God's Strategy in Human History

ROGER T. FORSTER and V. PAUL

STüN

By the same authors: That's a Goocl Question

TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERS, INC. Wheaton, I11inois

Contents Biblc Versions 1)i

F oreword vii

At:knowledgmcnts viii

Cover photo: NASA Líbrary of Congress Catalog Card Nurnber 74-80'797 ISBN 8423-1080-0 cloth; 8423-1081-9 paper Copyright © R. T, Forster and V, P. Marston 1973 First published in Grcat Britain in 1973 by Send the Líght Trust, Brornloy, Kent. This Uníted States edition is published by Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, lIJinois, by arrangerncnt with Scnd the Light Trust and the authnrs. Al! rights reserved. First printing, United States editioJJ, .Tune 1974 Prínted in the United States oi' !\rnerica

Part Que The Nature of the Conflict

1 Introdudion 3 2 Mnn a Battlefield-Job 6 3 Man a Combatant-Daniel 16 4 Weapons, !vlethous and Banners­ The Church 18

5 GoJ's Glory in the Battle-Jesus 23

6 Fight or Fakc? 26

Part Two The History of the Conflict

7 8 9 10 11

Part Three Key Concepts in the Conflict

HO\v War Was Dec1ared-Genesis 45

Israel ancl God's Plan-Abraham 48

Israel amI God's Plnn-Jacob and Esau 59

Israel ancl God\ Plan-Moses 63 Israel and God's Plan-Pharaoh 69 12 Objcctors and Vcsscls 79 13 The Prescnt Conflict 89 14 God's Grcat Projcct and the Final Battlc 100

15 16 17 18

Word Sttldies: Chosen ancl Eleet night(,~O\lsness

117

1,SO

Harden 155 Foreknowleclgc 178

Subject Studies; 19 Jcwish Ideas of Works anO

Highteousncss 208

20 Causes of Jewi~h Unbelicf 2.32 Apl?endix: Early Teaebing on God's and Man's Will 243

lndex of Verses of lnterest

296

BIBLE VERSIONS For a work like this, it seemed preferable to use a transla­ tion oE the Biblc whích fo11owad closely tbe structure of the original, rather than a free rendering. For this rcason it seemed best to adopt thc Revi,c;cd Vcrsion (R. v.) of 1881, and (unless otherwise stated) bold (Jrinl in this work always indicates direct quotatiou Crom too RV. It was decidccl, how­ ever, that in order to give the text a modern appearance, archaic word cndings would be clropped, "thcc" changcd to "you," etc. In the interest of eonsistency this has hecn done without changing word order or grammar. Where other versions have been citcd, the abbreviations used are as fo11ows: Authorized Version (AV) Revised Standard Version (RSV) New English Bible (NEB) Jerusalem Bible (.TD) J. B. Phillips-no abbreviation Scptllagint (LXX) The Scptllagint (LXX) is the Grcek translatíon of the He­ brcw Old Testament, completcd in thc scC'ond century D.C.. The LXX was the version in common use in apostolic times. The New Testamcnt writcrs sometimes quoted it, and it may heJp us to undcrstand somcthing of the implications of variolls Greek cxpressions used by tllem.

vi

FOREWORO It is a sigo of gracc on thc part of the authors of this book that thcy should invite no impenitent Augustinian and Calvinist to write a forcworighteous? (Eliphaz in 15:14) For you say, My docbi-ne ¡,s pure, And 1 am cIenn in your eyes. But Oh tluil Cad ",ould speak o . . Know therefore

9

'S STRATEGY 1

MAN A BATTLEFIELD-JOB

STORY

yon less than your iniquily deserves.

(Job 1:8;

'l'ters sal!: Yea, you do

8W'J:Y

witb reo.r, and

r,

That h, YOllr wickedness quiües. (Eliphaz '00,

t

you were pure ond uprighl; VOB. And make the habitnJ

you Icss tllan vom'

notwilhstnndingm)' wound j,~ incurable tbough oh, ,...

liS, . . •

'o6tl

every man to hnd accordiDg to bis ways. (Elihu in 5-11) (e) Job's ami¡" T1Jc twth .¡S~ S the Lord, amI sm(tle ,Jol, with sore bow from rhe soIe of his foot unto his cr(twn. (.T ob 2:7) But the cornforters soy: Therefore despise not the cha,~ten-

10

ing of the Almighty. For he ma1<es sore, and binds up; He wounds and his hands ma1<e whole. (Eliphaz in 5:17, 18) Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves. (Zophar in 11:6) 1s it for fear of him that he reproves you, that he en­ ters with you into judgment? (Eliphaz in 22:4) Behold, Cad is mighty and despises not any . . . He preserves not the life oE the wicked; but gives to the af­ 8ieted their right. (Elihu in 36:'5, 6) Yea, he would have led you away out oE distress into a broad place, wh.ere there is no straitness; and that which is on your tahle should he fun of fatness. But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. (Elihu in 36: 16, 17) (f) Job's words are aeceptable to Codo Cod says: )'Iy wrath is kindled against you (Eliphaz) and against yoW'two friends: E01" you have nat spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has. (Joh 42:7) Hut the comforters say: And how long shall the words of your mou'lbbe fike a mighty wind? (Bildad in 8:2) Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should aman full of talk be justi6ed? (Zophar in 11:2) For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the erafty. (Eliphaz in 15:5) How long will you lay snares for words? (Bildad in 18:2) And 1 have heard the voiee of your words saying, 1 am cIean without transgression . . . in this you are not just. (E1ihu in 33:8-12) Job speaks without knowledge, alld his words are with­ out wisdom. Would that Job were tried unto the end be­ cause of his an~ering like wicked meno For he adds re­ bellion unto his sin. (Elihu in 34:35-37) Therefore does Job open his mouth in vanity; he multi­ plieswords without knowledge. (Elihu in 35:16) What lessons can we draw from the story of Job? It is lme that Cod sometimes allows sickness or catastrophe to come on somcone as a "ehastening," but not aH suffering is to bc thus explained. The comfortcrs seem to imagine that 24 Cod is determining everything that happens in the world. If they were right in this, then it wouId be Iogieal to ex­ 11

GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUi\,fAN HISTORY pect suffering always to be either for punishment or for chastening, If everything happened as Cod willed, and if he is just, then the innocent c'QuId never suffer. "Who ever perishcd then being inllocent?" asked Eliphaz, and on his own presuppositions it would be difficult to disagree with him-Job must be gllilty, But in fact there is a hnltl involved, and thus it may oftcn happen that one of Cod's pcrfect and upright scrvants suflcrs. It \Vas not Cod but Satan who instigated the sufferings of Job. Nevertheless, Cod could lIse Job's sufferings to bring him to a cleeper rclationship with himself, The principIe is that "in everytmng Cod works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."25 Whatever c1isastcr may strike und howev,cr bad the situation may be, Cod wants to work in that situation for good. He wants his servants, moreover, to cooperate with him in doing this. 1t is therefore important that \Ve react rightly to situations of suffcring or tragedy. "Ve may rt'm(~mber the incidcnt,,;hen Jesus and his dí sciples saw the tragic sígbt of aman born blind. 2G Sin is the ultimate cause of uIl suHcring and síckness, ancl tbc discíples triec1 to raise the theologícal ([ucstion: Rabbi, who did sin, {his man ar bis parents, that he should be horn hlind? They wén' trying to um:avcl the causal chain linking suffering ultimately to sin. J esus' repIy indicated the futility of such (lucstions, The mmú blindness was not a result of his o",n 5ins and neither \Vas it a result of those of his parcnts. It \Vould have becn pointless lo have tried to unravel its causes, The real quesUol'l should not be: "What cansed thc suff8rín~?" but rathcr: URow ca.n 1 eoopcrate in daing the works of Cod in this situatian?" or in other words: "Ho\\' does God want in this instance to work for good with tbose who love hjm?"27 Cbrist did not see suffe,ring as an inteUectual chalIenge but as a need al1d opportunity to show tbc works of Cod in hcaling. Sometimes a person may he suffering bccause he has sinned. More csmmonly, ho\\'ever, the canses of sufIering ,u'~ loo camplex lo UID"a\,el. OUT task should be to seek to cooperate with Cod in al-

