Theme: Purposive Will
Text: Isaiah 46:1-13
Greetings: The Lord is good, and his love endures forever.
Joke:
A young man asked his pastor to pray for the will of God. .
The Pastor, laid his hands on his head and said, “By the will of God, you will walk today!”
The boy smiled at Pastor, and told him I am not paralysed. I am alright. “There’s nothing wrong in this prayer.”
After the Service, the boy stepped outside the church and found his motorbike was missing”. He had to walk. (Adopted).
Introduction:
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. “; (NIV Isaiah 46:10). ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’(KJ21); “My plan will stand; all that I decide I will do,” (CEB); my plan will hold, I will do everything I please to do. (CJB); ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ (ESV); I said that my plans would never fail, that I would do everything I intended to do. (GNT); All I say will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. (TLB);
Text from the Message Translation: “Think about this. Wrap your minds around it. This is serious business, rebels. Take it to heart. Remember your history, your long and rich history. I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable— From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, all along letting you in on what is going to happen, assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul, I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’ Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east, from a far country the man I chose to help me. I’ve said it, and I’ll most certainly do it. I’ve planned it, so it’s as good as done. (Isaiah 46:10).
Today, I would like to share with you three things for you to carry home: firstly, Remember that Yahweh is the only God, secondly, know that He has a Purposive Will for all of us, and thirdly, fulfill as His chosen man-His purposive will.
1. Remember Me (v.8).
In Isaiah 46:1-13, we get a short contrast between God the true and the living eternal God that created the heavens and the earth, and the false gods that these people were worshipping.
Remember that I am your God. I have created you. I know you from your birth, I know your ways, I know your thoughts, I know who you are. I know your future. I have upheld you; I have carried you. I will carry you to the grey times and till the end. I will sustain you, and rescue you. I am bringing my salvation and my righteousness. (Isaiah 46:3-4,13).
The people of Yahweh are carried by Yahweh. The God who made them cares for them, and will continue to care for them to the very end. Here is the doctrine of God’s foreknowledge, not the doctrine of his sovereignty. He foreknows the end and He foreknows the things not yet done.
Remember that the Babylonian gods (Bel and Nebo) can’t save the people rather people have to save gods. The idols become a hindrance and a burden causing the donkeys and oxen to carry the extra weight (Isaiah 46:1-2). Whereas Yahweh carried the people. Gods of silver and gold cost their worshippers much in money, time, and effort, but they can’t do anything to save their worshippers from trouble (Isaiah 46:5-7).
Raise the question within yourself. Does God work with your partnership or do you work and seek the partnership of God? Remember this, and stand firm, and it is addressed to certain Jews who were wavering between idolatry and the worship of God
Remember means: (1) they should recall the many wonders God has already performed on their behalf; (2) they should especially remember his power and ability to prophecy events before they occur; and (3) they should dwell upon the fact that God has promised to deliver them from captivity.
2. You Know My Purposive Will (v.10).
My purpose, my design (Isaiah 14:24), my will. The purpose of God means God’s foreknowledge of everything that is to come to pass, together with the operation of His influence upon that foreknowledge, in connection with those things. His foreknowledge had no beginning. His resolution could have no beginning. From the moment He foresaw, He resolved or purposed. Such appears to be the meaning of the word purpose as applied to God.
The phrase ‘shall stand’ means that it shall be stable, settled, fixed, and established. God has a purpose or plan in regard to human affairs. That God’s plan will not be frustrated. He has power enough to secure the execution of his designs, and he will exert that power in order that all his plans may be accomplished.
There is “an infinitely wise plan that had been formed, and all things had been adjusted to secure the ultimate accomplishment of that plan, everything would have the appearance of chaos, and the mind must be filled with doubts and distractions. But our anxieties vanish in regard to the apparent irregularities and disorders of the universe, when we feel that all things are under the direction of an Infinite Mind, and will be made to accomplish his plans, and further his great designs.” (Albert Barnes).
I will accomplish all my wishes, or affect all my desire. The word ‘pleasure’ means properly delight (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalms 1:2; Psalms 16:3; Ecclesiastes 5:4; 12:10; then desire, wish, will (Job 31:16); and then business, cause, affairs (Isaiah 53:10). God states that he speaks according to truth and brings forward his decrees in all the prophecies. (Albert Barnes).
