What is God responsible for?

[Willum]

Many things were done in God's name:
But what is he responsible for?

When the Catholic Nazi Germany attempts a genocide, a man is blamed.
When Hebrews commit genocide on the Canaan, it is his will.

We have plagues, on Catholic countries, for example. The Dark Ages were committed in Yahweh's name. Were they?

Why would Yahweh plunge the civilization of Rome, with health, farming and sanitation, back into the primitive squalor of ancient Jerusalem, if so?

If not, why did he not stop such a terror? It seems to be in His purview.

How does one determine if an act is done in God's will, or men's will?
Does the Bible tell us?

Understanding that free will is a constraint - we can also understand that mob's and large numbers of people lose free will, does this fall into God's purview, then?

In short, how does one know what God is responsible for;
Any group decision?
A decision influenced by prayer?

The position is that presented by Romans 13:

Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. 2 People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. 3 Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. 4 After all, they are God’s servants, and it is their duty to help you.

The position of the OP is: those atrocities committed by governments, God's will, and he is responsible for them.

[Willum]

[Replying to post 279 by 2timothy316]

So, I get non-sequitur quotes.

I guess I asked for it.

The conclusion of the topic is God is responsible for every single thing. That's right outta Psalms.

Not you, not I, not Cortes. Not governments, not Satan.

QED

[postroad]

[Replying to post 280 by 2timothy316]

That sounds plausible to you? God was speaking through the mouth of a foreign invader who followed other Gods. Then he must have also under divine mandate to kill Josiah and turn Judah into a vassal state. From there it became a downward spiral into complete subjugation and exile along with the extinction of David's throne. Are you sure God didn't actually incite Josiah to his death in order to bring about the messiah?

[2timothy316]

[Replying to post 279 by 2timothy316]

So, I get non-sequitur quotes.

I guess I asked for it.

The conclusion of the topic is God is responsible for every single thing. That's right outta Psalms.

Not you, not I, not Cortes. Not governments, not Satan.

QED

He is not responsible for every single thing. He is not responsible if a person or a whole county wants to follow Him or not. He is not responsible if a person doesn't want to hope in Him or not.

The interpretation of Psalms in incorrect.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to post 280 by 2timothy316]

That sounds plausible to you? God was speaking through the mouth of a foreign invader who followed other Gods.

Necho was apparently under the direction of Jehovah. That's what the Bible says, so that what it was. Josiah apparently knew this too. Why else would it mention that he disguised himself? Why hide who he was?

Then he must have also under divine mandate to kill Josiah and turn Judah into a vassal state.

There is no mandate to kill Josiah in the Bible. So the assertion 'he must have' is not necessarily true. It can only be proved that there was no protection for Josiah when he interfered.

From there it became a downward spiral into complete subjugation and exile along with the extinction of David's throne. Are you sure God didn't actually incite Josiah to his death in order to bring about the messiah?

Yes, I am very sure. “It is unthinkable for the true God to act wickedly, for the Almighty to do wrong!�—Job 34:10.

To 'incite Josiah to his death' or anyone would be wicked.

“‘Do I take any pleasure at all in the death of a wicked person?’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Do I not prefer that he turn away from his ways and keep living?’ - Ezekiel 18:23

"Tell them, ‘“As surely as I am alive,� declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that someone wicked changes his way and keeps living. Turn back, turn back from your bad ways, for why should you die, O house of Israel?�’ - Ezekiel 33:11

To incite a person to do wicked things goes against what God would rather people do. Listen and obey. For God to incite a person to disobey would mean God works against Himself. There is no indication in the Bible that Jehovah needed Josiah to disobey for the messiah to come.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 284 by 2timothy316]
But Josiah was standing between Necho and his God given mandate. If that was true then his mandate necessarily includes all actions necessary to complete the mandate. Are you ignorant to what the messiah is. The messiah is the explanation for the failed promise to David regarding an eternal successor on his throne.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to post 284 by 2timothy316]
But Josiah was standing between Necho and his God given mandate. If that was true then his mandate necessarily includes all actions necessary to complete the mandate.

I have no problems with this conclusion. Josiah didn't listen, yes, got in Jehovah's way on purpose and paid for it with his life.

Yet to say that God needed Josiah to disobey is not supported. To say that listening to God's commandments didn't work out well for Josiah is false. Who is responsible for Josiah's death? Josiah is responsible.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 286 by 2timothy316] OK then. It's all or nothing with God. Absolute perfect obedience or you and everybody around you is subject to horrific punishment. Doesn't sound very hopeful.

[2timothy316]

Are you ignorant to what the messiah is. The messiah is the explanation for the failed promise to David regarding an eternal successor on his throne.

No, I am not ignorant. I am well aware of what the messiah is.

Are you ignorant to the fact that God doesn't have to force a men to act wickedly to get His will accomplished? Are you aware of how unscriptural it is to say that He does?

[marco]

Today, there is no national government that I know of that gives control to God.

Try these then:

Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania. ... Saudi Arabia. ... Sudan. ... Yemen


Naturally our idea of God might not be theirs. I don't believe we have the best possible worlds in these countries. Some kill women for improprieties.

We could also add the Vatican State, which is directly governed by Jesus. "On this rock I will build my church" etc.

[postroad]

[Replying to post 288 by 2timothy316]
Didn't Necho have a mandate from God to wage war. It seems God was very eager to kill some folks. So eager in fact that he allowed the most righteous king in history to be killed simply because he couldn't understand how his God could be speaking through a pagan king.

2 Chronicles 35:20-22New International Version (NIV)

The Death of Josiah

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. 21 But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.�

22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

. And yes according to the text it was God who killed Josiah through Necho. Also note that Necho by no means indicates that he will not attack but it is not his plan at the time.