The Doctrine of the Trinity is Under Attack, Part 2

Introduction
In the last article the history of the Trinity and its definition was given in order to pave the way for the defense of the doctrine. The doctrine of the Trinity is defended by means of Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone.


The Doctrine Defended
The doctrine of the Trinity defines God as one, but three in Person. This is observed in Scripture by the description that God is one, yet plural in person. The terms First, Second, and Third as applied to the persons of the Trinity are terms of order and relationship : the First person being the Father, the Second person the Son, and Third the Holy Spirit.


God is One
Central to the doctrine of the Trinity is the unity of God. The Scriptures teach monotheism, or that there is one God. This distinction set Israel apart from all of her polytheistic neighbors. Israel's daily worship included the recitation of the Shema - "Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" (Deut. 6:4; cf. Mal. 2:10; Ex. 20:3; Deu. 4:35; 32:29; Isa. 45:14; 46:9). A significant recitation of monotheism, affirming that God is one in essence and cannot be divided.

This doctrine is affirmed in the New Testament as well, "[Y]et for us there is but one God" (1 Cor. 8:6; cf. Mark 12:32; Gal. 3:20; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19). It is, after all, the Lord Jesus who tells the Devil, "It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only" (Luke 4:8).


God's Name is Plural
God may be one, but He is described as plural in person. The common Hebrew name for God, 'elohiym is plural. In Hebrew a noun can be uniquely identified as singular (1 person, place, or thing), dual (2 persons, places, or things), or plural (3 or more). Some have suggested that the plural 'elohiym indicates God's greatness and supremacy, and hence, associates this plural form with what they call the "majestic plural." But this falls short, especially when examined with the use of personal pronouns that are also plural! For example, God speaks of Himself with the first person plural pronoun in Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…" (cf. Gen 3:22; 11:7; Isa. 6:8). Notice the use of the plural verb forms used in Genesis 1:26 and 11:7 .


Notice also the combination of the plural 'elohiym used with the singular Yahweh, "The LORD [Yahweh] our God ['elohiym] [is] one LORD [Yahweh]" (Deut. 6:4). It is important that observation and the laws of grammar play a role in building one's theological doctrine, not just one's own logic or reason. It is after all God who has given mankind His Word, telling us who He is and what He has in mind for all time.


Another point of interest is that God is masculine. God is described in Scripture with the masculine noun form and when personal pronouns are used He is always referred to in the masculine.


Finally, Scripture uses plural nouns to describe God. "Let Israel rejoice in his Maker [lit. "Makers"]; let the people of Zion be glad in their King" (Ps. 149:2); "For your Maker [lit. "Makers"] is your husband [lit. "husbands"] – the Lord Almighty is his name" (Isa. 54:5).


The Angel of the Lord
The Lord walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden but after the fall, a separation was established between God and man. This separation resulted in the limitation of direct communication between God and man. The interface changed to events and objects like a burning bush, a cloud and the Angel of the Lord. Though the phrase "angel of Jehovah" is sometimes used in the later Scriptures to denote a human messenger or created angel, the phrase is used in the early Scriptures exclusively of the pre-incarnate Lord. This unique reference has caused some to associate the Lord as simply an "angel" or the concept of Modalism (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are simply three modes of existence or three manifestations of one God). But this is far from the true.


The Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is referred to as God, yet at the same time is distinguished from Him. For example notice what Hagar says in Gen. 16:7-13,

Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai." The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand." Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude." And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"

Dr. Ryrie says, "This points to personal distinctions within the Godhead. Since the Angel is called God, He could hardly be only a prophet, functioning in pre-prophetic times as the prophets did in later times."


Each Person of the Trinity is Called God
There is almost no denial that the Father is God (except by those who argue for Mother God). For the most part, the cults attack the deity of the Son and Holy Spirit. A more detailed look at the deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit will follow, but simply, the Father is called God (1 Cor. 8:6), the Son is called God (John 1:1; Heb. 1:8-10), and the Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4).


Essence and Distinctness
Dr. Shedd in his classic theology of 1894 identifies the term God as sometimes denoting the Trinity, the entire Godhead, as in John 4:24, "God is spirit [pneuma ho theos], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." And again in 1 Cor. 15:28, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all [hina e ho theos ta panta en pasin]." "The reference in these passages is not to one person in particular, but to the Supreme Being as conceived of in revelation, that is, as the triune God."


The names Father, Son, and Spirit, "given to God in Scripture, force upon the theologian the ideas of paternity, filiation, spiration, and procession. He cannot reflect upon the implication of these names without forming these ideas and finding himself necessitated to concede their validity and objective reality. He cannot say with Scripture that the first person is the Father and then deny or doubt that he "fathers." He cannot say that the second person is the Son and then deny or doubt that he is 'begotten.' He cannot say that the third person is the Spirit and then deny or doubt that he 'proceeds' by 'spiration' (Spirit because spirated) from the Father and Son."


The principle of the subordination of the Son to the Father and the Spirit to the Father and the Son does not mean inferiority. "For as the same divine essence with all its infinite perfections is common to the Father, Son, and Spirit, there can be no inferiority of one person to the other in the Trinity. Neither does it imply posteriority; for the divine essence common to the several persons is self-existent and eternal. The subordination intended is only that which concerns the mode of subsistence and operation, implied in the Scriptural facts that the Son is of the Father, and the Spirit is of the Father and the Son, and the Father operates through the Son, and the Father and the Son through the Spirit."


Dr. Hodge goes on to say, "Among men Father and Son belong to the same order of beings. The one is not inferior in nature, although he may be in rank, to the other."


The Nicene Council decided that the word Son as applied to Christ, "is not a term of office but of nature; that it expresses the relation which the Second person in the Trinity from eternity bears to the First Person, and the relation is thus indicated is sameness of nature, so that Sonship, in the case of Christ includes equality with God."


The essence of the Godhead is common to the three persons, they have a common intelligence, will, and power. "There are not in God three intelligences, three wills, three efficiencies. The three are one God, and therefore have one mind and will." Dr. Shedd points out, "The common statements in the patristic trinitarianism respecting this emanation of the essence are the following: The Son is from the Father, not an effect from a cause; not as an inferior from a superior; not as created finite substance from uncreated infinite substance; but as intelligence is from intellect, river from the spring, the ray from the sun. These illustrations were employed by the early trinitarians to denote the sameness of essence between the first and second persons and the emanation of the latter from the former."


Grammatically Speaking
There are certain unique points that can only be identified by examining the Greek. "The Nicene trinitarians endeavored to illustrate the simultaneous existence of the undivided and total nature in each of the three persons by the figure of circumincession. There is a continual inbeing and indwelling of one person in another." (cf. John 14:10-11; 17:21, 23) "The Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son; that where the Father is, there the Son and Spirit are; that what the one does the others do (the Father creates, the Son creates, the Spirit creates), or, as our Lord expresses it, 'What things soever' the Father 'doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.' (John v.19)"


To speak of the Father and Son as distinct is identified by the expression "another." Jesus says, "It is another [allos] that bears witness of me…" (John 5:32) In the Greek there are two distinct words for another. One word is heteros meaning another of a different kind. The other word is allos which is used here and means "another of the same kind."


Likewise, Jesus promised to send '"another Comforter," the Holy Spirit that is [allos] another like Himself, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper." (John 14:16)


Worship of the Godhead
The object of worship is to be to God alone. Though prayer is but one aspect of worship, praying to God is included with the category of worship. Not only is each member of the Trinity worshipped but collective worship of the Godhead is prescribed. The Father is worshiped (Rev. 1:4-5), the Son is worshiped (Mat. 2:2, 11; 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; 28:9, 16, 17; Mark 3:11; 5:6,7; 11:9, 10; Luke 4:41; 5:8; 23:42; 24: 52; John 5:23; 9:38; Acts 7:59, 60; Rom. 10:13; 1 Cor. 1:2; Phil. 2:10, 11; Heb. 1:6, etc), and the Holy Spirit is worshiped (2 Cor. 13:14?). The Godhead is to be collectively worshipped (Mat. 28:19; John 5:23; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-5). In fact, the use of the baptismal formula of Matthew 28:19 "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and Holy Spirit," relates the singular, "name" to mean the full name of deity.


