Question: Who
are God’s Elect?
4 Nov 2000
Bob:
Thank you for your response to my email. However, I still have a question that I hope you can answer:
Who are God’s “Elect”? In a couple of places the Bible talks about the elect. And what does the word mean in the original text?
Michael
Answer: (click here to see the
answer)
Dear Michael,
The English words elect and chosen are from the same Hebrew word and from the same Greek word.
Here are all the verses in the OT:
2Sam 21:6 (NKJV) “let seven men of his descendants be
delivered to us, and we will hang them before the Lord in Gibeah of
Saul, [whom] the Lord chose.”
And the king said, “I will give [them].”
Notice, even though Saul was called God’s elect,
God rejected him later in 1 Sam 15:26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will
not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord
has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
1Chr 16:13 O seed of Israel His servant, You children of
Jacob, His chosen ones!
Notice, even though Jacob, who is also called Israel, was His chosen ones, God rejected the Israelites who did not believe, in Isa
65. 1
“I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those
who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am,’ To a nation
that was not called by My name. 2 I have stretched out My hands all day
long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good,
according to their own thoughts; 3 A people who provoke Me to anger
continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on
altars of brick; 8 Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is
found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing
is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not
destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, And from
Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect (This will be those who
believe, but at first, all Israel was His elect.)
shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there. 10 Sharon shall be
a fold of flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
For My people who have sought Me. 11 “But you are those who forsake
the Lord, Who forget My holy mountain, Who prepare a table for Gad, And
who furnish a drink offering for Meni. 12 Therefore I will number you
for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because,
when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But
did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight.” 13Therefore thus says the
Lord God: “Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry;
Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My
servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; 14 Behold, My servants
shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And
wail for grief of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen;
For the Lord God will slay you, And call His servants by another name;
16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in
the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God
of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they
are hidden from My eyes. 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a
new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create
Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be
heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. 20 “No more shall an infant
from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his
days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner
being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build
houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and
another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My
people, And My elect shall
long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor
bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of
the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them. 24 “It shall
come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are
still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed
together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the
serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy
mountain,” Says the Lord.
Psa 89:3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have sworn to My servant David:
Psal 105:6 O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of
Jacob, His chosen ones!
Psal 105:43 He brought out His people with joy, His chosen
ones with gladness.
Psal 106:5 That I may see the benefit of Your chosen
ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may
glory with Your inheritance.
Psal 106:23 Therefore He said that He would destroy them (His
chosen peopole.), Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, To turn away His wrath,
lest He destroy [them].
Isai 42:1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect
One [in] [whom] My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will
bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
Isai 43:20 The beast of the field will honor Me, The
jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness [And]
rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.
Isai 45:4 For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect,
I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have
not known Me.
Isai 65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and
from Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect
shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there.
Isai 65:15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen;
For the Lord God will slay you, And call His servants by another name;
Isai 65:22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They
shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, [so] [shall]
[be] the days of My people, and My elect
shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
The New Testament. As you read these elect/chosen
passages, you will not find one that says they were elected or chosen to
be saved.
Matt 20:16 (NKJV) “So the last will be first, and the
first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Matt 22:14 “For many are called, but few [are] chosen.”
Matt 24:22 “And unless those days were shortened, no
flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s
sake those days will be shortened.
Matt 24:24 “For false christs and false prophets will
rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matt 24:31 “And He will send His angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Mark 13:20 “And unless the Lord had shortened those
days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s
sake, whom He chose, He
shortened the days.
Mark 13:22 “For false christs and false prophets will
rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Mark 13:27 “And then He will send His angels, and gather
together His elect from the
four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of
heaven.
Luke 18:7 “And shall God not avenge His own elect
who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
Luke 23:35 And the people stood looking on. But even the
rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save
Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen
of God.”
Roma 8:33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?
[It] [is] God who justifies.
Roma 16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
Colo 3:12 Therefore, as [the] elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness,
humility, meekness, longsuffering;
2 Th 2:13 But we
are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the
Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation (When
you read the context of this verse, you will see that they are chosen to
escape from the tribulation. 1 Th 1: 10, “and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He
raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath
to come.” and 5:9, “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,” shows this also.)
1Tim 5:21 I charge [you] before God and the Lord Jesus
Christ and the elect angels
that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with
partiality.
2Tim 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of
the elect, that they also may
obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Titu 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of
Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with
godliness,
1Pet 1:2 elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of
the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
1Pet 2:4 Coming to Him [as] [to] a living stone, rejected
indeed by men, but chosen by
God [and] precious,
1Pet 2:6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put
to shame.”
1Pet 2:9 But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own
special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you
out of darkness into His marvelous light;
2Joh 1:1 THE ELDER, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I,
but also all those who have known the truth,
2Joh 1:13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.
Reve 17:14 “These will make war with the Lamb, and the
Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and
those [who] [are] with Him [are] called, chosen,
and faithful.”
I hope this material helps you to see that election is for the corporate body of Israel and the corporate body of Christ. The elect of Israel can fall out of their relationship with Jehovah, but we in the body of Christ are sealed, we can’t lose it.
In Christ who saves us and the Holy Spirit who seals us,
Bob Hill
Question: How can someone hold on to Calvinism and say that God dispenses His Grace?
