fell from His lips. "Any one who loves his life will lose it. But any one who hates His life in this world will keep it to life eternal, -- Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on this earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever." Vs. 25. Then in vs. 27 Jesus says "My soul is troubled and distressed," and He pleads for the Father to save Him from that "hour of trial and agony. But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it]." Then in response to Jesus' request for the Father's Name (character) to be glorified a voice speaks from heaven saying, "I have already glorified it, and I will glorify it again." Vs. 28. The crowd of bystanders had two different reactions to this voice. Some said that it thundered and others were sure that an angel had spoken. What ever their view and attitude toward God determined how they perceived the Father's voice. Next we come to the verses in which Jesus again describes Satan's fall to disgrace. "Jesus answered, This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sake. Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is [coming on]--sentence is now being passed on this world. Now the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world shall be cast out--expelled. And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all men [Gentiles as well as Jew] to Myself." John 12:31.

"Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. The arch-apostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not understood his principles. They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebellion. It was a being of wonderful power and glory that had set himself against God...Lucifer had been the covering cherub. He had stood in the light of God's presence. He had been the highest of all created beings, and had been foremost in revealing God's purposes to the universe. After he had sinned, his power to deceive was the more deceptive, and the unveiling of his character was the more difficult, because of the exalted position he had held with the Father. DA 758. Can you imagine how deceptive Satan is if he could pull the wool over the eyes of the holy angels for over 4,000 years?!

EGW penned these words during the years she lived in Australia, 1891 to 1898. I believe this is the best and most important book she wrote for our day. All of her writings are important but this is the best and the most important because it deals with the character of God. Those who want to accuse her of being a plagiarist are not doing the work of the Lord. No one has ever written about God's character of love as she did. She revealed that God does not use force. Whoever stated that in the past? Her understanding of God's character was progressive as "Desire of Ages" reveals. On page 759 she reveals that if God had desired to destroy Lucifer this could have been done "as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this." And why not? As we shall see, it is because this is not according to His true character of love.

Now, beloved, this is so very important to understand because it shows very, very clearly that the SOP teaches that God does not destroy. In fact, He has never destroyed any human being or evil angel being. He is a life God, not a death God. Those people who wish to try and use the SOP to prove that God destroys are perverting the truth.

Let me analyze with you the above statement because it is easy to just read it and not catch the deeper implications. For example. "Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order." Now, here is a clear and categorical statement of fact which tells us that God did not use force against Lucifer and his angels. This means that Lucifer was not kicked out of heaven but that he left of his own free will. Jude 9 proves this. "The angels which left (abandoned) their first estate." In the chapter "WHO IS THE GREATEST," we read how Jesus was trying to prepare His disciples for His coming arrest, trial and death. They did not want to believe such a thing would ever happen for it destroyed their own selfish and personal hopes and ambitions to have high and important positions in the coming kingdom. When Christ returned to Capernaum he did not go to the well-known resorts where he had previously taught the multitudes but quietly entered a house so as to have some personal time alone with His disciples to prepare them for the coming trials they must endure when all of their pre-conceived ideas about the coming kingdom would be destroyed by his death. Read Chapter 48 for yourself beginning on page 432. The question of Tribute to the Temple is dealt with and the way Jesus sent Peter to the sea to find a coin in the mouth of the fish to pay the tax. That must have blown Peter's mind as well as the other disciples and all who heard about it. But why did Jesus choose to pay the tax in this manner. Listen to the answer:

"Though He had clothed His divinity with humanity, in this miracle He revealed His glory." DA 434. The word "Glory" means character. So, every act, word, deed and miracle of our Blessed Redeemer revealed His character. That is why it is so important to study the Bible and especially this book, "The Desire of Ages."

Now, while Peter went down to the sea to get the money out of the mouth of the fish Jesus was alone with the eleven disciples. He asked them what they had been arguing about as they walked along the road. Mark 9:30-36. "The presence of Jesus, and His question, put the matter in an entirely different light from that in which it had appeared to them while they were contending by the way. Shame and self-condemnation kept them silent. Jesus had told them that He was to die for their sake, and their selfish ambition was in painful contrast to His unselfish love. When Jesus told them that He was to put to death and to rise again, He was trying to draw them into conversation in regard to the great test of their faith. Had they been ready to receive what He desired to make known to them, they would have been saved bitter anguish and despair. His words would have brought consolation in the hour of bereavement and disappointment." DA 435.