Next week the deity of the Father will be presented. Though, few will ever deny the Father His rightful deity, nevertheless, presenting His deity is required to build on the strong points associated with the doctrine of the trinity.

The Doctrine of the Trinity is Under Attack, Part 1

The doctrine of the Trinity is a popular doctrine for the cults to attack. The reason of course is that if Christ is brought down to a lower level, then His authority crumbles. His death, burial and resurrection are meaningless. The fundamentals are destroyed, so the whole house crumbles! In essence those who argue against the Trinity argue from their own reason. They ignore their observations of the Bible. They define their doctrine instead of letting the Bible define their doctrine. The argument can be summarized by the claim that man makes god in his own image. At the opposite end of the theological spectrum, that is, one end of the spectrum is one's own reason, at the opposite end, is mysticism. If the cult is not of an intellectual bent, the cult usually turns to mysticism making the person of Christ and the Holy Spirit into some impersonal force!

This paper addresses the history of the controversy of the Trinity, its definition, the persons of the Trinity, and the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Introductory Remarks

What makes the denial of the Trinity so much more difficult to understand is that those who oppose the doctrine are usually from within Christianity! This should, however, not be surprising since the Scriptures warn of false Christs, false teachers, and deceiving doctrines of Satan (Matt 24:24; Mk. 13:22; 2 Pet. 2:1).

One of the greatest cult researchers of the twentieth century, Dr. Walter Martin writes, "Since the central doctrine of almost all cults is the denial of both the Deity and Saviorhood of the Lord Jesus, we must exert renewed effort in preaching and teaching these major doctrines of our Christian heritage."

Dr. Martin has identified and categorized the beliefs of the major cults of his day as follows: "The Jesus of the Christian Scientist, the Mormons, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and of all the cult systems, is but a subtle caricature of the Christ of divine revelation, In cult theology, He becomes an abstraction (Christian Science, Unity, Metaphysics, New Thought), a second god (Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Theosophy, Rosacrucianism, Baha'ism), or a pantheistic manifestation of deity (Spiritism, the Great I Am); but He is still incontrovertibly "another Jesus," who represents another gospel and imparts another spirit, which by no conceivable stretch of the imagination could be called holy."

The Doctrine Defined

The Trinity is not a word that is found in the Bible. One cannot go to a concordance and find the word "Trinity," then search out a systematic and clear understanding of the doctrine. One can, however, pick up a concordance and find the word "God" and come to the conclusion of our Triune Godhead. That is, the Father is called God (1 Cor. 8:6), the Son is called God (Heb. 1:8-10), and the Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4)! This is what the "scientist" of the Word must do. The student of the Word must come to the source of knowledge, namely, the Bible, "observe," then characterize or systematize what has been observed. The key is to let the Bible define the terms while letting the context help in what is being observed.

The word Trinity comes to the English from the Latin 'trinus' or 'trinitas' meaning "three together." The earliest use of the word in found in the writings of Theophilus of Antioch (c. 181 A.D.) who remarked, "the three days which were before the luminaries are types of the Trinity (To Autolycus 2.15). The term 'triad' is employed by Plotinus (c. 270 A.D.) and Proclus (c. 485 A.D.). Tertullian (c. 220 A.D.) uses the term 'trinitas'. Origen (c. 250 A.D.) uses 'trias'". Dr. Ryrie provides a modern definition as: "In the one living and true God there are three coeternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in existence."

Since any doctrine is sometimes better defined using negatives Dr. Waterhouse notes, "The Scriptural teaching about God is that there is one God who exists in three equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is not true that there are three gods, nor that there is one god who manifests himself at various times in three different forms. It is not that God consists of three parts, for God cannot be divided. Some aspects of the Godhead are capable of being understood; others are inscrutable."

Whether one defines the doctrine of the Trinity in the positive or negative, it is a fact of Scripture. One cannot examine the facts and conclude anything different. The nineteenth century theologian Dr. Augustus Strong does an excellent job of observing the following from Scripture concerning the Trinity, "I. In Scripture there are three who are recognized as God. 2. These three are so described in Scripture that we are compelled to conceive of them as distinct persons. 3. This tripersonality of the divine nature is not merely economic and temporal, but is immanent and eternal. 4. This tripersonality is not tritheism; for while there are three persons, there are but one essence. 5. The three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are equal. 6. Inscrutable yet self-contradictory, this doctrine furnishes the key to all other doctrines."

The Historical Setting for a Definition

History shows that there were those in the early church that had problems both describing and understanding the relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For example, such men as John Ascunages and John Philoponus taught tri-theism, namely, that there are three who are God but they are only related in loose association. "The error of this teaching was that its proponents abandoned the unity within the Trinity with the result that they taught there were three Gods rather than three Persons within one Godhead."

Another scheme of sorts is called Sabellianism or Modalism taught by Sabellius (c. A.D. 200). Sabellius taught that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are simply three modes of existence or three manifestations of one God. The best known teachers of this doctrine today are the Oneness Pentecostals.

The third major unorthodox view of the Trinity is that of Arian. In this view the Son is subordinate to the Father in respect to essence. Thus, Arianism denies the deity of Christ and says God was uncreated, but because Christ was begotten of the Father, Christ was created by the Father.

The confusion over the deity of Christ was the first doctrine to cause such a stir within the early church that Constantine thought it best to call the first universal church council. "In worship and other activities the Christians did not necessarily feel any tension between these two basic beliefs [that is, Christ as Lord, Yahweh; and the Lord our God is one]. But both Jews and pagans such as Celsus accused Christians of having two gods. Some Christians were also making unacceptable statements about Christ. The issue of the Trinity (a later term) became an unavoidable problem…. Docetists and Jewish Christians, such as the Ebionites, saw no problem. The Docetists regarded Christ as merely a temporary appearance of God disguised as a human. The Ebionites saw Jesus as an ordinary person indwelt by God's power at his baptism. Neither believed that Jesus Christ was truly God."

With the great growth of Christianity in the early church came the growth of heresy. This was, after all, the time of the third generation believers. As hard as it was for the first generation believers such as the apostle Paul to address heresy, how much more for the third generation! Arius was a native of Libya, but came to reside at Alexandria as a presbyter of the Church there. About the year 320, his views denying the true deity of Christ attracted sufficient attention to cause the summoning of a council of Egyptian and Libyan bishops, by which he and his followers were excommunicated. But Arius was not to be silenced. He gained support from other bishops. And as the great historian, Dr. Schaff writes, "The controversy soon involved, through the importance of the subject and the seal of the parties, the entire church, and transformed the whole Christian East into a theological battle-field. Constantine, the first emperor who mingled in the religious affairs of Christendom, and who did this from a political, monarchical interest for the unity of the empire and of religion, was at first inclined to consider the contest a futile logomachy, and endeavored to reconcile the parties in diplomatic style by letters… but without effect…Then, in pursuance, as he thought, of a 'divine inspiration,' and probably also with the advice of bishops who were in friendship with him, he summoned the first universal council, to represent the whole church of the empire, and to give a final decision upon the relation of Christ to God, and upon some minor questions of discipline, the time of Easter, and the Meletian schism in Egypt." So it was that "Near the beginning of the fourth century a 'strong party' within the church, under the leadership of Arius, maintained that Christ was a created angel. Athanasius championed orthodoxy and secured the condemnation of Arianism at the Council of Niceae in A.D. 325. The decision was repeated and the Nicene Creed received its final form at the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381. The Creed is thus stated:

I believe in one God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by Whom all things were made;… And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life; who proceedeth from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified.

