This passage of scripture, by design, covers everything. Its dealings with what some might consider minutia, simply declares the absolute sovereignty of God over all things. The subject being addressed is predestination. Clearly, God is declared to be in control of everything (v.1), having set all things in a purposeful and specific order. Whether it be time or season, being born or dying, planting or plucking up, killing or healing, weeping of laughing, mourning or dancing, throwing rocks or stacking rocks, hugging of standing back, getting or losing, keeping or throwing away, tearing or mending, breaking or fixing, talking or shutting up, loving or hating, fighting or stacking your guns in a corner, no matter what, there is a time and a purpose for it. Further, God declares that all these things, indeed everything, is "beautiful in his time." A thing is beautiful when it serves it purpose. Also it is important to note that God has fixed it so that we do not really get it! Verse 11 asserts that ".... also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." This word "world" means a few things and they all relate to human ability to perceive any thing visible as it relates to eternity. This word "world " means conceal, eternity, out of mind, and vanishing point. God has , by design, made us in such a way that we cannot think of but one thing at a time and to react to what is going on at any given time. Thus we are not equipped to look at a natural occurrence and understand its eternal significance. In other words, God has fixed it so that we cannot look at what is going on around us and say that God is doing thus and so. He who established the end from the beginning does not make us privy to what He is doing in the accomplishment of that glorious feat. From the cleft of the rock, we see the hinder parts, (what He has done) but not face to face. This is a gracious safeguard against our ignorant presumption, lest when we see someone sufferin great trial we say "God is judging", or when we see someone for whom all is going well having health , wealth and a Lexus we say "God is blessing" or perhaps we see someone in our church who seems troubled and sad and say " God is convicting that fellow". The "trial" may be a blessing, the blessing may be a curse, and the "convicting" might be a toothache. What we do know is that there is a time and a purpose for everything under heaven. The rest of the story is God's business. An understanding, as paultry as ours is, of God's predestination makes joy and doing good and doing what is right possess a kind of nobility, because doing right and doing good, while knowing it will not effect the outcome, makes that effort its own worthy incentive (vv.12-13). Predestination is set forth in most glorious fashion in verses 14 and 15." I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past." Read them again and again! Ponder them! Meditate upon them!
Many words are used in the New Testament which declare the doctrine of predestination. Different words are used in the original language to set forth the same truth. The word "ordained" in Acts 13:48 means " to appoint" and thus those who were appointed to eternal life believed. In I Peter 2:8 the same word is translated "appointed" and thus those to whom Christ is a stumbling stone, who stumble at his word, being disobedient are said to be "appointed" to it. Some, looking at these two verses cringe and begin to cry "that's double predestination!". No, with God once is enough. Some might say," I don't believe that!" To them I say that there is a time and a purpose for you to say that. In Jude 4 there are those said to be "before, of old, ordained to this condemnation". In this instance the word used means "before-written to". In each case the doctrine is the same glorious truth of predestination.
I would draw you attention to a particular word in the New Testament, Proorizo: which means to predetermine:--determine before, ordain, or predestinate. It is translated ordained, predestinate, predestinated, and determined before. This particular word is used only six times in the New Testament. This word does not discount any of the other words used to say the same thing, but this word is very special indeed. It is a six faceted diamond which sparkles with effulgent brilliance glorifying God is a singular magnificent way. It is used to teach the glory of God in the salvation of His elect by the meritorious work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This word sets forth salvation from pole to pole, from Alpha to Omega, from beginning to end. It is a vast and mighty sea that we have cast our tiny bark to sail upon, but it is a sea to which our Lord has commanded "peace be still" and see the salvation of the Lord.