Now, the rest of the paragraph explains how the disciples just basically ignored His reference to His coming death. They did not want to hear about this so Jesus did not stand up and yell at them as most people would do and say point blank, Look you stupid idiots. I don't know why I have to put up with you miserable failures anyway. You can't even catch fish for crying out loud. I am really sick of all of you, if you really want to know the truth of the matter. Now, I want you to be quiet and listen to me very carefully because I am only going to tell you this one time. So if you don't get it now it is just your own tough luck. We are going up to Jerusalem and I am going to go into the temple and cleanse it one more time because it is even worse than the first time I cleansed it three and half years ago. And after that happens the priests and rulers are really going to be ticked at Me and will arrange to have me arrested. One of you will even betray Me. I know who it is but I am not going to tell you now because you will find out soon enough. Now, I know you don't understand why I am going to have to die. Frankly, you don't have the smarts to figure it out right now and I am not going to waste my time trying to explain it. You will just have to learn it the hard way because you are all so stubborn and hard hearted. You don't even care that I am going to be crucified. Perhaps at this point an ordinary person would break down in uncontrollable weeping.

Of course, we know this is not the way Jesus talked to His disciples. But if you read the history books you will find that some great leaders were like this. Winston Churchill is reported to have talked and acted like this. But Jesus never did. How do we know that? Because it is not in the Bible and secondly, it is not His character. And His true character is what we don't realize. He would never talk that way to His beloved disciples because it would be forcing information upon them that they did not want to hear and because they did not want to hear it means they were not ready to hear it. In addition to that, He would not lose His temper like that. What a lesson for us today! How many times do we lose our patience with people? Even our own families. How many times do we force information on people who don't really want to hear it because they are not ready? God has His perfect timing and will reveal this to us if we keep in touch with Him through Bible study and prayer.

So, Jesus never did get to try and tell them about His coming death until the Last Supper when He washed their feet. There were only a few hours left until He would be arrested in the Garden. So, it was at this time that He chose to reveal to them that one of them was about to betray Him. So, we can see the perfect timing of what he said and did was very critical and reveals the perfection of His character. All this time He was hurting terribly within Himself because they were so selfish and hard hearted. But He absorbed this all into Himself and went into the mountains to pray. And that is when He cried and wept and poured out His broken heart to His heavenly Father, even in the Garden "with strong crying and tears." Heb. 5:7.

So, what did Jesus do with His disciples that day in the house. Well, He answered the question that they did ask which was, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? That is what they wanted to know. They didn't care about Jesus' sufferings or coming death. That just went right over their heads as if He had never even mentioned it. So, Jesus, the ever loving and gentle teacher speaks to them about this topic which they were open to and ready to listen. Notice how He did it: "It was not enough for the disciples of Jesus to be instructed as to the nature of His kingdom. What they needed was a change of heart that would bring them into harmony with its principles." DA 437 Now, we just read a minute ago about the principles of God's government or kingdom...that God never uses force. And now we see this in the very life of Jesus that He did not force information upon the disciples or anyone before they were ready. Nor did He ever compel or destroy in all of His earthly ministry, acting in complete and perfect harmony with His heavenly father. This is His divine character.

Now, let us fast forward for a moment to the Garden of Gethsamane. Here we see the result of the disciples' stubborn pride and ambition which blinded them to what was about to happen to their beloved Master. While Peter, James and John were sleeping Jesus was sweating blood. But did he get angry at them and scream and yell and call them names. No, because that is not His loving nature or divine character to get angry at people and punish them with angry and scornful words. I think the Living Bible has captured the essences of that moment: Listen: "Then He came to the disciples and said, 'Sleep on now and take your rest...but no! The time has come! I am betrayed into the hands of evil men! Up! Let's be going! Look! Here comes the man who is betraying me!" Matt. 26:45. The next verse describes the mob coming to arrest Jesus with Judas leading them. In John 18:4 we read that Jesus steps forward and asks them who they are seeking. When they told Him they were looking for "Jesus of Nazareth," Jesus answered, "I am He." Now, do you see what He was doing? He took the heat/pressure off of Judas so he did not have to betray Him with a kiss, once again shielding, protecting even His betrayer, taking the heat...accepting responsibility and blame for all that happens and never interfering with man's free will. The disciples were sleeping, like the Virgins today, Matt. 25.

