Purpose & Counsel of God, The

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J. N. Darby said, “Purpose is the intention of His will, and counsel is the wisdom He takes in carrying it out” (The Christian Friend, vol. 9 [1882], p. 215). W. Scott said that purpose “refers to the blessed fact that God in Himself, in the exercise of His own divine and sovereign will, has devised a system of government and glory to be displayed in coming ages.” He also said that “counsel is a term that intimates the way, the means, and the method of carrying out that purpose” (Doctrinal Summaries, p. 46; Truth For the Last Days, vol. 2, p. 166). G. Davison said, “The term ‘eternal counsel’ is not once mentioned in Scripture, but ‘eternal purpose’ is [Eph. 3:1111According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)]....Purpose necessitated counsel, and from this spring the ways of God. I have not yet found a Scripture connecting purpose with the ways of God, but we have at least two connecting His ways with His counsel [Acts 2:2323Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23); Eph. 1:1111In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11)]....Purpose is the objective which God has before Him; divine Persons took counsel as to how it was to be secured; and the ways of God are bringing it all into effect” (Precious Things, vol. 4, p. 212).