11.11

12

MAN A BATTLEFIELD-JOB villling it. We see, therefore, that OUT reactions to, suffe.r1111' art.l important. of importance is OUT attitude whcn we oUTselves 1111.-)'. If Job had "cursed Cod and died," be would neither IHI\'" received blessing himseIf nm been a channel of blessill!!, lo others. Job did not curse Cod and neither was he 'mll'lIt with pious platitudt'-s. Ht.' was real witb Cod in the lualioll, and therefore Cod commended bis words. Job • ullrossed his doubts, his confusion, and yet he knew he had rlnl done the wickedness his friends imagined, Cod comIIILm,]ed this, and then cammanded Job to play the man and Ill~\Ver his questions,28 It is important in times of trouble rcn w. to be open Jalé him lo reveal moro. of himself to uso \llIllY propIe, like Joh, have found a deeper experience of :ml through suffering, This does not mean that Cod neces¡rlly brings such sufferings, but that he is ready to exploit III.Y situation to bring in blessing. We read, further, that Ihll Lord turnedthe captivityof Job, when be prayed for bis IlIcnds .. .20 As Job turned from bis own needs to those .•1 olhers and began to cooperatc with Cod to bring in )Jo~~ing, he found that his bondage to despair began te:> lIl!, Thus it often happens tbat as a person becomes a ¡¡lulllncI for blessing, his own burdens seem Iightened. At I h.. vnd of the book Joh may have realized something of Ilw C'onRict that had been going on, far through prayer he 1LllIlSt'lf beca111e a participant in tbe battle. loh, thereforc, was a battlefield in which Cod proved to "',lliJll that his servants could love him for himself, and not 1111 '1('1y for what he could give them. Perhaps, as a resuIt ,.1 hio¡ experience, ].ob hegan himseH to realize what was la IJlpL!ning, and aetually partic.ipate, thraugh prayer, in the 111 [IH!ing in of blcssing. (I1'P:S 1. Ephesians (): 11 ~ Psalm 2 ,~_

Job 1 :9, 10

l.. from Job's point of view, of OOlHse. it was a struggle to maintaín

In, I..Hh in the face of incomprehensible circumstances. Dnring his

11"III,l,'~ he was. quite unawmc of Satan's role, Thís, perhaps, explains

13

GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY why mnst of the book of Job omits .reference to Satan. It is only from the ili.vine stanclpoint of chapters 1-2 that we see Satan's aetivities. 5. Job 2:9 6. Job 2:5 7. Job 8:/j, 9; 15:10; 20:4 R. Job 4:7, 8i 8:/j-20; 20:4, etc. 9. Joh 5: 18 10. Job 2214., 5 ll. Job 11:6 12. Job 5:17 13. Joh 8:4-6; 11:5, 14; 15:5; 22:4; 25:4; 34:7-11, 37; 36:6, 7 14. )oh 4:18; 15:15 15. Job '.1:17; 15:16 16. )ob 25:6 17. Job 22:3. A verse that mal' come to mind at this point is Isaiah 64:6-"All oue righteousness is as filth)' rags." It is unfortunate that one often hem.'s tbls Ver,(' quoled withoul any regard for conlext, nn \Ve must b'l eareful here. 11105e in r~aiah who sal': "AlI our rightf'onS"TlC"S 15 ns filthy ragl' go on in tIte nm:t verse lo accuse Cod of bídill~ hill f:1(": fmm t!leID. Thi.5 1att!'!r ¡s, we.note, I::xplidtll' denied hy Cod 111 Isalllh 65: 1, 2 wbere he sa}'s that he 1$ nat hldmg hut rather 15 ofrcring himsl'lf ("tI thl'It1 (\V.c míght al;;o c-omparc Isaiah 03:17 wiLh 0;5: 12 wher" tlle Lord aIlirms lhat it \~s nol*his doill~ hut theír own chuicc lo rejcd his caU lInr1 go IlgnllL~t Lis w¡shes.) There is, dltlJ1. no ~son to SUppllSI'1 tbal üu~ LonJ cndnn;es thf<Se peup1c's l'xtn'Ir¡~ positÍCm over human sinfulrlf':$s H 15 Tlot eVCfJ B guarcl agaiust ~])irílual pridt:, fOl Cad nI.:CIIFe3 tltcsc '4lm~ [1t'ol1le oF a "holier thnn thol)" atUtude (65:5). None of thi.~ is lCI deny that salvalioll i$ "imt of w(JVks lest any man should bll:Lst," hut it j$ lo aJlinn thnt Cod'~ attiplCle to his sen'ants' rightcom]1.e~ is difIerent fmm thllt OftCll sU[lpOSCd. lIl. Job 2:3 19. Job 1:11; 2:5 20. iJebrews 6:18. To use a human analogy we might ask "Can a Christian l'cmmit fornication?" The answer lo this is Yes if we mean physieal abilitl', but No as far ""lles:>:' coupled with his ab23

,,, STRAT

IN Hll:dAN HTSTORY

olute soven.·Jgnty in bringing b¡;aling or sickness. Cou is so h.igh amI holy, says Eliphaz, and Job in (:omparison so wicked, that his "righteousllcss" r:ouldbnng Cad ]j[tle or lW pleasnrc.:J Morcover, be nc1ds, il is God wbo l11akes sore and bincls 11P. who wOllmls- anl] hcals.'; Thus. ~lcoording to Eliphaz, all ]ob"s prcsent suIfcrings ore fhe oUlworkings of Cod\ gToriolls l)()'wcr allu if h[;l I>'eckli Cad he will gel aU he wanls.~ (SlJch lnterpreLation,,'i tire nol coafined lo com· fotters 01' Job's day.) 'a.\ of tbe ghll") uf Cm1 llul.! b·' ove!" pt:ople, eXl"rout wllid, of llu'm i¡¡ S"(·n!(>
should be glorilied, Verily, vedry 1 say uolo you, E:l:cept a

grain oC wheat CaJl ¡nto Ihe earlh aud die, it abides by itself

alone . , . ",hat shnll 1 sny? Fathel', save me from this .honr.

But for Urls cause carne 1 unto this how', Father, glor

youz' llf!me , .• 1, if 1 be lifted up from theearth, wiII draw

alJ roen tlJJto my.self ... n Whcn tbcrcfore he (Judas) had

gODe out., JesllS said, No\'\' is fhe Son of man gtorillcd, and

od jI; gloriGed in bim; and God ¡¡hall gforifyhim in himself,

and strnigMwD)' shan he glodfy hím •. ,111 JeSlls, facing the

cross. looked lo it as lhe time of his glorificaban. The glory

of lbe Lümb oE God is that he tS a "lamb as though SJaiJl"

and that he has conClllcf(-'el by lJecoming likc a grain of

wlwat '>vbid) dics lo ~ivc liEc. Let us never imagine that

11)(' glory (Jf Cod is anylhing like that of the rtI1crs oE the

Gellliks.

Fll1'llwr, Ihl' l\Yo hoob (Darl.ie1 and Reve1ation) most ohv"iollsly coneprnf'd wilh lhe glory and majcsty of GoJ, are tll(-' two in which lhe hatlles bctwecn good and cvil are .SI 'en thL' IDosl clt'arlv. Cod -'Tho f'l1crgizing praYT'r of a righte011s man avai!:; mnch." It
28

VIGHT OR FAk'E?

of Him who energizcs in me in power ..." (Paul in Colos­ sians 1;29) (b) "The lawless une . . . wbosc comi.ng is aecording to the energizing o.f Satan, with aH power ..." (2 Thessalonians 2;9; seo also 2:7). The samc teaching is fOlll,ld in Ephesians: (c) "... lhe purpose of the One who energizes aH things after thc counse1 of His. wiIJ ... aneI what the exeeeding greatlles~ of I1is power to us-ward who believe, aceording to thc cncrgizing of the strength uf His míght, which He energized in Christ ... 1 \Vas madc a minister, according 'lo the gift of tlHlt grace of Cod wkit'h was given me aceording to the energizing of lIis power ... aeeording to the power that cnorgizes in us .. ." (Ephcsians 1:11, 19, 20; .3:7, 20) (d) "... sins; iJl which in time past yon walked accord­ ing to the COlme of this world, according to thc prince of the power oE the nir, of tbe spirit. who now encrgizes in Lhe SOl15 of uisobedience; . . ." (Ephesians 2:1, 2). Both Cod and Salan are energi,dng, and Christians must tmn un to th~ rip;ht enel'g'J. Thus Panl says: "\Vork out your own salvatioJl wilh fear and trembling for Cad is energízing in YOll bnth 1'0 will ancl to I':l1lBrgize for His good plt'a!,¡lln~:i;; Coo energizes in us, but \Ve ourselves mllst plllg in to the energy in arder to "vork out our own salvag­ ing proC'css. Thl~ connotahons of "energizing" in Ephesians 1:11 are not, pcrhap~, nllequatcly conveyed to tlS by trnnslations like tbe HSV; "who accomplislles all things according to thG counsd of his wm." \Ve must, tbcreforc, bear this in mind as we think further ahollt tbE~ vcrsc. Thc second thjng we mll~t eonsider in Ephesians 1: 11 is what the phrase ;'al! things" refers to. In verse 10 Paul 1'0­ fers 1'0 the "ull things" (ta l>anta) wbich are to be headed up in Christ. He next clarines what these lhings are (thíngs in the hcavcns and on the earth). He th("11 refers (verse 11) to Cad ene·rgizing in the "aH things" (ta panta). Surely we mllst supposc that the all thing~s Cod energizes are the same as the all things to he headed up in Christ. It does not mean "all events" or "al! that happens" but "aH creation."

