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DECLARING THE END
FROM THE BEGINNING
Does this mean all ends?

by Jacques More



In Isaiah 46:9-10 we read,

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,"

Isaiah 46:9-10

I have heard it said, because of this passage, that God knows the end from the beginning. Meaning that God knows all ends from the beginning.
       Some also say this means from the beginning of Creation or even before that.

Is that what God is saying?

Well, let's read on,

Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Isaiah 46:11

So, God is informing us here that He has a specific end in view "Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country" and, also, *how* He will ensure that end comes to pass: how he will make a man from the East to arise and do things that God wants to happen. This is explicit from the words "Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it."

The specific end
The man from the East who was this?
Isaiah is on a roll here, prophetically speaking. He prophesied earlier that,

Who raised up one from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings?
Who gave them as the dust to his sword, as driven stubble to his bow?

Isaiah 41:2

And,

"…I am the Lord, who…" (Isaiah 44:24)
Who says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built,' and to the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid.' "

Isaiah 44:28

A clear end here is in view: The raising of Cyrus who would give the decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:17; et al).

How is this just about this end that is declared?
Well, we read in scripture of another plan that God had, but that He did not this time declare in advance: A plan that He then also decided not to carry through.

And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Samuel 13:13

God had a plan in place which consisted of making the first king of Israel whom God chose over them, Saul, to have his dynasty go on forever. This means that Jesus, the Christ that would come, would have been born from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's tribe.
        But instead, because of his rebelliousness and disobedience to God, Saul's reign would cease and a man from another tribe would go on to be king over Israel.

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

1 Samuel 13:14

We know this was a plan of God, since to think otherwise, is to say that "the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever" is a lie. It is saying that "No, God would never have established Saul's kingdom over Israel forever." Either the scripture is inspired and we are reading truth here or, we are not.
        We later read also of a plan of God of making David, this new commander of God's people whom He had now chosen, being told of a similar plan like that for his own dynasty. God sent Nathan the prophet to say this to David,

And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

1 Chronicles 17:11-12

God said that He would make David's son's dynasty, and thereby his own, be on the throne forever. Jesus would be born in the linage of David.

So, what is the difference between the end declared to David and the one mentioned to Saul?
Simple, the plan declared to David was mentioned *in advance*, whether or not David or his sons would go on to rebel, whilst Saul was *not* told of the plan for him *ahead* of his rebellion.

Once God declares something, He is bound by His word, to fulfil it. This is why we read above,

Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Isaiah 46:11b

Not having spoken it in advance, God was not bound to carry through the plan He had for Saul.

Another example
When God said to King Hezekiah that he was getting another 15 years to live (Isaiah 38:5), God was saying something in advance and this would then come to pass. But, since this was a new end plan for King Hezekiah, we know the beginning of that new plan was from the point of its declaration.
        Otherwise what God said to King Hezekiah earlier was a falsehood and untrue:

In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.' "

Isaiah 38:1

King Hezekiah had been sick unto death and was told by God to put his house in order, as he was about to die. Hezekiah then prayed and pleaded with God.

Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Isaiah 38:2-3

In response to that prayer, God made a new plan and told King Hezekiah,

I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; and I will add to your days fifteen years.

Isaiah 38:5

We know this is a *new plan* because otherwise the words "I will add" are then meaningless and a lie.

So, we know then from scripture that not only does God *not* mean that He knows all ends from the beginning, but that the beginning He is mentioning involves the very declaration that settles it, since the specific context involved is,

Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

Isaiah 46:11b

What God has spoken in advance, that is the end that will come to pass.

___________________________________

For further reading on the topic of
The knowledge of God and the future
I recommend
THE BIBLE TELLS US GOD LEARNS




Ref. S.081

Unless otherwise stated Bible quotes are from
The New King James Version

© copyright Thomas Nelson Inc. 1979,1980,1982.
___

© copyright Jacques More 2019. All Rights Reserved.



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