Bob,
I understand that you (in general) do not have to have an open view of God to be a dispensationalist - but how, in the light of understanding dispensationalism, can you still hold on to (lets say) Calvinism and say that God dispenses his Grace, etc.?
Thanks,
John
Answer: (click here to see the answer)
John,
Let’s say I was a Calvinist and was a dispensationalist. Lets also say that I believe there are a certain number of dispensations. As a Calvinistic dispensationalist I would still believe that God dispenses His grace according to His dispensational program. He would still know who the elect were because He elected them to be saved.
But you may ask, why would He do that, it would just be a sham. I would agree with you because I do see that man is not elected nor predestined to be saved. But the Calvinist is convinced by the Scripture or philosophy that first persuaded him to believe determinism.
When I was a Calvinist, I was convinced the Scriptures showed some were elected and predestined to be saved. When I presented material from Romans 9, no one could answer the problems I saw there. Once I saw the open view of God, all my Calvinistic scriptural arguments crumbled, but I was a dispensationalist before as well as after I saw God’s ability to change and truly show passion. We all tend to believe some kind of theology. We, then, try to make everything else fit that theology. That’s alright, but we must be very careful not to look at our theology as though it were God’s. God’s is perfect, ours is not. We need to be open to the Scriptures and be willing to change when someone else shows us a problem for our position.
In Christ,
Question: Does Eph 1:11 support Calvinism?
"Michael Simmons"
Question:
Hello Bob,
I was wondering about Ephesians 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things to the counsel of His will. A Calvinist pointed out the WE in this verse. Does this support Calvinism?
Michael
Answer: (click here to see the answer)
Michael,
It’s strange to me, but the majority of the people in this world are under the domination of fatalistic non-Christian religions. It’s “Que sera sera what ever will be will be.” Unfortunately, most Christians are bombarded with this fatalism too.
Greg Boyd relates in his book that I am presently reading, God at War, what “Historian Philip Friedman provided. This is an eyewitness account of what happened to a young Jewish girl living in the Warsaw ghetto during the Nazi occupation. My question is this: Did God work this out according to the counsel of His will?
Zosia was a little girl . . . the daughter of a physician. During and “action” one of the Germans became aware of her beautiful diamond-like dark eyes.
“I could make two rings out of them,” he said, “one for myself and one for my wife.”
his colleague is holding the girl.
“Let’s see whether they are really so beautiful. And better yet, let’s examine them in our hands.”
Among the buddies exuberant gaiety breaks out. One of the wittiest proposes to take the eyes out. A shrill screaming and the noisy laughter of the soldier-pack. The screaming penetrates our brains, pierces our heart, the laughter hurts like the edge of a knife plunged into our body. The screaming and the laughter are growing, mingling and soaring to heaven.
O God, whom will You hear first?
What happens next is that the fainting child is lying on the floor. Instead of eyes two bloody wounds are staring. The mother, driven mad, is held by the women.
This time they left Zosia to her mother. . . .
At one of the next “actions,” little Zosia was taken away. It was, of course, necessary to annihilate the blind child.
That’s not my God, the God of the Bible. He is a loving God. But the Christian fatalist seems to be a person of enormous faith. He says, “I refuse to question the will of God.” But does he mean it is God’s will no matter what happens? Does he mean that God causes the degradation of all that is holy and pure? Does he mean that God causes all oppression, famine, war, disease, pornography, immorality, rape, pillage, and murder to occur? He replies, “If God lets it happen, it must be for a good reason that we, with our small intellect, cannot understand. So, I just accept what He does by faith.”
I had a godly uncle who had this philosophy. And I say philosophy, because I don’t find it in the Bible, except in Job 1:13-21: Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; 14 and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 “when the Sabeans raided them and took them away; indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 “and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
These words, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD,” are quoted at many funerals. They’re supposed to be comforting. But is this attitude right? I believe the answer is, No!! It is scriptural only in the sense that the words are found in the Bible. We have to recognize that Job was utterly ignorant of the conflict between God and satan. Job was blind to the thought that satan was counting on fatalism as his most potent weapon. Fatalism is a paralyzing affliction that has permeated Christianity with devastating results. It can infect Christians with complacency and apathy, que sera, sera.
Satan wanted Job to think of God as a fiend and deny Him. But we should feel sorry for Job. He didn’t have much, if any, of God’s word. He didn’t know what God’s will was. Well, then, What is God’s will? I believe we can break God’s will down into 3 scriptural categories. His intentional will (qevlhma), His circumstantial will (qevlhma), and His ultimate, or determinate will or counsel (boulhv).
When we look at His intentional will, the first thing we should see is this. We were created for His will (pleasure). Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created [kaiV diaV toV qevlhma sou h\san kaiV e*ktivsqhsan].” Next, as part of this, He wants us all to love Him.
Mk 12:30,31 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
1 Co 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!
Then, He wants us all to love one another. John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
1 Th 4:9,10 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.
Next, we see that He wills all to be saved. 1 Tim 2:4 who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. But, because man totally rebelled against God, in order to receive salvation, man must believe God and do what He says for salvation. Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Mat 12:50 “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” Heb 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. For us in this dispensation of grace, His will is found in Acts 16:31, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
Next, we see His will is that we be holy. 1 Th 4:3-8 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
Then, we find His will is that we function in the local body. 1 Co 12:18,20-27 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased (hjqevlhsen). 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
Further, we find His will is that we all know the mystery. Eph 3:8,9 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. Col 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ among you, the hope of glory. And then, His will is that we teach the mystery to others. 2 Ti 2:1-2 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Next, we see His will is that we work out our salvation. Phi 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
However, as you can see by now, His will can be thwarted by us just as Israel thwarted His will for them as recorded in Psa 78:40,41 How often they [Israel] provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel.
