Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

 

(Has not the LORD made decrees, that stand forever, and are not undone or changed?)

 

Psalms 148:6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

 

Jeremiah 5:22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

 

(Is not the LORD sovereign, and does as he pleases, and has a plan for the ages?

However, isn't this very different than the centuries old heathen heresy, which the heathen call, “destiny”?

Has that not been a common, and core, theme running through most of the pagan religions?

Isn't a good way to sum up how the lost view "destiny", is by what they say, themselves?

Haven't we all all heard people, after a tragic event, say, “Everything happens for a reason”?

Doesn't that sound very deep and theological, on their part?

But, isn't their “reason”, this thing that they call destiny?

Do not many of them believe that everything which happens now, and in the future, is all somehow written in the stars?

Don't many believe that destiny "must be", and that destiny cannot be escaped?

Also, is not a counterpart in the heathen religions, the other belief, that man is the captain of his own destiny?

Do not both of these "doctrines" also show up in modern day science fiction?

Instead of saying destiny is written in the stars, don't science fiction often say "the universe" determines what will happen?

Again, don't they too, have a counterpart, where man completely makes his own future?

But going back to the phrase, “everything happens for a reason”, don't they believe that "destiny" has the plan, that "destiny is the reason"?

For many lost people, at least in America, don't they believe that “reason” is God, and that God has a “reason” for everything that happens?

Isn't an example, like getting very angry, the moment when we're stopped by a red light or a train?

Isn't that anger actually at God, because he didn’t predestinate us a green light?

However, when the lost say, “Everything happens for a reason”, don’t they realize that sometimes that “reason” is because someone sinned?)

 

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

  4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

  5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

  8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

 

(For those who say, “Everything happens for a reason”, are they implying that the "reason" is the plan of the LORD?

Did the LORD plan to have Cain kill Abel?

Was it Abel’s destiny to be murdered by Cain?

Was it Cain’s destiny to murder Abel?

So, was the LORD’s plan, the "reason" that Cain killed Abel?

Didn't Cain have a freewill, and chose, on his own, to kill?

Man is created in the image and likeness of God, so do we not have a freewill to choose?)

 

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

 

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

 

I Chronicles 21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee

 

Isaiah 7:15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

 

(But does that mean that the freewill of man negates, or supersedes, the will and plan of the LORD?)

 

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

 

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

  7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall 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 shew unto them.

  8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

 

Isaiah 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

 

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

  10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

  11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

 

(Will not the LORD do all his pleasure?)

 

Psalms 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

 

Psalms 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

 

(Do not some of us sometimes look at the sovereignty of God, similar to the way which the heathen think of destiny?

And don't some of us even believe in destiny, even though we don’t even realize it?

One example is the approach to the following scripture:)

 

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 

(Many of us look at it like the LORD pre-ordained the very year, day, hour & minute of everyone’s death.

However, the scriptures show that “appointed”, or “appoint”, often, also means something very different:)

 

Genesis 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

 

Genesis 30:28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

 

Judges 20:38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.

 

I Samuel 25:30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;

 

Matthew 26:19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

 

Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 

(So, why do we think that the exact moment of death is pre-appointed? Even when someone murders another? Or when someone commits suicide?)

 

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 

(Do we think it means the LORD pre-ordained the very year, day, hour & minute of everyone’s death?

However, the LORD didn’t pre-ordain our death, as he didn’t plan or create death in the first place, death came because of sin.)

 

(The LORD did pre-ordain one death, though:)

 

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

 

(The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, was the death that the LORD pre-ordained!

But, the LORD didn’t pre-ordain that Cain was to kill Abel, and that on a certain day and at a certain time.

For one thing, that would make the LORD the author of sin, which he is not.

Cain didn’t kill Abel because it was decreed by the LORD that he was to do so.

No, Cain “chose” to sin, similar to how his parents “chose” to sin.)

 

(The other problem is to think that the hour of Abel’s death was pre-ordained, so that even if Cain didn’t kill him, something else would have.

There is a recent movie trilogy about this particular strange doctrine, they’re the “Final Destiny” series.

In those movies, people’s deaths were predestinated, so that if somehow they escaped what was meant to kill them, something else then had to kill them.

The point of those movies was that the destiny of death is written in stone.

That would also make the LORD the author of suicide, as well as murder, which would be wrong.

When someone commits suicide, it is not because the LORD pre-ordained that, or that the time of their death was pre-ordained.

It is sadly because someone chose to sin, and to kill themselves.)

 

(The LORD is sovereign, yet, the LORD has given man a freewill, so, how can we reconcile these two things?)

 

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

 

(Also, what about when we try to use the following scripture to justify our secret doctrine of destiny?)

 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

(That scripture, instead, shows how the LORD can turn things around.

It shows, that even when we have sinned, the LORD can turn that evil into something good, like with Joseph and his brothers.)

 

(Does "destiny" rule in our world? No

Is man the captain of his own destiny? No

Is the LORD sovereign? Yes

Does man have a freewill? Yes)

 

(But, isn't the great mystery, that both of these are true simultaneously, and so is the wonder of our God?)

 

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