Fate, Destiny, Predestined
Pastor Jerry Wilhite,
author Before we start let me clear up one thing. God did not predestine some to life and some to death. He predestined us all to life, then it is left up to us to choose life or death. First of all in the Bible it would not say, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16-17) But instead would say something like, "Those He predestined would be saved." John 3 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Romans 9
"Whom He foreknew He also predestined" refers to us all. Do you really think there is anyone God did not foreknow? He knew all so all were predestined.
Fate, Destiny, Predestined - These three words seem like they should work together. Based on most people’s beliefs, destiny is dictated by fate and both are predestined. But that is not true; only once in the Bible does Fate or Destiny even show up. When I say Bible I mean the Literal Bible not some other translation out there. In different translations they show up more than once. The Literal Bible is just that, a literal translation of the Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) texts. If you have trouble reading the King James Bible, the Literal Bible will drive you to drink.
The following verses, as with all of the word, have two sides to them, a physical side and a spiritual side:
Romans 9
21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24. Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25. As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
The physical side is that the clay of honor was Israel, the other was everyone else:
Romans 11
21. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
24. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
So physically God removed the branch known as Israel and replaced it with the one known as gentiles. Spiritually the verses talk of the clay of dishonor as a person of dishonor which we all are until we know and become one with the Lord. Like the potter who repairs the defective pot, God repairs us.
The ridiculous idea that God sat back at the beginning and said, "Ok, this group makes it and this group does not" is spread by people who have no real knowledge of God, have been misled, or are agents of Satan trying to mislead others.
Actually many of the mistakes people make in teaching the word are due to either laziness or a lack of real knowledge. The Bible should be read one verse at a time, but never should understanding of the Bible be based on just one or two verses as so often has happened. Interpreting the word is nowhere in the Bible nor is the idea that the Bible is to be the sum total of our learning from God. Understanding and knowledge is throughout the Bible. If anything, the Bible is the beginning, a road to the true real knowledge and understanding that can only be found in God.
John 14
26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26 above is just one of many verses that tell us we are to be taught by God and God only. (John 15, Romans 8:16, I John 2:20-27) To hear from God requires us to verify whom we are hearing from as stated in I John 4:1. Satan can imitate light, so to be sure it is God and not Satan ask if Jesus came in the flesh or not. If you hear, "no", then tell Satan to go to Hell. Any ministry that teaches Jesus did not come in the flesh is of the antichrist as stated in I John 4:1-3.
I would have preferred finding that most if not all denominations and religions were ok, but instead I’ve found the opposite to be true. As in Revelation 1-3 when Jesus talks about the seven churches, only one is found to be perfect the rest are not. As I stated earlier, there are physical and spiritual sided. Physically speaking there are seven continents, and only one has no permanent human population living on it. The rest have people living on them. The spiritual side is that the six, which are based in this world and are of the law and interpretation, are not like the one based in true grace and knowledge.
Fate from the dictionary
The supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events.
The inevitable events predestined by this force.
A final result or consequence; an outcome.
Unfavorable destiny; doom.
Fates Greek & Roman Mythology. The three goddesses, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, who control human destiny. Used with the.
Fate and destiny only show up once in the word in the literal translation. They do show up in other forms. The only fate that is predestined for all of us is that our actions and words of our mouth will be judged, and only when we are finished in this life. If our fate (eternity in heaven or hell) were predestined in advance (that is only if you believe in God’s predestination of some to life and some to death) then Jesus never would have had to die for us.
Isaiah 65
11.
|0859| But you {are}
|5800| those who abandon
|3068| Yahweh,
|7911| who forget
|2022| mountain
|6944| My holy,
|6186| who set in order
|1409| for Fortune
|7979| a table,
|4390| and who fill
|4507| for Fate
|2022| mixed wine. (LIT)
Strong's Ref. # 4507
Romanized Mniy
Pronounced men-ee'
from HSN4487; the Apportioner, i.e. Fate (as an idol):
KJV--number.
#minniy. See HSN4480, HSN4482.
Destiny
des·ti·nies
The inevitable or necessary fate to which a particular person or thing is destined; one's lot.
A predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control: "Marriage and hanging go by destiny" (Robert Burton).
The power or agency thought to predetermine events: Destiny brought them together.
Your destiny is in your hands. If we were talking about our final outcome being based on our actions I would agree there is a destiny for all of us. But if you mean that there is a destiny waiting for us that is already decided upon and that no matter what we do it will happen, then you are talking about predestination and nothing in the word states we are predestined at that level. The only thing predestined for us is either life or death and depending on whether or not we are of the Lord, the choice is ours to make.
Psalms 16
5.
|3068| Yahweh {is}
|4490| the portion
|1486| of my lot
|1375| and my cup.
|0859| You
|8551| will uphold
|1486| my destiny.
Strong's Ref. # 1486
Romanized gowral
Pronounced go-rawl'
or (shortened) goral {go-ral'}; from an unused root meaning to be rough (as stone); properly, a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot):
KJV--lot.
Below are some examples of how fate and destiny are used in different versions of the Bible, but as I stated they were only used once each in the Old and not at all the New Testament.
Below are some of the resources I used to do this study:
New Jerusalem Bible with Apocrypha (NJB)
New American Bible with Apocrypha (NAB)
New King James (NKJ)
New American Standard (NAS)
New Revised Standard with Apocrypha (NRS)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Latin Vulgate (LTV)
Literal Bible with vertical strong's (LIT)
William's New Testament (WNT)
International Standard Version (ISV)
Fate:
Genesis 30
8. Then Rachel said, "I have fought a fateful battle with my sister, and I have won!" So she named him Naphtali. (NJB)
8. and Rachel said, "I engaged in a fateful struggle with my sister, and I prevailed." So she named him Naphtali. (NAB)
Exodus 1
14. making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick and all kinds of field work-the whole cruel fate of slaves. . (NAB)
Numbers 16
29. "If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. (NKJ)
29. "If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, {then} the LORD has not sent me. (NAS)
29. If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate comes on them, then the Lord has not sent me. (NRS)
40. They are a reminder to the Israelites that no unauthorized person, no one not of Aaron's line, may approach and offer incense before Yahweh, on pain of suffering the fate of Korah and his party, as Yahweh had said through Moses. (NJB)
Deuteronomy 8
20. just as the Lord has caused other nations in the past to perish. That will be your fate, too, if you don't obey the Lord your God. (LVB)
Deuteronomy 32
29.
Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
Oh, that they might know their fate! (NLT)
Joshua 2
4. tollensque mulier viros abscondit et ait fate or venerunt ad me sed nesciebam unde essent (LAT)
Matthew 24
51. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth." (NJB)
Matthew 26
24. The Son of man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!"
Luke 12
46. his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful. (NJB)
Destiny:
Psalms 49
14. This is the destiny of those who trust in folly, the end of those so pleased with their wealth. <Selah> (NAB)
Romans 9
16. So one's destiny does not depend on his own willing or strenuous actions but on God's having mercy on him. (WMT)
Philippians 3
19. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on worldly things.