His circumstantial will - based on His laws. Natural laws such as gravity, the 2nd law of thermodynamics, etc. Spiritual laws such as: Suffering, 2 Ti 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Prayer, Phi 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Meditating on His word, Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things. 1 Ti 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. Reward, 2 Co 5:9-11 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. Col 3:23-25 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
Finally, the one you asked about, His ultimate or determinate will, or counsel (boulhv). First of all, it cannot be thwarted. Lk 22:22 “And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” Acts 2:23 “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.” Rom 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will (boulhv)?” And now, your verse, Eph 1:11-14 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel (boulh;n) of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Heb 6:17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath.
His counsel is connected with His power. Isa 46:10-11 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel (boulhv LXX) shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure (bebouvleumai),’ 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel (bebouvleumai), from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed (bouvlomai) it; I will also do it.
His counsel makes provision for the salvation of all. 2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not counseling any to perish but all to have room for repentance (mhV boulovmenov" tina" a*polevsqai a*llaV pavnta" ei*" metavnoian cwrh'sai).
Along with this, we find that predestination means to determine beforehand. The BGD Greek Lexicon gives this definition (edited) proorizo decide upon beforehand, predestine, of God predestine someone. When we put our trust for our salvation into Christ and the fact that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again, then, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ.
Because we are put into Christ by the Holy Spirit, we are put into a predestined program. God had already predestined the body of Christ to be holy and blameless before Him in love: Eph 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as Sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
He also predestined us to be conformed to His Son’s image in Rom 8:29: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” This predestination is for our security once we trust Christ as our Savior.
Most important, and in answer to your question, His counsel makes our salvation very secure, because God performs everything that must be done for our benefit once we’re saved according to your passage: Eph 1:11,12: In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” The “all things” in verse 11, that is the body of Christ according to Eph 1:23: “which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all [according to the Greek, who fills the all things] in all.”
Therefore, we experience the security of predestination. Although
it is one of the most detested doctrines, it is really one of our
greatest spiritual blessings. Predestination is not what Calvinists try
to make it. God doesn’t make everything happen as they say. I want to
mention another portion of Scripture to show you that God gave man free
will, and man can hinder God in His desire to save everyone. It is Psa
78:40,41 How often they provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the
desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God and limited the Holy
One of Israel.
Instead of pursuing that idea any further, I want to emphasize again that predestination pertains to our security, not our salvation. Our inheritance is predestined. God takes great pleasure in doing this for us. We become a new creation, we receive a new name, we have a new identity in Christ, and our inheritance is predestined. How spectacular, that God did all of these things for us. That’s why I see predestination as a triumph to His praise. Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Paul rejoices in this spiritual blessing. Just think, we’re secure in Christ because it is God’s pleasure to make us secure. We should exult in this blessing too, because this grace of predestination is poured out on us. It is our grace, we are accepted because we are in Christ.
Our response to this wonderful spiritual blessing of security should be like Paul’s response in Eph 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all the generations, of the age of the ages. Amen.
Question: Does God control the actions of all?
Name: Michael
hi Mr. Hill - I was debating with a Calvinist about man not being controlled by God. I conceded to him that God could control man, but he claimed that God has controlled man in the past. He brought up these Scriptures.
Jer 27:6: God calls Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, "My servant". And used him for judgement. (See also Jeremiah 25). In Isaiah 10:5, God calls Assyria "the rod of My anger". 1 Kings 11:31 God says He will tear the kingdom out of Soloman's hands and give ten tribes to Jeroboam. Simply look at the control God would have to have to make this come about. Proverbs 21:1 simply reads: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." Job 12:24: "He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and makes them wander in a pathless wilderness" (see also Psalm 107:40). Exodus 4:21: God says (before the who hardened Pharaoh's heart chapter occured) to Moses ".but I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will not let the people go".
Could you please explain these to me. Because it does appear that they represent God controlling other people.
Answer: (click here to see the answer)
Dear Michael,
God is omnipotent. As you know, this means He is all powerful. When He uses this power in the examples you gave, He does infringe upon their free will to some extent. I believe He did that quite a few times in the OT. In fact, in Eze 38 & 39, God says He’s going to put hooks in their jaws and lead them out-for what? To destroy them.
I believe God is sovereign. But He gave man the freedom of contrary choice, also. Read my book on Predestination and Free Will. I do want to respond to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart.
God did predict Pharaoh’s obstinacy. He told Moses to go to the elders of Israel and give them God’s message. Here’s the conclusion of the message. Ex 3:18-20 “you and the elders of Israel [shall come] to the king . . . and . . . say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” With this prediction in mind, did Pharaoh have a chance? He was raised to be arrogant. He was worshipped as a god. And we just saw that God knew about this guy, because, God knows everything.
In fact, in the verse you mentioned, God also told Moses a little more. Let’s look at the context. Ex 4:21-23 See that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.
This kinda looks like Pharaoh won’t even have a chance to repent. We might even reply like people do in Rom 9:19: “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But, we’d be way off base. What is going on in Exodus? Was Thutmose III a nice guy who God arbitrarily hardened into a cruel ruthless despot? The answer is NO!
