...declaring the end from the beginning...

As I write this I am sitting on a porch in North California at a family camp (www.wolfmountain.org). I led worship here all weekend. It was a wonderful time of encouraging families and impressing them to seek the kingdom of God. You all know how I'm always thinking about our Big God. One of my thoughts that I've really been mulling over recently was born from a scripture in Isaiah. Now, I feel that Isaiah is a fantastic place to understand the attributes of God, thus if you ever have a desire to know more about who God is and how He relates to His people, Isaiah is a great place to start. Anyway here's the scripture that started all this...

(Isaiah 46:8-13)
Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring [it] again to mind, O ye transgressors.
Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me,
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken [it], I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed [it], I will also do it.
Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that [are] far from righteousness:
I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

Wow, this is huge. Upon first read you're probably distracted by words like "ravenous bird from the east" and "Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted." But let's not just assume that because something requires a little persistence it is useless. I've highlighted a few key phrases in this text.
First, God calls His people transgressors and then says, "I AM (his name!) God and there is no other, I AM God and there is none like unto me!" He makes it abundantely clear how unlike them He is. He goes out of His way to show His "otherliness." And He precedes His I AM statements with "remember the things of old." Ultimately saying, "From the beginning I have been God and remember, there is NOTHING in this universe like me!" It is folly to assume God's likeness to humanity. He is not human, though He created mankind and He incarnated a human body, His spirit and essence is far from Human. He is so far above us as we are above the amoeba, and that is even to finite a comparison! Keep this in mind through this whole Ben brainstorm!
Second, and primarily, he "declares the end from the beginning" and He will "acomplish all His pleasure." It is a huge comfort to know that we have a God, that from the beginning of time had already ordained the end. It is foolishness to believe that God is surprised by ANYTHING. Nothing catches Him off guard. Nothing startles Him from a heavenly slumber. He's never scratched His head in bewilderment. We humans have trouble understanding this, because we are bewildered by much. But remember God is not like us. Therefore, we can take confidence that as we follow Him, He has already proclaimed the End, and guess what, He wins, He remains the same, He retains ALL His glory, He sustains preemminence, He removes all evil! When we think of God as waiting on us to make a move or to "take a step of obedience" we are belittling God. God desires our complete obedience, but He declares the end from the beginning. So let us not squander in uncertainty thinking God is "waiting for us to move so He can move." I can sustain this point by the very next phrase, God says, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."
I love that God will "do all His pleasure." The KJV says it so well, in that He is not dependant on Human actions in order for Him to do anything. He's fully capable, and has been so for all time, of completing His purposes, with or without us. The ESV says, "[God] will acomplish all [his] purposes." That is rock solid. And if you want a strong faith that will weather any storm, this is the rock upon which to build your house. Our Big God declares (or anounces, publishes, ordains, tells) the end from the beginning and will do all His pleasure.
Thus, knowing that at the outset of this passage He calls His people "transgressors," how do we fit into His pleasure? If God has always been ok by Himself and will acomplish His purposes by Himself, doesn't that kinda let us off the hook? I can't remember the number of times someone has objected to doctrine of this kind saying, " You can't believe stuff like that because you'll be unconcerned for the lost, and well that's letting humans off easy, we don't have any part to play other than God's 'robots', right?" Well, no. The great mystique Tozer, the great preacher Spurgeon, the great evangelist Moody, the great orphan keeper Mueller, the great missionaries Taylor and Elliot and countless others, have all believed these truths. Because they understood the final verse of this text, "I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory. "
That first line is IMPERATIVE to understand and you can NOT seperate these other truths from it and expect any of it to stand or hold any water. God tells His "transgressing" people, "I will bring my righteousness near." Jesus Christ is called "the Righteousness of God." Therefore, when we grasp this truth in light of the salvation of Jesus Christ (which this verse declares will be planted in Zion), we will also understand that His righteousness will indwell us. Righteousness literally means right-handedness and "as a man ought to be." Thus, when the Almighty Foreknower brings HIS righteousness near (into us) and plants His salvation (Jesus) in Zion (the believer is the new Zion/temple), He then calls us His glory.
Imagine that, we transgressors being called God's glory, by a work that He purposed, carried out, brought near, and declared from the beginning. So, plant these truths deep within Your heart after testing them and proving them scriptural. As for me, I have found them life giving and fitting the pattern of the Kingdom of God.

Many blessings be upon you. Oh, and keep checking myspace for new videos and clips of the "Fight For Us EP." Love you guys!

For His renown,
BenZ