29

FIGHT OR FAKE?

GGD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTORY

The thought is similar to that in Colossians 1:16-20 whertl \\le find that thc "all things" werc creatcd and consist :In Christ, that Christ wiJl have preeminence in them, ano tha't aH things will be reconc:iled in him. Eventllally tbe al1' things wiII be reconciled l'mcl hended up in Christ, but in the menntime Cod encrgizes them according to his plan­ prcsumallly moving them in this dírcdi.on. This is what Ephcsians 1: 11 seeIDs to meau. There is oe.rUünly no rder­ enee to Cod llptermining aU events, and no indicl,\tioll thnt everY'nnc acts aecording to hi.-; ph1J1S. II There is, then, no inCOIl!listency btltween Ephcsians 1:11 nud the clear tcaching af Lukc 7:30 that an individual may reject God's plan for him. \Vhile Cod's pbns for the l1ni­ verse wilJ eel't::ünly succeerl, an individual may none th less rcjeet God's pJans for lhe par!: he hinmllJ play in ili~. . An individuaJ caJ1 rejecL Cocl's gooc1 p~ans for him, 11Iit cloes Cod (lVer deliberaLdy plan ¡hat a pCl'son should b lose \V(~ kilo\\', of C()mSI~, t]¡aL Chrisl is 1'1H: l'ropitiat'ipll no onl)' fol' OllT sins, lmt [or thOSI> flf tht~ ",hole wmld. 7 kno",' L11a( Cod docs nnt dldi¡2;ht in 1111' d(~alh 01 11H' wickl"d but wOllld rnther Iw rep'1nlecl." fL will lIO! surprisl' lIS, thereforr·, 1:0 find P(~ter saying of God's plan: 'rhe tord is not slack 'concernio~ hi~ pl'omisc, as sorne count slac.~kncssi but i5 long-snfferin/i to you-ward, not wishiug (/.)(lIIlolI/aí) that aoy should perish, but that all should c'Omc to l'cpco­ tance. 11 God's plan does not spceil'y tllnL parti~ular ine al] lhe credit to Cad: "Cod, Z tlltl'1lk thce lhat 1 am not as other Inen." Christ's kingdom of 10ve is one in which lhe grflBtf'st is the servant of all. Tt is fOllllclPll through and l-llJ'(lIlgh 011 love and not on flatte)')' or J(>sire for crGdit. Yel an appe(ll to such tlüngs has sometime.s inflnencerl the lhil1king of uven the most spiritllal men. Ho,\' curdlll we musl be to leave asido emotionaJ qucstions ami look to lhe Bihk for tcuch1ng on God's sovereignty, The last inI1uence we mighl mention is another appeal to the Christian's' own practícé: "Don't )Ion pray that peoplc will be convcrled? This means thnt you reco!;oize in your heart that they will be converted onJy ir Cod wil1s it." This is sllbtle, 1mt not convincing, We pray thnt the UoIy Spirit will powerfully convict people of their own nced, of Cod's love and ¡udgment. We do not pray that be will override

38

tlwir OWIl decision processes anel force them to believe. OlJViously ChrisLians be1ieve that other people's decisions mav be affcctcd bv their OWll actions-otherwi.se wJ]V should the}' preach? No 'marl lives in a vaCUUffi; tbis is t;uc both in the ph:rsicar alld in the spiritual-psychie realms. 21 As \Ve pral' \Ve ask the Holy Spirit to urilize and interpret onr prayel's.::~ and lhus \Ve ¡oin the battle against tbe principalitif's anrl powers in the fight to inflliencl~ meno God's ('onvictiol1 ()f a ¡nall's heart can powerfully stimulatl:". him to a dc('isiml fal' rcpuntancC'-but the Bihl:e nowhcr,e indicatcs thitl God negalc, tJll1t CLJll himsdf "1)"S Ill~ll: m!IJ'l 1'1111 Ü-'f'TTDUlleJIlly,il rojtJc1 hl~ will iln,) pldn for hinl. IlJId wIuS" (o Iollow it. Goíl "C1't". nul ~::lV 1.I1urr]\, lhal rtlLll1 Ibinkg he !;,MI do tbi.s, 1111t tha! h~ ('{In Illld doas do ~o, "rhl;s ¡r "'e an' In sel' np "1\0\'0 sitks tu the tnllh" thm'l tlw re,,1 antilJwl>~ mllst !J,': (a) Man C reject God's will and p18n rOl' him. (J,) Cqtl dctt'rminps al! ,w<JnL, "mI his will ¡s :,IWil\" d..n,·. This ,is plafll l:onlradictiOIJ, am} if ",e are lo :lllo\\' S'lI~.1 c.üJl,lradi [lS "sieles to l.rutn," or ei GOf)'S

Moríah,1¡j nt a plaee CltUed Ca]v

poilltl'l.r~khizcdp.k WnT' al~u rígbr wíth God, Similarly, 011])' ha.I(· was choscm, hllt th(;]"e is every reason lo bclícve that. as an individ ual as distinc t from as nn heir. Ishmae I mny .11'10 llllve bC("n .1f't'Cplllh1c lo (;cxl, lshmae l was tho son, such sccd~~ o~ Abra]lu m, and sharecl in the dutics of a ed, concern was life al person as bmi;.Ll rilcSY'1 As fur as his 1ad.~5 tLc \\;th was Corl that the ScriplllJ'C dearly tclls lIS Not (111)' was God presen t in his IHe, hut his destiny was assurec1; the nngcl of the covena nt who stnyed Abraha m's ham] v llll:m. i\ ('lnc ('oRles firsl .' Jacob ilsell': And SiC' WCnl in llt..O UJll>

nlso nElchol mm'c tilan Leal., a.mI s

llter y~ur5, And lhe Ltml SRW l~t Tlle tC)(l ils(,]f SI't'IIIS lo ill(liC;ltl' lh:¡k hnft"fl Iwrt' m\.:uns "lo\l'd 1M':' lhun." Banles say:'?: uf, \Vas enllllllllll alllLlllg thu rc~\\'s tn ll~l' lhe lonns 10\'(' :.11"1(1 halw(1 in lllÍs , lo deal with, For this reas()n we inelude in sec­ lion ] 9 a more detailed ou.t1ine of early rabbinical and pharisaical leachil1gs. MaIlY of tha 1:'lmri~s anc1 rabbis \vete com.pletely bOllnd ut> in the idea of '\vorks,"l T lhought iliat Israel W21l lhe chelStUl natinn IwL'SIWW thc\' had l -

th~

-

­

hhow in you my POWC1', ~md. th.at InY nnme might he publisfmd ~broad ir. all the elldhi Sensitive hcarts have oftcn bccfl dísh'escsed hy misumler. slnndings of this pnssage, whích arisc froDJ failllre to stucly in dctnil whnt the SC'ripturc teaches about the "hardcning" of PIlaraoh's heart. To grasp what Pau! inlcndcd to convey to the recipients of his epistlo, w(' must llll
my power, Iffid

:clf

ích he woul.d act would lrn, a~ graduallv lhe hand

lo carry

p ti The Lord's

a soll'l'I1o hav~~

r bl

Ilt

i5 ,k

bis own van

72

ID

73

GOD'S

ATF;GY IN lW~rA.~ l1lSTOFlY rSHAEL AND

..L8a.1l.JJ1i1...IUU~t! __ \'J..JU'

D'S PLAl':-PH

T

'-JO\.,....

n.

