God's 12 Plans
With One Quality of Love
“The Hope of Morning” acrylic by Myra Alibrando
God Loves Amateurs
Things regularly studied can yield previously unnoticed details and patterns, moreso after decades.
Either the Bible means what it says or the Bible only means what theologians tell us what God tried to say but did not.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26
I say the Bible means what it says. The masses in Jesus’ time did not need Pharisees or experts to step in and translate for Jesus. In fact, the masses generally understood Jesus better than the religious experts. Of course, we learn from others but God does not intend someone between us and Him to explain what He is trying to say. Sure we need help: the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sends, will teach us all things and will remind us of everything we need to remember.
God Was Going to Destroy the Whole World
For example:
The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. Genesis 6:6
Clearly, God was going to wipe out the earth. That was real. He did NOT wink at the angels to signal He did not mean what He said.
So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” Genesis 6:7
When a theologian says God didn’t mean what He said, but merely explained things in human terms, I wonder how that theologian is able to see past God’s so-called secrets. I believe the Word means what it says.
The next verse in Genesis says “but Noah found favor in God’s eyes . . . ”
I don’t know the amount of time that passed between God’s decision to destroy the earth and God deciding he would spare only Noah and his family. But, I am confident there is no insincerity with God; He was going to do what He said, which is destroy the entire earth with no survivors. That was His intent, but then God modified it, leaving Noah and his family. If not for Noah, we would not be here.
God Was Going to Wipe Out All the Israelites
In a similar way, God was going to wipe out all the Israelites in the desert who escaped Egypt and start all over with just Moses.
Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” Exodus 32:10
Again, God is not exaggerating, He is sincere. You never read God apologizing for saying something He didn’t mean.
Hearing this pronouncement to destroy the Israelites, Moses reasoned and pleaded with God to change His mind. And guess what the Bible says? God did change His mind thanks to Moses’ interceding. See Exodus 32 in your own Bible, verses 11-13 on Moses plea. Then God responded.
So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people. Exodus 32:14
See that? Prayer can really change things. The future is not some unchangeable fixture but somewhat fluid on how God implements His will as He interacts with us. This is not only Biblical, but exciting.
Review, Meditation, Rereading for Years
I heard this taught around 1973 and have found this repeatedly reinforced throughout scripture.
Through the decades, I have seen some patterns unfold that helped me process different times in God’s thousands of years loving mankind.
The 12 plans below is just an informal overview from what I keep reading in the Bible. I see God struggle again and again to love and redeem mankind.
God Also Has a Free Will
In order to appreciate what I see as 12 different plans of God in the Bible, you need to understand that we are not the only ones with a free will, but God also has a free will. He is free to change His mind, but never in a fickle way. He changes His mind to fulfill His promises. God can see all possibilities of the future but interacts with us. We are fickle. We are sinful. If we say God never changes His mind, we are fighting scripture that says otherwise. Forcing our doctrine onto the Bible becomes very confusing.
When we say God lives in the past, present, and future at the same time, everything in eternity becomes one weird, immovable story and nothing surprises God to whom everything is a repeat. In that scenario, God is locked in forever. That’s simply not Biblical if you read the Bible yourself instead of believing certain theologians.
I hope this helps someone.
12 Big Changes in God’s Provision for Man
More than the old and new convenant, I see some major ways God working with man through time: God’s Plan 1 was a perfect world at risk if man sinned.
Perfect World-no death or disease, pain or suffering
Cursed world. Man wants to be his own god. Sin. Death. Disease. Violence. I believe God hoped mankind would learn from mistakes with lifespans of 900 years. Sadly, they just got darker with the years.
Destroy Mankind and the World. End the World completely by flood (Gen 6:6)
"But Noah" reboot humanity with one family of 8. Shorten life to 300 years and eventually down to under 100. Kind of a term limit on choosing right or wrong.
Abraham/Godly Nation-Evangelize world through a nation of faith revealing God’s wisdom and blessing starting with a man, father of faith - Abraham
The Law-Faith not working, as so many “did what was right in their own eyes” so the Law was added to make things more clear, that choices were life and death and also many symbols of a sacrificed lamb to cover sin
Promised Messiah/Grace/Forgiveness/Propitiation-The Lamb slain for our forgiveness replacing law, symbols and fulfilling faith Abraham started. God having a nation to illuminate the world fails and God does all the work to save all the world by faith in His promises and love. This is now.
FUTURE
Devil’s Authority-For only 3½ years (Rev 13:5-7), allowing Satan to conquer the saints on earth
Jesus Returns-Jesus physically returns and Satan is imprisoned for 1000 years while Jesus politically rules the earth co-reigning with those beheaded for not receiving the mark of the beast. This is the 1st resurrection, not the main resurrection. (Rev 20:4)
Allow Temptation to Destroy Earth’s Corrupt:-After 1000 years, Release Satan to tempt and deceive (Rev 20:7) then Armageddon-Final battle before final judgement (Rev 20:9) Devil & Beast cast into fire forever (Rev 20:10)
God’s Great Day-The Final and eternal Judgement where all the dead are judged by their deeds according to what is written in the books. Anyone whose name is not in the Book of Life, thrown into the lake of fire, the second death. Death itself and Hades are thrown into the fire. (Rev 20:11-15)
More Perfect World than Eden-After Judgement Day, curse removed from earth. Immanuel-God dwells on earth with man. No death or disease. No pain or suffering. Saints are full heirs, a little above the angels forever in unity (Rev 21:4)
See if you see this. How incredibly important God has made us by His patient, flexible, unwavering effort and what He has paid to redeem us.
Some of this may challenge your current beliefs but I encourage you to simply take it up with the Word prayerfully, and with the assumption that God means what He says in the Bible.
Please do not make this a doctrine but rather a mere lens through which you can view thousands of years in the Bible.
Have a great week.