John Piper (in his book ‘Desiring God’): Nothing happens except what is my purpose. We believe that God upholds and governs all things — from galaxies to subatomic particles, from the forces of nature to the movements of nations, and from the public plans of rulers to the secret acts of solitary persons. However, his ordaining and governing of all things is compatible with the moral accountability of all persons created in his image.
Further John Piper says, Finding and doing God's will is not scary or mystical for He will teach us the way to go if we commit our way to Him praying, “I delight in doing your will…Be it unto me according to your Word” (Psalms 32:8, 37:3-6, 40:8; Proverbs 3:5,6; Luke 1:38). As God wants us to do His will so He can bless us, He will make it clear (even if not according to our timetable). Invest time in discovering His will for you in this world.
3. Fulfill my Purposive Will (v.11).
This verse expresses "a flying fowl", or "swift-winged bird." which refers to Cyrus, and not Abraham, nor Nebuchadnezzar. Of course, Nebuchadnezzar had been likened to an eagle (Jeremiah 49:22; Ezekiel 17:3). He was always swift in all his expeditions, and always recommended quick dispatch of business to his soldiers and others. Targum renders Cyrus as a swift bird. Cyrus flew to do the will of God. Cyrus, this name means a man of swift action, and haste, as a bird that flies. This mighty monarch marched with his army like a flying bird, particularly an eagle, (Jeremiah 48:40, Hosea 8:1).
Cyrus had an aquiline nose. Men that have such noses, among the Persians, are highly esteemed. The standard of Cyrus was a golden eagle on the top of a high spear, which is retained by the kings of Persia (John Gill, Bible Study Tools).
Persia was from Babylon, Assyria, and other provinces lying between; but though he lived in a far country, and knew nothing of the affairs of the people of God in Babylon, or what work he was to do, yet God called him, and brought him to do his will, which he was ignorant of it, So God sometimes puts into the hearts of men to fulfill his will, which they are strangers to, (Revelation 17:17).
Cyrus was a type; and what is here said agrees with him: he may be compared to a flying bird for his swiftness in coming at the appointed time; he came from the east, as the rising sun of righteousness; he was the man of God's counsel in the highest sense, and came, being called, to execute it; the work of redemption was according to the eternal purpose of God and spoke of by all the holy prophets, and now accomplished; and his righteousness and salvation are made mention of in the following verses (John Gill, Bible Study Tools).
Matthew Henry state that Cyrus came from the East at God's call. God gave him success. He is the man that shall execute God's counsel, though he comes from a far country and knows nothing of the matter. Note, Even those that know not, and mind not, God's revealed will, are made use of to fulfill the counsels of his secret will, which shall all be punctually accomplished in their season by what hand he pleases. That which is here added, to ratify this particular prediction, may abundantly show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel.
God created man with powers and faculties. He committed those things to his trust. He foresaw how he would make use of them and he knew how far he would abuse them. However, He did not destroy their faculties. There is entire freedom in the operation of our faculties today but in the light of his council and purposive will revealed in the Word of God. Now we are given options to either fulfill his purpose or our purpose. The responsibility of man arises out of the very nature of his faculties and their utility. There is a connection between the Purpose of God and the faculties’ response to the Gospel of Christ. With your belief, or your unbelief, the purpose of God has nothing to do, except so far as that purpose determines to reward the one and to punish the other. (Albert Barnes, & J Burner).
Conclusion:
“Act as men” throw away the childish trifles of idolaters. This word used here occurs nowhere else in the Bible. Often, we are caught in the senseless and helpless things in our lives. Act with reason; act with resolution; act for your own interest. Do a wise thing; do a brave thing.
God looks for a person of high commitment, person of high standard, person above everyone one else. Fly high above others through your words, deeds.
So, firstly, Remember that Yahweh is the only God, secondly, know that He has a Purposive Will for you, and thirdly, fulfill as His chosen man-His purposive will throughout your life. If you are in perfect peace in what you are doing, where you are placed, then you are very much in the purposive Will of God. No more confusion, keep going and seek his strength to complete the race and the task given to you. Isaiah 26:1-4 gives us a clear picture of our lives, Amen.
