God has a plan for his creation which he will certainly accomplish. It is carried out through the control of circumstances and his choice and use of people, and above all in the life, death, resurrection and second coming of Jesus Christ.
God's purpose will be accomplished
Isaiah 46:10–11 See also Psalm 135:6; Proverbs 16:4; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Isaiah 14:24, Isaiah 14:26–27, Isaiah 25:1, Isaiah 55:11; Ephesians 1:11
I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’ I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it.
God's purpose prevails
It stands for ever
Psalm 33:11 See also Job 42:2; Jeremiah 23:20
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
It cannot be thwarted by human beings
Proverbs 19:21 See also Job 9:12, Job 23:13; Isaiah 8:10; Daniel 4:35
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
It cannot be thwarted by evil powers
Revelation 17:17 See also 1 Samuel 16:14 The implication is that evil is subject to God's control and operates within the determined limits of his sovereign purpose; Job 1:12, Job 2:6; 2 Corinthians 12:7
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
It prevails in people's lives and circumstances
Proverbs 16:9 See also Proverbs 20:24, Proverbs 21:1
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
It is fulfilled through his choice of individuals
Ephesians 1:11 God's choice of individuals does not invalidate their free will to do or not to do anything, nor remove their answerability to God for their actions. See also Genesis 18:19; Romans 11:5; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:4–5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13
In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
Examples of the actions of evil people serving God's purpose
Acts 2:23 See also Genesis 50:20; Isaiah 10:5–7
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
God's purpose is founded on divine wisdom
Ephesians 3:10–11 See also Psalm 104:24; Romans 11:33
His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God's purpose is determined from eternity
2 Timothy 1:9 See also 2 Kings 19:25; Isaiah 25:1, Isaiah 46:10; Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:4; Titus 1:2; 1 Peter 1:20
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
God's purpose is for his own glory
Exodus 9:16 See also Romans 9:17; Ezekiel 36:22–23; Ephesians 1:5–6, Ephesians 1:11–12
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
God's purpose for his people
God reveals his purpose to his people
Amos 3:7 See also Genesis 18:17; 2 Samuel 7:20–21; 1 Corinthians 2:9–10; Ephesians 1:9
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.
Its fulness is beyond human understanding
Romans 11:33 See also Deuteronomy 29:29; 1 Corinthians 2:9–10; Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 3:4–5
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
It is good and loving
Romans 8:28 See also Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 1:4–5; 2 Timothy 1:9
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
God's purpose is revealed through Jesus Christ
In the church
His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It centres on the cross
Isaiah 53:10 See also Acts 4:27–28; 1 Peter 1:19–20; 1 John 4:10
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
It is God's purpose to redeem the world through the cross
Matthew 26:18, Matthew 26:45 parallel Mark 14:41 Jesus Christ often speaks of his appointed “hour”. In John's Gospel in particular his “hour” refers to the cross. Jesus Christ refuses to allow anything except the cross to be the climax of his ministry (John 12:27).; John 7:6–8, John 12:23, John 13:1, John 17:1
It is God's purpose to exalt and establish Jesus Christ as Lord
Ephesians 1:9–10 See also Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:8–11; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 1:2–4
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
Jesus Christ submits to God's purpose
John 6:38 See also Matthew 26:39–42 parallels Mark 14:35–36, Luke 22:42; John 4:34, John 5:30; Hebrews 5:7–8, Hebrews 10:7
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
God's ultimate purpose is to save
The salvation of people through Jesus Christ
John 6:40 See also John 3:16–17; Galatians 1:3–4; 1 Timothy 2:3–4; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 3:9
For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Specific aspects of God's purpose in salvation
2 Corinthians 5:5 knowing heavenly life; Romans 8:29 being conformed to Jesus Christ; Ephesians 1:4 being holy and blameless; Ephesians 2:15 becoming unified; Ephesians 3:10–11 that the wisdom of God be revealed
God wills that people submit to his purposes
James 4:15 See also Psalm 40:8, Psalm 143:10; Matthew 6:10
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
God's people should pray for the fulfilment of his purposes
Matthew 6:9–10 parallel Luke 11:2
So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
People can reject God's purposes in their lives
See also Luke 7:30, Luke 19:41–42; Acts 13:46
Examples of God's purposes being worked out
Genesis 45:5–9 in the life of Joseph; Isaiah 41:2, Isaiah 41:25, Isaiah 45:1, Isaiah 45:13, Isaiah 46:11, Isaiah 48:14; Acts 18:21, Acts 21:14; Romans 1:10, Romans 15:32; 1 Corinthians 4:19
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.