IlITa gc::tn:eal~t,ou l ~!':.I~ Jt''1 i~.:us Ill~, ti 11 , iliIl'DTcilcu..lll..u\Vt.·flfl~l.I- \\i

,

" thnn,~TJ rour Thc fact rdusc to lilwrate GO(l's peoplc IHay ha\'!' madI' it easicr ror hirn lo rcfuse again, c'ven WIHlII hi,~ gllilt l'wcame !llore ohviollS. In this S(T11S~ God's a cti 01 I Illay llave inclirectly c'ncouraged Pharaob along a paU. lhat li'd lo more ~lIilt. This ís certainly u pos~lhility­ thouglJ th(' pl\l'asc "jllllicial hanlf~lIillg" cIoes not secm no altogt'lhel' slIil',t, lIS ,,[¡nll' h.. "I', II¡,I! oJ thei ult'rl'I)' sltln¡,¡illg Il;Jgl.'lhl.'r "proof lexts" 'wilh IlO thollght uri~m.tl I'ontrxt allll \\'l,kh bil to AIIS\\'(!T tlll' fJllt'stion ilJJ)'WOV, Pllltl rn(Jl.Ilhpi~cc PI' thll Hol~' \VIIS nnt SlJIIlI.' 1110."1'1' 'll1ibilHn g fflhhl, bl1t 1l11' S.'¡ril 0\1,,1 lhe :\ulhuriz l:,l mp~~lI~cr (llpostk ) 01' Christ.

l. 2.

3. Ex()(1IL~:3: l!

·1. Exod'h 5:2

5. Exo,ll1s 7:13, H mCf1Il O. Exmllls \J:] 5-] /:l: the l1ehn,," "maria lo stand" clmltl 'lIso SalJ(lay lineo lhis lakus (I!..'lx) inl "a\l()",("] to stand:' anc1 tl", SI"jllllag chnnged the allc\ 1kurlLlTll POillt Ollt, hOVoiuver, tha! Panl pnrposc. ly np ffiCu raising Cod for lIscd es somctim is LXX won1 lo ¡molher whil:h ;u; .Iere minh nml uatinns 011 the stngl: of history (as J.xx Ilabakkl lk 1

sensl:'.) 2í Al: compare JlltlgCS 3: 12 whcre r.'1tazdl/ is llsed in similar points out \Ve a('('('pl, tllf'Tl.fnrr.; lhe ](v rendctin g aS givcn. Ci!Ion1

77

(;UI rs STHATEGY IN I-Im1AN HISTORY lhat Palll made another ehange in the LXX to PllIpllasiZt, th:lt Corl\ pllrpose in showing his power is secondary. 7. Exodus 9:27 8. ExodllS 9:20 9. Exodl1s 9:30 10. Exodus 9:34, 35

11. This is, incidentalJy, the sole reference in Exodus to a spedfic ael of God in hardel1ill~. It con)(:5 aIler J>haraoh has eIQarly lnadl'! !Jis OWIl choice. This may, perhllps, m' eme of the rensnns wllY Youllg in his literal translalion rendcred it: "1 llave dee!:lI'PC] Il;IreJ . , ."-thol1gh see also secUon 17.

12. Exodus 10:20; 10:27; JI :10; 14:1; l·h"; 14:17; we Jlave:., in­ cidentally. adoptc'e1 the trariilional viPW lUakiug Cod 11'1' lid ivt' ¡¡~('11l in strengthcning Pharaoh\ heart. 1'bcro is, however, Dn arnhiV"o.llence ju the I-Icbrew pid l'onjugali(l[l (S('l' tlw J/"hrew Crnrnular.s 01' (:es"llÍns cd. Kaut:lsch, tramo Cowley, p. 141; ana rJavidson, 24th edn lUSG, p.. 92) and it t'Ouk! Illean somdhillg lik" Cocl alkm'pd 01' l~II:ntexl WI' h,l>\'(.' nol adopted il. 13. Matthcw 5:28 14. Nmnhers 13-14 1.5. Exodlls 15: 15; nahab rernl'lnberccl it fealfllllv oveen consumed. Similarly the story of Pharauh shows that it is not man's will but Cod's stratcgy that ultimately sbapcs history, and in this instance thc Scriptllre even clarifies for us tbe Lord's motives and pur­ po~(;'s in his actions. Paul's aIlusions here, however, although full of meaníng, would hardly silcncc tbe critic who was casuistic enQugh to slIggcst that Paul's message was: let us do evit, thot good may come.! The same sort of critie could be relied upon here to throw up tbe objection: why does he still fin fault, for who withstands his will?2 It is important for liS to realize the natllre of the question amI C}ucstioner at this point. The sincere questíonings God's ways that c.:ome from aman like Habakkuk~ do nol

78 79

D'') STR

RY

VESSELS

quiN. Thc

011

tion of

\VI

CiJAY God ís Ll"illg his chosPrJ nation Israel to demoI1strale his tnIlh" lo llw work1. He has ]JOW fu]ly ]'evealcd his wiB to sIlO\\' l\\'o things in parlkular Uu'ough them. Ono part of the nal inll he \.vill shapf' luto a vessel unto honor and t110 other parl illto ,{ ves.sel unto wsbon01".

1t is l111forlllUI1Lc lh;t! the falalislic ünage brcmght to OUT wcshm.l 1I11m!s by {his lOetaphor of tlw pottt>ris almosl the

nO

RI

GOD'S STHATEGY JN l'f'l'lTI'se

MAN lIlSTORY

oI 'wlut ..vmdd occur to a Hehrew mind knowing th

b~lckground of the Old Testament. Paul's \Varas are coJored by the pal'ah]p of th~ potter in Jcremiah 18. Tbrough Jere­

miah the l.
'.\'

em¡,>:rge from God'" trcatmenl of Israel; undl:lJ"Stauiling of God's lllcthods in

ou~

¡ame Gad is al work today, in {he church col'lflict. 'Ve may draw (tut the~e prindples ns

as Sove'mígnty_

God's choice of Abraham ralbel than of

]'\'1elchiz·edek W3.~ 1lot becal1se of hís deeds, nor even,

nccessarily, becau5c oí his fait.h. It was becaus lhe best stralogy. Gro a]one dcoid,es whal slgn lo us in his!jreal plan for mankincL sQvcreign choire tlgain in uecic1ing tbat IsHLI lshmad shouJd be in tha line of deseenl 01 01'

')1

COD'S STHATEGY il"-: HUMAN HISTORY

Paul shows llSJ" that his choice was not mude w.ithout rca­ son-but none lhe less he ulOlle mnde tbe choÍ'Ce. "Ve are 1l0t exphcitly told the rcasons t'or Cotl's choice of Jacoh rathcr than Esau, lmt perhaps hints are given in tbc latcr histor)' of tbc illilividuals and thc>jr desccndants. Toda)' abo, GDd 3SS.ignll !Ji..... en'flnt~ ro diff, lUe:tionl'. 1t is ''DUl-OlH Lusln...s sf'ek t ]pgecl us. lU Failurp to accept gladly 111(' position that God has Hssigned to us in the body of Christ i.s one ~rcat SOIll"C. of spirilunl sterility amI failure.

