"The Israelites defeated by the Philistines", 1728 engraving, by Gerard Hoet.
1 Samuel 4:1a-4a - Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?
One of the things that continues to strike me is the view of God's sovereignty that exists throughout the whole of the Bible.
Here we see Israel defeated, and they don't ask themselves why they were defeated, rather, they ask, why has the Lord defeated us?
A post-modern Christian, if their house were to burn down, would not say, "why has God burned down my house?"
Is the post-modern Christian more a deist? If the house burns down, was it simply fate? Certainly we would investigate the cause. If faulty wiring were the cause of the fire, do we simply leave it at that? The wires are to blame?
Gone too, from the post-modern Christians mind is the idea of God's discipline.
Yet, if you read the whole of God's testimony, God's sovereignty, and God's discipline are in full display throughout.
Have we not become like Thomas Jefferson, and simply removed the parts we don't like? Or worse yet, have we simply not read the text?
Here are a few of my past articles on God's Sovereignty:
- Calvin's Institutes - Wrestling with God's Sovereignty
- Dr. Steve Lawson - God's Sovereignty over America
- Joseph: "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for Good"
