Only God Foretells History

     One of the wonderful abilities of our almighty, sovereign God is foretelling events that He had planned before they happen.

     Isaiah has much to say about this wonder. 

     “For I am God, and there is no other…declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done…” 

Isaiah 46:9b-10

     As God was revealing the future arrival of the Messiah, He stated:

     “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”  Isaiah 42:9

     God stated that history confirmed events He foretold had come to pass.  Therefore, what He was presently telling about the future Messiah could be relied on as absolute truth and fact. 

     Isn’t it wonderful that almighty God is transparent!

     Shortly thereafter God foretold of the rescue of the Jews from Babylonian captivity that would take place in the future.  He had pre-appointed the Persian King Cyrus approximately 150 years before the actual event; many years before Cyrus was even born!

    “…I have even called you by your name…though you have not known Me…”  Isaiah 45:4

     Then God challenges any other to foretell as He has done.

     “Who has declared this from ancient time? …Have not I, the Lord?  And there is no other God besides Me…”  Isaiah 45:21

     As God reminded Israel of His past foretelling, He also tells them to have confidence in what He was about to reveal.

     “Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you…I have made you hear new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them.  They are created now…and before this day you have not heard them…”  Isaiah 48:5-7

     Then God scoffs at idols and those who trust in them.  He tells His people that idols cannot foretell as He can, and does.

     “Let them (idols) bring forth and show us what will happen; let them show the former things…and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come…indeed you are nothing…he who chooses you is an abomination.”  Isaiah 41:22-24

     The Hebrew word for ‘idols’ in the present context is elil which has several synonyms translated, ‘deficient,’ ‘worthless,’ ‘empty,’ and ‘vain.’

     God challenges those who trust in idols to let their idols prove themselves by confirming they had foretold present events and/or be able to foretell future events.  He then states that those who trust in idols are as foolish as the idols themselves.

     And if the Israelites gave credit to idols for their blessings, God reminded them that it was He who chose them and blessed them.

     “…Besides Me there is no God.  And who can proclaim as I do?  Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people.  And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them (Israelites).”  Isaiah 44:6b-7

     God challenged the idols of the Israelites to foretell the future.

     God then extended His challenge to all soothsayers and false prophets to justify themselves.

     “Let all the nations be gathered together… ‘Who among them can declare this, and show us former things?  Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified…’”  Isaiah 43:9

     Specific examples of God’s foretelling are found throughout the Bible.  Such sovereignty applies to individuals as well as nations.

     “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?  And whatever His soul desires, that He does.  For He performs what is appointed for me…”  Job 23:13-14

     Then on the national and international level:

      “The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, ‘Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand: that I will break the Assyrian in My land…’”  Isaiah 14:24-25b

     The Assyrian defeat was indeed accomplished just as foretold.

     Moreover, God’s purpose for Assyria has worldwide implications.

     “This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth…For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?”  Isaiah 14:26-27

     The question remains: is America taking God’s word seriously?

Choose Wisdom Carefully

     Christ is the wisdom of God, and such wisdom is granted to citizens of the kingdom by way of the Holy Spirit.  The world cannot receive such wisdom because reality to the natural man depends on sight and physical contact.

     “…the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you…”  John 14:17

     The Spirit is invisible and dwells within the kingdom citizens.

     As Jesus was preparing to depart to His Father, He assured His disciples that His departure would bring peace to them because the Holy Spirit would continue God’s presence. 

     “…My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you...”  John 14:27

     At first the disciples didn’t understand Jesus’ words as He prepared to return to His Father. 

     “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”  John 16:16

     The disciples didn’t realize that the Holy Spirit was in essence the presence of Jesus.  Therefore, Jesus explained the coming events to them.

     “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.”  John 16:20

     The world would celebrate the departure of Jesus inasmuch as He had caused great division.  They thought they would be rid of Him.  But the disciples would soon rejoice because the Holy Spirit would arrive and take Jesus’ place during the age of the church.

     Jesus then explained to His disciples that He could give them peace that the world couldn’t offer.  The world could only offer trouble.

     “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

     Jesus confirmed that the world had no power over Him, or the Holy Spirit.

     Paul also taught and compared the wisdom of believers to worldly wisdom.

     “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.  But we speak the wisdom of God…ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew…” 1 Corinthians 2:6-8

     Paul scoffed at the vanity of worldly wisdom esteemed by the natural man; however, he warned believers to be on guard against deceit.

