GOD’S COUNSELOR
“There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD” (Proverbs 21:30).
As my custom is I like to read a chapter in Proverbs every day – usually the one that corresponds to the date of the month it is. There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs, and most of the months have 31 days, so that reading method usually works out pretty good. Sometimes I’ll mix it up and read from different Bible versions, like the Amplified Bible, or some other one. The 21st of this month was just a few days ago and when I came across our opening verse I had that special knowing that I would be writing about it. That’s how all of my writings come about; I’ll be reading or praying along a certain line of thought and before I know it the Lord is leading me to write about it.
STANDARDS
It seems the idea of ‘standards’ has been in the forefront a lot lately in my writings. Perhaps it’s because there are so many of them trying to be elevated to the top. This group has an agenda, and their set of ‘proofs’ or thoughts to support it – thus they will have information to support their argument and present it as their standard. Another has something completely different and will be (or try to be) convincing in speech to prove that they hold the standard for what they believe. The emphasis is on how convincing they are in their speech. Anybody can proclaim something in such a manner to convince someone else – ask any used car salesman (no offence!).
I wrote about ‘standards’ somewhat in CHRIST: OUR SUBSTANCE; but, I’m compelled to take it a bit further right now. One could define the word ‘standard’ as a measure by which something could be compared to identify its compliance, or validity. I’ll illustrate by using the distance of an inch. The distance of an inch is exactly the same on a ruler, tape measure, or whatever other implements; regardless of store purchased from – anywhere in the world – if the unit of measure is to be an inch it will be exactly the same distance anywhere on the planet.
Can you imagine the confusion if two or more building contractors got together to build a house, or something else, and their measuring instruments differed? One’s ‘inch’ was larger in distance than another’s? They wouldn’t be able to work together; what they build wouldn’t fit properly. I know this analogy sounds crazy. Why would anyone attempt to argue that their ‘inch’ was correct over someone else’s? So, why should we believe the Bible and make it our ‘standard’ of understanding God and His involvement in the Earth and our lives individually? When it comes to God and believing in Him and what He’s done for us through His Son Jesus, we have to be rock-solid in the integrity of His Word and its infallibility, inerrancy, and unchangeableness! After all, our eternity depends on it! So, let’s dive in. Shall we?
NO COUNSEL AGAINST GOD
What does that mean there is no counsel against God? Well, first-of-all it means nobody can teach Him something He doesn’t already know. He’s omniscient, which means He’s all-knowing, or He knows everything. Another angle to look at it is nobody can come up with a better idea than Him; like a father would counsel his son about how to do something. You cannot counsel God. His ‘ideas’ (ways) are perfect. Paul wrote, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’” (Romans 11:33-34, NIV). That last part, verse 34, Paul was quoting Isaiah 40:13. The Psalmist King David wrote, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11).
A brief history lesson would prove out the certainty of God’s inerrancy. Did what He say come to pass? Ask Pharaoh! “By this you shall know that I am the LORD” (Exodus 7:17) is one instance of what Jehovah said to Pharaoh (and everybody else who heard). Let’s ask the priest Zacharias about his encounter with the Lord when He told him, through the angel Gabriel, that his wife would become pregnant:
- “And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.’ And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.’” (Luke 1:18-20).
Did it come to pass? Yes, his wife did become pregnant, and he was unable to speak the whole time: “And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless” (Luke 1:21-22, underline mine for emphasis). Sure enough, Zacharias couldn’t talk until after his wife delivered their baby (v. 64). These are just a couple examples of when God says something, it’s the truth!
GOD CANNOT LIE
“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). I like the way the New International readers Version puts it, “God isn’t a mere man. He can’t lie. He isn’t a human being. He doesn’t change his mind. He speaks, and then he acts. He makes a promise, and then he keeps it” (Numbers 23:19, NIrV). Fast forwarding to the New Testament, Paul wrote to his son in the faith:
- “Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began” (Titus 1:1-2).
Here’s something to consider, if you listen with your heart your faith will skyrocket: when God says (speaks) something, it contains His power to create it and/or bring it to pass! [That’s why He’s so picky about words – everything He says comes to pass!!] Now we can understand what Jesus meant when He said “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). The spirit world is actually the real world – what we see, touch, hear, smell and taste are simply physical manifestations of the spirit world. Words create; good or bad.
Hebrews One tells us that God upholds all things by the word of His power (verse 3), or we could say the power of His Word. Then it goes on to identify that “the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). There’s so much in that verse alone:
- The Word of God is alive (living)
- It is full of power (powerful)
- Sharper that any two-edged sword (we could say that it is more powerful than any known weapon!)
- The Word can divide between soul and spirit, and joints and marrow
- It (the Word) can discern (know) the thoughts and intents of our heart (nothing is hidden from the Lord! He knows our thoughts – and – intentions!) – Now that’s all-knowing!
IT’S NOT BLIND FAITH!
Many have accused Christianity of being a religion of ‘blind-faith’. In other words, they say we read the Bible, claiming it to be the writings of some Supreme Being, and just obey what we read because God said so. They say He can’t be seen, and that we cannot prove His existence. Yet, Romans tells us “For since the creation of the world His (God’s) invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:20-21, parentheses added for clarity). Notice that these “became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” They did not want to glorify God, after all, if they acknowledged Him as Supreme, then they would have to listen to and obey what He said! Selah. The result was their hearts became blinded (darkened).
Jesus quoted Isaiah’s prophecy as a commentary against the unbelieving crowd, who heard His voice, but did not ‘hear’ His message: “In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving’” (Matthew 13:14, NIV). Jesus – God in the flesh – stood in their midst and spoke using simple illustrations, but there were people who simply would not hear (listen to) His message! Did you catch that? Would not – they willed to not listen or hear what Almighty God had to say (that included the religious leaders)! This is true today!
The Bible is the only Book on the planet that God Himself watches over to perform (make good)! It’s the only Book that is alive and active! Other religions have their books that make demands to do works for their deity – our God has recorded in His Book the wonderful things He has done for us! The others change their teachings to accommodate the current political atmosphere – the Book Christians adhere to (the Bible) is forever settled in Heaven (Psalm 119:89)! It says the same thing today as it did hundreds of years ago! It’s so sure, anyone can stake their life on it and not be disappointed – for our God will see to it (He’s Jehovah-jirah: the God who provides)! The Word of God (Bible) is the standard to govern our lives by, and will be used for us to be judged by when everything is said and done. We are without excuse. But, who wants to be? He’s got a proven track record of success! Remember: there is no one who can instruct the Lord! Nobody will ever be God’s counselor!