If God beforehand has made our fate determined, how is it that He
intended to establish Saul’s house as kings forever? “The Lord would have
established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.” (I Sam. 13:13) How inconsistent
for God to promise the kingdom to Saul’s house forever, then dethrone him on
the last provocation. If Saul’s fate were determined for him before hand, then
how can we explain the actual facts in the case, that he and his house were repudiated
by God. We know also that God had already promised that the kingdom would go to
the house of David. (See Gen. 49:12) This is determined by the Patriarchal
blessing to Judah by Israel his father. If Saul had been obedient to God’s
commands, he and his house would have received the blessing instead of the
curse. This shows that all blessings are predicated upon our full cooperation and
faithfulness, whether we shall receive them. (Arch S. Reynolds, God’s Ways
are Wonderful, Comprehensible [Springville, Utah: Arch S. Reynolds, n.d.], 52-53)
The advocates of predestination teach that God has fixed the destiny of
all persons before their births, some to salvation, and some to wrath. Ezek
3:23 shows otherwise. “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” “And
not that he should return from his wicked ways, and live?” This appeal of the
Lord would be foolishness if the ones addressed were powerless to choose. However,
it seems that animals or creatures other than man, are predestined from Rom.
8:21. “Because the creature itself, also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” This teaches that
animals are under bondage here on earth, however, over there they shall become free
as the spirits of mankind in heaven. (Ibid., 57-8)