     “Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise…For it is written, ‘The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’”

1 Corinthians 3:18-19, 20b

     Natural man’s wisdom cannot please God.  Therefore, citizens of the world do not know God, nor can they be saved with their wisdom.  The only way to know God is to forsake worldly wisdom and take God at His word.

     “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”  1 Corinthians 1:25

     Natural man’s wisdom can be likened to human logic, or reasoning.  The problem for the natural man is that God and His mercy cannot be reasoned.  Faith in the unseen does not fit the definition of man’s logic.  So God established rules for the kingdom that make no sense to the world.

     “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen…”  1 Corinthians 1:27-28

     For example, while suffering for Christ’s sake is a gift of the Holy Spirit, such would be despised by the world.

     The conclusion of the matter?

          “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God …And not only that, but we also glory in tribulation…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:1, 3, 5

The Leader of the World

     In the political arena, there is often compromise between the liberal agenda and the conservative agenda.  Neither side likes to cave, but each feels compromise is necessary to promote their respective ideology in the long run.

     Such strategy is not an option between the world and the kingdom.  The world is under the rule of the devil himself, while the kingdom (manifested by the church) is headed by Christ.

     A person is sold out to one or the other, there is no in between.  And if we think there is bad blood between liberalism and conservatism; that is nothing compared to the hatred the world has for the kingdom.

     Ultimately only one can prevail, and it is absolutely certain who that will be.  The winner was announced by Christ Himself while speaking to Peter.

     “…and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”  Matthew 16:18

     That is one of the major absolutes in the Bible.  Christ is the corner stone and foundation of the church.

     Recall Jesus’ prayer for His disciples before His departure to the Father.

      “…I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”  John 17:15

     The evil one is the devil himself, as the ‘ruler of this world.’

     The devil’s authority has been granted, or given to him, by God to fulfill His plan.  The devil is nothing more than a puppet of the Almighty.  The devil acknowledged that truth.  Remember when the devil tempted Jesus.

     “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world…and the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me…Therefore, if you will worship before me, all will be Yours.’”  Luke 4:5-7

     ‘Delivered’ does in fact mean ‘granted’ in the Greek.

     Such granted authority will prevail through the imminent great tribulation.

     John saw a great ‘beast rising up out of the sea.’  The beast is the anti-Christ who will rule over the final world kingdom.

     “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.  And authority was given him over every tribe (people)…All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life…”  Revelation 13:7-8

     The anti-Christ will be granted/given temporary authority to fulfill God’s plan which was devised ‘from the foundation of the world.’  Note again the division of all mankind, i.e. those written in the Book of Life, and all others.

     Paul spoke of the leader of the world having blinded the minds of those of the world.

     “…whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe…”

2 Corinthians 4:4

     The devil deludes the world to believe they are self sufficient, not needing anything other than their worldly wisdom to profit.

     Paul also taught that the purpose of Christ was to deliver them from the present age and its ruler.

     “…who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father…”  Galatians 1:4

     Likewise John confirmed the purpose of Christ.

     “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”  1 John 3:8

     John also explained the vast difference between the kingdom of God and the god of the world.

     “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”  1 John 5:19

     In God’s perfect timing, immediately after the millennial kingdom, the god of this world will be released from the bottomless pit to make one last attempt to deceive the survivors born during the tribulation, and their seed, during the thousand year kingdom.

     “…And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them (the devil and his army).  The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire…”  Revelation 20:9b-10a

The World vs. the Kingdom

     The apostles, especially John and Paul, elaborated on the magnitude of the differences between those who remained in bondage to the world and those who had been redeemed from the world into the kingdom.

      General characteristics of the world (kosmos) include transience, worthlessness, worries, and temptations.  As such the eyes of the world are fixed on material and corruptible things versus spiritual and eternal rewards.

     Those of the world have their own set of values and their own ‘wisdom.’  Such is totally incompatible with values of the kingdom.  In fact the worldly have no comprehension or interest in the kingdom.  They live in their own private world.

     Paul frequently reminded kingdom citizens that they were once citizens of the world but had been delivered out of its bondage.

     “And you He made alive…you once walked according to the course of this world…”  Ephesians 2:1

     Jesus taught His disciples that it was utter foolishness to spend effort on accumulating perishable things instead of investing in the kingdom and its future rewards, inasmuch as everything in this world will perish.

     “For what profit is it to a man it he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”  Matthew 16:26a

     The challenge is very much present in the world today.  There is no room for compromise.

