opus alienum

I get the Theological Word of the Day every day on my home page. Today it is opus alienum  (Latin, ‘the work [of God,] alien’ or ‘the work of another’)

This means the works of God that seem to go against his proper character, but which are nevertheless an act of his decree as he uses secondary means.

We see the opus alienum when God works through sin to accomplish his will.

1 Kings 22:20-23 is a prime example of this. And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ There were many suggestions, 21 and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’ ‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked. “And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ ‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’ So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom..

God is not the instrumental cause of the sin, but uses it to accomplish his will.

I also think that this story comes close to an allegory told by the prophet Micaiah  to King Ahab of Israel.

You also see the opus alienum in Exodus 9:21 And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.”

Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart to make him do something wrong, or did he allow Pharaoh’s heart to be hardened, so that Pharaoh would do what he needed. Why not just soften Pharaoh’s heart? Why not do it some other way?

The same thing in Genesis 22:1-2 where it says, Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

God has always made it clear that he hates human sacrifice. Now why command Abraham to do it? It made sense in that it showed Abraham and u an example of faith in the midst of doubt, but at the same time it was an opus alienum big time.

As Deuteronomy 29:29 says, the Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.

In  other words, you are accountable for the stuff you understand, not the stuff you do not.

I do not understand them, but I recognize the fact that God is God and that is that.