God's Foreknowledge. God's sovereign and stratcgie assign­ ment of positioHS is madc in lhe fnU Ii¡!;ht of his foreknowl­ cclge. For one thing, Cod krlliw~ tb.. hl!lli"u u1 m..m un

how the)' wm reacL ttJ \\I1ml lll' 5n.¡.... Bf'fnre MoscoS C'ver 01:'­ un his task God kncw ¡l¡at the I."TLle1ites \O/auld lH'arkí-'n lo his voit."f'.n In lhe sarrw passag..' lw al~(J to1ctcd tbe Messiah and ycbelled against God tbey w~n'utied as se]s lO dctnonstl'ul. hü, wrülh. l'his again he utilizad to .stllnl1Jatc repentance ano to bring 1ife. Tlms we scc tbat Cod can use e-ven thc cvíl in the world lo lJring in bIessing. This is not to say that he ''''ills evíl himsclf, or oven thal hu willingIy allows it, but such .is his gn:atness that he can use it for goncl. Whell tbe enem)' hrings som~ disaster or failure into our Jives Wf' mllst re­ membcr this.:l l ) It may not be God's wiII that it should hap­ pon-any more than it \ovas Cod's \Viii that Pharaoh should rebel agaÍl1st him-yel neyertheIess Gou. is able to over­ past tllc stnge of being little children.'15 Now, Panl says to llwm, l"ou are aH sons of Cod, through 'nith, in Christ Jesus..w Now that they are in CIll"ist they rcali'l.e thcir inheritallcc anr1 huye become fully conscious sonso Parl 01" Ghrist's mission was to cnuble thcm to he put in Uuc f()J' lbis inherítn!1l:c. Christ was scnt so that fuey JI1igl1l rcccivc the placi.ng-as-sons, i.e., the rellemption of tht"ir IJ()llics:17 If ehrist had not come, thefe could never have bec:n a day when lhe SOTlS of Cad should be revealed. 1'h05(; who belicvp. in Christ are sonso Mareover, beeause wn an~ SOIlS: Gocl sent forlh lhe Spirit oE his Son ioto our henrts, crring~ Ahba, F~llher, So that YOIl are no longer a ondservl1nt, hut a son; amI if a son then an heir through ;Od,4S

lIr,

o

1

Faul tells his Jewish readers that they have left the baby stagl'. Thc: Law has conJuctecl thern lo Christ. A new era in Illankincrs educaban has arrived. Cbrist will he their teacher 105

'S S'fRA'l'ECY I

JMAN trlÚning fOl"

GOD'S CREAT PROJECT AND THE FINAL BATILE

man is declly:i:ng, yet ourinward man is renewed day by day.For oU!l" ligbt aftIiction, wbic1l isfor tbemoment, \V.orks for ns more and more exeeedingly nn eternal weight o( ; whiJc we look not al !he thjngs which are .seen, but lhings \\'hich are MI seen: fó.r the things wWcb p,re rtlI~; but tlm fbinf!s which are not seen are

THE LAST BATTLE Vvc may :!lee, therpfore, how lhe fnture deslin)' of manrred~tinalion-Í!ivitully conOf~cted wilh tbe snbjeet of God's slJ:;l'T'~Y in !listur),. "he final overthrow of eviJ and relensc f Lhu universe ""i11 come when God's $OnS are rcvealed and hl'Y fu IHU llieir destillY, God's strategy now, and his trainin!:} t)f Uf; t1Jrough suffC'rlng, look forward to tbat great day [Jf rlllCLlSe, IW ¡loes Salan n'lid to this projeet of Cod? We have ,Ureadj' IDClItioned that Satan hates the church because of \vhal iL is becorning. The ncarer the great projeet comes to fuH]lJ¡nf'nt, the more furious he becomes.'í6 Befare that day oí ~Idoption he will throw aD his forces juta a last desperate batlle, This will be a final showdown between God and Satatl, good anc1 evil, love and hate, sclf-sacrifice and powerlllst Satall's hatred of Con and his Son is heightoned by

De

107

GOD'S STRATEGY

I~

HUMAK HL.STORY

the thOllght of the tllliversc being overrnn by the u.ivine imnge in mano Throllghout the oook of thc Rcvchtion we see the battle l"aging. Again nnd again there is "war in the heavenly plaC€S" (e.g., 12:7). Tbe batde intensifies. Satan givcs aH his al.lthority to oelmmanizeu 1TI11s~ulinity personified in the Beast, anel the Ecast males war 00 tIle saints. Pervcrled fcmininity is personifieu 1n the Hadot, who rides the Beast. Insatiable in her lust for pleasure, the Hal'lot drinks tht:! LIood of the marlyrs (lf JeS\Js, thus acllllillist~ril'lg htlr (rwn jnlOxicating destruction. Assodaled \vilh the concept of the Hnr· Jot is that great cil)' ot commerce cCllled 13abyluJI. TIlis seeh to exploít ancl eJiminale the cllllrch througb economie pressure.~. Thc Beast, the llarlot, fLnd the cit-y are symbo.ls o[ the forces of Satan. Tile}'" reprcsúllt lusl ror llower. lust for plcasun;, anel grecd. Thcy are, irl 3 s~ns{J, Satnn's perverted eoulltcrfoit for Christ thu Li\rnb" God's p!'upk lb Bdde, and the hcavenJy cily of tll(' N'éW JCrtlSaJ~'t11. might, silllilnrly. Ihillk of Salan, l!t(· Bt'a~l, illlel llit' falsc proplwl as a clíaholieal l"ollnterfeil of th~ F'atlwr, SOll, une) Holy Spirit. Yel Cod's wa)' is self-sacrific.'('. Th¡; forcQS o¡: good givc glory lo onc anolhcr and bnild ear-h olhcr IIpyr 'fhe forces of evil carry the ~ceds of their o'>"n c1c-sll"llC'liOl., ano so the Heasl COnSUl¡H:iS th(~ Ilado! which is dI(: cjly.5~ Finally, Chri.~t and Ihe Bride are attaC'kec1 by lhe Beasl ilnd the false prophet with lheir arJllY. Whal weapons does lhe Lord use in IJ1is cClJ1nicl? "Ve can on1y suppose that thc)' are lhe W('npOllS 1I1('nliOlwl1 a]¡o\,e in sectiol1 4, \ovhich dcslroy ('vil by J"l'VI"aling ils llalHfl'. Tlw sword c0l11illg from Chrisl's mOllll.r,\1 rcprcscnls his wonl of lruth which rcveals evil in aH ils horror. The lighl ano brightness oI his preselle.e i11l1fninatc it. His bloo~l witncsses to the depths of its ugliness. In the fac:¡:> o( sllch rev('h!tion. evil can only sllrivf'! into ilsdf anu die. The Lord is not .-.:impJy meeting force with greatcr force. The weapon he wic.lc1s is different in kind from the hrutal ano oepraved weapons of evil. It is as thongh Goel finally alloweu the trenH;ndons heauty anc1 love of the Lamb of God to stauu forth in aH its glory."" It is as though this light sprcad through aH the llni-

108

GOD'S GREAT PROJECT AND THE FINAL BAITLE

verse, anu the eviJ simply shriveled and died. 61 The assault on Christ and the Bride is dofeated by the revelatíon of what he ¡s. Salan's forces are overthrown. Satan's final assault on the saints and the beloved city is overthrown by the fire o2 from Goc1 himself. Evil is destroyed and a new heaven and a new earth appear.(l~ God's final purpose is aceomplished.

NEvV

HEAVEN ANDNEW EARTH So, God's plan is finally achieved; his great project is accomplished. God has tbrec things in the glorified church. H(~ has a bride to reciprocate his love. o4 He has a "taberIladó" or "cíty" in which to dwell.&r. And he has many sons with whom he can share his life> and character.&& \Ve find that things are restored to something like the situar/on in the garden of Edcn.o' There is a river, but now it proc(>eds out oí the throne of God and contains water of lif(>."~ ThH tree of life is there, but now its 1caves may be llseu for the healing or the uations. IlQ The precious thing s wllich \Vere faW materin1s in Eden have been built up into sornet'hing oeantíful rUld everlasting.'o They have been built into a owel.ling place for God, so that the intennittent ommunion he had with man in the garden of Eden is exchanged fol' continuous and olear communion. 71 There is ]lO mention oí the trec of the knowlerlge of good and evil, fOI" those who dwell iJ¡ the new worlu have the Lamb of Cocl to enlighten them.'~ No one needs to lust to "become Iih gods" for they sec what the God of the Lamb is really like-aml the)' themselves are already in his image. 13 There is no serpent there, for llothing undean may enter H and so therc is 1\0 curse.;;' Those who overcame in the battle have inheritecl these things,,(l and shall reign wilh the Lamb for ever anu ever. 7 ' Hallelujah the Lord Omnipotent reigns, and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be for everrnore!

