{"id":9756,"date":"2026-05-23T01:25:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T05:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/?p=9756"},"modified":"2026-05-23T01:25:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T05:25:02","slug":"what-does-the-bible-say-about-predetermination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/what-does-the-bible-say-about-predetermination\/","title":{"rendered":"What does the Bible say about predetermination?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Answer<\/span><\/p>\n

\nIn theology, predetermination is the act of God by which He foreordained every event throughout eternity. Everything, from the flight of a sparrow to the path of a hurricane, was destined to occur by God in eternity past in the exact manner in which it occurs. As a leaf falls off a tree, it follows the exact course God planned for it to take from branch to ground when He created the universe; when a duck glides across the surface of a pond, the height and spacing of the ripples it makes were all foreordained by God. The One who holds the universe together \u00aband He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. \u00bb<\/em>, (Colossians 1:17)<\/a> has a plan, and His plan is being accomplished.<\/p>\n

\nPredetermination is also called causal determination; when God is the determiner, it can also be called theological determination. Predetermination is related to predestination, although the latter term is usually specific to God\u2019s choice of who would be saved (see Romans 8:30).<\/p>\n

\nAll prophecy reveals the fact of predetermination. Daniel 11, for example, contains dozens of detailed prophecies concerning future events in Persia, Greece, Egypt, and other nations. Three times, the phrase “at the appointed time” is used \u00abAnd both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. \u00bb<\/em>, (Daniel 11:27, 29, 35)<\/a>. So, all these things will happen (it\u2019s a certainty), and they will happen at the appointed time\u2014appointed by whom? By God in His predetermination.<\/p>\n

\nAlso in Daniel 11, we have the \u201cwillful king\u201d prophecy about the Antichrist: \u201cThe king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of thi<\/p>\n

\nIn Daniel 11:36, it is prophesied that the king will blaspheme against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed because what has been determined must take place. Note the last clause: what has been determined must take place. The events that Daniel sees must happen. Why must they happen? They have been determined (by God) to take place.<\/p>\n

\nSome argue that prophecy simply reveals the foreknowledge of an omniscient God without implying His determination. In other words, God can see the future without choosing it. The counter-argument is that if God sees a future event and states that it will happen, then that event has essentially been predetermined because if it fails to happen or if something else happens instead, then God is either unknowledgeable or a liar. If God prophesies it, it will occur; the course is set; the destiny is sealed. Also, Daniel 11:36 clearly speaks of predetermination concerning the \u201ctime of wrath.\u201d<\/p>\n

\nAn obvious problem that arises regarding predetermination is the idea of man\u2019s free will. If God has predetermined all things, then are humans nothing but passive game pieces moved about by the Divine Hand? No, the Bible also teaches human responsibility, which implies free will. Jesus said, \u201cWoe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!\u201d \u00ab Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! \u00bb<\/em>, (Matthew 18:7)<\/a>. When Jesus says that sins \u201cmust come,\u201d He speaks of predetermination. When He pronounces a woe on those through whom sins come, He speaks of personal responsibility. In some incomprehensible way, God\u2019s predetermination does not negate our accountability in the choices we make. God is sovereign, yet our choices are real.<\/p>\n

\nActs 4:27–28 is another passage that reflects the predetermination of God. The early church in Jerusalem prays, \u201cHerod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.\u201d There are several remarkable statements in this prayer: God\u2019s \u201cpower\u201d and \u201cwill\u201d were involved in \u201cdeciding beforehand\u201d what would happen. That\u2019s predetermination. Jesus is the \u201canointed\u201d or \u201cchosen\u201d one. That\u2019s predetermination. Even more mind-boggling is what was predetermined: the wicked conspiracy of Herod and Pilate and the mob to murder Jesus. The Son of God was crucified, yet that wicked act is covered by God\u2019s predetermination. It\u2019s no wonder that the prayer begins with \u201cSovereign Lord\u201d (verse 24).<\/p>\n

\nJoseph acknowledged the predetermination of God in Egypt when he forgave his brothers of their wickedness toward him: \u201cYou intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives\u201d \u00abBut as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. \u00bb<\/em>, (Genesis 50:20)<\/a>. Man\u2019s intention is directly contrasted with God\u2019s intention regarding the same event.<\/p>\n

\nA belief in predetermination allows God to be God:<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI am the first and I am the last;<\/p>\n

\napart from me there is no God.<\/p>\n

\nWho then is like me? Let him proclaim it.<\/p>\n

\nLet him declare and lay out before me<\/p>\n

\nwhat has happened since I established my ancient people,<\/p>\n

\nand what is yet to come—<\/p>\n

\nyes, let them foretell what will come.<\/p>\n

\nDo not tremble, do not be afraid.<\/p>\n

\nDid I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n(Isaiah 44:6-8)<\/a><\/p>\n

\nPart of what identifies God as the Sovereign Ruler is the fact that He proclaimed \u201clong ago\u201d what will happen.<\/p>\n

\nScripture teaches that<\/p>\n

God\u2019s predetermination leads to His glory. He predestined the crucifixion of Christ, resulting in the possibility of salvation and the glorification of God. He predestined the mistreatment of Joseph, resulting in the saving of many lives (and the glorification of God). He predestined Jonah to preach in Nineveh, and despite Jonah\u2019s objections, he preached there, leading to the repentance of the entire city (and the glorification of God). God has also predestined the events of your life, and He will be glorified through you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Answer In theology, predetermination is the act of God by which He foreordained every event throughout eternity. Everything, from the flight of a sparrow to the path of a hurricane, was destined to occur by God in eternity past in the exact manner in which it occurs. As a leaf falls off a tree, it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gotquestions"],"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/07\/Questions-about-the-Bible-ingles.jpg","featured_image_thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/07\/Questions-about-the-Bible-ingles-90x60.jpg","featured_image_medium":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/07\/Questions-about-the-Bible-ingles-300x157.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9756\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bibliatodo.com\/En\/christian-reflections\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}