In my blog entry dated 3rd May 2020 I said "It's not so clear to us yet why we are
suffering a worldwide pandemic today, but it is awe-inspiring to consider that
God knows, and is ultimately in control." This was written in the context of the ten plagues in Egypt which preceded the Exodus, and which were clearly foreknown by, and controlled by God for a specific purpose. I'd like to pursue and clarify my comment by
emphasizing the word "ultimately"
in the statement. Throughout history
there has been a war going on between good and evil, and ultimately God will have the victory. This might be a better way of
putting things than saying God is in control, because it is quite clear that
God has ceded some of his control to us.
We are not puppets or androids, wired up to live our lives on a
pre-programmed course. Nor are we accidental products of a materialistic universe
which has no creator and in which our random acts are ultimately
meaningless.
Freewill
We are taught from the very beginning of the Bible that human beings have been
given free will by our creator. (for my comments on the value of the Bible,see
my blog entry of December 10th 2019) We can
choose our course of action. This is what is meant when we are told that
mankind was made in the image of God (1).
God has graciously shared his freedom to make choices and enabled us to do so as well. In order for this freedom to have meaning, there has to be the
availability of a choice between right and wrong actions. Way back in pre-history the power of evil was
ceded to Satan , though not permanently. For good reason, Satan is described by
Jesus as The prince of this world,(2) because of the (temporary) power he has been permitted to retain over
world events and occurrences.
The first humans
The very first humans were given freedom of choice. Whether the story of Adam and Eve is literally or allegorically true, the message is the same: They were able to obey or disobey God, and they chose to disobey. They pursued the same popular but regrettable choice as Frank Sinatra - "I did it my way" !
The first humans
The very first humans were given freedom of choice. Whether the story of Adam and Eve is literally or allegorically true, the message is the same: They were able to obey or disobey God, and they chose to disobey. They pursued the same popular but regrettable choice as Frank Sinatra - "I did it my way" !
Job
The book of Job is the story of a wealthy and honourable man
who lived in ancient times, very probably before 1000 BC. It's a story of personal disaster on a huge
scale, though it has a happy ending. In
chapter 1 we are told that God deliberately allowed Satan to have a measure of
control over Job's life - indeed to do Job great harm - in order that Satan
might see that Job would remain faithful to God throughout his ordeals. This
would prove that Satan ( a mere fallen angel who in no way has the same power
as God) does not have the power to break Job's spirit. I believe we see Job's commitment reflected
over and over again in modern times when Christian believers keep faithful to
their Lord despite wicked and unjust treatment at the hands of extremist groups
and of anti-Christian governments.
Jesus
The ultimate example of this battle between good and evil is
of course the story of Jesus, who did no wrong yet was put to death by
execution at the hands of wicked men.
Foul wickedness was perpetrated, yet what follows it is the story of
Easter: surely the supreme evidence that God
is ultimately in control.
The challenge to you and me is this: God has ceded the power
of choice to us. Which choice shall we make?
Christian believers are instructed to put on armour, because we too are
part of the war against evil. This evil might be man-made (think World War 2, or man's continuing destruction of the environment) or it might be natural (a pandemic, earthquake or tsunami). Whatever the evil, we are given the choice of whether to support evil, resist evil and work to mitigate its effects, or lazily do nothing. St Paul challenges us:
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (3)
It's a battle described in Bunyan's famous allegory Pilgrim's Progress. (For more on this see my blog entry dated January 6th 2020) . The choice is ours: we have control of what we shall do with our own lives, but God assures us that the victory will one day be his. The many acts of goodness and sometimes of heroism which we have seen during these weeks of pandemic are evidence that many have been making good choices.
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (3)
It's a battle described in Bunyan's famous allegory Pilgrim's Progress. (For more on this see my blog entry dated January 6th 2020) . The choice is ours: we have control of what we shall do with our own lives, but God assures us that the victory will one day be his. The many acts of goodness and sometimes of heroism which we have seen during these weeks of pandemic are evidence that many have been making good choices.
A favourite hymn of yesteryear contains this same
bible-based theme of the warfare in
which we are engaged. It was written by Frances Ridley Havergal and was inspired by Moses' challenge in Exodus 32.26 :
Who is on the Lord’s
side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!
Not for weight of
glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom He died:
He whom Jesus saveth marches on His side.
By Thy love constraining, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom He died:
He whom Jesus saveth marches on His side.
By Thy love constraining, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!
Jesus, Thou hast
bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own lifeblood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
But with Thine own lifeblood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!
Fierce may be the
conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
’Round His standard ranging, vict’ry is secure,
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
’Round His standard ranging, vict’ry is secure,
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!
Chosen to be
soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band;
In the service royal, let us not grow cold,
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, wilt Thou keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Saviour, always Thine!
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band;
In the service royal, let us not grow cold,
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, wilt Thou keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side—Saviour, always Thine!
(1) Genesis 1.27
(2) John 12.31 and 16.11
(3) Ephesians 6.10
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