As per Scripture God’s plan for any individual is decreed much before his birth and it includes every aspect of his entire life. Thus, our way and walk of life and the direction we will go to is already decided in heaven. But God has given each and every human being free-will also, to choose the way, he may like to move on. How can anybody, whose every step in life has been pre-decided, already use his free-will and live the way he desires?
Was God partial to Jacob over Esau? The doctrine of election or being favoured by Him is about His Sovereign will, wisdom and plan. God’s plan for Moses, even before He was born was to train him to be able to challenge Pharaoh, the mightiest king of Egypt to free His people from slavery. To ensure this a decree was issued by Pharaoh to put every male child, born to the Jewish people in Egypt, was to be put into the Nile River and killed. He was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter, raised up as her son, had to flee to save his life at forty years of age and then return to Egypt for his assigned task
Out of the large population of the Israelites in Egypt, why was Moses chosen by God? The All-Knowing God places everyone in a specific family, circumstances and surrounding influences leading to a specific result. He is fully aware beforehand only, the way each person will be affected by the situations he will face during his lifetime. Esau and Jacob were born as twins to Isaac and Rebecca and were brought up under similar circumstances. Esau became a man of the field, a hunter with a wild nature while Jacob became the one who valued family teaching and values. God permitted Rebecca to ensure the blessings of Abraham and Isaac be given to Jacob and not Esau. It is not that Jacob was perfect to be one of the patriarchs of Israel but he could be counted upon to follow God’s ways. God’s favourite people do not necessarily meet human expectations or cultural ideas of that time and place.
Since God does not favour one over the other, what are the reasons for His choices in this matter? First, is to show His grace – Since this happens even before one is born on the earth, it is clearly not earned by better works. Jacob’s name means ‘the supplanter’ and he used deceit on more than one occasion. Yet God chose him as the heir of covenantal promises of Abraham and Isaac. Apostle Paul has stressed this, ‘By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8). Just as salvation is through grace, so is God’s election and favour.
Second, Divine standards versus human values – God searches the hearts and minds of people to ‘give to every man according to his ways’ (Jeremiah 17:10). Same situations in two persons’ lives affect them in different ways, resulting in different actions. ‘Esau despised his birthright’ and sold it for ‘bread and a stew of lentils’ (Genesis 25:34 & 32). He told Jacob, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?’ The heavenly kingdom operates on traits of humility, dependence on God and faith. Whether it was Abel over Cain, Isaac over Ishmael or David over his brothers, it was their attitude that mattered to God. We see the physical, material, social and financial state of a person but not so with God
Third, spiritual versus fleshly disposition – God’s prophetic proclamation to Rebecca about ‘the older shall serve the younger’, was about His own intention. This was about their eventual development and their choices for life. Jacob travelled to his mother’s people in obedience to his father Isaac to Padan-Aram, to find a suitable wife for himself (Genesis 28:2-3). Esau married the daughters of Cannan, even while knowing that this would displease his father (Genesis 36:2-3). Jacob’s wrestling with the Angel near the brook, showed his hunger for Divine approval and need for blessings. God saw beforehand the hearts of both brothers and decreed accordingly. To fulfil His prophetic declaration and plan, God aligns all situations to lead to the desired results.
The decision is made even much before birth, before any sinful or righteous work is done. We use our freewill, but it all works out according to God’s plan. The twelve disciples were all chosen by Lord Jesus and given all opportunities to grow strong in faith. Judas Iscariot was given the purse to overcome his fleshly desires, yet he failed and fulfilled the predetermined plan of God. When we look back in our own lives, we will find some other people also receiving the message of salvation through the sacrifice of Lord Jesus. Yet not all accepted the offer and even then, not all have reached the same level of spiritual maturity. We all enjoy the same love of a loving Father, who desires all to be blessed. But eventually it is our choice to act in faith or reject; move closer to God or remain only a Sunday visitor.
God’s way of blessing His chosen – God chose Apostle John, Simon Peter and others, but everyone reached a different level of understanding and Divine wisdom. It was only Apostle John who revealed the pre-existent Divine nature of Lord Jesus as God and fully human and covered the entire period of His ministry as the Messiah in his Gospel account. Apostle Paul was taken into the ‘third heaven’, the place of God’s presence and shown inexpressible visions (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Yet he was not authorised to reveal the same to other believers. Apostle John was exiled to Patmos Island and received visions of the work of Lord Jesus in the past as well as in the future. He was commanded to write and make this available to all future generations of believers.
Number seven is considered to be the completion and perfection, for in seven days the creation process was completed. Light comprises seven colours and Lord Jesus’ ministry covers seven Divine traits and He made seven statements on the cross. In the life of the favoured ones, the results of His work become clearly evident. Lord Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life’ and once we receive Him, our dead souls are revived into a new relationship through Him with God the Father (John 6:35). We were dead in sin but this brings us dead to sin and walk in His ways.
Second, He further declared, ‘I am the light of the world’ and this statement on two occasions (John 8:12; 9:5). We were all filled with darkness of evil thoughts and desires that lead us to sin. But, the coming of the Saviour Lord brings the indwelling Holy Spirit. With that our transformation starts from within and we start walking in the light of His Word.
