Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 3:1-17. Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+3&version=NASB
I quote only the following verses.
“1 Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og, king of Bashan, with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Edrei. 2 But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.’ 3 So the Lord our God delivered Og also, king of Bashan, with all his people into our hand, and we smote them until no survivor was left. 4 We captured all his cities at that time; there was not a city which we did not take from them: sixty cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5 All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides a great many unwalled towns. 6 We utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women and children of every city. 7 But all the animals and the spoil of the cities we took as our booty.” Deuteronomy 3:1-7. New American Standard Version.
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It is interesting to me that at least in this New American Standard Version, the past tense phrase “for I have delivered him” was used in verse 2.
In the King James Version, the future tense was used in verse 2. “And the Lord said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.”
The purpose of this devotion is not to use this difference to argue which translation is best, but to simply point out the difference, and to use today’s Scripture as a base to bring up the following Scripture to consider the sovereignty of God.
“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.
In other words, God’s sovereignty is so strong (beyond the constraint of time) that, so to speak, He can declare in past tense a future event.
Reformed Doctrine honors and cherishes this total and perfect sovereignty of God.
Other doctrine honors and cherishes man’s alleged free-will.
Reformed Doctrine summarizes what Scripture states about God, like it or not.
Other doctrine unsuccessfully tries to morph God into the image of man, to meet its own preference.
Reformed Doctrine recognizes that God delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, and God perfectly exercises them. Reformed Doctrine leads us to exult in total perfect triumph in Christ.
Other doctrine cries out: “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” Psalm 2:3.
Reformed Doctrine replies:
“4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” Psalm 2:4-6.
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
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