Next week the doctrine will be defended and the deity of the Father will be established.

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Prophecy and the Sovereignty of God, Part Five

In this final article of God’s sovereignty and prophecy, the capstone of the doctrine – Christ’s millennial kingdom, is examined. In the previous article, God’s sovereign decrees were examined in view of His divine attributes. He sits on His throne in heaven and is in control not only because He is all-powerful, but also because He is unchangeable. Note, however, that our Lord Jesus Christ is not sitting on His earthly throne yet. His kingdom rule is yet future and in it He will demonstrate His sovereignty in several unique ways. There are two phases to the future kingdom. The millennial kingdom on earth (Rev. 20:4-6), and the future eternal kingdom (Rev. 22:5).

Sovereignty of God declared in the Fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant
The idea of sovereignty assumes a reign, a kingship, and authority over both a people and a land. All these items are part of the Abrahamic covenant that the Lord made with Abraham in Genesis (12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15:1-21; 17:1-27; 22:1-19; 26:23-25; 35:9-15). The Lord came to Abram and commanded him ‘leq-laqa’ literally, "go! to you," usually translated "get out!" from your land and from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you (Gen. 12:1). This is a sovereign act of God as Abram left the land of his heritage. The Lord promises a great nation, many offspring, and a blessing. He promises that Abram will be a blessing to all the families of the earth, meaning all the "nations" of the earth, but those who curse him, they in turn would be cursed. This promise is not one that will ever go void, for if the Lord promises something He alone is powerful enough to see it through, and His promises are unchangeable and free! Though man is faithless, God is faithful. In Genesis chapter fifteen the promise is ratified, and formalized, as God performs the proper covenant sacrifice.

It is indeed a sovereign act of God that Abraham, a hundred years old, and Sarah ninety, give birth to an heir! That is what happened, and the sign of the covenant was the cutting of the foreskin of all the male children of their family on the eighth day. So circumcision was given as a sign of the covenant and is a demonstration of God’s sovereign power to keep the rightful offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob protected and separate, a unique people set apart for all time!

The Abrahamic covenant was past down to subsequent generations and has provided strength and comfort to the remnant. Additional details are given in later generations concerning a kingly rule to the nation’s greatest ruler David (cf 2 Sam. 7:11-17, 1 Chron. 17:10-15). In the Davidic covenant, Israel is promised the Messiah – the Anointed One, who will come from the seed of David (1 Chron. 17:11) and that His throne, house, and kingdom will be established forever (1 Chron. 17:12-14). It is this everlasting, unbroken throne, house, and kingdom rule that our Lord will administer in the earthly millennial kingdom, also known as the Messianic kingdom.

The Lord’s earthly kingship has not been fulfilled. In His first coming He came as a suffering servant and Prophet. He functions today as Priest performing intercession for us. But at His Second Coming, He will come as sovereign – the re-establishment of the Davidic throne, as He functions as a Melchizedekian priest/king in the millennial temple.

The Earthly Kingdom
Since the Davidic, Land, and New Covenants are involved in some of the last prophecies to be fulfilled in God’s plan of the ages, it is important to examine them as they find fulfillment in the earthly Messianic kingdom.

I. The State of Things in the Kingdom
1. Mankind
There will be two main groups of people in the millennium. Those who survive the Great Tribulation and enter in their earthly "perishable" bodies, and those in their "imperishable bodies." Most of mankind will be made complete in the millennium. That is, most of mankind will be resurrected or raptured and hence possess glorified bodies. Our Lord’s resurrection being the "first-fruits" of the resurrection as He possess a physical glorified body right now (first-fruits – 1 Cor. 1:20; physical – Jn. 20:27; glorified – 1 Cor. 15:42-44). Hence, most of mankind will collectively possess resurrected, glorified bodies in the millennium. Those who are "in Christ," namely, all dead Christians will be resurrected before the Great Tribulation (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:23), then there will be the Tribulation Saints (Rev. 20:4-6), and finally, the Old Testament Saints (Dan. 12:1-2).

Those who are called saints are all collectively grouped in a set called the "first resurrection" (Rev. 20:5-6). Those who are not called saints are grouped into another set called the "second resurrection." This second set will not be resurrected until the end of the thousand years of the millennium (Rev. 20:4-5). Those in the second resurrection will face immediate judgment – condemned to spend eternity in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15)!

The two groups of the first set, those who are glorified and those who are not, will be together in the earthly millennium. The majority of mankind in the millennium will be glorified, and hence will not "be given to marriage." Those who still possess their material bodies will produce offspring, so there will be millennial babies born who will grow up in the millennium. It is within this last group – the millennial babies, that some will join with Satan’s final rebellion at the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:7-10).

2. The Land
Israel is promised again and again a return to the land. Not a return as in the past, characterized by rulers full of corruption, but a return seen as idealistic, a return to the land that contains a king who rules in righteousness. A return to the land where "you will be my people and I will be your God" (Gen. 17:8, Jer. 31:33; & etc)." The first reference to this phrase is in Genesis 17:8, the context being the Abrahamic covenant. Indeed, when the Lord speaks of His people Israel as being His people and He being their God, it will have its ultimate fulfillment, its ultimate completeness in the Messianic kingdom.

Though the topology of the land will be altered (Ezek. 47:1-12), Israel will inherit the land promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21). The land that is mountainous today will be changed by God into a great fertile plain. A land truly flowing with milk and honey! The curse that came upon the whole earth at the fall (Gen. 3:17-19) will be removed (though not complete, as the river that purifies has a part of it that is not pure, not healing! – Ezek. 47:11).

The land covenant (Deu. 29:1-30:20) finds ultimate fulfillment in the millennium as the regathered nation is given the land according to each tribe (Ezek 48) as they finally live in peace in the land. The millennial temple will be established and dedicated as the return of the glory of Lord to the temple will find fulfillment (Ezek. 40-46). Jerusalem is set apart as the center of the kingdom rule (Jer. 3:17; 30:16-17; 31:6, 23; Ezek. 43:5-6; & etc). And the nations (Gentiles) will be established outside the land, but be required to come up to Jerusalem annually for the feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:18-19).

3. Israel
In the land, Israel will be exalted above the other nations (Isa. 14:1-2; 49:22-23; 60:14-17; 61:6-7). Israel will become God’s witness during the millennium (Isa. 44:8, 21; 61:6; 66:21). This promise is made complete only with the destruction of the surrounding nations which profited at Israel’s expense and treated God’s beloved people, land and city harshly.
The term "I will be your God" will be fulfilled (Ezek. 43:7) and hence the New Covenant will find ultimate fulfillment as the Lord promised: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt" (Jer. 31:3-4). And He says, "I will give you [Israel] a new heart and put a new spirit within you…I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues" (Ezk. 36:26-27).
Finally, for Israel, the Lord preserves and restores Israel as He says, "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake" (Ezek. 36:22). The Lord is faithful, holy and true. His promises will be kept! His name depends upon it!

4. Life
Life in the millennium will be greatly blessed. It will be characterized by, (1) peace; (2) joy; (3) holiness; (4) glory; (5) comfort; (6) justice; (7) healing; (8) knowledge; (9) abundance; (10) protection; (11) long life; (12) prosperity; (13) a unified language; (14) unified worship; (15) the fullness of the Spirit; and (16) orderly [1].

Satan will be bound (Rev. 20:1-3) and Christ will reign with a "rod of iron," that is, sin will be dealt with severely (Ps. 2:9; Isa. 11:1-5; Rev. 12:5; 19:5).