The first time that this word is used is in describing the glorious event of history, the crux of time, the crisis event, the crucifixion of our Lord. It is found in Acts 4:28. " For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." Prior to these words, Peter and John had been taken before human council and threatened in order to shut them up (v.18). Peter and John asked the council what they thought was right, to obey the council or to obey God. Unable to answer, the men released Peter and John and they returned to their fellow believers. In verses 24-28 we have recorded the glad words of what seems to be the whole group speaking in unison. Here in verse 28 is the first facet of the gem, the preeminent facet. This wonderful event was ordained, predestinated by God. See Him who hangs in agonies and blood, having taken the worst of mans hatred, undergoing the full wrath of God's inflexible justice and know of a surety that he hangs there on purpose! He hangs between heaven and earth as substitute, as surety, as satisfier of divine justice, as Savior of lost sheep. Look around that lonely wooden tower, there is Herod, Pilate, the Jews and the Gentiles. Why are they there? They have been rounded up, corraled in, gathered together against God and His Christ. They are doing their will, having their way, venting their venom, regurgitating their rage. They are doing exactly, precisely, emphatically and by the numbers what God Had determined before, what God had predestinated to be done! (compare Acts 2:23 & John 12:27)
The Second time this word is used, the second facet of the diamond reveals for whom this great predestined event was accomplished, and to what end. Romans 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." Christ was crucified for those whom God foreknew, (knew intimately beforehand, foreloved). Who are they? In scripture they are called the elect, chosen, church, bride, those given to Christ, His body, His children, His brethren, His friends, His people and His family. To what end did God predestinate these beloved ones? He determined, before the world was, that these would be conformed to the image if His Son. He accomplished this by substitution, satisfaction, imputation and all by predestination.
The Third time this word is used teaches us what is predestinated to bring these foreloved ones to the place of conformity to the image of Christ. Romans 8:30 "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." The first thing mentioned is calling. The reason for this is that apart from calling there is no understanding of the other things mentioned, nor is there is there warrant to believe that they apply. The call is the first thing experienced and thus Peter exhorts believers to make their calling and election sure. They know that election is eternal and precedes calling, but not in their experience. So our God speaks in a manner to which they can relate, declaring that their conformity to Christ began with their being called. Those whom He called, He also justified. This is legal expunging of any record of sin against God and a declaration of guiltlessness. Think on that. God conforms His foreknown ones to Christ by making them like His sinless Son. Before God, because of the perfect death and perfect life of Christ, the predestinated of God are without sin. (see Jeremiah 50:20, Hebrews 10;12-17). Those whom He justified, He also glorified. Again, they don't often feel so. They yet reside in a sinful frame, fraught with corruption and evil, but God has set them in heavenly places in Christ. In all this it must be remembered that this is predestinated. Notice that calling, justification, and glorification are in the past tense and remember the words of Solomon "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been".
The Fourth time this word is used answers a question. In John 14, Judas asked the Lord a question. Since it was evident that Christ was about to return to the Father, how was it that Christ would manifest Himself to them and not to the world. (John 14:22-23). The question is: How do these for whom God has predestinated such magnificent things find out what God has done for them? By predestination. I Corinthians 2:7 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:" Here the means and the result of the means is declared. God predestinated that those for whom Christ died, whom He had predestinated to be like Christ, whom He called, justified and glorified would hear the Good News, the glowing report of what He had done. Further He predestinated that this glorious hearing of the Gospel would result in their glory. It was ordained! II Thessalonians 2:13-14 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 1:13 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Notice the language in this passage. God's chosen, predestinated ones trusted Christ after they heard the word of truth, not before. Notice also what they heard. They heard the good news of their salvation. They did not hear that salvation was possible, nor did they hear that they could be saved. They heard that they had been saved already, because the salvation they heard about was already their's. The good news is not about possibilities, or even probabilities, but of the sure mercy and grace of God accomplished by Christ for His people. The Gospel is the means used by God to inform His chosen that they have been saved, that they are His purchased possession and that salvation is their possession. The Fifth time this word is used relates back to the third time, and has to do with conformity to Christ. This time however, it has to do with relationship rather than standing. If you were to look at the four prior uses of this word, you would find that all this could have been done for these and yet their benevolent benefactor have remained unknown, and they could have been but servants of Him whom they knew not. But God would not have it so. Bless His name, He predestinated these to have a real, vital relationship with Him. In Ephesians 1:3-6 God got personal. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." He has predestinated these to be of His family. He has given them His name, and they have a loving relationship with Him. Scripture is replete with such wonderful language. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." "...when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son..." God has predestinated His elect to the adoption of sons, thereby establishing a relationship with them.
The Sixth and final time this word is used, the finishing cut of this gem of sovereign grace, this glittering jewel of manifold mercies is a seal. It is a proof that this relationship is real indeed. It is absolute assurance that these are God's children. Ephesians 1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will..." These loved one's have proof that they are sons. God has predestinated them to and inheritance. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ..." "and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Will it come to pass? Without a doubt, because it is according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. It is predestinated! There you have it! Salvation's Story! This is Predestination!