Instead, the Scriptures show gentle, then mounting pressure upon Pharaoh to let God’s people go. God started with a mild request. Ex 5:1-4 Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” 2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” 3 So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.”
Pharaoh’s answer was bitter toil. Now, he even made them gather the straw used in the bricks but required the same number of bricks. He was a cruel man. God knew this guy’s heart. In His continued requests, God would do two things.
God would strengthen Pharaoh’s heart. The word for harden is
really strengthen. It is Strong’s number 2388 chazaq (khaw-zak') and
appears 290 times in 266 verses; It is translated hard or harden 12
times in the Pharaoh material in Exodus and hard only twice outside of
Exodus in the whole Bible. It is usually translated in the KJV strong
48, repair 47, hold 37, strengthened 28, strengthen 14, harden 13,
prevail 10, encourage 9, take 9, courage 8, caught 5, stronger 5, hold
5, misc. 52. The meaning is, to strengthen, prevail, be strong, become
strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore. So I
would translate the word, strengthen. Ex
4:21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do
all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I
will strengthen [chazaq] his heart, so that he will not let the people go.”
God would be the cause of Pharaoh hardening his own heart. Just as the Sun makes wax soften and melt, and clay get hard, that’s what God did. Remember, God spoke to Moses before Pharaoh ever had a chance to harden his own heart. What did He tell Moses? He said, “I am sure [he] will not let you go.” What does that mean? I think it means “I know this guy’s heart. The king of Egypt has a heart like a lump of clay. I know that’s what it’s like. It’s not the moldable kind. It’s like a lump of clay. Many writers agree with this interpretation.
Rotherham translated the passage this way: “I will let his heart wax bold, and he will not suffer the people to go.” He further explained that many languages like Hebrew use verbs which normally signify causation in the sense of permission or showing the occasion of an event. He used the example of the raven and the dove in Gen 8:7,8. It says Noah sent them “forth”, but he simply “let them go.” Also, when the Hebrew verb, “to cause to live” was used of the midwives (Ex 1:17), it plainly meant “permitted them” to live. That is, they “refrained from putting them to death.”
There are other examples of this usage, but let’s look at the
progression of God’s signs and the plagues as God permits Pharaoh’s
heart to get hard. Moses’ rod became a snake. And then ate the snakes
of the magicians, but Ex 7:13
“Pharaoh’s heart grew strong, [chazaq]
and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
He turned the Nile into blood. Ex 7:22 Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart grew strong, [chazaq] and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said. He caused frogs to come on the land. Ex 8:8-15 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the Lord that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.” 9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.” 10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 11 And the frogs shall depart from you, from your houses, from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.” 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to the Lord concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. 13 So the Lord did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. 14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
He caused lice, gnats, or fleas throughout the land. But the magicians couldn’t do that.
Ex 8:16-19 So the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew strong, [chazaq] and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.
He brought flies or beetles. Ex 8:21-24 Or else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land. 23 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be. 24 And the Lord did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.
The Egyptian’s cattle died, but not Israel’s. Ex 9:1-7 Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, 3 behold, the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence. 4 And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” 5 Then the Lord appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” 6 So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died. 7 Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.
He caused serious boils. Ex 9:10,11 “Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.” What would you expect Pharaoh to do now—no more magicians? Surely he would falter from apprehension and dread. Even though he had the same evil fervor, he would realize the hopelessness of carrying it out.
But God didn’t want him to comply because of a faint heart. God wanted to use this opportunity to show how He was allied with Israel right from its birth as a nation. So, God strengthened Pharaoh’s heart and gave him the resolve, the firmness of heart, to continue with his unrepentant attitudes.
That’s why it says in Ex
9:12 “But the Lord strengthened
[chazaq]
the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had
spoken to Moses.” Next, He sent hail. Ex
9:24,34,35 So there was hail,
and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none
like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 34 And when
Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he
sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So
the heart of Pharaoh was strong
[chazaq];
neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken
by Moses.
Now, remember, God wants every sinner to truly repent according to Eze 18:23 “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?” That’s why God sent Moses and Aaron with this message, even though He knew that He would be the cause provoking Pharaoh to be hardened. Ex 10:3-6 So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4 Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. 5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. 6 They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
He sent locusts. Ex 10:12,16,17,20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” 20 But the Lord strengthened [chazaq] Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
He sent darkness that could be felt. Ex 10:21-23,27-29 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 27 But the Lord strengthened [chazaq] Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” 29 And Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”
He instituted the Passover. Ex
11:4-10 Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I
will go out into the midst of Egypt; 5 and all the firstborn in the land
of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his
throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the
handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. 6 Then there shall be a
great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it
before, nor shall be like it again. 7 But against none of the children
of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you
may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and
Israel.’ 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow
down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’
After that I will go out.” Then he went out from Pharaoh in great
anger. 9 But the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so
that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 So
Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord strengthened [chazaq]
Pharaoh’s heart, and
he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
So, I conclude that God strengthened Pharaoh’s resolve so he would not wimp out because of the obvious hand of the Lord in these plagues. But I believe God would have repented as He does so many times when men repent, in the Bible.
What do you think? Let me know.
In God, the one who repents when man is truly sorry,
Bob
Question: Is Psalm 139 a statement of God’s foreordination?