So, when they awoke Jesus did not chastize them but simply said, ok, you failed that test but now it's time to go on to the next one. No criticizing, no punishment because when they see Jesus dying on the cross all alone their hearts will be broken. And after the resurrection they again will feel tremendous guilt for their pride and stubbornness. This will be their chastisement and punishment which Jesus was trying His best to help them avoid. But they had made their choice so now it is time to go on to the next situation, the next scene but He was still protecting them, still shielding them from harm and danger. Notice how He did this in the Garden after the mob fell back and then stood up again. "Then asked he them again, 'Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, 'I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, 'Of them which thou gavest Me have I lost none.'" John 18:8, 9. So, once again, we see Jesus taking the heat, accepting the responsibility and blame to protect His disciples. And He is still doing the same for us today.

Now, let us return to the house in Capernaum with Jesus and His disciples. "The Saviour gathered His disciples about Him, and said to them, 'If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.' There was in these words a solemnity and impressiveness which the disciples were far from comprehending. That which Christ discerned they could not see. They did not understand the nature of Christ's kingdom, and this ignorance was the apparent cause of their contention. But the real cause lay deeper. By explaining the nature of the kingdom, Christ might for the time have quelled their strife; but this would not have touched the underlying cause. Even after they had received the fullest knowledge, any question of precedence might have renewed the trouble. Thus disaster would have been brought to the church after Christ's departure. The strife for the highest place was the outworking of that same spirit which was the beginning of the great controversy in the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from heaven to die. There rose up before Him (Jesus) a vision of Lucifer, the 'son of the morning,' in glory surpassing all the angels that surround the throne, and united in closest ties to the Son of God. Lucifer had said, 'I will be like the Most High' (Isa. 14:12, 14); and the desire for self-exaltation had brought strife into the heavenly courts, and had banished a multitude of the hosts of God. Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never have DESERTED his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most High is manifested in unselfish ministry. Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same." DA 435, 436. I underlined the word "deserted" above to emphasize that Jesus did not kick Satan out of heaven. He left of his own volition, his own free well. Jude 9; Rev. 12:4.

Paul wrote about this aspect of God's divine character. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee feel on Me." Rom. 15:1-3.

"Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed...the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isa. 53:7, 8. Now, we are ready to understand a more difficult passage that contains the same elements but the words seem to say God is hurting and killing with His anger, but we will find out that is not what it means at all.

Let us go to Isaiah 63. "Who is this that cometh (is coming) from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This that (who) is glorious in His (Jesus) apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save."

Here the prophet sees Christ all dressed up in garments that look like he has been treading in the wine press because they are red. The word "wine" is an important clue as it tells us He is talking about the final part of the harvest, (grapes) which is the time when the gospel goes to the non-Jews or heathen. Now, notice that in verse 6 He takes the blame again saying that He is going to "tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury." This is just one more sample of how it sounds like God is destroying people when His patience runs out and He lets His wrath go and kills them all. But that is not what it means at all. Psalm 78:49 teaches us that God's wrath is when He lets go and allows evil angels to destroy. "He cast upon them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them." Another version says: "He showed them his hot anger. He sent His strong anger against them, His destroying angels." Now, when we put with that Rom. 1:18-26 regarding the "Wrath of God" and what Paul says that it is, we find that God is not striking down the wicked or lashing out against the sinners but He is simply taking His hands off and letting the sinner do his own thing and go the way he wants to go even though it leads to suffering and death. For example, when a person chooses to drink and/or smoke, God will not send an angel down to knock the cigarette or marijuana joint out of his mouth or the beer can out of his hand. No, the Lord at that point allows the inevitable consequence of this man or woman to take place. You do not break the laws of nature. They break you. I tell a hypothetical story to illustrate this principle.

Let's say a man gets angry at the law of gravity. Perhaps he has just tripped and fallen down on the ground while walking down the street and hurt his hands, arms and hips. So, in his frustration and anger he cries out, I hate that old law of gravity. I am going to break it and get rid of it once and for all. So, in his foolish and frustrated state of mind he climbs up to the tenth floor of a tenement building and jumps off. But does he break the law of gravity when he lands? Oh, no. Not at all. Instead he breaks his neck and dies. Now, these are physical laws of nature that God has created or put in place for a specific reason. But the same is true of the Moral law which we call the Ten Commandments. When a person takes God's Name in vain or bears false witness, lies, cheats, steals and commits murder, once again those laws are going to be reacting against him just the same as the Law of Gravity made that foolish man pay with his life. The process may take longer but the outcome will eventually be the same due to worry, fear, guilt, shame and remorse which lead to various physical maladies such as ulcers, severe indigestion, sleeplessness and a weakening of the general constitution and immune system which open the door to serious illness, disease and death.

