“Jesus of Nazareth, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Whom God has raised, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held of it” (Acts 2:23-24).

Determinate (Def): (Gr.): Horizo from Horion: To mark out or bound (“Horizon”), to appoint, decree, specify

There is a wisdom and knowledge that sees beyond the horizon, a pre-determined marking out a boundary of distance and time when an appointment is to be met with the reality of events occuring and coinciding with that which was purposed beforehand. Such was the case with Jesus in the Incarnation, His Life, the events of His generation then living when the determinate counsel of God was accomplished.

The Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost discerned the time and spoke to the people concerning the prophetic words spoken by the Prophets relaing to the death and resurrection of Christ. Daniel, Joel, and David, along with others prophesied thereto. David, in particular wrote:

“I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand that I should not be moved. Therefore, did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad; moreover, also my flesh shall rest in hope; becuase you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption”(Acts 2:25-27).

The Determinate Counsel of God was fully accomplished in the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus. They happened in the days spoken of by Daniel concerning the image seen by Nebuchadnezzar relating to the four kingdoms:

“And the fourth kingdom shall be stong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise” (Daniel 2:40)

This fourth kingdom was the Roman Empire, and in the time of this kingdom the “Rock, not made with hands” came forth as the prophet foretold:

“While you (Nebuchadnezzar) were watching, a Rock was cut out, but not by human hands, and struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the Rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:34-35).

By the determinate counsel of God this was accomplished and the Kingdom of God was established among men. The Roman Empire is no more, but the Kingdom of God remains and reigns from His Holy Mountain, Mount Zion, the New Jerusalem wherein dwells righteousness.

The Lord has marked out His boundaries in time and eternity and has pre-determined by the decree of the Prophets and the decree of His Son through whom God has appointed a Day in which all shall be accomplished and the end of time shall come.

The reality of the determinate counsel of God cannot be ignored. It is self-evident to all who by grace through faith have come to believe. We can truly rest in the blessed hope in Christ Jesus:

“Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Beloved, let us hold fast our faith, let us believe and endure to the end, for we are called to inherit all the promises of God and to know and experience all the determinate counsel of God has spoken to us. Blessed, indeed, are all who believe.

____________________________