Fri, 28 Apr 2000 09:57
"F. Wesley Brainard"
Pastor Bob,
Please help me to explain Psalm 139. I've been in some conversations with some of my Calvinist friends lately and I need a little help. Especially verse 16.
Answer: (click here to see the answer)
Wesley,
This has been used as a Calvinistic passage for a long time. For instance, Boettner wrote, in his, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, p. 99. “[God’s] foreknowledge of what is yet to be, whether it be in regard to the world as a whole or in regard to the detailed life of every individual, rests upon His pre-arranged plan.” One of the references he cited was Psalm 139:14-16. This passage, including verse 13, is translated as follows:
(NKJV) For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and [that] my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, [and] skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when [as] [yet] [there] [were] none of them.
(Darby) For thou hast possessed my reins; thou didst cover me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully, wonderfully made. Marvelous are thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. 15 My bones were not hidden from thee when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my unformed substance, and in thy book all [my members] were written; [during many] days were they fashioned, when [as yet] there was none of them.
(KJV) For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvelous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
(NIV) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(NRSV) For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
(Young’s Literal Translation) For Thou – Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother’s belly. 14 I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful [are] Thy works, And my soul is knowing [it] well. 15 My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth. 16 Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed – And not one among them.
(Rotherham) For thou didst possess thyself of my reins, Thou didst weave me together in the womb of my mother. 14 I thank thee, in that fearfully was my being distinguished, Wonderful are thy works, And mine own soul is observing [them] intently! 15 My substance was not hid form thee, – When I was made in secret, When I was skillfully figured in the lower parts of the earth. 16 Mine unfinished substance Thine eyes behold, And in thy book all the parts thereof were written, – The days they should be fashioned! While yet there was not one among them.
(Tim McMahon) For you possessed my kidneys. You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You because I am awesomely marvelous. Your acts are marvels which my soul knows very well. 15 My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place [when] I was woven in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes watched my fetus [in all its features] (In your book it was fully described in writing) as it was being formed over a period of time. And one of those [features] is His.
As you know, verse 16, especially, is the one that is quoted to support the notion that God has predestined the lives and actions of human beings. Confer the NIV and NKJ which are typical. From these translations we might think that God has determined the individual’s life-span and the course of events within it. But, the KJV, who were quite Calvinistic, viewed this text from a much less fatalistic perspective. In their view, apparently, God was able to foreknow, and perhaps to foreordain, David’s physical characteristics from his embryonic state. We might take this as an anachronistic description of genetics by the psalmist, if God had not inspired it. While the Darby, KJV, NRSV, Rotherham, and Young’s Literal Translations are good, in order to understand them and the McMahon translation more fully, I need help from my friend on the Hebrew text. Tim did that for me.
One caution at the outset: the text of Psalm 139:13-16 is extremely difficult. Notice how different the renderings are and the number of bracketed words supplied by the translators in their attempt to make sense of the original. Tim did a fresh analysis of the text in order to validate his interpretation of the Hebrew passage.
Dahood points out that the psalm is a declaration of innocence on the part of the author. Yahweh knows that he is pure, that he is not guilty of unfaithfulness or idolatry. His accusers (v. 19) have nothing to stand on. God Himself can vouch for him. God knows everything about him, all his deepest secrets, even what he cannot know about himself. Even if he wanted to escape Yahweh’s providence, that would be impossible. Heaven is not high enough, the sea is not far enough, the winds are not remote enough, Sheol is not deep enough. The breadth and depth of God’s knowledge are “to wonderful for me, too high for me to attain” (v. 6). He concludes the section leading up to our passage by exclaiming: “Even in the darkness He observes me and night is daylight all around me. Even the darkness is not too dark for You and at night it shines like daytime for You, as darkness, so is light.”
The imagery in verse 12 of darkness, night, and concealment remind David of that place which in Hebrew thought most typifies the unknown: Sheol, the realm of the dead. Darkness is associated with Sheol in 1 Sa 2:9; Job 15:22; Psa 88:13; 143:3. The Old Testament offers only imprecise descriptions of the nether-world, where humans exist consciously in a shadowy state. In the Hebrew mind, the tentative, undefined existence in Sheol was comparable to another realm of human existence of which men had only the shadow of knowledge: the life of the fetus in his mother’s womb. The association between Sheol and the womb is intensified by the figure of earth as mother. Just as the fetus lives within his mother’s body, so Sheol is a chamber within the earth. Sheol is actually called a “womb”, Strong’s, 995, in Jonah 2:2,3. Job declares: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there.” Scripture elsewhere affirms that God has intimate knowledge of the nether-world (Job 26:6; Pro 15:11).
Here, in Psalm 139, David declares that He possesses equally comprehensive knowledge of life in the womb. As we approach verses 13-16, then, we must understand that the focus of David’s awestruck praise is not God’s ability to make things happen, but His ability to examine the impenetrable, to see as well in darkness as in light, to know thoroughly and intimately those realms which to humans are mere shadows. Scripture often celebrates Yahweh’s ability to bring about His will (Isa 49:10; Psa 115:3), but here the subject is His wisdom, His understanding, His ability to perceive and know all things.
Verse 13 For
you possessed my kidneys. You covered me in my mother’s womb.