Three, Lord Jesus said, ‘I am the gate’ and with that is the blessing, ‘If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture’ (John 10:9). We are His sheep and His protection and provision become available to everyone. It is not that a believer starts receiving great earthly treasures, but doors start opening and we are equipped to exploit opportunities.
Four, He referred to Himself as ‘the Good Shepherd’ (John 10:11-14). The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep’. Because of our sinful nature, we tend to lose control over our lives and stray from the right paths. In that we suffer attacks from the evil elements of the spiritual realm. But our Lord has said, ‘I know My sheep, and am known by My own’. He makes us a part of His own family and in such a close relationship, we also get to know Him intimately through His Word and His voice. We can pray, receive answers or be strengthened to face situations.
Five, Lord Jesus suffered death on the cross, for His sheep, defeated death and rose again and ascended into heaven. Before raising Lazarus back to life, He declared, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live’ (John 11:25). The curse of sin was death and separation from God (Genesis 2:17), but Adam and Eve died physically much later. Lazarus was raised to life to live but suffered physical death later. A believer will never be separated from God and shall forever be in His presence. This blessing starts here on earth only for God the Holy Spirit dwells in us as our Teacher, Guide and Intercessor.
Nicodemus, the Jewish leader was taught about being born again to enter heaven (John 3:3). Apostle Paul has clarified, ‘we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life’ (Romans 6:4). We live in His light, manifested in His Word in a life committed to His service and glory.
Six, when Lord Jesus termed Himself as ‘the way, the truth and the life’, the Jewish leaders were greatly angered (John 14:6). For He further added, ‘No one comes to the Father except through Me’. When we get to know Lord Jesus, in Him we also see and know God the Father also. As Son of God, He alone not only knows but has complete access to God Most High. ‘We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’ (Hebrews 10:10). With the way to heaven having been opened for us through Lord Jesus, we follow Him here to live in His righteousness.
Seven, everyone wants to please God through their good deeds, which are the fruit that we bear for the others benefit. Lord Jesus has called Himself as the ‘vine, you are the branches’ (John 15:5). Then He has provided the way for us to produce fruit, ‘He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing’. We become really useful to God only, once we become one with Lord Jesus by accepting Him as our Saviour. For those who are favoured by God, all these blessings of the Messiah become real and active.
Prophet Elisha died and the Moabites raiding parties started looting the people (2 Kings 13:20-21). As the people were moving to bury a man, the arrival of the raiding party created panic and they put the body in Prophet Elisha’s tomb. When the body ‘touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet’. God’s favoured ones continue to be a blessing to others even after their death, for their life becomes a testimony for others to turn to the Lord.
How to be the favoured of God? Prophet Elijah was commanded by God to return from Mount Horeb to go to ‘Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place’ (1 Kings 19:16-21). When Prophet Elijah reached him, Elisha was plowing his field ‘with twelve yokes of oxen before him’. His family must have been very well off, but he left everything, slaughtered the one yoke of oxen and using the equipment prepared that and all had that. After closing all options of turning back, he followed Prophet Elijah to be his assistant.
When the Lord was to take up Prophet Elijah, he told Elisha to stay back at Gilgal, the place where the Israelites were circumcised before moving on to occupy the Promised Land. As a result of that, Joshua was told by the LORD God there, ‘This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you’ (Joshua 5:9). From there they moved to Bethel, where Jacob, while moving to Padan Aram saw in a dream the ladder reaching up to heaven with the angels ascending and descending upon it (Genesis 28:12-15). The LORD God from top of the ladder blessed Jacob with the Covenant promises of Abraham and Isaac. Onward to Jericho, the huge walls of this city had fallen inwards, giving the Israelites the first great victory over that fortified city in the Promised Land (Joshua 6:20). Then Prophet Elijah, accompanied by his assistant Elisha, moved to Jordan and to the other side, with the power of God parting the flooded river, just like before, also for them.
Prophet Amos received the Word of the LORD for Israel, ‘Seek Me and live; but do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing’ (Amos 5:4-6). We may keep rejoicing in the past with great recollection but beware, for the things of the earth should point us to the Creator and not bind us to the past and the earthly. Prophet Elijah was moving on from the earthly into the heavenly realm. This could be a blessing and of great fear on someone else and at every stage, Prophet Elijah tried to persuade Elisha to stay back. But for Elisha, there was no looking back, and he looked forward to some more wisdom through this last journey of his master.
Lord Jesus’ command to all believers is, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me’ (Matthew 16:24). The person to be crucified had to carry his own cross to the site and then suffer crucifixion. It was a one-way walk, with no turning back. It does not mean that a believer must leave his family responsibilities, but about prioritising one’s life. God must always be first, then is the family and then is the professional or ministry work (Genesis 1:28). Then in every work we do, even daily chores become ways to praise and thank God. God desires all believers to be His favoured ones but we must also show our interest in being one. This we do by walking in His ways.
God is love and all suffering that we bear is not from Him but from the devil or as a result of what we do, for every action musty have a consequence or reaction. We bring curses on ourselves through our own words and deeds. God pours out His love on His children in abundance who walk in obedience and faith. God cannot be surprised by anything for He is the Creator and Sustainer of it all. When we align our lives with His plan, He favours us by helping us succeed in our ways!