5. The Temple
The millennial temple will be established and dedicated as the return of the glory of Lord to the temple finds fulfillment (Ezek. 40-46). The Lord says "[T]his is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever" (Ezek. 43:7). The temple is given to "humiliate" or "put to shame" the past iniquities of Israel (Ezek. 43:10-11). The law of the Temple will be established – it [the temple] will be Holy (Ezek. 43:12)! There will be universal worship in the kingdom (Isa. 2:2-4; 11:9-10; Ezek. 20:40-41; 40:1-46; Zech. 14:16), and the institution of the feasts and animal sacrifices will be properly instituted as a memorial.

6. Government
The government will be a theocracy – rule by God. King Jesus will Himself rule from His earthly throne in a way that He had intended Israel to be ruled before she wanted to be ruled like the nations – with human kings (cf. 1 Sam. 8-9). The Lord will show Israel how He had intended to rule the nation, but they wanted to be ruled like the nations.
Another aspect of the theocratic rule is that the Lord will find fulfillment of His inheritance of all the nations (Ps. 2:7-8). This requires His rule over the nations as well not just Israel!

II. The Person of Christ in the Millennium
1. The Lord’s Anointed.
Israel is promised again and again a Messiah, a future "anointed one" in the line of David who would be Yahweh’s king and priest (1 Sam. 2:10,35; Ps. 2; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; Dan. 9:25-26; Heb. 3:13). This Lord’s Anointed – the Messiah, will find fulfillment in the Messianic kingdom.

2. Judge
Israel was commanded to judge righteously but they did not. They played favors, the poor found no justice and the rich bought favor. The nations are also found to be unjust! In the millennium, however, the Lord Himself will be the Judge. Justice will be swift and perfect. Justice will not only return to the land of Israel, but to all the earth!

3. King
Israel had good kings and bad kings, but in general all the kings were failures. In the millennium, the Lord will resurrect David who will co-reign with the Lord, a fulfillment of the promise made to him (Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34 & 37; Hos. 3:5). But, the Lord Himself will reign as King a fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (Ps. 2:1-9; Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-2; 55:3,11; Jer. 23:5-8; 33:20-26; Ezek. 34:23-25; 37:23-24). He will demonstrate how a perfect sovereign King should reign. Where Israel’s princes oppressed Israel, the Lord will not oppress them (Ezek. 45:8).
It was the purpose of God’s creating man that man should rule over the earth. Adam gave up that right when sin entered the human race. Christ will not be King over Israel, but the whole earth! Christ will universally rule (Ps. 2:6-9; Dan. 7:14, 27; Ps. 72:8; Mic. 4:1-2; Zech. 9:10) [2]. He will rule absolute in authority and power (Ps. 2:9; 72:9-11; Isa. 11:4). No sin will go unpunished (Isa. 11:3-5; Ps. 2:10-12).

4. Teacher
As teacher, the Lord will perfectly teach from the Temple. Where the teachers of Israel have failed, relying on tradition (Matt. 15:1-9), and where the church failed in teaching false doctrines (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; 2 John 7-8; Jude 16-19), our Lord will come to show mankind what perfect teaching is (Isa. 54:13).

6. Savior
All Israel will be saved! This is the great fulfillment of the New Covenant. Where, the Lord preserved a remnant in every generation, delivering the nation corporately in the past, He will save all the surviving Jews of the Great Tribulation. He will give them a new heart (Ezek. 36:26-27).

7. Father
Our God is said to be a father to both Israel and believers in general. In the millennium, God will be seen as our Father. The fulfillment of Isaiah 63:15-16 will be made complete, "Where are Your zeal and Your strength, the yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained? Doubtless You are our Father."

The abstractness of the human fatherly relationship that God gave mankind will be revealed in its completeness in the millennium. Those who have been resurrected, or raptured will possess glorified bodies and not be given in marriage, but however, the concept of mother, father, son, and daughter, will find complete understanding in the millennium.

Conclusion
Our Lord demonstrates His sovereignty in His very being. The creator of all things, and keeper of all things, comes in the flesh, taking on the form of man. The infinite came to the finite in order to show mankind what a perfect obedient man was like and to undo what the first Adam did. To come into the world so that mankind could identify with God in a unique and very personal way. Our God is a personal God who cares for His creation and especially for mankind who was created in His image.
A perfectly holy God who requires righteousness must also come again in order to make a final accounting. To deal with the unrighteousness of rebellious mankind. His plan of the ages will be made complete in the new heavens and earth. Perfect holiness, rightness and love will be revealed as His glory covers all the earth! From a holy, righteous loving creation to a holy, righteous, loving new creation – all things will be made complete.

The sovereignty of God and prophecy in particular is a most comforting doctrine and when read provides comfort for the hurting, rest for the restless, peace in times of turmoil. Drs. LaHaye and Ice write, "Peter went on to call biblical prophecy ‘the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place’ (2 Pet. 1:10). Why can we place all our trust in God’s prophetic Word? Because, as Peter concludes, prophecy is not a matter of the human interpretation of historical events: ‘Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God’ (2 Pet. 1:20-21).

Dr. Lightner writes, "While some Bible expositors say God’s sovereignty is one of His attributes or perfections, it may be preferable to view His sovereignty as the truth about God’s person which makes all His perfections possible and out of which they function as He carries out His plan. When we describe God as sovereign, we mean He is in complete control of His world. He has a plan, and He is implementing that plan. He is at the helm of the ship of all creation and life [3].

Finally, Dr. Benware writes of the sovereignty of God, "In a world that seems so chaotic and so completely in the grip of wickedness, we need to remember that our God sovereignly controls it all. The prophet Isaiah declared that the powerful Creator of this world is not at all impressed with the supposedly great power of men and nations (Isa. 40:12-26). In fact, he asserts that God regards them as dust on the scales, as a drop from a bucket, as nothing and meaningless. Our God is the king of the universe who reigns both now and in the future (Ps. 2:1-12). Though Satan is called the ‘god of this world,’ he does not dictate what happens on this planet but remains unquestionably under the sovereign authority of the Lord God (Matt. 28:19-20; Rev. 1:18). The prophetic word proclaims the power and sovereignty of God reminds us that His purposes for the future will indeed come to pass. Neither people nor demons can thwart the plans of God Almighty. This great truth brings insight and comfort to the believer living in this hostile word [4]."

[1] This list adopted from J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1958), p. 487-490.
[2] John Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom (Grand Rapids:Zondervan, 1959), p.301.
[3] Robert Lightner in Mal Couch, gen. ed., A Bible Handbook to Revelation (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2001), p. 96.
[4] Paul Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy (Chicago:Moody Press, 1995), p. 12.

Prophecy and the Sovereignty of God, Part Four

In the previous article, God’s sovereignty was viewed in light of prophecy and His decrees. Since God is sovereign over an eternal kingdom (1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 97:1; 103:19; 145:13 & etc) which has existed for all time, He has decreed and all subjects of His domain must abide. That is what a sovereign does! He rules over his dominion, and for God, His dominion covers the whole universe. God sits on His throne in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ at His right hand (cf. Acts 7:55-56; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 1 Pet 3:22, & etc) But our Lord Jesus Christ is not sitting on His earthly throne yet. His kingdom rule is yet future (2 Sam. 7:12-16; 1 Tim. 4:1; & etc)! In this article God’s decrees are examined in view of His divine attributes.

