Page 98 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2010

THE

OF GOD… Although the future is the OF GOD…
common ground between
GGOODD’’SS PPRROOMMIISSEESS the promises of God and the GGOODD’’SS PPRROOPPHHEECCIIEESS
RREEVVEEAALL WWHHAATT IISS prophecy of God, there is a RREEVVEEAALL WWHHAATT
great distinction to be made
HHIISS WWIILLLL between these two subjects: WWIILLLL TTAAKKEE PPLLAACCEE

(THE PROMISES ARE A CLEAR (PROPHECY STATES TO WHAT DEGREE
EXPRESSION OF THE WILL OF GOD) GOD’S WILL IS ACCOMPLISHED)

If you have ever sat under strict Calvinistic teaching, you would have a problem with the above contrast
for the hard-core Calvinist believes whatever happens on earth to mankind (good or evil) is the result of
the irresistible sovereign will of God rather than the free-will choice of man. However, this is not
supported when a comparison is made between what is stated in the promises of God’s Word that are
expressions of His will in a given area, and what prophecy projects as the outcome that is going to
actually take place.

GGOODD’’SS PPRROOMMIISSEESS Often in Scripture you GGOODD’S’SPPRROOPPHHEECCIEIESS
CCOONNTTAAIINN AA MMEESSSSAAGGEE OOFF will find in a given area: CCOONNTTAAININAAMMEESSSSAAGGEEOOFF

PPOOSSIITTIIVVEE PPOOTTEENNTTIIAALL NNEEGGAATTIIVVEERREEAALLIITTYY

((WWHHAATT GGOODD WWIILLLLSS)) ((WWHHAATTWWILILLLHHAAPPPPEENN))

The question arises as to whether God merely knows in advance what is going to happen (divine

foreknowledge) and therefore accurately declares it, or whether He is actually causing all future

events to happen (divine intervention). I believe the right answer is a delicate and proper balance of

both. Contrary to the Calvinistic view, the Scriptures state that God uses His divine foreknowledge in

election and predestination: “FOR WHOM HE FOREKNEW,
HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED
“ELECT, ACCORDING TO
THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER...” TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON...”
Rom. 8:29
1 Pet. 1:2

Some parts of God’s prophetic word belong under the banner of His absolute sovereignty to intervene
in the affairs of men as He sees fit. Most parts of the prophetic word belong under the banner of God’s
divine ability of possessing foreknowledge of future events. It is important to understand that God does
not cause the outcome of all prophetic things to happen. God help us to carefully analyze prophecy and
properly place it under God’s character as revealed in God’s Word. It is important for God’s people to
study prophecy. This point cannot be over-emphasized.

We will not understand prophecy properly unless we hold a delicate and proper view of who God is
and how He functions. The highest revelation of God in His Word is not His absolute sovereignty over
man as Calvinistic theology presents, but rather that God is the Righteous Judge who deals with man
according to his/her choices in life. Therefore the outcome of prophecy is not solely the by-product of
God’s sovereign will intervening in man’s affairs. If God so functioned, there would be no difference
between the expression of His will in His promises and the outcome found in prophecy of those events.
Much prophecy is based on God’s foreknowledge of the choices man will make. Therefore God’s will
stated in His promises have high positive potential, but due to man’s poor choices, the outcome of
God’s stated will is often far less and therefore filled with negative reality. Although His stated will is
high, He will not override man’s free will to choose. It is man’s choices that cause the positive potential
of God’s promises to become negative realities as stated in many prophecies. The Calvinist wants to
make God’s will totally sovereign when in reality God often allows man’s will (his choices) to dictate
the outcome.