Men are naturally convinced of the random nature of the occurrence of things in the earth. We see this demonstrated in Adam’s disregard of the plain command of the LORD not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of “good and evil”. The LORD had plainly declared unto him what would occur when he ate of it. Yet his desire to eat of that fruit caused him to scorn the certainty of the result that would occur when he ate of it. He did not believe the LORD but trusted in his free-will, feeling that he could determine his own course and yet avoid the outcome which the LORD had ordained.
He has passed this disdain of the certainty of judgment to his posterity who knowingly thumb their noses at the LORD’s commands thinking that they will, ultimately, not be subject to that outcome which HE has promised. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Rom 1:28-32)
The LORD has made it quite plain throughout the scriptures that HE will bring all things to pass according to the good pleasure of HIS will. “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.” (Isa 46:10) “Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?” (Isa 43:13) Yet men have gone on their way quite willing to cast caution to the wind in their unbelief. “Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?” (Isa 29:15-16) With this knowledge in mind Solomon solemnly warns young men against such notions, “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” (Ecc 11:9)
All of the ways of men, whether in pursuit of their lusts or their religion, are entered into by them with the desire to escape or turn a blind eye to this inescapable truth, “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb 9:27) Though they will not acknowledge it, the scriptures are full of proof that the LORD will demonstrate the certainty of HIS purpose.
The word “must” appears 132 times in the KJV; 83 of those times in the NT. The vast majority of the times that it appears, it is translated from the Greek word which means, “it is necessary or binding; that which shall occur.” There is no equivocation where we find this word, nothing can prevent that which “must” happen. When we speak of certainty, we must recognize the supreme AUTHORITY of HIM who alone does cause those things which “must” occur. If all things occur randomly, no occurrence could be described in this fashion. Thus, GOD reveals HIS SOVEREIGNTY by the simple concept of this noble word. We are blessed as we see HIS hand uncovered and HIS arm made bare in bringing many sons unto glory.
“From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”(Mat 16:21) The unfolding purpose of GOD in the redemption of HIS elect bride is seen as HE ordained the very place where the REDEEMER would be condemned and put to death for HIS people. Not only the place, but the means whereby this would happen. “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” (Act 2:23) “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:3-5)
“And he must needs go through Samaria.” (John 4:4) Every step of HIS sojourn among the sons of men was ordered in such a fashion that HE would seek and save HIS sheep that were lost. There were a multitude of people along HIS pathway, and HE could go anywhere HE desired to go, yet we see HIM fulfilling HIS purpose to bring salvation to this Samaritan woman at this well on this particular day. She could have been nowhere else and HE would be exactly where she was with the exact message which she needed to hear, yea she must hear.
In like fashion we see HIM bring salvation to the house of Zaccheus. “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.” (Luke 19:5-6) The Pharisees said, in disgust, that HE went to be a guest at the house of a sinner. They were right because HE came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)
When HE spoke with Nicodemus, the LORD described the operation of HIS SPIRIT which is a necessity for a man to see the Kingdom of GOD. “Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7) Vain is the man who thinks that he can somehow exercise “faith” or come to the LORD apart from this supernatural work which precedes all of a man’s inclinations towards seeking the way of GOD. “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Rom 3:11) Men can pursue all sorts of religion and even adopt a level of morality by the operation of their will, but it is only by this “birth from above” that a man is brought to fall upon his face in repentance towards HIM whose glory HE is awakened to behold.
The LORD has sent HIS messengers into the Earth with the “Gospel of the glory of the blessed GOD,” and nothing can prevent them in “bringing LIFE and IMMORTALITY to light” for those to whom HE has appointed to hear it. “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39) ”And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15) “And the gospel must first be published among all nations.” (Mar 13:10) This gospel is summarized by the LORD when HE said, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” (Luke 9:22)
The FATHER has given HIM a NAME which is above every name, both in the heavens and in the Earth. With the same certainty with which HE rules in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the Earth, so too has HE ordained both the number of those HE will save as well as the means whereby their sins are forever taken away. Those for whom HE has shed HIS precious blood as a LAMB without spot or blemish must be saved. “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Has HE taken away your sins, and made you willing to call upon HIM, in the day of HIS power?
mam