A study of “Purpose” scriptures
The Hebrew word for purpose is עֵצָה ‘etsah which means counsel, advice, purpose. The Hebrew word picture for purpose is: To know the need and make it known.
What we know about the Purposes of God
1. God is firm in his purpose.
Job 36:5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.”
2. God’s purposes cannot be thwarted.
Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
3. God can thwart the purposes of people when they don’t line up with God’s.
Psalm 33:10 “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.”
4. God’s purposes stand firm forever.
Psalm 33:11 “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
5. God’s purposes prevail.
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
6. What God says, God will do.
Isaiah 46:11 “From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.”
7. God’s word will not return void, but accomplishes God’s purpose.
Isaiah 55:11 “. . .so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
8. God can raise us unlikely people to fulfill God’s purpose.
Romans 9:17 “For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
9. God’s purpose was to save us.
2 Timothy 1:9 “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. . . “
What We Know About Our Purpose
1. Sometimes we need an insightful person to help us discover our purpose.
Proverbs 20:5 “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”
2. We can reject God’s purpose for ourselves.
Luke 7:30 “But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)”
3. If our purpose is only of human origin it will fail.
Acts 5:38 “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.”
4. After we have fully filled our purpose, we die. So, if you are still alive, God still has purpose for you!
Acts 13:36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.”
5. We have been called according to God’s purpose.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
6. God forms us for God’s use.
Romans 9:21 “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?”
7. The purpose God created us for is needed and will be rewarded.
1 Corinthians 3:8 “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.”
8. God works in us to fulfill God’s purpose through us.
Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