While the sentence structure of this verse is refreshingly straightforward, there is room for discussion on the meaning of several key words. qanita, qnh generally means “possess, acquire, purchase”. In Ugaritic it seems to mean “create, bring forth”. Scholars have attempted to assign this sense in Hebrew as well. kilyotay, kilayot literally are the kidneys of a human or animal. The word is also used figuratively in a manner similar to the biblical use of heart, to signify a person’s innermost being or mind. This, then, might be a statement to the effect that God knew David intimately from his very beginning. Alternatively, The Theological Workbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) suggests that kilayot is put here by the figure of speech, synecdoche, a part for the body as a whole. If this is true, it would be an indicator of Yahweh’s protective care over the bearer of the messianic lineage. skk normally means “to cover”, as in Exodus 33:22, “I will cover you with My hand,” indicating protection (Nah 2:5), oversight (Ex 25:20) or concealment (Lam 3:44).
Dahood proposed translating the preposition b- ‘from’, a usage common in Psalms. This is supported by LXX, ejk gastro" and Syriac. This changes the focus to an affirmation of God’s protection throughout his life: “You have covered me from my mother’s womb.”
Verse 14 I will praise You, High One, for You are marvelously wonderful. odka ‘al nora atah niplaot Marvels, Your acts Yes, You have known my soul from of old. niplaim ma‘aseka wenapsi yada ‘ta mead
The challenge of this verse is the opposite of the previous: here, the vocabulary is relatively simple, but the syntax is difficult. Our translation above departs from the Massoretic Text (MT) in favor of the reading preserved in the Qumran manuscript (1QPs-a) as transcribed by Sanders. The best rendering we can come up with reading MT is as follows: Verse 14 I will praise You because I am awesomely marvelous. Your acts are marvels which my soul knows very well.
This rendering divides the “marvels” between Yahweh and David, His creation, rather than focusing on Yahweh alone. It also assumes that the verb nipleti is derived from pl’, ‘marvel’, rather than from plh, ‘separate’, with which the form is more compatible. The final clause of this version addresses the psalmist’s knowledge instead of the knowledge of God. This is the overall theme of the psalm.
‘al is normally a preposition, “on, upon”, which would, logically here, be “because” in sense. Dahood sees here, as often in Psalms, a divine title, ‘el, similar to the universally recognized ‘elyon, “Most High”. The preposition, ‘al, here would be superfluous, as the following ki already means “because”.
The MT form noraot is a feminine plural adjective, “awesome”, with no apparent noun to modify. 1QPs-a reads nwr’ ’th, which we have vocalized nora atah, the masculine singular form along with the 2ms pronoun. This yields an exclamation from David to Yahweh, “You are awesome!” serving as an explanation for the preceding verb of praise. LXX oti foberw" eqaumastwqh", “for You are awesomely wonderful”, is supportive here.
The form, niplaot (from 1 QPs-a; MT reads nipleti) is a feminine plural adjective meaning “marvelous”. We have interpreted it adverbially: “You are marvelously awesome.”
With Dahood, we have repointed MT yoda‘at (feminine singular qal participle) to yada‘ta (2 ms qal perfect), “You have known”. The final word in the verse, m’d, we have (again with Dahood) chosen to interpret as a dialectal form of meaz, “from of old”. It would be equally valid to retain the MT pointing and render, “You have known my soul so well”. In either case, the important factor is to see it as a description of God’s knowledge rather than the psalmist’s.
David is simply in awe of the extent of Yahweh’s knowledge both of the creation in general and of himself in particular. This dual focus, along with the highly emotional state of the psalmist, explains the somewhat abrupt transitions in the syntax. Even if the entire world is against him, Yahweh knows his innocence; Yahweh will vindicate him, for He has known him intimately since his very conception.
Verse 15 My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place [when] I was woven in the lowest parts of the earth. lo nikhad ‘ozmi mimeka aser ‘usseti baseter ruqqamti betahtiyot ares
The pointing of ‘ozmi ordinarily would indicate its derivation from ‘osem, “might”, but as this does not fit the sense, a derivation from esem, “bone”, is much more plausible and supported by the versions. While one would normally expect the plural ‘asamay, the singular is apparently used here as a collective (Cf. NKJV, “my frame”).
The verb form ‘usseti is understood as a form of ‘sh, “to make”, although among over 2,000 occurences, this is the only attestation of the pu‘al conjugation in Scripture. The sense fits well, and we have seen no convincing alternative proposal. Perhaps the pu‘al is used in an intensive sense to depict the duration of the process.
We have rendered seter as “secret place” because of its parallel to “the lower parts of the earth”, a clear designation of Sheol.
The verb rqm and its noun riqmah occur collectively twenty times in the OT, always with the meaning “embroider, weave”. The verb implies great skill on the part of the weaver and usually a variegation of colors in the woven object. This unique usage appears to be an allusion to the marvelous intricacy of the human body, recognized in pre-scientific times.
Verse 15 makes explicit the equation of the womb with Sheol. Since Sheol is “the secret place”, a miscarried fetus is “hidden” there (Job 3:16). Perhaps the view of Sheol as “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16) is prefigured in this usage, for “the secret place” is also used to designate the intimate dwelling of Yahweh (Psa 18:11; 32:7; 91:1).
While David employs passive forms here (“I was made . . . I was woven”), I believe he views Yahweh as the One who brought him forth: “Your hands have made me and stood me upright” (Psa 119:73). The comparison to Sheol, which is in the earth, looks back to God’s original formation of Adam “from the dust of the earth” (Gen 2:7). That God brought forth David from the lower parts of the earth also foreshadows the redemption of Christ, who descended into “the lower parts of the earth” (Eph 4:11) to bring forth the souls of the righteous, such as David, to eternal life.
