This great 'theatre' that is taking place under the Almighty's feet; to the rank unbeliever and nominal Christian alike appears to all intents and purposes random and chaotic. However, to many that believe in biblical and absolute predestination; we see God's hand in every minute detail, in other-words, God's absolute predestination and election at work. Yet man is a 'free' agent to do as he will! Try outfoxing God-drive up to a junction planning to make a left turn, and then turn right in the last split second-I fooled you! you can change your mind as many times as you will, but God's sovereign rule will overrule man's 'free will' to bring His great prophetic plan of the ages to pass. Yes He will make the wrath of man to praise Him (Psalm 76:10, Exodus 9:16, Philippians 2:10). Shakespeare was right when he wrote "all the world's a stage." Many sing hymns in church and cathedral saying "how great Thou art" or "Almighty God" and such, yet think Him not so almighty as to order all events down to the last minuscule jot! Mighty, but not that mighty! When we say God in Christ is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, is this only in a partial sense? to listen to some, you would think so! Some Christians are even offended at the thought of God micro managing everything, but to those with the eyes to see it, it is everyplace in God's Book. Haman put a noose around his very own neck, yet he knew not that God had ordered it so! (Esther 7:10)*.
There is a secular proverb that contains much wisdom (many of them do!) "it is not what you know, but who you know". This is said in regard to perceived fortuitous events where gain, be it financial, or fame, or both, can be had due to the fact that you are within a circle of influence. Oftentimes in the past I would bemoan the fact that I had lost out, not through any perceived lack of skill or knowledge on my part, but because I didn't have the right contacts. For some reason, I wasn't within their circle or network as it were, and try as I would to be in it, somehow it just didn't happen. It is in "the old boys network" so to speak where in the upper echelons of society; friendships and acquaintances are formed through the private/public schools and universities where you "rub shoulders" with the 'right' people. This is the top (one percent?) of society where your background and privileged upbringing make all the difference, many contacts are formed within the elite private/public school network. At the present moment some two thirds of prime minister Johnson's cabinet went to fee-paying private schools such as Eton. Is this any accident? Certainly, some 'break the ranks' from the state system and rub shoulders with these elites, but the truth is, they are never accepted as "one of the boys", they remain outsiders. Back in the mid 1980's I fell on the wrong side of the law, and needed to enlist a barrister, whom my solicitor employed from London (there were only two Barrister houses back then-London & Cardiff; for England & Wales). 'Fortunately' having gotten ahead financially early on in my business, the cost wasn't a problem to me, but it was only then that it hit me how different I was to the solicitor/barrister class! I distinctly felt different, that they were almost looking at me as if I were a piece of dirt on their shoes! They spoke in a different way, used words I had never learned, had certain airs and graces which I never did (or have), I subsequently learned that they were the product of private and university education, to all intents and purposes, they were aliens to me! listening to them converse, they just as well had been speaking in Hebrew-I was Shibbolethed! (Judges 12:6).Having had a state-education from a working class background, you really are in a different class to these people, and they know it, and we feel it.
But, for all this 'advantage' "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Cor.1:26-29.
Let us praise God for this!
It is no easy thing for a 'successful' worldling to humble himself and "become as little children..to..enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt.18:3. Many years back I was a guest on a few occasions to a Masonic lodge for an evening black tie event; the masons would have "worshipful brother" and "worshipful master" prefixed to their name cards at dinner! What a way to become pumped up with pride!?
There is no school like God's school: "The truth shall make you free." John 8:32.
It can be clearly seen from Scripture that the "grace and favour" of the world is a major stumbling-block to entering God's mansions in the kingdom of heaven. God doesn't play dice, and "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD." Prov.16:33.
I remember my mother telling me that a great, great grand mother on her side of the family was a French noble-woman that was executed by guillotine in the French Revolution. It mattered not how you would disguise yourself to escape the revolutionaries, as soon as you opened your mouth, or they looked at your hands to see whether they had been worked-they knew! I have never bothered to search the family tree, to what end? A neighbour once told me some years ago that he went to Somerset House in London to see how far back his lineage went, to which I said "don't waste your time, we all came from Adam and Eve!" As Del Boy would say "do you Adam and Eve it?"
*God is not mentioned by name in this book, yet we see His unseen hand throughout. If Saul had obeyed God and executed Agag, Haman the Jewish adversary would never have been born! (1 Sam.15:3). I believe the only other book He is not mentioned by name is Song of Solomon.
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