Bible Discussion Thread

These verses by David show God's design before birth (verse 5-6) as well as in the future whether in heaven or hell (verse 8). There are some who would read the verses in Jonah and indicate that indeed he was dead under the earth (with his body remaining in the whale but his soul in sheol) in Jonah 2:6. The passages referring to the lowest hell being underneath the mountains also exist in Deut. 32:22.

Whatever the actual case in Jonah; for God's CHOSEN people He is certainly with them and cannot escape His presence. What is different; of course with believers and those NOT written in the Book of Life is that any grace is withdrawn; all are naked in Sheol for the wicked ( Job 26:6). For now; captivity has been taken captive; and there is no compartment anymore for the righteous in hell; for to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." ( 2 Cor. 5:8); see also Eph. 4:8; Psalm 68:18. Verses 15-18 continue to describe God's foreknowledge and unlimited wisdom. Immediately after this; there is an impreccatory section in v. 19-22; followed by David's plea to discipline or chastise Him at the end of the Psalm to remove any wickedness; which He does to prune all of His saints. ( Hebrews 12:6; Rev. 3:19).

In order to have such an attitude of perfect love and perfect HATRED; we need to have His perfect righteousness. Therefore; we learn to love what He loves (which is against the flesh and it's desires); and hate what He hates as the Spirit and His Word reveal to us. It is not sinners themselves but sin in general as well as the god of this world that are our enemies. This will come when Isaiah 24:21 is fulfilled. David had his faults; but He spent much time meditating and praising the Lord and was himself a humble man from the start. When he did sin; he would acknowledge it without resistance when confronted with it. Without Nathan the prophet and God's chastisement with the census who knows how much more debased David could have become