I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s heard this type of comment from people on occasion, “well I guess it was just there time” or “there number was up". Have you ever wondered how true this is? Does God literally have us on a timetable? Well I think it’s a misunderstanding, and below is my view.
Surely it doesn’t mean that on your 37th birthday at twelve hours, thirty-seven minutes and ten seconds he directs your steps into the lane of an oncoming vehicle. In our present state as human beings we will not live forever. We are promised eternity but in the spiritual state, not now. There are those who believe that God has predetermined your life’s end, at least the life on this earth. The question that comes to my mind immediately is; where do they get this idea? Is the scripture being accurately interpreted? Well we’re going to look at this. But if determined that God does not have your days literally numbered, does it in turn mean He is not in control? I don’t believe it does. God is always in control!
Job 14:5 "Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed." Meaning we simply will not live forever. This scripture in no way implies a literal timetable of life.Obviously if we won't live forever then we only have a limited time, its just not a specific amount of time.
Ps 39:4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath." This is simply a perspective of God and His supremacy, His past is infinite as is His future; He always was and will be. Our lives are literally as a breath when compared to God.
1) At the fall of Adam as it would be determined by God, man would now not live forever since he ate from the Tree of Knowledge and did not eat from the Tree of Life. Read the following:
Gen 3:17-19 "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
2) God never stated that it was a predetermined amount of time but simply due to the ability of the body in a fallen world (non-perfect environment) we will age, get sick, etc., our decisions, decisions of others and uncontrollable circumstances that could come about would be the determining factors of our life span. Look at what He said in Gen 3:22-2 "He (man) must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever." The man had already eaten from the Tree of knowledge and now was denied the opportunity to eat from the Tree of Life.
In closing, the scriptures that is typically used in supporting the idea of a specific timetable for each person’s life, from the book of Job and the Psalms simply do not imply what people are teaching. In my opinion it goes to prove yet again the lack of understanding and those who read meaning into scripture that just isn’t there. The fact is none of us are promised tomorrow on this earth, believers and non-believers alike. However, God is Sovereign.
Hi Tim,
ReplyDeleteI use to think that our days are numbered and that God would arrange our demise at that time. But as I've studied scripture over the years, I no longer think that way. I agree with you in that God lets us live until we die, but our life is not a preordained set of days.
I do think you made a contradictory statement though when you said "God is always in control!" If God IS always in control, then our days ARE numbered to the very second. This statement, "God is always in control" is classic determinism; meaning that God has determined our every step.
If God is always in control, then He controlled Hitler as he lead Germany in its many atrocities, and Ted Bundy as he killed those girls.
Hyper-Calvinism says that God is always in control, even to the point of actually causing people to sin. I know you and know that you didn't mean that, but I'd like to hear what exactly you meant by that statement; to what degree is God "always in control"?
Yes, I see what you mean. I find it difficult to not be too wordy and make these points sometimes.
ReplyDeleteBut it also sounds kinda facetious with the Hitler and Bundy comment.
My idea was that God is a Sovereign God and if He's not in control then perhaps He's not Sovereign. We're not puppets to Him but if He's not "ultimately" in control then the universe and everything in it is in chaos and we have no hope.
Example: when Eve was deceived and then Adam, although God had the ability to stop them He didn't. Though if He were not "ultimately" in control we would not have had the plan of redemption.
As I mentioned we face consequences to the decisions of others and circumstances out of our control, God allows that. But then God has the ability to intervene and heal or deliver us but does not mean He always will.
I happen to be reading a book right now about Calvinism vs. Arminianism; it is written from an Arminian viewpoint (from which I side with) and the book's main purpose is to refute and explain away Calvinist's misunderstanding of Arminianism. It is one of (if not the) best book on the subject I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteIt talks a lot about God's control and sovereignty, and how just because God gives someone the ability (permission) to make choices independent of God does not mean that God has given up any of His sovereignty. He is in control, but voluntarily gives up some of His control to allow His creatures to express their free will.
God is in control, but voluntarily gives up some control to accommodate His creature's desires. He doesn't cause sin, but He allows it. Some believe He authors sin, I do not and felt that you didn't either.
The book is, Arminian Theology: Myth and Realities by Roger E. Olson; I highly recommend it.
Yes, we're on the same page. I'm gonna get that book though. I'm glad you pointed that out too, I'll have to be clearer in my posts.
ReplyDelete