God's Plan Revealed

Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again" (Matthew 20:17-19).

In the movie, The Hunt for Red October, the commander of an aircraft carrier tells Jack Ryan that “the Russians don’t do anything without a plan.” While that may be true for the Russians, it is certainly true with God. Nothing in this life or in all of creation is outside God’s plan and purpose. (Matthew 10:29) Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 

All that happened to the disciples took them by surprise. Not Jesus. He came from heaven knowing what God’s plan for His earthly life would be. (Revelation 13:8) All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. In other words, Jesus knew before the world was created that He would be the Lamb slain - the sacrifice of God for our sin. It was already planned.

God said through Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). He said through Moses that the Messiah’s bones would not be broken (Exodus 12:46). He said through David that the Messiah would be pierced (Psalm 22:16), men would gamble for His clothes (22:18), He would suffer in agony (22:1), He would be given vinegar to drink (69:21), He would rise from the dead (16:10), and He would ascend into heaven (110:1). God said through Zechariah that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a colt (Zechariah 9:9), He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (11:12), and He would be abandoned by His friends (13:7). The death of Jesus was not accidental. It was not orchestrated by Satan, the elders of Israel, or the Romans. It was according to God’s plan established before the universe was created.

The disciples knew they were going to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Jesus knew He was going to Jerusalem to suffer crucifixion. The disciples went to Jerusalem fearing for their lives. Jesus went to Jerusalem confident in the Father’s plan for His life. The disciples were completely in a fog when it came to knowing and understanding of God’s will for themselves and Israel. Jesus understood completely God’s will for Himself and Israel, and for the world.

Knowing that God is the Sovereign Lord over all creation and that His plan for each of us and for our nation has already been set, what should our attitude be today? What should our faith be as we face the future? “Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.” Thank you, Ira Stanphill.

“Father, thank You for revealing to us Your plan for our future. Through Your Word and the Holy Spirit we have confidence that come what may, we rest completely in Your hands according to the plan and purpose You have established for us. May Your name be praised forever, Amen.”

Pastor