Jewish Destiny Essay

INTRODUCTION

The Jewish word translated as “destiny” is “bashert” (צוקונפט), meaning fate, predestine, predetermine, preordain, and any fortuitous event. Jewish scholars believe God gives His boundless knowledge to all beings and assigns to each a certain mission or function. God’s knowledge includes all space and time. Yet, He is beyond time and space. Destiny means God by His omniscient, omnipotence, and omnipresence characteristics knows and controls everything. God is the Creator of all things celestial and terrestrial.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, KJV)

God knew what was needed and provided it when He created the earth. God is capable of controlling and governing all aspects of life. As Creator, God is also the Author of one’s life. God has full and exact knowledge to compose the exact harmony and balance of one’s life.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2, KJV)

Hence, destiny is a type of “Divine Knowledge.” “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV) Scripture further clarifies that God is in control of each individual’s life from the time of inception in the womb.

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb:

“I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth ...

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... Abraham’s call because his descendants were destined to receive God’s divine purpose. However, Isaac, the child of faith in God’s promise, was to be the progenitor of the spiritual birthright: “for in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:12, KJV). The New Testament contrasts Ishmael to Isaac, “But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.” (Galatians 4:23, KJV) The principle of faith in God’s promise as the means of election is established in Abraham’s progeny as it was introduced by his response to God’s call. The reliance of anything other than God Almighty for the fulfilment of the promise is eradicated in Abraham’s test of faith concerning the sacrifice of Isaac. Faith in God Almighty is the only means for Israel’s existence and election in history to fulfill its divine destiny and divine purpose.