     Citizens of the world have great confidence in their own ability to successfully address life’s challenges.  The knowledge of a natural man is absolutely nothing compared to spiritual wisdom from above.

     “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 16:25

     The sad fact is that the citizens of the world far outnumber the citizens of the kingdom.

     Citizens of the kingdom are warned repeatedly not to be entangled in the world from which they had been delivered.  Without God’s direct intervention no man could free himself from the world.  In fact citizens of the world don’t even realize their state of bondage.

     Keep in mind that God ‘so loved the world’ which confirmed His love for His chosen whom He was about to deliver from bondage.  He also loved the fact that it was time to present and implement His plan for their deliverance.

     And when it was time to finish the work His Father sent Him to do, Jesus prayed for His disciples.

     “I have given them (disciples) Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world…I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one…As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world…”  John 17:14-15, 19

      And then note Jesus’ following words.

     “I do not pray for these (disciples) alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their words…”  John 17:20

     Jesus Christ, the Son of God prayed for us!

     He continued by praying that his disciples would have the same relationship with the Father as He enjoyed.

     Jesus would soon depart, but His disciples would remain. 

     Jesus spoke often that the ‘world’ would hate His disciples and any member of the kingdom of God.  Those of the kingdom have been redeemed from the desires of the world while remaining in the world to reveal the kingdom of God.

     “If you were of the world, the world would love its own, Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”  John 15:19

     The disciples themselves were originally in the world; however, Jesus delivered them out of the world.  Therefore, those remaining in the world and the citizens of the kingdom had nothing in common which spurned the hatred.  Note that the world hated kingdom citizens; kingdom citizens did not hate the citizens of the world.

     Jesus’ half brother James firmly confirmed the animosity between the world and citizens of the kingdom.

     “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  James 4:4

     No compromise, no being lukewarm.

    

          

A Nation in Denial

     The naïve believe America is now in good hands with the newly elected president where everyone will prosper and be safe from their enemies.  Nearly daily we hear our leaders state that America’s greatest days lie ahead.

     Numerous times the Bible states that nations and individuals should not place their confidence and trust in man, but rather trust should be placed in the One who made man.  However, such is foolishness to the majority of humanity known as the ‘world.’

     One of the major Scripture passages that speak of the sovereignty of God is found in Isaiah.

     “…For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’ Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass.  I have purposed it; I will also do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11

     Isaiah prophesied between 739 and 680 BC, several hundred years before the time of the kings.

     The Hebrew for ‘counsel’ means ‘plan.’  Likewise ‘I have purposed it,’ also means ‘I planned it.’

     We will elaborate on three major attributes, or characteristics, of God from the above passage.

1)     God is God; there is no other

2)     God reveals the end of days from the beginning, and

3)     What God has planned from the foundation of the world, He will certainly bring to completion

     Presently the focus will be on number 1) by examining several additional passages from the time of the Exodus to the prophets.

     Recall the plagues God brought on Egypt to force them to release the Israelites from bondage in 1445 BC.  Just prior to the seventh plague, God told Moses to speak His words to Pharaoh.   

     “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, for at this time I will send all My plagues…that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.”

Exodus 9:14

     God first gave Pharaoh the opportunity to obey His word, but if he chose not to obey, God said, ‘I will send all My plagues.’  Only deity has the authority to say, ‘I will…’   God proclaimed there was none other like Him in all the earth.

     Interestingly, in the verse that follows God told Pharaoh that He was being merciful by sending the plagues because if He chose to He could totally eradicate him and his people from the earth. 

     God then proclaimed He was going to use Pharaoh in order to demonstrate His sovereignty over all nations.  This great truth was repeated by Paul to warn the nations in the church age that nothing had changed.

     Approximately 700 years after the Exodus:

     “‘You are My witnesses,’ says the LORD… ‘That you may know… and understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.  I, even I, am the LORD…’” 

Isaiah 43:10-11

     God reminded the Israelites that they had witnessed His power in delivering them out of Egyptian bondage to prove His might and sovereignty.  God then proclaimed that there was no God before Him, nor would any rise after Him. 

     “I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me…I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.”  Isaiah 45:5, 7

     Only God can do the things recorded in the above passage, there is none other with such power.

     Jeremiah prophesied approximately 100 years after Isaiah.

     “Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?  For this is Your rightful due.  For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You…the LORD is the true God; He is the living God…At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.” 

Jeremiah 10:7, 10

     God is the King of the nations: the nations will experience His wrath and will not be able to endure His indignation.

      

     Is America preparing for the inevitable?