#2. The DECREES of God
Arthur Pink et al.
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." Psalm 33:11
Before time began--when nothing existed but the self-sufficient, triune God--He, in infinite wisdom and sovereign pleasure, ordained ALL that would come to pass. His decrees are not guesses or reactions, for the Almighty is never caught unaware. Rather, they are the eternal expressions of His will, the fixed and flawless blueprint by which all things are brought to fulfillment.
God's decrees are absolute and all-encompassing.
From the revolutions of galaxies, to the fall of a single leaf;
from the rise of nations, to the salvation of souls--
nothing occurs apart from His sovereign purpose.
Not one atom moves, nor one heartbeat beats--except by His sovereign appointment.
These divine decrees are not mechanical laws, but the wise and holy counsels of the living God. They are called His "counsel "to reflect their consummate wisdom, and His "will" to show that He acts with absolute freedom--subject to none but Himself. Every decree is . . .
rooted in infinite understanding,
guided by perfect love, and
executed with flawless precision.
Such a truth crushes the pride of man--we are not autonomous beings charting our own course. All our days were written in His book, before one of them came to be. What we call circumstances are but the unfolding of His eternal plan. To rebel against God's providence is to question His goodness; to murmur at His will is to deny His wisdom.
Yet for the believer, this same truth is a wellspring of deep assurance. Our salvation is no accident. It is not a divine reaction to human faith--but the outworking of God's eternal choice. As it is written, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). The cross of Christ was not a hastily devised rescue plan, but "by God's set purpose and foreknowledge." (Acts 2:23)
This is the bedrock of our peace. If our lives are governed by the immutable counsel of the Most High, then . . .
every trial has meaning,
every sorrow is measured, and
every joy is a gift from His hand.
All is working together, not randomly, but redemptively--for the glory of God, and the good of those who love Him.
Let us then bow in reverence before His sovereign majesty. Let us rest in the wisdom of His plan and rejoice in the certainty of His purposes. The Lord has spoken--and His counsel shall stand.
"O Sovereign Lord, how majestic are Your ways, and how perfect are Your decrees! Teach us to bow before Your wisdom, and to trust in Your providence. Forgive our doubts and our pride. Grant us grace to rejoice in Your purposes, even when we do not understand them. May we live each day in humble submission, confident that You are working all things for Your glory and for our eternal good. In Jesus' name we pray."
"The Lord Almighty has sworn:
Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will stand." Isaiah 14:24