109

GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAN HISTOHY NOTES 1. Ephesians 1: 10 2. Colossians 1 :20 3. Colossians 1: 18; Philippiaos 2: 10 1. Hehrew5 1:2 5. Is::üah 14:12, 1.1; Isaiah's words Ulótt>níed in n'prcssiog passious. (b) Clernent is making a play on the Greek word d'ia, which is first lI.'ied w¡th the genitive (renc1ered "througb") and second used with lhe ::u~t'lJsativc (fCndcrcd "by teason or'), Thc first givüs the immcdi¡¡l.e CI\USC of a rnan's predestiny as that he has a God-gíven task to do IIml ti Ctld-~ivEm heritage, \\lhen the Sons of Cod are revf:'aled in the (by [.lf their ¡l(.1option th~rl ther~, ¡"S sometl~ing th~y will. do (.liherate lhe cf('atllm) ulld sornethmg wbleh they Wlll oht:\ln (thClr lwntage as co-hcin¡ wilh Christ). liut. 011 the other h:md, Cleu1Cnt "ventures lo a5sMt" tha! Ül ont: sense the Christian has received this prcoestiny IJII nWsofl of W1IOM Hit KNOWS AND WIlOM HE LOVES. Clcmcnt hímseU gives a further clue to !lis meaning bere when (earliel' in too sl'dion) he refefs lo the Chrislian: "now that he assm:intcs through lo\\'e wilh lhe Delóved Oue, to whom he is allier1 by free cboice:" CI('m('ut wonlcl noto uf l:l)IITSe, have snggested that
137

D'S SUlATEGY IN l1UMA~ HISTORY

OSTSCR \~¡(Jnls from the Cn:('k \Von] group kli":t;(),\" kll7Ni. kalcomai"

and kl(isis are lIs11ally lranslatcd "e:alh1" o!' "('al1illg." Tlw as in Euglísh, Can UlÚClIl f!il1l.t'r "invilc'u" or "JlLl11wd." In lhe N~~\V TcstaJ11cnl lh ü hUcr 'nlC'aning SCPrTlS lo ],c tbe more usual: ('.g., hc should he ­ tille lIse0). lt ,Iocs, ind('I'c1. not rest on foresight of good work~, 11111 (1]1 beillg In Christ (amI Ephesians 2:10 itself speaks of this); Ihis is not condib.onal on works, but on neceptancl" of a free oH{'r. (el) Our assllI'ancc is not based on our faith, but on the faet that we kn{lw that, l.aving n:pented, Cod hns pnt us in Christ, and we are cJ('d in Jlim, (f) S''fiptlll'c' nc\'er e{Juntes fOfcknowleclge with foreorc1ination, either in i\ds 2;2" DI' anYW]lcrc dsc, SO. As ma~ hl" ~m"Tl from the list givcn, the Ilpplication of eklel.:tos tu helíe""fs is nol fl' brought out of' Pbunloh"s dculh, But, lbcsharao])" (as, c.g., in Daniel 10:18, 19), buL ('Cod (clwz.ae¡) Pharnoh's heart." lt is, of C()urs p , linguistically possible [O!' "( dwzaq) Pharnoh's heart" to contuin djfkrent t'.OIlll()t~tiOlls hom c1ww'1 when uscd on its OW1I. Are thl:'Ho any othl"r USl~S of tlw phra slltldenl}. dcstroyeu, and that without rem­ t;dr:' TI!!" saIne manifestntion of Cod whích to the Hevíng is "Cl savor of liJe unto life," is to those who re:Slsl il "o. S'IV()[ of dec'1th un:to dcath." As one has wrillcn, "the Su nligh't shiníng upon OUT enrth pro­ (luces opposhe results according to the nnture of the ,miL" fll Scriplure hnguagc: "the earth which drinks iu lhe rain that comes oft upon it, and hrings forth hcrbs mect for lhcm by whom it is uressed, reeeivC's hlessing frolll Cad: but thal whieh bears thorns and briar~ is H'jtlcled, and is nigh unto eursing; whose t'nu is lo he burlll.:d," 01', as a Cerman writer puts ll: "a is tllG c;ursl.~ of sin that it makcs ¡'he hal'O henrt ever har(ler agaiost lhe graeíous drawíng (lf the DiVlnC love, patienee, aml long-s1.lffering."ll 1'!H:se t\Vo Hebrew scholars, then, both take the implica­ lious of lhe words in Exodus to be along these lines, This, however. is often not realiz@u by the average English reader. He may also he unawarc that this is the earliest known Christian interprctation of the: story of Pharaoh, Origen (t:. 185-254 A,D.) is caBed hy A, M. Renwick "one of thc most hrilliant teaehers nnd writers ever known in lhE Christian Chureh."12 In the eady third eentury l1e wrote: But sillce , , . we

162

rregnrd

Cod] as one who is at

163

GOD'S STRATEGY iN

WORD STUDY-HARDEN

N IUSTORY l1sidcr how the

[proved1 the yielding of the mixed Egyptian mul­ tihlde who took thcir depnrture ",ith the Hebrews ... Ann it is nol absurd to soften dO\Vll such ex­ pressíons in accordancc with common usage: for gooc1 mastcrs often suy lo their ~laves ",hen spoílcd by thcir kinclncss and forhearancc, "1 have made you bad, atld 1 am lo blame for offenses of 5uch enormity." For we must attend to the chamcter and force of lhe phrasc, and not argue sophistícally, dis­ regarding thc rncaning of th~ flxprcssion. Paul ac­ cordingly, having exmnincd these pnints clenrly, suys to t:he sinner: "01' despise you the riches of !lis gooclness :md forbearanc:o, ancl longsuffcring: not know,ing that the gooducss of Cod Jcads you to re­ pcnlllm;c'~ bul, aftllr YOUI hardncss and impenitent hcal'~. lrea5W'C up unto yoursclf wrath against the day o·f wr:¡lh, alHl rcvehlion of the righteollS judg­ llIenl 01' God." Now, tet whal lhe aposlle su}'s to the sinncr be uddrcssed to l>haraoh, and then tbe an­ nounce.ITIl?nls mada to him ",ill be 1111tlerstood to hllVt' been madc witIl particular fitncss, as toone wlJ{l, accorc1ing to bis hardnf~ss and impellitcn henrL. \VtlS lH;asmilli!: up unlo himself wrath; sccing lhat !tis hanll1l:ss wonld nol have been proved nor m,ldc manifcst tLU1cs, miTades hnd heen performed, alld miT:ld~s, loo, of such magnitucle amI impor­ laJl~f;l.lll

EvclI I'arlier lhall Origen, was lrünacus, who Jived abatlt 1:10-200 A.D. Irenaells wrate: rol' nrH~ amI the same Cad [that blesses othcrs] innicts blinc1ness upan those who do llot heJieve, IHlI who sP.t Him al naught; jusI as the sun, whicb is a creahlre of His, [aels with regard] to those whn, by rcnson of any weakness of the eyes, cannot beholcl Bis ligh!; but lo those who bclicvc in Rim, and fullow Him, He givcs 11 fune)' illnminatiol1 of mind ... If thel'cfore, in the prc$ent lime aIso, Cod, foreknowing the lHlmDer of thoso who will not be­

164

16.5

GOD'S STH,\TEGY 11\' HU:\>IAN mSTOH:Y

wúRD STUDY-HARDEN

lievc, sincc He forek.noyvs aH thíngs, has given them ove¡- to un!)eTid alla lurner1 awa)' Bis face from men of tllis stamp, leaving t11em irl the darkness which they have chosen for thclllsélves ... As th Word sp¡.tkl" lo ~Ioses from the IJush "'And 1 know thal l.hc ling oÍ Eg)llt w111 not give you l~ve to go unltlss cor"flpelJed 11)' n stnmg hand" (Exodus 3:lD) ... Ano for th~: l'e"lS(ln fllat the Lord Spllke in par­ ahles, and bnwght blillclness IJpOIl Israel, ,thnt seetn they lllígbt not Sce. SÍJ'ICfl He knew tlle [splrir of] lI11belief in thcl:n, for Lhe S:l1ne .reasoll djfl Ho harde PhaTaolú heml.H i.m o{ in­

nglle." ln this case the meaning wOll!d have a cammon haS'is of "dun," OI "barel to mov~; 1.e., deaf (ears), llnro­ spnnslve (heart), slow (tongue). This is, perhaps, the most pl.allsible I:lxplanation-though we confess that we do not nd it absolutoly conclusive. Whatever íts rneaning, kabed is used of Pharaoh's heart (111)' once wil'h Cad as the agent. This is in Exodu$ 9:34, 35; lO~l-And when Pharaoh saw thBt the rain nod lhe hail ~md the tbunders \'Vere ceased, he sinned yet more, and enoo (k(l1JerJ) his: henrt, he and bis 5ervants. Aa he heart of Fbaraob W01ll sltong, nnd he did not Jet lb híldren nf Israel go, as the Lórd had spokeo by Mo-ses, el (he Lord said unto Mases, Go in unto Phoraob: for 1 hi)ve baTdeoed ( kJJ1:Jed) hi, 11C:lad, and the hOllrtof his 'Ser­ vants~ ~ut 1 might show lhesc roy siglL~ in the midsl oI

