Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The phrase divine intervention
is an oxymoron. The God who has revealed himself
to us in the person of Jesus Christ and who has given us the
Bible wherein he has described his own power and purpose can
never be said to intervene in any of the events which occur
in the creation which he has wrought by his own hand. God
does not intervene in these events because he is the one who determines,
directs, and predestines all actions to occur exactly according
to his divine purpose. But our God is in the heavens.
He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. It is sheer folly for
men to consider that any event can occur which is outside of
his ordained purpose. One of the greatest comforts
to the children of God recorded in the scriptures is found in
Romans 8.28, which says, And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to His purpose. This verse could not possibly
be true except that God orders all events to occur exactly as
He ordains. It is an abomination for any
who name the name of Christ as their sole hope of eternal life
to speak of luck or chance. God determines both the blessings
of His children and the destruction of the wicked according to His
own will, and does not bestow either primarily as a result
of their actions. Rather, He determines their actions
to occur for His own glory in the manifestation of the redemption
of the sons of God and the reprobation of the wicked. The Lord hath
made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked, for the
day of evil. Now, indeed, these are hard sayings for the natural
man, who fancies himself as possessing some intrinsic worth in the sight
of his Creator, and imagines that he can approach Him on his
own terms and according to his supposed free will. Yet the man
who is acquainted with the true and living God of heaven and
earth can but put his hand over his mouth and cast his eyes to
the ground, saying, Even so, Father, for so it seemed good
in thy sight. "'Nay, but, O man, who art thou
that replyest against God? "'Shall the thing formed say
to him that formed it, "'Why hast thou made me thus?' "'God
has done all things well. "'He has had no second thoughts,
"'nor has he ever changed his mind or altered his course, "'or
needed to intervene in the affairs of the world. "'Known unto God
are all of his works "'from the beginning of the world. "'We
spend our years as a tale that is told. "'It is the blessing
of God "'that causes a man to cry out. "'But I trusted in thee,
O Lord. I said, Thou art my God, my times
are in Thy hand. The mercy of God is visited upon
the heads of those who are taught by His Spirit, that they have
no other hope than that which is bestowed by His mercy. Have
mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness, according
unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions,
wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from
my sin. It is in this display of divine
and sovereign mercy that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the
world made in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemned sin
in the flesh, being made an offering and an atonement for the sins
of those whom he has determined to save. He has left nothing
concerning their salvation to chance, nor does he merely hope
that they will be saved. He has designed the salvation
of his elect, and he will bring them to that place which he has
already prepared for them. If it were not so, he would have
told them. Those who believe are one and
the same with those He has determined to save, because He has determined
to give them faith, as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed. He did not intervene and give
them salvation because they believed, but rather they believed because
He ordained them to eternal life. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that dieth. Yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand
of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long.
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For
I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thanks
be unto God that he is that one whose purpose must be fulfilled
in every jot and tittle, and cannot be said to intervene in
that which he ordains according to his good pleasure. May he
be ever praised. Do you worship him? If you would
like a free transcript of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor
at windstream.net.