God's Word says, "To every thing there is a season, and a TIME to every PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN; a TIME to be born and a TIME to die...." Ecc.1:1.
God knows the past, present and future ... each as thoroughly as the other. He plans all the big things, lets nature run on automatic pilot, and leaves our decisions up to us ... but with unseen encouragement to do His will and surrender our lives to His divine guidance. But still leaving us with a free will to yield our will to His perfect will or to rebel. Prophecy proves God's perfect knowledge of the future. What He does not determine, He, nevertheless, knows and could stop it if He chose to, and sometimes does, but still leaves our free will in tact. His Holy Spirit is constantly working in our lives to "guide us into all truth", convict us of sin, convince us of the need for righteousness and certainty of judgement. Jn.16:8 & Jn.16:13
Every plan and purpose of God and His established order of things, shall "come to pass". This little sentence, "It came to pass" is found 457 times in the Bible. Time always passes. Everything that God knows will happen, does happen. It always comes to pass whether it is His plan and purpose or a result of our free will which He gave us and allows us to exercise but also which we must give account for in the day of judgement.
There is what is known as "The Law Of First Mention". This law says that the first mention of any word or phrase in the Bible has special significance to it's meaning. The first mention of "It came to pass" , in God's Word, is in Genesis 4:3 "And in PROCESS OF TIME IT CAME TO PASS ...." The "process of time" is required for anything to "come to pass". Needless to say that God's Word ALWAYS comes to pass. His prophecies always come to pass. His promises always come to pass.
NOAH, in obedience to God, preached and prophesied that a world wide flood was coming and he built an ark in preparation for the certainty of God's Word. Then, Gen.7:10-13 says ...."It came to pass".
BONDAGE may last years or a life time but God promised Israel deliverance ... and chose Moses to lead His people OUT of Egyptian bondage ..."And it came to pass at the end of 430 years .... that the host of the LORD went out of the land of Egypt." Out of bondage ! Ex.12:41
LEADERSHIP has a beginning time and an ending time. "After the death of Moses ... it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua ..." Josh.1:1. One ministry ends and a new one begins. As God chose Moses to lead His people OUT of bondage, He chose young Joshua to lead them INTO the Promised Land: And "It came to pass" as God had promised.
OLD AGE always "comes to pass" if life continues. "And it came to pass ... that Joshua grew old ..." Josh.23:1
Old age is the only option other than death. All who live will get old, weak, sick, invalid or die first.
DEATH is as certain as birth and life. Since the moment original sin began in Eden, the human body is destined to grow old or die or both in the passage of time. "And it came to pass... that Joshua ... the servant of the Lord, died .... Josh.24:29.
BIBLE PROPHECY always "comes to pass". Christ's virgin birth, the city he was born in and all related prophecies came to pass in Luke 2. "And the angel said ... I bring you good tidings of great joy , which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." v.11. " AND IT CAME TO PASS ..." v.15.
EVEN THE DEMONIAC OF GADARA had a special time of redemption and healing. "And it came to pass on a certain day, that (Jesus) went into a ship with his disciples; And he said unto them, Let us go over to the other side ...." Lk.8:22. They set sail to cross the ten miles over to Gadara. They sailed through a raging storm which nearly capsized the boat but arrived safely on the other side of the sea of Galilee. There they were met by a lunatic, demon possessed naked man who lived among the tombs crying and cutting himself. Jesus healed this Demoniac of Gadara, saved his soul and sent him to bear witness to his home town and relatives. That is all Jesus did there... Save and heal one crazy man. The people who saw that miraculous healing, demanded that Jesus leave. He immediately got back in the boat and sailed back to the opposite side of the stormy sea from whence He came, and was welcomed by those who lived there. "And it came to pass, that when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him." v.40. If Jesus would spend an entire day sailing, with His Apostles, through stormy seas to save and heal such a person, He certainly cares for YOU. As, "It came to pass" for this poor man, it will "come to pass for you" ... IF you are willing !
THERE IS A CLIMACTIC TIME OF OBEDIENCE AND SACRIFICE FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN WHETHER THEY ACCEPT IT OR NOT. Jesus accepted His calling. "And it came to pass, WHEN THE TIME WAS COME , that (Jesus) should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem ..." knowing that when he arrived there, he would be arrested, abused and crucified according to the prophecies and God's will for his life. Even knowing it would happen, he went on to his destiny and our salvation. Lk.9:51. But it didn't end on the cross or in the tomb ....
A TIME OF RESURRECTION. God promised it for Jesus and for all His followers. "Now upon the first day of the week .... when Jesus' disciples came to his tomb, "AND IT CAME TO PASS ....two (angels) stood by them in shining garments .... and they said unto them, Why seek the living among the dead ? He is not here but is risen ...." Lk.24:1-7. Also "...and the dead in Christ shall rise ...." 1Thess.4:16
Yes, sometimes the days and months of trial and suffering seem never to pass but remember, "This too shall pass" .... It SHALL come to pass. In his trouble, David prayed in Psm.31:15 "My times are in thy hands".
Pray that prayer with David.
Time always passes. Not the clock or calendar time but the rotation of earth, day and night, the passing of one season and arrival of another: The circuit of the sun and quartering of the moon, the infinite, all inclusive motion of the universe, the thought and actions of God..... His plan unfolding, His record books filling ... and endless time flows in perfect harmony with the river of life.
The passage of universal time is revealed in the existence of Christ. He is " The first and the last: The beginning and the ending, who was and is and is to come." Rev.1:8. His past, present and future are summed up in the name He identified himself with when Moses asked Him, "when the people ask me who sent me, what shall I say"? YHVH answered, "And God said unto Moses, I AM that I AM : and He said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" Ex.3:14. His true name is YHVH which is unpronounceable without the added vowels .... JEHOVAH, or YAHVAH. YHVH actually means, "The Existing One" .... I AM. I AM that I AM. He is the great I AM of eternity, past, present and future. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Heb.13:8. " And thus it shall be for believers in Christ .... when we see Him in the rapture, we shall be like Him. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God ... but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is." 1 Jn.3:2. Christ, our future, our destiny !
He promised heaven and revealed the reality of hell and they shall "Come to pass" in their TIME.
He promised eternal life for believers or eternal ruin for others. Both shall "Come to pass" in God's TIME.
He promised to return to earth for us and that Second Coming of Christ shall also "Come to pass" in His TIME.
Throughout eternity we shall repeat His promises to us and then sing out, "It came to pass, it came to pass, PRAISE GOD it came to pass".
Pass it on. RB
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