Sovereignty of God declared in the Historical Record
The idea of sovereignty assumes a reign, a kingship, authority over both a people and a land. This is illustrated by examining the book of Daniel – that great book which provides a prophetic look at ALL the kingdoms of the future. First, the great pronouncement by the king of Babylon who testified in an open letter to the world. After witnessing God’s absolute control over the great Babylonian kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar writes,
Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: May your peace abound! It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation (Dan. 4:1-4)…. This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men (4:17)…. But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ (4:34-25)
Incredibly, the very next world government proclaims the same truth! After conquering the Babylonian Empire, Darius, the representative of the Media-Persian Empire, witnesses and testifies of God’s sovereign control over all.
Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound! I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions (Dan. 6:25-27).
What is seen from these few verses is that God has revealed His sovereignty over the most brutal, stubborn, pagan rulers of all time. He does this because He is the Creator of the Universe. Dr. Chafer writes, "The sovereignty of God is discerned in the absolute manner in which all things have been assigned their respective place in creation, in appointing to men their day and generation as well as the bounds of their habitation, and in the exercise of saving grace." [1]
He goes on to write, "We are not required to reconcile the divine decrees and human liberty. It is enough to know that God has decreed all things which come to pass, and that men are answerable for their actions." [2]

God’s Decrees as Actual History and the doctrine of Immutability
The description by the kings of the world empires in Daniel occurred in actual history. The workings of the throne room are described to Daniel as he is given his vision of the end of the "beast" in Daniel chapter seven. He sees a vision of the four beasts and the Ancient of Days as thrones were put in place (7:9), the court was seated, and the books opened. Then Daniel writes,
Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed (Dan. 7:11-14 – NASB).
This is not a metaphor for one’s overcoming adversary, but an actual literal event that will occur. It has been decreed because it has been foretold. Dr. Pink says, "…It is not self-evident that if God foreknows all things, He has also fore-ordained all things? Is it not clear that God foreknows what will be because He has decreed what shall be? God’s foreknowledge is not the cause of events, rather are events the effects of His eternal purpose. When God has decreed a thing shall be, He knows it will be. In the nature of things there cannot be anything known as what shall be, unless it is certain to be, and there is nothing certain to be unless God has ordained it shall be." [3]

The theological word "immutable" means "God is unchangeable and thus unchanging." [4] An example of this characteristic of God is Malachi 3:6, "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." A clear statement that God will preserve Israel as he has promised. In fact, one of the claims of those who hold so strongly to the sovereignty of God but, discard Israel by claiming that the church has replaced Israel, has to perform historical-grammatical hermeneutical murder in order to claim the future promises of Israel for the Church!

As God is infinite in wisdom and power there can be with Him no unforeseen emergency and nothing can resist the execution of His original intention. As Dr. Hodge so well states, "The uniformity of the laws of nature in a constant revelation of the immutability of God… No less stable are the laws which regulate the operations of the reason and conscience. The whole government of God, as the God of nature and as moral governor, rests on the immutability of his counsels." [5]

With respect to the doctrine of immutability, God promised Abraham (a) future descendents that would come from him and Sarah – a seed; (b) the land of Canaan; and (c) blessing. The land covenant of Deu. 28-30 amplifies the land aspect. The Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:8-17) amplifies the seed aspect, and finally, the New covenant (Jer. 31:27-37; Ezek. 36:22-32) amplifies the blessing aspect. That is, there is both a near and far prophetic fulfillment provided.

The basic promise to Abraham is seen throughout history, some fulfilled, but not all. Abraham was abundantly blessed with material things. He possessed land, servants, flocks of livestock, silver, and gold. In spiritual things, he lived a happy life of separation to God, communion with God, he was sustained by God, and had peace and confidence that comes from an obedient life and dependence on God. Abraham also had a great name (in his own time) which even today is regarded highly in the three religions Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. He had an heir by Sarah, bore innumerable seed (offspring), and was (and still is) a channel of blessing to others. Moreover, history has born out the blessings and curses of the Abraham covenant. Nations that have persecuted and cursed Israel, God has cursed. Those that have blessed Israel, God has blessed. [6]

The Abrahamic covenant has eternal promises which are yet future. A people, land and blessing imply a kingdom, which will be fulfilled in the future Messianic kingdom. The nation Israel as the physical seed of Abraham must be perpetuated. If Israel is to possess the land forever, they must exist forever. God will preserve a remnant in every generation. Steven McAvoy says, "In spite of Israel’s disobedience they will be preserved as a nation. Israel will be restored to the land. Israel will undergo severe discipline for disobedience that will turn them to repentance. Israel will experience a national conversion and spiritual regeneration that will qualify them for eternal possession of the land in material and spiritual blessing. …The Abrahamic covenant guarantees Israel everlasting possession of, and blessing in, the land as geographically outlined in Genesis 15…. And while Israel presently forfeits these blessings due to unbelief, the church, by its association with the Mediator of the new covenant, inherits the spiritual blessings of the new covenant (forgiveness of sin, spiritual regeneration, indwelling Holy Spirit, etc., see Jer. 31:33-34; Ezek. 36:25-27). When Israel repents and accepts Christ (Zech. 12:10-14), the nation shall inherit all these spiritual blessings and restoration to the land with its attendant material blessings (Ezek. 36:22-38)." [7]

The Decrees of God are Free
Another aspect of the sovereign prophecy of God is that His decrees are free and in no case conditional. "If He has not absolutely determined on what is to occur, but waits until an undetermined condition is or is not fulfilled, then his decrees can neither be eternal nor immutable." [8] The Scriptures teach that He does whatever He pleases (Ps. 115:3; Ecc. 3:14). He does His pleasure in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth (Dan. 4:35; Ps. 135:6).

Free Acts are Foreordained
The decrees of God are in no case conditional. An example is found in the statement spoken by Paul concerning time.
Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Gal. 4:1-5 – NASB). The idea is that God has appointed a specific day, a specific time, for all His decrees. In the Greek the word in verse 2 is prothesmios meaning "set beforehand, appointed or determined beforehand." [9] The word is a compound from ‘pro’ meaning before and tithemi meaning "to set, put, place, make, fix, establish." The appointed time has been set by the Father and it involves a completeness of time, meaning there are other things which must be put in place and completed before this decree is fulfilled. The preciseness of the Greek used by Paul is stunning as he uses the word pleroma in "when the fullness of time." The word pleroma means, "that which is (has been) filled, fullness, abundance, a fulfilling," and chronos meaning "time" in the general sense. This statement establishes God’s sovereignty over events for He alone is the author and definer of time and He alone declares the "fullness of time!"

This is again seen in the original language by the Hebrew word mow’ed meaning "appointed place," or "appointed time," that which is used by God to let people know when His decrees will take place. It is used for example in the following prophetic sequence:
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time [mow’ed] I will return to you, at this time [‘eth] next year, and Sarah will have a son (Gen. 18:14).
So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time [mow’ed] of which God had spoken to him (Gen. 21:2).
As can be seen in this example, God decreed Sarah would have a son at a specific time [mow’ed], and when the fullness of time came, Sarah bore a son! "The unrestrained, sovereign purpose of God is seen in the ordering of the succession of the ages. That God has a program of the ages is disclosed in many passages (cf. Deut. 30:1-10; Dan. 2:31-45; 7:1-28; 9:24-27; Hos. 3:4, 5; Mat. 23:37-25:46; Acts 15:13-18; Rom. 11:13-29; 2 Thes. 2:1-12; Rev. 2:1-22:31)….it is clearly disclosed that there are ages past (Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26), the present age (Rom. 12:2; Gal. 1:4) and the age, or ages, to come (Eph. 2:7; Heb. 6:5; note Eph. 1:10, where the future age is termed the dispensation – oikovomia – of the fullness – plaroma – of times – kaipos)." [10]

End Notes:
[1] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1993), Vol. 1, p.222
[2] Ibid. p. 243.
[3] Arthur Pink, The Sovereignty of God (Baker Books, 1995), p. 109
[4] Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), p. 43
[5] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Hendrickson, 2003), vol. 1, p. 539
[6] Mal Couch, gen. ed., Dictionary of Premillennial Theology (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1996), p. 32
[7] ibid, p. 32
[8] Hodge, p. 540
[9] TWNT, Online Bible Greek Lexicon, version 1.2
[10] Chafer, p. 253

Prophecy and the Sovereignty of God, Part Three

In the previous article, God's sovereignty was defined in the context of who He is. That is, He is Creator so He is the sovereign over all creation. Along with the idea of sovereignty is the concept of a kingdom and hence, a kingdom rule. God is sovereign over an eternal kingdom (1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 97:1; 103:19; 145:13 & etc) which has existed for all time as He sits on His throne in heaven. But there will be a future earthly kingdom which the Lord Jesus Christ will rule as King from His holy mountain (2 Sam. 7:12-16; 1 Tim. 4:1; & etc)! In this article the concept of prophecy is defined and related to His holy decrees. 