Yet, here again God takes the blame. Listen: "Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee." Psalm 5:10. Read through Deuteronomy 28 about the "Blessings and the Cursings" that God predicted through Moses would come upon the children of Israel when they obeyed or disobeyed. Verse 20 even makes God directly responsible. "The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed and perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken Me." KJV. Here is a modern rendering: "The Lord will send you curses, confusion, and punishment in everything you do. You will be destroyed and suddenly ruined because you did wrong when you left him. The Lord will give you terrible disease and destroy you from the land you are going to take. The Lord will punish you with disease, fever, swelling, heat, lack of rain, plant diseases, and mildew until you die." Deut. 28:20-24. New Century Version. Now, why was Moses led to write all of this? Because those Israelites were still just a bunch of slaves who had just come out of hundreds of years of Egyptian bondage only forty years previously. So, God had to speak to them like children. "No, no. Don't touch or Momma spank."

In 1977 the Gen. Conf. of SDA published the only book (besides EGW) they ever published which explained what God's wrath is and hinting strongly that "God Does Not Destroy." Here is a quote from that book: "God's wrath, as Paul seems to describe it, is His turning away in loving disappointment from those who do not want Him anyway, thus leaving them to the inevitable consequences of their own rebellious choice. Surely no more awful sentence could be pronounced upon a sinner than for God to say, 'Leave him alone.'" Page 84. "CAN GOD BE TRUSTED?" by A. Graham Maxwell. And on page 89 we read: "Even as the wicked die, God will not be angry with His unsavable children. As He watches them perish, we shall hear His cry, 'How can I give you up! How can I let you go!" Although the author was barely up to level one of the Character of God message, he does a good job on that level. For the really good news of the gospel on level four, Universal Reconciliation, read Charles Pridgeon's book, "Is Hell Eternal or Will God's Plan Fail?"

Now, let's go back to Isa. 63. As we begin verse 7 the tone seems to have changed from "anger" and "fury" to God's love, as if He has a split personality. Notice: "I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has bestowed on them according to the multitude of His loving kindnesses. For He said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so He was their Saviour. In all their affliction He was affliction, and the angel of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old." The original Hebrew word includes "Mercy, pity, beauty, favor, loving, kindness and goodness," similar to what was revealed to Moses in Exodus 34 when he asked God to reveal His "Glory," and the Lord "Proclaimed the NAME of the Lord," to Moses, listing many attributes of His character, most of which are named above. This is very important to understand because some believe God's Name is only a certain pronunciation or spelling of the Hebrew word Jehovah (Yahweh) or Yashua. Although those are two spellings of the Lord's name in the Old Testament these alone do not tell us who He really is or His character. For example, we have learned that El Shaddai is one of the names of God, which is actually "The Almighty Breasted One" which is a female deity, actually the Holy Spirit or Mother God of Israel. None of the "Sacred Name" groups I have heard of have ever acknowledged this truth about the female aspect of the Godhead.

Besides this, Jehovah has many names attached to it for the purpose of describing specific functions the Godhead performed for Israel and the world, so they would know that Jehovah (Yahweh) was all sufficient. Here are some others I have discovered which can be attached to the name of Jehovah.

1. Jehovah-Jireh-I will provide and see to it or take care of it.
2. Jehovah-Ropheka-that heals you.
3. Jehovah-Nissi-My Banner.
4. Jehovah-Medaddishken-the one who sanctifies you.
5. Jehovah-Shalom-sender of Peace.
6. Jehovah Zebaoth-Lord of Hosts.
7. Jehovah-Zidkenu-Lord our Righteousness.
8. Jehovah-Shammah-The Lord who is there.
9. Jehovah-Elyon-Lord Most High.
10. Jehovah-Roe-The Lord is my Shepherd.

So, just the titles Lord and God alone will not help a person really know which God is speaking, causing or acting because Lord and God are only titles like President and Director are titles of offices filled by people. Likewise, Jehovah, Yahweh and Yashua do not tell us who God really is for every person I ever met who believed in using these names believes that Yahweh and Yashua destroy and kill. So, obviously, saying, pronouncing or writing these names do not help you to know God's true character. So, how can we know the true God or Lord from the false when we read the English Bible or any language for that matter? The answer is simplicity itself for we have a perfect touchstone or benchmark, as it were. His name is the Name that the Father has given which is above every Name. Acts 4:12. JESUS, which simply means "Saviour." Therefore, when you read in the Old Testament especially, about a God who is commanding Moses, Joshua, King Saul or any of the kings who followed to take up the sword and lead an army to go forth to slaughter and kill the enemy, as in I Sam. 15, you know that voice is not the true God speaking but the false God Satan. Jesus identified him as a liar and murderer in John 8:44 and John 10:10.