rhern. hn.raohhas recciv~d the so]emn waming of 9;17 :md has Ilevertheless "made heavy his heart" (9:,34). It is im­ nH.idinh:ly 'lfter Pbaraoh has rejectccl this last chance ('Q DW that the Hebre"" llmguage stTuctllre (lid not make it ['Hoy to draw it d5stinctiou between cClusatiol) ¡md l'ollO.rat'ion. Ex. 9,16 connnns IJ1Y jll(lSil1cllt ()1l this All tJlat 1 rouId personalIy deduce l1tcrefm'c Crom, 1 'I>ct:an:se tlll-' words arl' sljlrl1ill~. ¡t is lInjllst lo lJUüll- thC10Jl wHlwuL c(ud"1l1 l'x~uníual:iotl pE lhe cOI1­ h~xt, holl! iu 111c-' prl'r!idiOlI alla tl1 pl'ain Icac11ing of Scriptmo is maele null by Ir.H.l il lo lIS. 1'hU$ one Reformer sa)'s: "H is truo, Cod would not ShOllllcl pe:fish aS tllllChirl1( hiJ; sigtilfied will, for hf! ofrpwrl unto IIlml (l la"" promL no implication at aH of a l'b'lnl jonship. Tlw nQl)l'l:~w ,,"orel [m kilO'" (yada.) scems also lo be llSI'clill lhis wa" (e.g.. 2 SrllTIUc] 3:25; 7:20; 17:8) but the I.XX lIs11aUy p:m;phrases t!lis for darity. h rnay nol be possibJe in aH cases to scparatc this mean­ ing prc·(·jsIJly from lhe (;oncepl of an acguaintauccsbip, e.g., compa.re NalhanieI a!Jo"e lo Genesis 29:5: Know you La­ hall... ? And lhey said, '!Ve know him. (LXX) Nonetheless llH.:J'(' is a l1larkeJ difEcrcncc: in some cuses.

(7) K1Jou.~ledge of ¡lersons-special relationship J Jo!ln 2:4-He, that says, 1 know him, and keeps nol his como mnndments, is a liar, and the ttUth is not in him. 1 Jolm 1:7-cveryollc that loves is begotten of God, and knows God Malllw\\' 7;2.3-1 uev,er knew you: clepart from me, you lhut work iniquity. Every one therefore ... Deutcronomy 34:10-And there Fose up no more a prophet in Israel like Moses whom the Lord knew face lo face ( LXX) (compare Exodus 33; 11, 12, 17) 181

GOD'S STRATEGY IN HUMAl\' HISTORY Hosca 6:3, 4-we shall arise and live before bim and shnll know him; let us follow O)) to know the Lord . . . (LXX) (see also Hosca 8:2)

won)) STllDY-FOREKNOWLED¡ =1< part of a special relationship. 'here can crl'li.1tion of "choi('e" with gitloski5.

It is, of COUTse, also in th!"' context of a specia! relation­ ship Ihat wc havc the fol1owing:

nO simple

r") llave I ImOl'\i'l1 will ",isit upon yO"

Genesis 4:1-And Adam knew Eve his wifc and sho Icon·

o~elheJ",

ceivec1 (LXX) Luke L'34-Mary said unto thc angel, How :shall tbis he, scc­ illg 1 know not a mlm?

(b) CA~ KNO'V !'oh! ""'O CHOOSE?

Olleept llier

m:

rC­ a choi(.>e

and th

In :.lddition to thc ahoye 1l1eanings stlggcstcd eit)¡cr that thr C,"efok gincJsl..:ii has l:.lInnotntiollS of "dectioIl," Ol" ,.\lon tbat it l'ould actwlllv 1l1f'f1.l1 lo ulIOO.\·(:. "Ve havu not }'('l fOllncl anyonr' claim to S()C S11.dl a nsagl' in the~ seclllar Gn·l'k. hut \11,,11 n1Tr'gositioll, But tlll' worel k,ww in litis SC'lIse c'('r­ taillly ln(':IJJS Jnl1t.:h mon' tIlall dlllicl'. Lik(wisc', il 1l111st 1)(-' insisted, ["he prophet refers ill AIJ10S :3:2 lo lheír spl,t'ial rc­ Iationship \Vith Cotl, amI nol men·l)' 1'0 Cod's dlOic(' of tllcm.

rr

Trosea 1;3:5-1 did know you in lhe wilclcrness, .in the laod of grcat dl'Ought. TI' woulc1 scc(,)) far ilIon' lIalnra\ lo lale this 1'0 illl¡>ly a rclntionship ratlH'r than mcrdy a choicc', 'Noulo t.lw r.01,n-'\\' word is "knnwn," )'ct uses "chosen" in the text withont fmlher c'xplanntiol), 11w l\'EB gives a more undcrstandablc J'('m!eriug: "1 luwe takcn eare of him on purpose that he 1I1ay parenl jf \V!' :lsk 'cu it '. cxisll'nc', Js it eOlI\.: pUOD, birth, or sorn' other rnOffient'? l' Surf'1y no Christian would say tlwt I r ' ) '" ano lIe might, l)erhaps, sa I that they existed for l , in God's thoughts. BlIt íf Cod had a relationship with "his thoughts ahnnt them," this is cerlain])' not the same as baving a rdalionship witl) them. Yet Paurs rcfercncC' is to "tbose whom 1)(' forC'knew .. ,"; he says that Cod forcknew

196

197

197

"ro

COO'S STRATECY IN HlJ1\IAN fflSTORY

STUf)"-FOREKNo\'IlLED

d foreknew

.scnsl"

j" .

a ollOfU:S

times i e Jesm'

198

199

OD'S STHATEGY J N IJ Uf,¡

CE

\VORD ST

HISTORY gOOcl., togt,tlwl' will

nal, ('('

ms, thldr('/orc, no gmfl1nJatical oi>j('cttoll to :1 similar intcrprdalio!l whore Gnc1 is Ule su hjccl: "tho,

w110m he foreknc", ....' ('QuId Jl1Ptln no llIore than a ImtJ\\~'­ , hcir l:11Ur,I(·te!"~ nll(l rClieUCIIlS. Il do('s IInl nee('s. saríly imply nny rcl:'tionship. Thus intcrprdatíon (2) is granllll;ll-lc¡tlly in accord with Bih1i(';1] magt:, amI avoids [lit-' ¡'I)lpossih[e implicaHnlls 01' inte.rp.l'e.tation (1) ahove, 11 a]so Rts w('JI ill(o the f'ontexl of RoJttHns S:29, as \VI' mar now t·ollsidt'l'.

In tltp firsl fe\\' dHlptl'rs of nnrnaHs, Palll describL's [lit' two s(reaIlls nI' bUlllanil}'. (Ilú rep('IILJIII ¡¡IIJ (11f' 111J1'('P"II­ tant. Ilc r:,stahlishes tIla! wllt'lh,'r a

ptTSO.l1

is

Jhv

or C"'ldill'

is irr('lt'vant lo lhis. illlU ill Ch:lpll'r :3 lhat rllt, ha~ís of IIny. OII(;S a(,(,f'ptlIlIU' wilh Cad ¡,s 1111' l'ailldllhl~'s,s lllld l]('alh 01' Chrisl. (:r.npft>r,s 1)·7 ,

(Y. !l.ql

.

(:lm1) m (th~·St· ",llont) 111' prc¡J'~Nti'urllw :lJ.sn ~tWIJ n cnHiJ Ig

(31J(.!) us (HIl"'- wllom) he culll'rT In"" 11':' Hect has remorked, ¡'The boy I1larlwL! Ollt f()J' orw trade may enter another,"~g and such a Illcllniug ís not prcc:1uded 1);, thc word predestine in this ('cmkxt. Secoucl, when PauJ makes a statement in a eOD­ lcxt of speaking of the c1mrch, he does not nccessarily mean tbat it may llOt appl), to unhdievers aJso. Thus in Romans

:ISS'1lllle.