David’s poetic usage of the expression “embroidered” or “variegated” leads us to pause briefly to reflect upon the ancient biblical writers’ appreciation of the process of conception and fetal development. Ecc 11:5 reminds us of the limitations of our knowledge: “Just as you do not know the way of the wind, or how the bones develop in the pregnant woman’s womb, so you do not know the action of God who does it all. Again, God’s understanding of fetal development is an indication of the superiority of His knowledge. The most explicit description of the process is found in Job 10:8-11: Your hands fashioned and made me altogether – yet now You destroy me! Remember that You made me out of clay and to the dust You will return me, echoing the words of God to Adam in Gen 3:19. Did you not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with skin and flesh and knitted me with bones and muscles.
Verse 16 Your
eyes saw my fetus and in Your book they all were written. They were
formed [over a period of] days, and one of them is His. Or,
and not one is among them.
golmi rau
‘eneka we‘al sipreka kullam yikkatebu yamim yussaru welo ehad bahem
Verse 16 exhibits a textual variant. The ketib, which is the text as written, reads lw, “to him”. The qere, the Massoretic marginal correction, reads l’, “not”. KJV and NKJV, as is their standard, follow the qere. We have chosen in our main exposition to follow the ketib, but also offer an explanation following the qere version.
The difficult text of verse 16 has challenged interpreters throughout the centuries. The LXX renders almost word for word, yielding a translation not much better than the standard English versions: Your eyes beheld my unformed [body] and in Your book all will be written; they will be formed [over a period of] days, and none [is] among them.
The main problem is determining the antecedent of the plural suffix of kullam, which in turn is the apparent subject of the verbs yikkatebu and yussaru. The only available candidate, golmi, “my fetus”, is singular.
The word glmy only occurs once in the Bible. The only other occurrence of the root is the verbal form yglm, in 2 Ki 2:8, where Elijah the prophet “rolled up” his garment. Klein, in A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English, defines golem as a “shapeless matter”. In medieval and modern Hebrew, the verb develops meanings of “personify” and “embody”. Rosenberg, in his Psalms: A New English Translation, quotes Rashi and Redaq (David Qimhi) to the effect that glm refers to “the solidified drop of sperm, before the limbs and organs are formed in it. It is called golem just as wood is called golem before it is formed into a utensil.” Klein also compares Aramaic gulma, “shapeless mass”.
Because of this, the usual approach is to find the requisite plural noun in yammim, “days”. From this is derived the notion that the psalmist’s days are written in God’s book; that is to say, his life, or at least its duration, is predetermined. However, we see no solid basis for the notion that the plural suffix is “anticipatory” to a following noun. Further, the verb ysr means “to form, shape”, generally a physical object; rarely used figuratively in the sense of “formulate” a plan of action. The idea of “forming days” has no OT precedent. Finally, in this interpretation, the word ehad, “one”, must refer to one of the days, which yields no perceptible sense from either textual variant of the final clause. Modern interpreters generally resort to some sort of emendation (e.g., glmy – gmly, “my actions”, with support from the Syriac) or reanalysis (Dahood reads gilay-m, “my life cycles”), but none of these attempts satisfies us.
Unconvinced by ancient or modern interpretations, Tim presents
this proposal. He cautions that his solution is hypothetical, not
resting on empirical evidence, but he considers it eminently reasonable.
He proposes that glmy be revocalized as golmay,
a plural form representing the diversity of elements in the embryonic
human body. The form is then understood in English as a sort of
collective noun. Thus, he translates golmay
as “my fetus”, but the plural form would enable us to take this noun
as the antecedent of the plural suffix -m,
and so also as the subject of the two plural verbs, “were written”
and “were formed”. He cites by way of analogy the Hebrew noun panim,
“face”, which “always occurs in the plural, perhaps indicative of
the fact that the face is a combination of features” (TWOT), and
accordingly takes plural verbs (Isa 29:22) and adjectives (Pro 25:23),
even when it refers to the face of only one person. In this light, he
translate it as follows: Verse 16
Your eyes watched my fetus [in all its features] (In your book it was
fully described in writing) as it was being formed over a period of
time. And one of those [features] is His.
The second clause is understood as somewhat parenthetical; the third clause is taken as subordinate to the first. The final clause is somewhat abrupt, but such sudden transitions (including the shift between second and third person) occur earlier in the psalm, as noted above.
David marvels at the depths of God’s knowledge and His providence. Throughout David’s gestation, Yahweh watched the unfolding of the marvelous process He had set in motion when He created Adam and Eve with the power of procreation. Yet, surely He was not merely observing, but carefully watching over David, forerunner of the promised Messiah who would sit on David’s throne.
What does it mean – David’s features were written in God’s book? This is usually taken as a reference to the book of life, which is then understood to mean (in light of Rev 21:27) that God determined David’s eternal destiny at the moment of his conception. However, the book of life is not the only book mentioned in Scripture. Revelation 20:12 refers to “the books”, echoing Daniel 7:10. In addition to the book of life, God has other books in which He records People’s deeds and also the experiences of His people (Psa 56:8). There is even a “book of Yahweh” concerning the natural activities of animals (Isa 34:16). He believes that David is referring to God’s careful record keeping concerning His beloved, even numbering the hairs on our heads. As cited above, Ecclesiastes 11:5 infers that fetal development is in some sense “the action of God”, and our verse (16) stresses that it takes place over a period of time (taking yamim adverbially, as in LXX).