Let us now look at Isa. 63:10 which tells us that when Israel rebelled against the Lord "and vexed His Holy Spirit...He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them." Here is another clear example of How God takes the blame. We know that Rom.8:31 tells us, "If God be for us, who can be against us." So, the Lord is never against His creatures but always for them. And that is what we already read about our Heavenly Father...that He is filled with love and goodness and is never against any of His creatures but is constantly watching over them. "You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing." Psalm 145:16; Ps. 103:5. "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." Psalm 107:8, 9.

But why does Isa. 63:10 say that God "became their enemy and He fought against them."? The reason is that no matter what happens the Lord always remains sovereign and in control saying that He is doing everything. We see this in texts like Isaiah 45:7. "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." I should point out here that the Hebrew word for evil is "Ra," is defined in Strong's Concordance as adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, distress, grief, harm, hurt, etc. i.e. all the bad stuff that happened to Job. The Creator here is once again announcing to the world that everything that happens, good or bad, is His doing. Whatever He permits, He claims to be doing personally. Now, in spite of this we are instructed to "Praise God for all things." I Thess. 5:18; Eph. 5:20, because ultimately the Creator has promised to bring good out of bad as He did in the case of Job. We are told that "Our little world is the lesson-book of the universe." DA 19. So, every day we are in class, learning new lessons. And this is the whole point of our existence, the reason each of us were born. Nothing happens by accident. The great designer has a plan that He is working out step by step, day by day, hour by hour, even second by second. Even the evil machinations of men are dove-tailed into the equation so that "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." Psalm 76:10. Now, listen to this one from the LB regarding man's efforts to thwart or stop God's plans and purposes. "The earth trembles and stands silently before you. You stand up (Dan. 12:1) to punish the evil-doers and to defend the meek of the earth. Man's futile wrath will bring you glory. You will use it as an ornament." Psalm 76:10.

Let's just think about that last scripture and how it applies to the Christian religion. Everything Satan and man has tried to do against God and His people have only redounded to His glory. For example the name Christian was originally used as a slander and slur against the early church but today we are proud to be called Christians. It is an honor. Even the cross of Jesus is now worn around the necks of many sincere Christian people as an ornament of His victory and power over sin, death and the grave. I don't wear one myself but my point is that what was once a symbol of death is now a symbol of victory. Paul was right when he declared, "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." 2 Cor. 13:8. Isn't it amazing that it took a cripple in a wheel chair during some of our darkest hours during World War 2 to tell us that we have "NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF." My father used to quote that to me all the time as I was growing up. Jesus taught His disciples to not worry about the material things of this world but to put the kingdom of God first in their lives because when we "seek the kingdom of God;...all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:31, 32.

Remember on the cross Jesus asked the Father to forgive everyone on the basis that they didn't even know what they were doing. When Rehoboam was going to go to war against Jeroboam the Lord sent a man of God named Shemaiah with a message for Rehoboam. "Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from Me." I Kings 12:24. Now, we all know that God did not cause this bitter enmity between the tribes but here He is taking the blame, claiming to be the One who caused the whole thing. Amazing.

Another example which clearly reveals this same principle is found in the life of Joseph and his brothers when they came before him to buy grain in Egypt where Joseph was prime minister. Of course, they did not know who he was because they had not seen him for 22 years when they sold him into slavery for 20 pieces of silver (he was only 17 years old). Usher's chronology gives 1729 BC as the date when Joseph was sold into Egypt and 1707 BC as the date when these ten brothers came before Joseph to buy corn. Joseph immediately recognized them and began putting them through a test which resulted in them having to bring Benjamin down with them on their next trip. We all know the story of how Benjamin was accused of stealing Joseph's cup for the purpose of the final test to see if the characters of the brothers had changed or not. Joseph wanted to know if these brothers would abandon Benjamin in his hour of need or not. This is when Judah stepped forward and was willing to take the blame and in the process became a type of Christ. "For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father; saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever." Gen. 44:32; 43:9. May the Lord bless you as you continue to study into this important topic.