John 13:18, 21 NLT
[18]“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’…
[21] Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”

This scene plays out in fulfillment of God’s purposes decreed from before time and prophesied centuries before the event.

John 17:12 NLT
[12] “During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.”

Paul encouraged Timothy to stay away from sin, implying that he, Timothy, was a vessel created for godly purposes.

2 Timothy 2:20, 21 NLT
[20] “In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.”
[21] “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

It seems, then, that God has created some people to reflect His glory by holy lives and others to reveal His glory by His power in judgment of their ungodliness.

Romans 9:14-18 NLT
[14] Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! [15] For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” [16] So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. [17] For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” [18] So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.

Romans 9:19-21 NLT
[19] “Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” [20] No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” [21] When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”

Another huge subject…the sovereignty of God!

We attempt to understand God’s sovereignty against the backdrop of human reason and logic. We make no sense of God’s ways and accuse Him of being unfair. How can He save some from, and judge others for being who He created them to be?

From our viewpoint, we consider such actions unjust. Should God not treat all people alike?

Is it right that God should deliberately create people for judgment? What about Pharaoh? What about Judas Iscariot? How does human choice and accountability connect with God’s purposes?

At this point, our perspective and God’s perfect wisdom part company.

We have great difficulty understanding how God works and why He works the way He does, since His ways and thoughts are far above our own. However, the Apostle Paul elevates our understanding above our perception of justice and fairness to the nature of God.

God is under no obligation to show mercy to anyone. Paul has argued and concluded that the entire human race is guilty of rebellion and the objects of God’s wrath. He created people for a purpose, to be His human family, but we have all been born rebels, having inherited Adam’s nature. All are under His judgment.

God is, therefore, just in condemning all people to eternal destruction. However, God’s mercy desires to redeem those whom He has chosen to fulfill His purpose. He has not abandoned His original plan for a human family created in His image.

Jesus was the Father’s plan to redeem people from the ravages of sin. He “put all His eggs in one basket” by entrusting to Jesus the role of perfect Son and perfect sacrifice.

As a reward for His obedience, the Father gave to the Son a family of redeemed people.

Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT
[10] “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. [11] When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. [12] I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.”

Jesus insisted that the Father had given Him many people, that all that the Father had given to Him would come to Him, and that He would save and protect them from judgment.

John 6:37-40 NLT
[37]”However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. [38] For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. [39] And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. [40] For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 17:11-12 NLT
[11]”Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. [12] During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.”

We are to recognise, then, that God, in His sovereign choices, is not about justice or fairness but about mercy and purpose. His justice is vindicated by judgment and His purposes fulfilled through His mercy.

He is not obliged to do anything about the sinful human race because we brought His judgment in ourselves by confirming Adam’s rebellion. However, because He is who He is, He chose to show mercy to some, and justice to others, revealing through His mercy to godly and ungodly alike that He is God. No one has the right or reason to complain.

Most of all, God’s glory, revealed through His words and actions, gives all humanity every reason to trust Him, though the majority do not. He is completely vindicated in all He says and does.

Romans 3:25-26 NIV
[25] “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— [26] he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

So, Jesus is God’s answer to all our foolish and futile accusations. Like His response to Job, God is not obligated to answer us, but He does…. Jesus!

Colossians 2:1-3 NLT
[1] I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.
[2] “I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. [3] In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

God wants us to see His glory so that we worship Him alone, so that we have no other gods because He alone can be to us all we need. He made us. We belong to Him. He is jealous for our love and loyalty. Only in Him can we ever be complete.

So, God reveals to us what we can only ever know through His plan of redemption, that attribute that is heaviest, most important if all, His chesed, His many-faceted, covenant love, His mercy.