Why doesn't God just destroy us all? Genesis 4-7

Why doesn't God just destroy us all?  In Noah's day it is said in Genesis 6 that God saw the evilness on the earth and was "sorry" He never made man. So, why not just destroy them and start over?   God put together a plan for Noah to build an ark and bring the animals two-by-two into the ark to save them.  Why not just destroy them and start all over again?  It is not like God can't create.    Why save Noah? Today the world must be, at least, as corrupt as in Noah's day.  Why not destroy it all and start afresh?   One verse answers all these questions as to why God designed the ark and rescued Noah and his family:

Genesis 6:8

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah found "favor."  The word is actually the Hebrew word for "grace."   Noah found grace in the eyes of The Lord.   The reason God didn't just destroy the entire earth and start over was to show the marvelous depths of His loving grace.   The reason God doesn't destroy our world today is the marvelous grace He is wishing to bestow on us.   He sent His son (a type of ark) to rescue us from the impending doom of this earth.  All who "enter" Jesus will partake of God's grace.   Just as the animals and Noah and his family "entered" the ark, so too, we, "come into" Christ to receive grace from the fiery doom set to destroy this earth .... this time for good.   God is going to "just destroy it all" but not until He offers grace to mankind.   God didn't destroy the entire earth in Noah's day because Noah found God's grace.  God is a gracious God no matter how evil we as men can be.   Why doesn't God just destroy us all?  Because He is a gracious God.   

Why is there evil in the world? Romans 1-2

Why is there evil in the world?   

According to Paul's writing in Romans chapter one we see that man has rejected God and has decided to go "his own way."   As a result, what is God to do?  If God "makes" man believe in Him and "forces" man to do "His will" man will complain he had no choice but to follow ... free will having been taken away.   But, if God allows man to what man wants to do what would happen?   That is the dilemma we face.   Since Adam and Eve at free will to do what they wanted (as our representatives) we have to suffer the consequences since they, in our stead, refused to obey God.   They (representing us) were able to do as they wanted.   As a result, God MUST back away and allow man to have his or her own way.  Note the results:

 Romans 1:28-31

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;

Note the evil that man brings upon himself/herself as a result of being able to live the life they "choose."   We can't blame God for the evil in the world when we begin by rejecting God and His truth.   There is evil in the world because man has opted out of God's grace and wants to live his/her own life.   Don't complain if God allows us to be free .... just realize freedom comes at a great price: Evilness in the World.  In fact, look what man tries to do when evil rears its ugly head: Establish new laws.   Even man wants to corral man by law.   Yet, they reject God's laws because they want freedom.  

What does God do while we are pondering a decision? Matthew 1-2

Matthew 1:20

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “ Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

What does God do while we are "weighing" out our options?   We all have many. many decisions we have to make.  Some people make rash decisions and spend very little time thinking about them.   Others, ponder for quite awhile, weighing all their options; gathering multiple pieces of data.   But, why we do all this "pondering" what is God doing?  In the above passage we see Joseph "pondering" what to do about Mary and the unexpected, only later to be learned, Godly pregnancy?    As Joseph weighs his options God sends a messenger, in this case, an angel, to assist him in his decision making.   It is great to know that why we "ponder" life's choices and decisions, God is active in communicating with us.   In today's age, I personally believe God uses His Word, or, HIs Word delivered by others around us to speak to us.  He loves to interact with us and speak to us.   He sends His Spirit to commune with us.   We only have to wait for the answer ... grrrrrr!!!   That is the tuff part: Waiting for His answer.   God still uses angels, though, perhaps not like Joseph experienced it (Hebrews 13).  We need to be careful to listen to what God has to say to us ... in any manner.   If Joseph refuses to listen to God by faith we have a different story.   We see that his willingness to listen to God's voice, via an angel, this time, makes God's plan happen.   God is speaking to us to accomplish His purpose and plan.   While we "weigh" our options in life, God is working and communicating to us.

What does God feel and do when we rebel? Isaiah 1-6

Isaiah 1:2

Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;

For the Lord speaks,

“ Sons I have reared and brought up,

But they have revolted against Me.

Have you ever had a child act rebellious to you?   Have you wondered what it is like for God when we disobey Him?   Simply compare the answers to these two questions.   God had chosen Abraham among all the people of the earth to make a great nation out of them ... Israel.   They (the Israelites) didn't have any choice in the manner (Romans 9-11).   Abraham was not chosen because he was so special, but because God wanted Him!!   God gave him and the nation everything.  They were His chosen children.  He adopted them.  He gave them His name; His blessing; His law; His covenants; His promises (Romans 9:1-8).   They were the apple of His eye.   Yet, they rebelled against Him.   They turned their back on Him.  That is what Isaiah is all about.   It is about a God whose children turned their back in rebellion and God disciplines them.   God brings His wrath around them and on them.    And, then, more toward the end of the book then the beginning, He tells of His grace.  He tells of a remnant that will receive grace and be rich with His salvation.   If you ever wondered what it is like for God when we rebel, think of what happens when God gives us everything and we turn out back on Him, like the nation of Israel.   You have probably thought, at times, that here is your son or daughter and you gave them life, food, clothing, housing, support, care, material possessions and then they rebel and revolt.   You hurt is unmearsurable.   Yet, that is how our walking contrary to God would feel toward Him.  Still, He is willing to forgive.    

