An unfrustrable purpose

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. – Matthew 5:18

Isaiah 51:4-8

 4 Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations.

 5 My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm.

 6 Look up to the skies above and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!

 7 “Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people’s scorn, nor fear their insults.

 8 For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation.”

Circa 1750, coinciding with the simmering grievances that would become the American Revolution, John Gill (1697 – 1771) was an English Baptist pastor, biblical scholar, and theologian. The church at which Gill served would later be renamed the Metropolitan Tabernacle, which was pastored by Charles Spurgeon a hundred years later.

His magnum opus was a 9-volume exposition of the Old and New Testaments. The English language of the period was more eloquent and scholarly than today’s vernacular. Further, his vocabulary and syntax were far more expensive than the colloquial speech of today. Thus, it is difficult for the modern ear to comprehend his thoughts entirely with only one reading.

In his introduction to the book of Ephesians, he wrote with regards to “redemption; the author of which is Christ; the price, or procuring and meritorious cause of it is his blood; a branch of which is forgiveness of sins; and the whole is according to the plenteous and free grace of God, Ephesians 1:7.”

“The entire plan and scheme of which is the produce of abundant wisdom and prudence, Ephesians 1:8, and is no other than the mystery of the will of God revealed in the Gospel, according to his sovereign will and purpose, Ephesians 1:9, which lay hid within himself until the fulness of times, or the Gospel dispensation, in which Christ being sent, has gathered all together in himself, Ephesians 1:10, through whom the saints enjoy the inheritance they are adopted to in predestination, which is the effect of an unfrustrable purpose, and a wise counsel and will, Ephesians 1:11.

English word unfrustrable is no longer in everyday use. What does it mean? It refers to something that “cannot be frustrated or prevented.” Jonathan Edwards used it frequently.

Theologians deem the grace of God as irresistible or unfrustrable. In simple English, the Father accomplishes whatever He sets out to do. Nothing and no one can prevent or thwart Him.

REFLECT & PRAY

“In heaven, the angels perform God’s desire completely, joyfully, and immediately – what a world this would be if humans acted like that!” (gotquestions.org)

Father thank You that Your promises will surely come to pass in the fullness of time. Encourage me to take great comfort in Who you are, not merely knowing the future but intelligently designing and planning it from eternity past.

INSIGHT

The Father has an eternal plan determined before the foundations of the world were laid. There is nothing in all creation, no created being, that can block or impede the Father’s will and plan. God’s promises are entirely dependable. What He has purposed will surely come to pass. His plan is unfrustrable. It cannot be frustrated or prevented. From his eternal perspective, all that he has promised and prophesied is already a done deal. History is the record of the outworking of His plan.

The Father spoke through His prophets. The prophecies and promises regarding the First Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ had been fulfilled precisely and entirely as anticipated. The prophecies and promises predicting the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the age will be fulfilled precisely and entirely.

The Scriptures are filled with many prophecies and promises. These promises are reliable. Our faith and trust are based upon the character and nature of God. He is good. He is trustworthy. We can have confidence and faith.

The Father “sees the big picture and knows every detail, so He has more wisdom than we do . . .. From our limited perspective, we sometimes take action that’s equivalent to telling God, “I think You forgot something.” Too late, we discover that our own solution was the wrong choice – all because we didn’t trust His infinite wisdom” (Stanley).

Isaiah 45:18-23

The Father proclaimed the future through His servants, the prophets. He made his prophecies public in the Old Testament so all could see and examine them.

 18 For the LORD is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the LORD,” he says, “and there is no other.”

 19 “I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.”

No other supposed god or idol ever made any prophecies before they came true. The God of Israel routinely did. The Father Himself offers this as proof that He is Who He is. There is no one like Him.

 21 “Consult together, argue your case. Get together and decide what to say. Who made these things known so long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen? Was it Not I, the LORD? For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but me.”

He is the only source of Truth and eternal salvation. All that He says will certainly come to pass.

 22 “Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.”

 23 “I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to me.”

Isaiah 46:8-13

Some prophecies were fulfilled in the lifetime of the prophets who made them. Others were fulfilled decades, even hundreds of years later.

 8 “Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones.

 9 Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.

 10 Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.

 13 For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel.

“He is absolutely sovereign. We can’t see the future, but we can trust the One who is in control of everything. Jesus told His disciples that not even a sparrow would fall without God’s consent (Matthew 10:29).”

“God has always been sovereign over all things – from a little bird’s safety to the extraordinary events at the cross. So peace will accompany the realization that our Father has perfect love, infinite wisdom, and omnipotence. When you understand who He is, you won’t feel the need to question His motives” (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2023