We find it remarkable that those who oppose the open view of God and its resultant free agency for man would seek to buttress their argument by attempting to cite this text to support the notion that God made these determinations when David was in utero. This is especially curious since they declare in other places that all such determinations were made “before the foundation of the world.”
In contrast, taking the qere reading l’, “not”, we would render, “and not one of them [yet] existed [in its mature state]”. In other words, God could perceive all of David’s features when they did not possess discrete forms. This would be similar to the statement the Lord made to Jeremiah in 1:4,5: “Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you (God can read DNA better than we can read a book.); Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’” He uses anyone He chooses to prophesy, e.g., Baalam.
God, looking upon David as a mere shapeless mass, could view him as the person he would become. To Yahweh, Creator of all, the individual’s genetic makeup is an open book. Certainly, if we mere human beings can reasonably anticipate the results of our efforts, God in His inestimable intelligence, can foresee David’s physical and mental characteristics and so deem him a suitable forerunner of the King. His ability in this regard is the same for each one of us as we are conceived in our mother’s womb. So we can jubilantly exclaim with the psalmist: “And for me, how precious are Your thoughts, O God how mighty their essence.”
In Christ,
Bob
Question:
How can I help my 5 point
Calvinist pastor?
29 Mar 2000 17:10
Name: Mishelle
Dear Bob,
I am new to your site. I am a believer in God. Though I am not well versed, it is only untill recently that I have been inspired not to put His word down. I must say that I believe in Jesus Christ (salvation) the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
I am recently challenged by a new church that we began to attend. I used to attend a Foursquare Church and prior, a non-denominational church. Still, I believe that I am saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. I believe in His holy word unchanged and unmoved to fit any contemporary need. Now, I am going to a church with a Pastor whom we dearly love. We met them over 1 1/2 yr. ago and just began attending. They were so joyus and so much more moved by truth and spirit then.
We have come to find out that they were introduced to the reformation beliefs one year ago. They have studied it and are beginning to teach predestination and (the entire tulip) TOTAL DEPRAVITY.. UNDONDITIONAL ELECTION..LIMITED ATONEMENT.. IRRESISTABLE G!RACE..PERSERVERANCE OF THE SAINTS. Well, this DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT As I said, ignorance of Gods word is our problem as far as He desires that we should know more for our own good and the good of giving it to others.
Oh we love Him so. Don’t get me wrong. We know a bit, but nothing compared to the blessings I have found here. And I am encouraged to know more (and we actually have been since before this) so, I was taken back by the pre election and such. The immutable God. I have found many wonderful references here. So, we are not losing our mind??
This (reformation) is not of our Christian heritage?? right?? How do I get information to give to my pastor, my friend?? Ignorance will trap us and that is the last thing I want to happen so why would I wish that on them. Hope I've made sense. Please let me know.
Blessing to you!
Mishelle
Answer: (click here to see the answer)
Dear Mishelle,
I agonize with you for your pastor. When I was a Calvinist, the logical consequences of that theology caused me to be lax in witnessing and I had a poor prayer life. When I discovered that God is passionate and merciful in character and able to change when man repents, it changed my life. Now I see that this wonderful loving and merciful God wants a personal relationship with us.
You can download any of our articles on the biblicalanswers.com web page. If you would like any of the booklets that I have written, you can order them from biblediscount.com which is at the bottom of the home page of biblicalanswers.com.
You may also want to visit theologyonline.com and go to the predestination forum. I have discussed these topics with a number of Calvinists there. You may want to read some of my booklets there, as well.
The open view of God is growing in America, but Calvinists do not like it one bit. The most important thing that I would advise you and your husband is to be sure you are focusing on God and striving to love Him. Then, allow Him to fill you with His fruit of the Spirit so you will continue in your love for your pastor and other Christians who may disagree with you.
If you have any more specific questions, be sure to email me.
Love in Christ,
Bob
Question: What do the Calvanist believe in general? What do the Arminians believe in general?
26 Jan 2000 20:11:52 –0600
Name: Britton HEnley
Comments:
What do the Calvanist believe in general? What do the Arminians believe in general? What do the Calvanist and Arminians believe about salvation?
Comments:
What do the Calvanist believe on predestination? What do the Arminians believe on predestination?
Answer: (click here to see the answer)
Britton,
There is great agreement between Calvinists and Arminians, but there are great disagreements as well. We’ll examine just a few of their most important disagreements.
|
Calvinists |
Arminians |
|
Total Depravity Calvinists believe that man is totally unable to believe in Christ as his Savior if he is not first regenerated. |
Impaired Arminians believe man is
impaired but can believe when the gospel is presented to him. |
|
Unconditional Election Calvinists believe that God chose the elect because He wanted to, and that choosing has no human conditions. |
Arminians believe that God chose the elect based on His foreknowledge of who will believe. |
|
Limited Atonement Strong Calvinists believe Christ died only for the elect. |
Universal Atonement Arminians believe Christ died for everyone. |
|
Irresistible Grace Calvinists believe God regenerates the elect first, then they are able to believe. |
Common Grace Arminians believe God gives the grace to believe to everyone, but they have to respond in faith. |
|
Perseverance Calvinists believe God will cause the elect to persevere un their salvation. |