Perhaps a second lesson here is that God has provided everything the nation needs in the perfect motive and manner and yet they still revolt.   When you and I give to our kids we can have wrong motives.  We can have improper "parenting" manners.    They might have a good reason to rebel from our failed fathering/mothering.   But, God was the perfect Father ... yet, His children still rebelled.  Rebellion is in the heart man.  Despite the perfect Parent they walked away, revolting.   God, the Father, didn't stop them, but He did discipline them.   God will react when we walk contrary to His will.   If you wonder what God feels or does when we walk away from him, think of your own children.  They might walk away from the perfect parenting (which we are not).  Like God, we should discipline in love and be ready to bring them back at a moment notice.   

How does God work with believers in light of Satan's plans for the world? Job 1-2

Job 1:12

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

How does God work with believers in light of Satan's plans for the world?  In Job we see Satan wanting to attack Job for the purpose of proving to God that Job did not serve God out of love but out of "blessings."   Satan's argument to God was, in essence, "God has blessed Job and therefore Job is loyal ... remove the blessings and Job will curse God."    As the story unfolds we see God allowing Satan to take away the blessings; which will allow Satan to prove his point.   The subject of this section, however, is "how does God work His purposes and allow evil and Satan to have their moment?   In the subsequent verses we see that God allowed Satan to afflict Job's family and possessions by using a two corrupt groups (the Chaledens and the Sabeans); a fierce and destructive wind; and lighting from heaven.   Once the world fell into sin through Adam and Eve's disobedience the world became a death trap.  God allowed the "forces of evil" to "do their thing" and that inflicted pain and suffering on Job.  God, at times, removes His protection and allows evil to run it's course.   We know that God hates evil (Proverbs 15:26).   But, He will allow evil to do what evil does, to accomplish His purposes.   God wanted to show Satan that Job was loyal and loved God ... and, when we finish the story we will see that is what happens.   But, God can, and does, accomplish His purpose by allowing evil to do what it does when it is in the power of Satan's hands.   God just allows Satan to only have so much in his hands.   

Is it alright to hang with the world? Psalm 1-2

Psalms 1:1

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

As the Psalms begin God lays the first verse in the first Psalms somewhat as a theme for the rest of the book.  The entire first Psalm outlines God's message in the book: Follow God and receive blessings, in time; Don't follow God and receive wrath, in time.   The first verse Psalms up where we need to be in regard to faith.  We are to practice faith in God and avoid companionship with the world and the world's system.   This is a theme throughout all of Scripture.  The nation of Israel failed to here this warning.   The main reason they lost the promise land and suffered God's loving hand of chastisement was because of their failure to avoid the counsel of the wicked, the path of the sinners and the seat of the scoffers.  Note what God says to the nation through the prophet Isaiah: 

Isaiah 2:6

For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob,

Because they are filled with influences from the east,

And they are soothsayers like the Philistines,

And they strike bargains with the children of foreigners.

Make no mistake, if you believe in God and follow Him you will have to live separate from the world.   When we get close to the world's counsel, path or seat we fall into the world's philosophy and habits.  God knows us ... He made us.   He knows we can easily be lead astray.  He knows that we are easily influenced.   We are blessed when we stay clear of the world's teaching and thought.   

Does God work with each generation the same? Joshua 1-5

Joshua 1:5

No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

Does God work with each generation the same?   There is much debate about how God works in the lives of believers in each generation.   Much can be written on the subject.   Personally, I believe although it is the same God, He has chosen different methods and different purposes for different periods in history.   But, the above statement from God gives us one constant throughout all of history:  The same God that was with Moses would be with Joshua, to complete His task.   The same God that was with Joshua will be with us today to complete the tasks and mission He has given us, via the church.  We might differ on the tasks and the extent of the tools He provides each generation, but we should never question the character of God is the same.   Joshua must have taken great solace in this statement from God.  He had seen the miracles while in Egypt, as just a lad.  He must have been amazed at the destruction of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea .... imagine his young mind growing in faith!   He was selected by his tribe to spy out the promise land and saw the great things he was now ask to lead the nation to obtained.   Joshua would be strengthened knowing that, "just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you."   We should take the same thought to heart.   God is with us.  The same God that was with Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Daniel and all the other great men and women of faith, is with us.   We pray to the same God and it is the same God who gives us His love, protection and provision.   Question "how" God may work with us today as compared to the past, if you must.  But, don't ever question that God does work with us today and has the same power, protection, provision and care as in the past.