202 203

GOD'S STHATEGY IN If(;MAK HISTOHY

OWLlID

WORD STtJDY-FOR"

3:2.'3 he says: " Tl' ¡U"tiflIJ, Hut WtP 1.

)

have sinned as well. forCKIJl:w those wllo lo\' did not fl.m'lrnnw nthl'rs

aLm in thi!Jt way. t!wt Goc1 liad marhd out a destinv fol' thof>e who love hi;lI, he need not llPCef¡ScuiJy be S3Y¡;Jg thal suc.:h t. Pan]

sa\'S

d('sliny \Yas nol inh'nc1cd ror aH Il'lt>n. lncleed \Ve' hliVf~ Sl;len how J ,Hke tells uS that Go(l did ha,,!:: pI¡JOs 1'Ol" a p;rOlll} of UlI­ lwlicvcl's, ",Ilieh Ilwy l"cjCl'leu for thetn:iclvBs. u Pf'rbaps thf'sC p lans incll1ckc1 111OSL' (JI Hím ",!lo ('lIergizl's a1l things according lo f'lw ('onnsrl 01' Uis will,"

fms.

t1 e

to whom

is say­

he ga~'p

imagc of Cbrist wants lo coop'

JI tUI\'

(141t.t1ll\' J_ _

nay

'ove

Q

UT "Ch'I'r3CtCf ¡tlltl Jj-­

1 ,)'

In hl'ief, "']Ialcv('r dL'stiny Cod has 1'01' 111,10, il is achic\'('d onl)' ín Chrisl. GoL! did IJot símply' sdf'ct p('opl.-. to !'(~C(ri\'(' a dl'stin)'. TIis ",hole (·ternal purpOSI' is acC'olllplished only in Chrís'l..l~ 0111" inllCr,ital1('(' is ohtaíncd and 01ll' dcstin~! workec! out in Christ, amI this dcstiny \Vas set Ollt by God in the fllll light of his fo]'eknowl('d~(' of thosf' who wO\l]cl w­ eeivc it.

204

205

GOD'5,

oLTEGY lN

wo

IHY

STU Pont (C:trom ii. 12.

.g, • .1 mti o Martyr (Diol 38.2) amI

Latin.

11)

fOTf,1sGt:s

(or for~·kn(lws) s,igns

e3.'ion$ und Hmes." W¡¡S lIIaLlt! knQWI1 bd(1reh(\TIcl to om

s

:HI:

lhill.gS

propllrelined liS to pray {'ven for om '"Dcmics. and to Jovt' lheItl llmt bnte tll>, tmd to 1Jlcss them thal L"l!r!il" lIS (cxxxiii).

This was no ir1J1' boa... l fJ'OlII on(' ",ho WlIS latel' lIngg.}c1 amI m:1rtyred. JeslI.s lold liS to rccognize his tnw foUowers h)' theÍr fruit, TIl~SC passag
COl11t' lo Cad. Early c.hurch figun:~s like Clernent and Jllstin (ull\' ac('cptcd t1w doctrine of salvation l,y faith. al tlll'fefore, W.lS the rcal issue bet'lli,'el"D Augl.lsline

l,,nr]y chmch? The latter tlió not belitwe that roa Imd "Ú"l'e~\vílr lO kél'p lIle Law anc1 so earn salvation by ww·kS.I"1 Thpir hL'1íefS were fal' removed (roro the rnhbini­ cal íd~as 1lmt Pitul meant by '\,\'orks." In Augustine's da)' [' PdUgi:lDs Iwlcl vl~ws not unlike the rnbhis, but their view.s Wl're no! UIOSf' nf th(> carly dmrch. It may, mere· nrt... he Ilserul to SllJ1)mHriz(~ tbe thrl'c altcrnative vl~ws: (1) ·Wnrks. 'rJw PebgiaJl vil-'W. whicb Augtlstine ~tated lhus: "Llll\ bw hfling givUD, lllt' wiU is of its O\VIl ~trength slIfHl'ienttn fl1l11l1 tbal lo\\', l.hougb nol assisted by un)' gwev irllplHll·d h)' thc !Jul)' Spirit in addilion lo instn.lction in Ú1l' 1.a\\,,"411 Ul' abo statprl it as: "the grace of Cod ~ bl'\to\V(.(1 in propclclion lo our nWll dcserts,"n (~) Foilll. l1lc p;lI'ly dlllrdl vicw, and Augú.stine's own (';u!fc'j" \'il'\\. HI' staled it as: "Por it L~ ours to bclieve and \ViII 1'111 il ís Bis lo gin- to UIOSC WilO bdieve and will the po'w(-r 01 l!orng gnod works through th~ 1101:- Spirit , .."4,b 3) Irrf"'I\-lilJll' gi/t CJf /(1;t1l. Augllstill!"'S later Vlew (whil'll ll'illlJlplH'd ¡JI 1111' dl1lr('h) was that faith itself was all lti"c'.sislihlu gif1. givl']) hy Gnu lo ti fcw people w110m be hall Sl'1I'l'lt'c..1 rlJl soml: h(lsi~ known on]y to himself. 40 God ~()lIld ha\.'(' gíVl'11 ít lo others had he so chosen"o for it is '''n'iL'I~1l'd Iw 110 hanl he-Il.rl.''r'! vVithout it no man could pl'rforTll 11IJY good. wlll't}'t~r in thollght, w.m, affcction, or al.:l'i()II.r.~

lllHi (2) arp. selUom propcrly .listinguished in writings. This may have been partly due to llll' 1I11fortllnatc pradil'c in his day of rcfcrring to the "Hll'ril ()f fllitll" alld 1he "rnerit 01' c()nversion,"r,~ Thi~ led or "1I:l111.·Ll AngllstiJ1l' to mgard faitb as a forrn of "work"; 111' ~ays: "Thc - apostk, t]¡e~cfore, distinguishes faith from works, j\1st as Jndllb is c1islinguished from hrad ... though Jlldah ís Israel itse1f.":ioI This is a total1y un-Pauline idea lllld it fails lo lIndcr~tand the Hehrew hackground toPaurs writings, Palll always sNs faith and works in
11l'1\\'I'l~1I lIS alllcd ((Ji' ol: a

21>8

I.:h~~sk bi~tDry

,,( lhe ('Il[ly

W.

30.

nf l'llmSe,

could quite put it JiJee that. But to

289

IX

lc>pENDIX the fmit

·H2

·íi'¡. ·18. p;n.

O

A.1J.

etc.

51.

52..

:r¡:t

Pree!. Salffts 7

¡;!~,

55". : frOID Xm¡ophüll'~

Alnnoro1>li.(I

y Qf a "1Ji1lnrnJ ;J.lIJ .scrvkü.

37.

38.

1)(1.

,.. 7.

.i)í!. !'l9.

hrackeli-are tlsed by

lIJO, lfl!.J, .117. 1:3:3, 1·11.

38. O.

·u

!):29¡ 17:2, 17,; LH,4, lB, 19;1:1, 0, e4;~ nC~llrlc~ (OJI wh,ml ~cc .ilu~. 1'111: lJllolatiOl:l hOlu )\ ra­ ca.nlhus· ¡¡1Il:1!l()II~ hymn In Z!:lUs.

tl]is for C1Clf1(:l]t uf ROII1C ,uld JuBlin, hut i.t

·¡¡rly r·alhe.'fS¡

sel,;, ,-.~., lrc.'JI;II.ms,

Alí'.

1-Jl"TC"¡f'S

Far Síns 1.34

200

291

AP.FE 'OIX 'PE!':DIX

APrEI\DJY

flAJ..

64, ';j.

'ar.

ti

Orlg. Sin S';n Sills 1.11; Orig.

10. lo

/j

OJMn.~, ¡ R(II11iil1.~,

]¡

1]1. 133, 33,]134 34. pp. \

I

~

is

nel Gr, 10

vcr

11­ iCV·

~

Ori.~. Slu SIR 20,42 ~.42 Ori.L:'

,,1' Erl, Efl.ULlIIJ, "I I.."J, fo f"r.. ;·.lo'wl1l'l,·. ,. am"l,', p,""("til'C' pl.H"li, r 11l1't1l11 h,hlllt

,I,1'',\­_

n,

,

lUtiUIl

"'

ill '11

/\IlrIT. Imf

(1I1r! 11I1,l

(:mu·. (:(1111'.

i

/

uf iJlru"lih \\'11' [u 111