Prophecy Defined
Simply put, prophecy is history written in advance. The word comes to the English from the Greek propheteia a compound of the preposition pro meaning before, and phemi meaning to make known, or to say. The idea is that God has spoken new truths through His spokesmen - the prophets. The Hebrew Old Testament is organized into three parts, the Torah (law), the Nebiym (prophets), and the Ketubim (writings). In the Hebrew a prophet nabiy' is "one who speaks for another," in their case God.

Speaking in general terms the word prophecy means a message from the Bible. Our entire Bible is prophecy, the authors speaking new revelation and recording it as a testimony for all time. This idea is recorded in phrases like "My word will stand forever." To think of the entire Bible as prophecy is strange because most prophets and their prophecy is classified in a particular category referred to as "forth-telling." This is God speaking through the prophet things which will come to pass. The general discourse of the prophet is, (1) warning – Israel you have sinned, turn away from your sin and return to Me. (2) Judgment - there is judgment coming because you refuse to listen to Me. (3) Perseverance - although you refuse to listen to Me. You will be judged. But, I will still deliver you from those who I will bring against you. (4) Eternal blessing - because I am God and I choose you, making an eternal promise to Abraham, I will make good on My promise to you and make you a part of the eternal kingdom, and everlasting life is given to those who believe.

Sovereignty Declared in God's Decrees
It is proper to say that each prophecy is a decree of God. Just as God spoke and the universe was created, even so, His spoken decrees establish the natural laws which are upheld and His will, whether known or not is spoken in the form, "thus sayith the Lord," and it will be done. Just as an earthly king declares his will and it becomes law, how much more, the King of kings, who declares, and it is written in books (e.g., "the book of the Wars of the Lord" Ex. 21:14; "the books of God" Dan. 7:10; "the scroll of seven seals" Rev. 5:1-5).

Webster defines a decree to be, "an ordinance or order issued by a person or body of persons in authority deciding what is to be done in a certain matter, or what is to take place; an edict; a decision; a command; as, the decree of the emperor." [1] In the Old Testament the word decree comes from several words. Firstly, dabar, which means, "word, or thing," has been translated as "decree" because God's word defines a decree. Another closely related word is me'amar, meaning commandment (lit. "from saying"). Others have to do with "to cut, decide" as a legal document (gazar), to interdict, or prohibition (‘esar), "to ordain, appoint" (chaqaq), "to decide: impling strict and severe justice" (charats), "discernment, judgment" (ta'am), "decree" (phitegam), and "to establish (qum). Note, however, the basic idea is "something spoken" by someone who has authority to see the thing through.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby for his own glory He hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass." And as the late Dr. Shedd writes, "The divine decree is formed in eternity, but executed in time. There are sequences in the execution, but not in the formation of God's eternal purpose….The divine decree is a divine idea or thought, and it is peculiar to a divine thought that it is equal to the thing produced by it. This earthly globe was decreed from eternity, but it did not actually exist from eternity. It was from eternity a divine thought, but not a historical thing." [2]

Dr. Hodge writes after quoting this statement of the shorter catechism, "Agreeably to this statement: (1.) The end or final cause contemplated in all God's decrees, is his own glory. (2.) They are all reducible to one eternal purpose. (3.) They are free and sovereign, determined by the counsel of his own will. (4) They comprehend all events." [3] As can be seen, Dr. Hodge makes it clear that God's will, His power to accomplish His will, and the purpose of His will, is for His good pleasure and glory.

Dr. Strong in his classic Systematic Theology writes, "The Scriptures declare that all things are included in the divine decrees. They declare that special things and events are decreed; as, for example, (a) the stability of the physical universe; (b) the outward circumstances of nations; (c) the length of human life; (d) the mode of our death; (e) the free acts of men, both good and evil acts. They declare that God has decreed (a) the salvation of believers; (b) the establishment of Christ's kingdom; (c) the work of Christ and of his people in establishing it." [4]
It is common to speak of God's decree as singular. "The term divine decree is an attempt to gather up into one designation that to which the Scriptures refer by various designations – the divine purpose (Eph. 1:11), determinate counsel (Acts 2:23), foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:2; cf. 1:20), election (1 Thess. 1:4), predestination (Rom. 8:30), the divine will (Eph 1:11), and the divine good pleasure (Eph. 1:9)…. When seeking to arrive at a right understanding of the doctrine of the divine decree, it is essential to distinguish decree from predestination and predestination from election and retribution. The divine decree embraces all that was or is future. Whatever was to transpire in time was decreed from eternity, whether good or evil, whether great or small, whether wrought directly by God or indirectly through agencies. The decree itself provided for the free actions of creatures and included what men are pleased to call accidents… The divine decree embraces the entire ongoing of the universe including things material and things immaterial." [5]

Notice the commonality between the Calvinistic reformer and the classic dispensationalist, Dr. Chafer in his classic work of Systematic Theology says, "No deductions concerning God could be more dishonoring or misleading than the supposition that He is not sovereign over His works, or that He is not working according to a plan articulates the dictation of infinite intelligence." [6] "When this issue [sovereignty] is reduced to its lowest dimensions, there remain but two general overtures: either (1) that God is sovereign and all that ever has existed or will exist is within His plan, or (2) that He is not sovereign and there is more or less in the universe which exists in defiance of His holy character and over which He has no authority." [7] "The Scriptures assert the never-failing sovereignty of God, and never more emphatically than when they predict the fast-approaching hour when sin shall be no more. Who, indeed, is determining the hour when sin shall cease? Is it to cease by mere caprice? Or does God sustain no more vital relation to its cessation than to foreknow that it will cease? Who maketh wars to cease? By whose power and authority will Satan be bound and confined to the abyss and finally cast into the lake of fire? Who prepared that lake of fire?" [8]

God's decrees are rooted in eternity past and His purpose is seen in the ordering of the succession of the ages. That God has a program of the ages is disclosed in many passages (cf. Deut. 30:1-10; Dan. 2:31-45; 7:1-28; 9:24-27; Hos. 3:4, 5; Mat. 23:37-25:46; Acts 15:13-18; Rom. 11:13-29; 2 Thes. 2:1-12; Rev. 2:1-22:31) It is clearly disclosed that there are ages past (Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26), and present (Rom. 12:2; Gal. 1:4). But that there is an age, or ages, to come (Eph. 2:7; Heb. 6:5; note Eph. 1:10, where the future age is termed the dispensation – oikovomia – of the fullness – plaroma – of times – kaipos). [9]

Example from the Throne Room of Heaven
The reason why any event occurs, or, that it passes from the category of the possible into that of the actual, is that God has so decreed. This is seen, for example, in the scene from the throne room of heaven in Job chapter one. Nothing occurs outside the knowledge of God and even the spiritual realm must go before the throne room of God. Notice as Satan is seen presenting himself before God in the case of Job. It is God who says, "have you considered my servant Job (Job 1:8)?" Dr. Gill interprets, "Or, ‘hast thou put thine heart on my servant'; not in a way of love and affection to him, to do him any good or service, there being an original and implacable enmity in this old serpent to the seed of the woman; but rather his heart was set upon him in a way of desire to have him in his hands, to do him all the mischief he could, as the desire of his heart was toward Peter, Luke 22:31 but the sense of the question is, since thou sayest thou hast been walking up and down in the earth, hast thou not taken notice of Job, and cast an eye upon him, and wished in thine heart to have him in thine hands to do him hurt?" [10]

The workings of the throne room are again given to Daniel as he is given his vision in Daniel chapter seven. He sees a vision of the four beasts and the Ancient of Days as thrones were put in place (7:9), the court was seated, and the books opened. Then Daniel writes,
Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed (Dan. 7:11-14 – NASB). 

