THE DIVINE PURPOSE OF GOD continued

THE DIVINE PURPOSE OF GOD continued

Act 2:23 

"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,"

"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Act 2:24

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was

not possible that he should be holden of it." 

          Let us not forget the other side of this which is right in the text we have been following.  In the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God we see God’s sovereignty, but Human responsibility is there too.  We are there told that by wicked hands He was crucified and slain.

          Who must bear the responsibility of crucifying Jesus?  The Jews clamored for His blow and sought His crucifixion.  It was a Gentile judge that delivered him to Gentile soldiers to crucify Him.  Thus Jews and Gentiles are responsible.  Let us go even farther, however.  In Isaiah 53:6 the prophet says “..and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  Does that not put the responsibility for His crucifixion then on all of us?  After all that is why He died.  Our hands then are dripping with blood as responsible for slaying our blessed Lord.

          Yet again, it is fantastic how the Lord has worked this all out.  In John 10:17, 18 we read, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  John 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” Here He said that no man killed Him.  Instead He laid down His own life.  He did not commit suicide, but just at the proper time He gave commandment to His Spirit to go, and He went.  Thus Jesus did not drop His head.  He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.  By the same token, He not only laid down His life in obedience to the Father, but He also raised Himself from the dead.  He said, “I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father”  The Good Shepherd voluntarily laid down His life in death for our sins, and then that Good Shepherd took up His life as I might take up my coat, and He lived again.  Praise God He Lives.  He never will die again.  It was all in the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.  What think ye of this?