Does God have authority over the heavenly and earthly creations?

God has authority over His creation and has set natural statutes and laws to govern it. He manifests His compassion and wisdom in the ordering of His creation. His purpose is to achieve the ultimate perfect goal. If God grants His rational creatures freedom of the will, He allows them to fulfill even their evil will, and at the same time, He turns their evil to good. This is what happened with Joseph’s brothers who intended evil for their righteous brother, and sold him as a slave. But in due time, he became the second man after Pharaoh and saved the lives of his father Jacob and his brothers who had wronged him. This also is that which the Lord affirmed through the mouth of Isaiah the prophet: “My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure” (Isa. 46:10). People may think that God does not act to resist the injustice that falls upon the righteous. Because He is long-suffering, some think that He does

520 St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Four Discourses Against the Arians 4.5 (NPNF II/4:435) amended.

521 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 6.16 (ANF 2:513). See also 5.14, 6.12.

522 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 6.16 (ANF 2:515).

523 St. Macarius the Great, Fifty Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian , trans., A. J. Mason (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1921) 12.12: p. 95, amended.

not care about the wrongdoings committed by the wicked, yet His will is all-powerful and all-knowing.