The Lord has told us the beginning and the end, because He is the "Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end" (Rev. 22:13). He is the sovereign Creator who defines history. He is sovereign even over the spiritual world. These examples from the throne room of heaven demonstrate that God is in control over both the heavens and earth. He is in control over both the spiritual and the physical, even over life itself! He is the God who speaks and it is written.

[1] Webster's Dictionary, unabridged Second Edition. 1979
[2] William Shedd, Dogmatic Theology (Phillipsburg, NJ:P&R Publishing, 2003), p. 311
[3] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Hendrickson, 2003), Vol. 1, p. 535
[4] Augustus Strong, Systematic Theology (Valley Forge, Pa.: Judson Press, 1907), p. 355
[5] Ibid., p. 232
[6] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids:Kregel Publications, 1993), Vol. 1, p. 225
[7] Ibid., p. 226
[8] Ibid., p. 233
[9] Ibid., p. 253
[10] John Gill's Exposition on the Entire Bible, Online Bible Version 1.2.

Prophecy and the Sovereignty of God, Part Two

In the last article of prophecy and the Sovereignty of God, His sovereignty was revealed by words used in the Bible and the language used in prophetic passages. When He speaks about future events, He uses the completed verb tense! He says in essence "it was done!" In this article the definition of sovereignty will be discussed and what that means to the earthly reign of the Messiah.

The Sovereignty of God and the Modern Mind
The doctrine of the sovereignty of God means God is in control. With a world where evil is all around, where bad things happen to good people, where God’s chosen people Israel, has undergone persecution after persecution, how can God be in control? The answer is, He is because He has the power to be and has demonstrated His sovereign control through prophecy!

Many an old Puritan would speak, write, and proclaim this doctrine. While researching for this article I was amazed that most of the writings on the topic were written by authors of at least a hundred years ago. The old classics! With the exception of the famous work by Arthur Pink, and a couple modern writers, it seems either the subject is not popular today, or the caliber of the classics is so large, that nothing else needs to be written that has not already been written. One area where I believe a volume is needed is in the area of prophecy, because God’s control over history and His comforting words concerning the future are inseparable. How a Reformer Calvinist, who believes in the absolute sovereignty of God, but not the premillennial return of our Lord is beyond comprehension. Instead, the Reformer Calvinist believes the literal fulfilled prophecy- that which occurred before the time of Christ. But then turns, in confusion, even skipping large sections of Scripture and stumbles over the prophecies concerning His Second Coming. Even scoffing when it comes to unfulfilled Messianic prophecy. They simply spiritualize it away! Is God sovereign or not? Can He do what He says or not?

Dr. Pink writes, "The Sovereignty of God is an expression that once was generally understood. It was a phrase commonly used in religious literature. It was a theme frequently expounded in the pulpit. It was a truth which brought comfort to many hearts, and gave virility and stability to Christian character. But, today, to make mention of God’s sovereignty is, in many quarters, to speak in an unknown tongue." [1] What seems to have happened to the doctrine of old, is that Calvinism has been taken over by Covenant theologians who teach a perverted doctrine called Replacement theology. Replacement theology means that the church replaced Israel. All those prophecies decreed for Israel have been taken away from Israel and fulfilled in the Church.

Sovereignty Defined
Fundamental to the entire system of Calvinism is the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. "Calvinism asserts that the sovereignty of God is supreme; that He has absolute and indisputable authority over all creation, that nothing can lie outside of or be viewed as not being subject to the sovereignty of His will, that He is not only the Creator and Upholder but the Disposer of all events from the beginning of time to its close." [2]

The word sovereign comes to the English from the Latin ‘super’ meaning "above" or "over." The word means "above or superior to all others; chief; greatest; supreme." [3] In the Old Testament God is called the sovereign over all (Ps. 103:19).

In the Old Testament it is best described by the prophet Isaiah who, in proclaiming the prophecy of the coming Messiah, says, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6). He is referred to as "Mighty God," in the Hebrew, a gibbor meaning to be strong. The noun form of the word means "one who exercises supreme power; a supreme ruler; the person having the highest authority in a state, as a king."[4] The Hebrew expresses it as a ruler over a kingdom by the word malkuth meaning "royal power, reign, kingdom, sovereign power," and is used for example in, "The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all" (Ps. 103:19). The accompanying term mashal "reigns," or "rules," follows sovereignty because His authority reigns! Notice the verse that follows, "Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone" (1 Chron, 29:12).

The idea of sovereignty is directly related to the concept of a kingdom rule. One speaks of nations as having sovereignty. The sovereign nation has (1) a land, which contains borders; (2) subjects, which includes everyone and everything that dwells within the borders of the kingdom; and (3) rules to live by in the kingdom. The governing of the land involves laws or decrees that regulate life within that nation. The idea of free will does not exist because all subjects are bound by the laws and the will of the sovereign of the land. Today’s modern governments do not reflect the sovereign rule of great kingdoms of the past. In ancient times, the sovereign would rule with absolute control. Most times the nation would be ruled at the king’s command. In rare cases immutability was forced upon some kingly rule as is seen in Babylon of Daniel’s day where king Darius made a decree that could "not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter" (Dan. 6:8). With God, however, His sovereignty extends beyond that of man’s sovereignty. He possess an unlimited sovereignty that is characteristic with His character and attributes, so that His sovereign rule is infinite in every sense; infinite in power, infinite in time, and infinite in space.

Dr. Charnock in his famous work "The Existence and Attributes of God" writes,
He [God] doth not muffle and cloud up himself in heaven, or confine his sovereignty to that place, his royal power extends to all visible, as well as invisible things: he is proprietor and possessor of all (Deut. x.14): ‘The heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth also, with all that is there.’ He hath right to dispose of all as he pleases. He doth not say, his kingdom rules all that fear him, but, ‘over all;’ so that it is not the kingdom of grace he here speaks of, but his natural and universal kingdom. Over angels and men; Jews and Gentiles; animate and inanimate things…. God is sovereign Lord and King, and exerciseth a dominion over the whole world, both heaven and earth. This is so clear that nothing is more spoken of in Scripture. The very name, ‘Lord,’ imports it; a name originally belonging to gods, and from them translated to others. And he is frequently called ‘the Lord of Hosts,’ because all the troops and armies of spiritual and corporeal creatures are in his hands, and at his service [5].

The idea of sovereignty assumes a reign and authority over both a people and a land. This concept is illustrated by examining the book of Daniel – that great book which provides a prophetic look at ALL the kingdoms of the future. First, the great pronouncement by the king of Babylon who testified in an open letter to the world. After witnessing God’s absolute control over his great Babylonian kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar writes,
Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: May your peace abound! It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation (Dan. 4:1-4)…. This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men (4:17)…. But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ (4:34-25) Incredibly, the very next world government in line proclaims the same truth. After conquering the Babylonian Empire, Darius, the representative of the Media-Persian Empire, witnesses and testifies of God’s sovereign control over all.
Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound! I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions (Dan. 6:25-27). What is seen is that God has revealed His sovereignty even over the most brutal, stubborn, pagan sovereigns of all time. He does this because He is the Creator of the Universe. Dr. Chafer writes, "The sovereignty of God is discerned in the absolute manner in which all things have been assigned their respective place in creation, in appointing to men their day and generation as well as the bounds of their habitation, and in the exercise of saving grace."[6]

