Eric Bechler's sermon, titled 'Of God's Decree, 1689 SLBC, Chap. 3, Par. 2,' explores the concept of God's decree as sovereign, predetermined, and uninfluenced by external conditions. The sermon emphasizes that God knows all that will come to pass and ordains all events, acting freely and according to His good pleasure for His glory. It references biblical passages, including Isaiah 46:10-11, 1 Samuel 23:11-12, Matthew 11:21-23, Acts 15:18, and Romans 9:11-18, to illustrate that God's purposes are accomplished independently of human actions or circumstances. The sermon reassures believers that life is not random or dictated by chance, but rather is under God's control. It encourages believers to trust in God's sovereignty and live in accordance with this belief.

Okay, this morning we have a relatively short, straightforward paragraph that won't be a whole lot to go through. This is our second week at looking into God's decree. Today's paragraph again is straightforward. Basically, God knows all that will come to pass. God ordains all that will happen.

He's sovereign over all that was, is, and will be. The circumstances don't determine what he ordains. What he foresaw in the future does not dictate what he will do. God freely by himself without any influences predetermines all that happens. He does this at his good pleasure.

He does this for his glory. Praise God. Again, this is not too complicated, but we'll still go through this. Look at it. Go through some verses for the scripture proof.

In the first half of this paragraph, although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions. As Isaiah gives a warning about idolatry and imitating the heathens, he reminds Israel who is in control from Isaiah 46 verses 10 through 11, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country, yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have purchased it, I will also do it. From 1st Samuel, after David saved the city of Kila from the Philistines, Saul calls out the people to besiege David and his men.

In these verses David is seeking the Lord's guidance through Abba Athar the priest. From 1st Samuel 23, 11, and 12. Will the men of Kyla deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant.

And the Lord said, He will come down. Then said David, will the men of Kyla deliver me up and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, they will deliver thee up. God knows what will come to pass. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus denounces the cities in which many of his miracles were done.

For Matthew 11, 21, and 23, woe unto thee, Chorazin, woe unto thee, Bethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And now Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. And finally, from the Book of Acts 15, verses 18, known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. So God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass.

The second part of our paragraph clarifies that there are no conditions that would act upon God or influence God or that God would react to. God purposed it, he will do it. The second half reads, yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions. Isaiah reminds us of the majesty and power of God in chapter 40 verses 13 through 14. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him, with whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding.

Paul gives two examples. Nate touched on them from his letter to the Romans about God's purposes being accomplished. Romans 9, 11 through 18. For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, for that purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

As is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture sayeth unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth. Also from Romans 11 verse 34, for who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counselor. And finally in Psalm 115 verse 3, our God is in the heavens, he does all that he pleases.

So in summary, God knows all that will come to pass. God ordains all that will happen. He is sovereign over all that was, is, and will be. The circumstances don't determine what he ordains. What he first sees in the future does not dictate what he will do.

God freely, by himself, without any influences, predetermines all that happens. He does this again at his good pleasure and for his glory. This should bring us great comfort. Life is not random. Events don't happen by chance or by luck.

God is in control. The politics, the wars, the famines, everything in our culture and our world today that are so disconcerting, we need to remember God is in control. He has ordained all things by himself and his good pleasure for his glory. Our response should be not only to believe this, but to live like we believe this. Amen.