Series: Isaiah
Title: Rejoicing in the God of Absolute Predestination
Text: Isaiah 46: 9-11
Date: April 22, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Read Isaiah 46: 9-11.
I want to speak this morning on The Joy of Absolute Predestination.
God says, “I am God, and there is none else; I am God and there is none like me.”
One of the perfections that separates God from all man-made gods is that our great God sovereignly directs all the events of time according to his purpose.
None of man’s imaginary gods—only the true and living God—declares the end from the beginning and then brings it to pass. God says, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” “I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
Proposition: There are five reasons we rejoice in the God of absolute predestination.
I. The ultimate end of God in predestination is the glory of the Triune God in Christ—note the words “my counsel, my pleasure”. His counsel from before the world was made was to glorify the triune God in Christ. To exalt and glorify his dear Son—in the salvation of chosen sinners.
Colossians 1: 18: And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19: For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Romans 11: 36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Declared in Creation of Adam in God’s Image
From the beginning, God declared that his counsel was to exalt his Son when God created the first Adam. In Adam’s creation there was foreshadowing of the incarnation of God’s Son, Christ Jesus the last Adam. Of Adam…
Genesis 1: 26: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
Of God’s own Son Christ Jesus we read….
Hebrews 1: 3: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
1 Corinthians 15: 45: And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit….47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48: As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49: And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
God purpose in predestination is to glorify his Son in the salvation of chosen sinners.
Romans 8: 29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Declared in Giving Adam Dominion Over All
Again, Adam was given dominion over all
Genesis 1: 26:…and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Of Christ we read…
Hebrews 1: 3…and upholding all things by the word of his power,
Psalm 8 is interpreted in Hebrews 2 by the apostle under divine inspiration as pertaining to Christ Jesus the last Adam.
Hebrews 2: 7: Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9: But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour;…
First, God’s counsel, his pleasure in predestination is to glorify his name in the exaltation of his Son.
II. PREDESTINATION IS GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE TO SAVE A MULTITUDE OF CHOSEN SINNERS BY HIS GRACE.
Romans 8: 29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30: Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Christ’s Bride
From the beginning God declared this salvation in Christ. We see in the garden, God’s counsel was to create from Christ a bride and make her one with him. He put Adam in a sleep and created Eve out of his side and they two became one flesh. So Christ laid down his life and from his shed blood his bride was created anew. Paul says this is a mystery but I speak of Christ and the church.
Ephesians 1: 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
1) God counsel and pleasure in predestination was to glorify his name in the exalting of his son; 2) It was to save a multitude of chosen sinners
III. GOD IN PREDESTINATION PROVIDED CHRIST AS THE SINNER’S SUBSTITUTE AND DELIVERED HIM UP TO DIE ON THE CURSED TREE IN PLACE OF HIS ELECT.
Acts 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Acts 4: 28: For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Christ the Woman’s Seed
From the beginning in the garden God declared his counsel in the first gospel message—Christ the Woman’s Seed.
Genesis 3: 15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Genesis 3: 21: Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Isaiah 53: 10: Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Without predestination we have no Savior and no salvation. We joy in God’s absolute predestination.
IV. WE CALL IT ABSOLUTE BECAUSE GOD’S PREDESTINATION INCLUDES ALL THINGS. What he counseled to do, God will do, for he has the power to work all things to accomplish it—his predestination includes all things.
Ephesians 1: 11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
All Power Over All Things
All the powers of hell and earth cannot alter his counsel, disannul his counsel, or hinder him from performing his counsel.
Psalm 33: 11: The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
God said, “I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
You see the problem the carnal heart has with God predestinating all things according to his purpose and working all things after the counsel of his own will—is that predestination declares God will do his good pleasure and man must submit to God.
Proverbs 19: 21: There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Acts 5: 39: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
Read vv5-8. God cannot be likened to man’s gods. All over this world men are carrying their idols: the Buddhists, the Muslim, the Catholic, the Mormon, the Pentecostal, all free-will, works religionist whatever denominational name the sinner goes by—all who contribute to their god’s work and allow their god to do—they are all carrying their god around this morning just like the description of these idolaters.)
V. WE JOY IN THE GOD OF PREDESTINATION BECAUSE PREDESTINATION ASSURES US OF GOD’S GOODNESS IN PROVIDENCE.
Rom. 8:28: 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.
Illustration: John K and Carly C—hairs in the seat of the wrecked car.
Matthew 10: 29: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Remember Israel
That is why not one of his children will be lost. Remember the former things God showed us concerning Israel.
1. He purposed to create a people in Isaac the promised son and in the process of time he did so—just as God chose a people in Christ his Promised Son before the foundation of the world and brings each one forth in time as promised.
2. God called and raised up Moses and sent him to declare his gospel of deliverance to those children when as yet they were in bondage in Egypt—just as Christ the King of Righteousness sends forth his princes, his ambassadors, his messengers, who deliver the message of our Redeemer in truth.
3. God provided the passover Lamb! A picture of redemption accomplished by Christ the Lamb of God who shed his blood in place of all God’s elect, his firstborn in this earth. Seeing the blood of Christ: justification, reconciliation, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, all by the blood—God passes over his elect, perfectly at peace and accepting each believer in Christ Jesus.
4. God brought them out of Egyptian bondage, divided the Red Sea and delivered them across where they sang praises unto God! A picture of each child of God being born of God, delivered out of the bondage of sin and death, into the blessed union with Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
5. As they journeyed through the wilderness of sin (of thorns) God provided them manna from heaven, water from the Rock, he guided them and kept them clothed the whole way. A picture of the believer who was reconciled to God by the death of Christ, much more, now as a friend of God being provided for and saved by Christ who lives.
6. Finally, God defeated all their enemies and delivered them across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan. A picture of our final salvation into heavens glory with Christ Jesus forever, the last enemy being destroyed is death.
Could anyone other than God have done what he did for Israel?
Isaiah 46: 5: To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?
The greatest comfort the believer has is knowing that God is in absolute control of everything that is coming to pass in this earth. He shall save his people from their sins. When we are pleased with whatever pleases God we have great peace. And that peace is in being assured that God’s counsel shall stand, that God will do all his pleasure. He says, “I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
NOW LISTEN TO WHAT GOD SAYS
Isaiah 46: 12: Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: 13 I bring near my righteousness;---God has brought Christ Jesus his Righteousness near to us--it shall not be far off—
Ro 10:8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
and my salvation shall not tarry:--he makes haste to save his children, at the appointed hour he quickens and calls each one of his own
and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.--Are you one of his elect Israel—those who are shall believe on him and glory in him.
Isaiah 45: 25: In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
Are you pleased with what pleases God? It is great joy to rest in the God of absolute predestination.
God says, “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:…I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
Amen!