Dr. Hodge summaries in his popular theology, "…it is plain, (1.) That the sovereignty of God is universal. It extends over all his creatures from the highest to the lowest. (2.) That it is absolute. There is no limit to be placed to his authority. He doeth his pleasure in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. (3.) It is immutable. It can neither be ignored nor rejected. It binds all creatures, as inexorably as physical laws bind the material universe. This sovereignty is exercised, (1.) In establishing the laws, physical and moral, by which all creatures are to be governed. (2.) In determining the nature and powers of the different orders of created beings, and in assigning each its appropriate sphere. (3.) In appointing to each individual his position and lot. It is the Lord who fixes the bounds of our habitation. Our times are in his hands. He determines when, where, and under what circumstances each individual of our race is to be born, live, and die. Nations, no less than individuals, are thus in the hands of God, who assigns them their heritage in the earth, and controls their destiny. (4.) God is no less sovereign in the distribution of his favours. He does what He wills with his own." [7]

Finally, Dr. Pink says of the sovereignty of God: "To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (Ps. 115:3). To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is ‘The Governor among the nations’ (Ps. 22:28), setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as pleaseth Him best. To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is the ‘only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords’ (1 Tim. 6:15). Such is the God of the Bible." [8]

It is clear that if God has created the heavens and the earth that He is the Sovereign over them and that He alone is in control over all creation! This control is demonstrated in the way He has created the "laws" of nature, the "laws" of language, the "laws" governing reproduction, family life, and virtually every aspect of life on earth. He holds everything up in every instant of time.

[1] Arthur Pink, The Sovereignty of God (Baker Books, 1995), p. 19
[2] Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1989), p. 480
[3] Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary, 1979
[4] Webster’s Dictionary
[5] Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (Baker Books, 2000), vol 2, pp. 362-363
[6] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1993), Vol. 1, p.222
[7] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Hendrickson, 2003), Vol. 1, pp. 440-441
[8] Arthur Pink, The Sovereignty of God (Baker Books, 1984), p. 19

Prophecy and the Sovereignty of God, Part One

In the area of Biblical prophecy, the sovereignty of God is the most fundamental of doctrines. Sovereignty is required in order for prophecy to come to pass. If God is not absolutely in control, then fulfilled prophecy is not prophecy at all, but rather chance. If God does not control history, then Biblical prophecy has no guarantee of fulfillment. It reduces prophecy from a sure thing to mere probability, and God from omnipotent to the impotent. If God does not work in individuals, in nations, in His created laws governing nature, then prophecy does not work! If God is not in control of even the little things then He is not the only True God, but merely a god, and a false God at that! No doctrine is more encouraging to the believer than the sovereignty of God, and in particular, prophecy. Teaching fulfilled prophecy builds the believer’s confidence in God, strengthening his or her faith that God will do what He says He will do, and He alone has the power to make it happen. Prophecy is the fundamental reinforcer of the doctrine of faith. One trusts and relies upon God in his or her daily walk because faith is backed up by history. Because God spoke in advance, and it came to pass.

Sovereignty has to do with God’s decrees and the manner in which they are accomplished. This set of articles will examine some critical aspects of the most comforting doctrine – the sovereignty of God as it relates to Biblical prophecy.
The Sovereignty of God in His Speech

When God speaks, everything about His communication speaks of absolute certainty and control. For example, the word ‘amen is the Hebrew meaning "so be it," its verb root means "to support" "be firm" or "stand firm." The word is often translated by the more modern words "truly" or "verily," or it just stands alone as the transliteration "amen." In Isaiah God is said to be the "God of truth" literally the "God of Amen:"

Because he who is blessed in the earth Will be blessed by the God of truth [amen]; And he who swears in the earth Will swear by the God of truth [amen]; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My sight! (Isaiah 65:16)
Dr. Vine summarizes its use by saying, "Thus ‘Amen’ said by God = ‘it is and shall be so,’ and by men, ‘so let it be.’" So its use in prophecy as the Lord speaks through the prophet Jeremiah to the nation:
In order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then I said, Amen, O LORD. (Jer.11:5)
Once in the New Testament ‘amen’ is used as a title of Christ. He is "the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness" (Rev. 3:14). The title is used because the purposes of God are established through Him (2 Cor. 1:20). These purposes speak of a God who is in control every second of every hour.

Separate and apart from individual words that declare God’s sovereign control over what He says will come to pass, is the grammar used in prophecy. In the Hebrew there exists what grammarians call the "prophetic perfect." The perfect verb tense means the action or act is "completed," and so is often translated as a past tense. But the idea is that the act is completed. When the Lord gives future prophecy, he often speaks in the perfect tense and the translators translate it in the future tense because it has not occurred yet. It would be like saying "I went to the store tomorrow." That makes no since, so the translators would write "I will go to the store tomorrow." Even though that is not what the text says! This is called the prophetic perfect and occurs often in the Old Testament. When the Lord speaks "it will be done." It is like saying "it is done" even though the event has not occurred yet because He is the Amen!

Another example of His sovereign control over all things is in the way that His sovereign work is performed by His speech. He speaks and things are created! For example, He said let there be light, and there was light (Gen. 1:3). Nothing else is given about how the light came, the point is not in the how, but that He decreed it, and it was so. This control over creation extends to all creation, as He commands the laws of nature, the host of angles, and brings the nations of the earth up, then brings them down. The Psalmist said it best when he wrote,
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations (Ps. 33:6-11).
The Lord is called "the Word" (John 1:1). This title declares that the Word was God, and that the Word became flesh. That is, God came in the flesh. The Word is a Person who has come into the world to reveal the person of the Farther to men. Dr. Pentecost writes, "…the Word is the Creator. He stated positively, ‘Through him all things were made,’ … The Father is the designer, and the Son is the intermediate agent in creation." Notice what Dr. Vincent writes:

This idea [speaking of Jn. 1:1 and the Word] develops itself in the Old Testament on three lines. (1) The Word, as embodying the divine will, is personified in Hebrew poetry. Consequently divine attributes are predicated of it as being the continuous revelation of God in law and prophecy (Psa 3:4; Isa 40:8; Psa 119:105). The Word is a healer in Psa 107:20; a messenger in Psa 147:15; the agent of the divine decrees in Isa 55:11.
(2) The personified wisdom (Job 28:12 sq.; Proverbs 8, 9). Here also is the idea of the revelation of that which is hidden. For wisdom is concealed from man: "he knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air" (Job 28). Even Death, which unlocks so many secrets, and the underworld, know it only as a rumor (Job 28:22). It is only God who knows its way and its place (Job 28:23). He made the world, made the winds and the waters, made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder (Job 28:25, Job 28:26). He who possessed wisdom in the beginning of his way, before His works of old, before the earth with its depths and springs and mountains, with whom was wisdom as one brought up with Him (Pro 8:26-31), declared it. "It became, as it were, objective, so that He beheld it" (Job 28:27) and embodied it in His creative work. This personification, therefore, is based on the thought that wisdom is not shut up at rest in God, but is active and manifest in the world. "She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors" (Pro_8:2, Pro_8:3). She builds a palace and prepares a banquet, and issues a general invitation to the simple and to him that wanteth understanding (Pro 9:1-6). It is viewed as the one guide to salvation, comprehending all revelations of God, and as an attribute embracing and combining all His other attributes.

(3) The Angel of Jehovah. The messenger of God who serves as His agent in the world of sense, and is sometimes distinguished from Jehovah and sometimes identical with him (Gen 16:7-13; Gen 32:24-28; Hos 12:4, Hos 12:5; Exo 23:20, Exo 23:21; Mal 3:1).

Finally, God uses language as the primary means of communication with mankind. So He has given us His word. He chooses to demonstrate His sovereignty over all creation by His word and through the use of prophecy. It is primarily through His word that we know Him, and trust Him. And it is by prophecy that we find His wonderful sovereignty, righteousness, love, and daily provisions. The believer is one who has faith in the one God who can and will perform His work and will deliver us on the last day. And it is by prophecy that the believer finds comfort in times of great distress.