It is true that you planned to do something bad to me. But really, God was planning good things. God’s plan was to use me to save the lives of many people. And that is what happened!
Proverbs 19:21 - Easy To Read Version People get a lot of ideas, but only the Lord’s plan will happen. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 There are many devices in a man's heart; Nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand. [Job 23:13; Ps. 33:10, 11; Isa. 14:26, 27; 46:10; Acts 5:39; Heb. 6:17.] American Standard Version (1901) There are many devices in a man’s heart; But the counsel of Jehovah, that shall stand. Common English Bible Many plans are in a person’s mind, but the LORD’s purpose will succeed. Catholic Public Domain Version There are many intentions in the heart of a man. But the will of the Lord shall stand firm. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version There are many thoughts in the heart of a man: but the will of the Lord shall stand firm. |
It is true that you planned to do something bad to me. But really, God was planning good things. God’s plan was to use me to save the lives of many people. And that is what happened!
Absalom and all the Israelites said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.” {They said this} because it was the Lord’s plan. The Lord had planned to make Ahithophel’s good advice useless. That is how the Lord would punish Absalom.
Haman did those things, but Esther went to talk to the king. So he sent out new commands. These commands not only ruined Haman’s plans, but these commands caused those bad things to happen to Haman and his family! So Haman and his sons were hung on the posts.
“But God never changes.\par No person can stand against God.\par God does anything he wants.\par
Why? Because those people planned\par bad things against you, Lord.\par They planned to do bad things,\par but they didn’t succeed.\par
The enemies are saying,\par “Come, let us destroy them completely.\par Then no person will ever again\par remember the name ‘Israel’.”\par
The Lord is happy with a good person. But the Lord judges an evil person to be guilty.
People make their plans. But it is the Lord who makes those things happen.
A person can make plans about the things that he wants to do. But it is the Lord who decides what will happen.
Everyone wants a true and loyal friend—it is better to be poor than a person that can’t be trusted.
\{Farmers dig small ditches to water their fields. They change where the water goes by closing different ditches.\} The Lord controls a king’s mind just like that. The Lord can lead the king wherever he wants him to go.
There is no person who is wise enough to make a plan that can succeed if the Lord is against it.
“There is one other thing I have learned: God made people good. But people found many ways to be bad.”
The Lord All-Powerful has made a promise. The Lord said, “I promise, these things will happen exactly like I thought. These things will happen exactly the way I planned.
“In the beginning, I told you about the things that will happen in the end. A long time ago, I told you things that had not yet happened. When I plan something—that thing happens. I do the things I want to do.
I will give you people proof’—this is the message of the Lord—‘that I will punish you here in Egypt. Then you will know for sure that my promises to hurt you will really happen.
You keep saying you want to be like the other nations. You live like the people in other nations. You serve pieces of wood and stone (idols)!’”
People on earth are not truly important.\par God does what he wants\par with the powers of heaven\par and the people on earth.\par No one can stop his powerful hand!\par No one can question the things he does!\par
In Christ we were chosen \{to be God’s people\}. God had already planned for us to be his people, because that is what God wanted. And God is the One who makes everything agree with what he decides and wants.