“For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27, NKJV). I call this lesson “The Purposes of the Lord Shall Stand.”

We’re going to talk about the will of God, but I don’t want to use that phrase. We’re going to use different words to talk about it because it can mean different things in the Bible. On the one hand, we have God’s heart, His unchanging character. We’ll call these things God’s desires. God’s desire is for all men to be saved, that none should perish but all come to repentance. His heart doesn’t change. His heart for us will never change. His love toward us is steadfast and unchanging. Then we have His purposes. This is what He has decided and spoken. These determinations can be changed.

Let’s go back to our verse. “For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?” No one gets to override God’s plan. There is no greater authority or power that has any ability to stop God’s purposes from being carried out. He speaks and it stands firm. God brings the counsel of nations and the plans of men to nothing. They can’t out-plot nor maneuver Him. The people try to seize Jesus, but no one can touch Him. Why? It had been decreed. It was not yet His time.

Who’s powerful enough to change God’s plans? He is! God says to Moses, “I’m going to wipe them all out and start over with you.” Moses prays. God changes His mind. God says, “If you disobey, I will bring these curses on you.” They disobey. He says, “I will bring these curses on you.” But if they turn back, God will change His mind and relent because His heart is unchanging in His steadfast love toward us.