We’ve looked thus far at 14 characteristics of the counsel of God:[1]
- They are Great – High in status, formally great.
- They are Wonderful – astounding, causing amazement and boggling the mind.
- They are Immutable – they will stand forever, never to be altered.
- They are Sovereign – they demonstrate the absolute control of God over His creation.
- They are Eternal – they extend from now into eternity future.
- They are Faithful and True - demonstrate God’s faithfulness and truth to His Word.
- They Cannot Be Frustrated & Shall Be Performed – There is nothing that men can do to prevent God from Doing As He Had Decreed.
- The Scriptures tells that even the sufferings and death of Christ were according to these counsels – Christ was crucified from before the foundation of the world.
- Saints are called and saved according to the counsels of God – The root of salvation rests, not in the mind and will of man, but in the determination counsel of God established before time began.
- We see that the union of all saints in Christ, is according to these same counsels of God – the relationship of believers together, as a church is rooted in these same counsels.
- Ultimately, all of the Works of God are according to the Counsels of God – in fact, all of his works are according to these self-same counsels of God.
- The Scriptures tell us that these truths should be declared by ministers of the Gospel – we must declare them to all men.
- We are to attend to these Counsels – We must hear them and obey them.
- Portions of God’s counsels are secret and, like it or not, cannot be and are not ours to be searched into – God has reserved what are apparently many things for His own knowledge.
Fifteenth and lastly, the enemies of God, the unredeemed, the wicked bear several bear several specific relationships to these counsels.
First, the wicked do not “know” or perceive them, no do they understand them. The prophet Micah said in Mic 4:11-12:
11 Now also many nations have gathered against you,
Who say, “Let her be defiled,
And let our eye look upon Zion.”
12 But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord,
Nor do they understand His counsel;
For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
“Know” means to possess information and the phrase speaks of a fundamental difference between the redeemed and the unredeemed, between the elect and the non-elect. When we think about this a bit we will realize that this is not speaking simply about possessing information as both parties are privileged to have the same information, they both hear the same preaching. It is not simply that one group hears the information concerning God and one does not. It is a matter of understanding as Micah makes clear in the next phrase.
“Understand” in the particular form that it is in, means “to have a specialized knowledge that is effectively implemented.”[2] The Bible makes it clear that the ability of men to understand the Bible and put into practice effectively is a matter of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and enlightenment that He brings. Without that Spirit, there is no understanding and, hence, no true application.
Second, the Scripture tells us that the wicked, in reality, despise the counsels of God. There is no such thing as neutrality with regard to the things of God. The unredeemed, by nature, reject the things of God, and set themselves against His thoughts, His purposes and the revelation of those thoughts – His counsels. Isaiah said in 5:19-20:
19 That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work,
That we may see it;
And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come,
That we may know it.”
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
It is the nature of the unredeemed, and not just because of their lack of understanding, but because of their nature as wicked men to disdain God and His counsel as another function of the depraved nature. It is not simply that they misinterpret, though that surely happens.
You’ll note that Isaiah makes it clear that they deliberately call evil good and good evil, etc. We know this because God holds them responsible not just for the condition that results in that error, but for the error itself. This indicates that the error is deliberate, not merely a function of something else.
Further, the wicked reject the counsels of God. Whatever the reasons for the their perceptions, they are convinced that those counsels are in error and so it makes good sense that they would reject them. Luke 7:29-30 says:
29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.
The Pharisees and Lawyers, famous for their deliberate and fervent opposition to Christ and His teaching, “rejected the will of God”. Again, this is not just because of their lack of ability to understand, but really, mainly, because of their unsaved condition.
All of this, the 15 things we have discussed over the past few days, have provoked the holy one of Israel here in Isaiah. Here we see a second and disastrous effect on God – he has despised God’s call to repentance and thus provoked Him to anger. We read it here in Isaiah 1:4:
Alas, sinful nation,
A people laden with iniquity,
A brood of evildoers,
Children who are corrupters!
They have forsaken the Lord,
They have provoked to anger
The Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away backward.
We’ll look further at this tomorrow…
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[1] Torrey, R. (1995, c1897). The New Topical TextBook : A scriptural text book for the use of ministers, teachers, and all Christian workers. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos research Systems, Inc.
[2] Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.) (DBLH 1067, #2). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
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