History And Destiny (Part I)

Enoch Immanuel A. Agbozo

There is a general belief that destiny is pre-determined at birth. That, all things being equal, history runs or must run on a course towards the pre-destinated end. The truth however is that, choices made and conduct on life course affect, indeed determine the course of history and hence destiny.

In this article, we posit that choice and conduct have been the major forces responsible for the unfortunate human heritage, and the related unstable and insecure life experience and the changing scenes of life, joy and hope of peoples and nations.

The Bible gives a clear indication, understanding and direction on the SPIRIT and FORCES that cause life and history to run amok and miss the pre-destinated course and end of the human race, and hence of peoples, nations and the world.

Similarly, the Bible has shown the way by which history and destiny can end as pre-destinated. The spirit force for attaining the pre-destinated end is simply stated as ‘RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE.’ (PROVERBS 14: 34) Righteousness, simply stated is the acknowledgement and honour of God the Creator and the observance of His will, law, commandments and way in life. In other words, the acknowledgment, honour and observance of choices and conduct ordered by God the Creator is the perfect way for peace, righteousness and joy on life course, and hope of reaching the expected pre-destinated end. The truth is that if there is in fact pre-destination, it is God the Creator who does order destiny. Thus, whatever the talents, gifts and opportunities, choices and conduct in life, one must acknowledge, observe and follow the pattern set in place by the Creator, he who set in place talents, gifts and opportunities for life in the first place. Sin in this respect is the transgression, dishonour, rejection and refusal to observe the choices and conduct set in place by God the Creator. The act of sin or better still the rejection of the will, commandments and way of God the Creator according to the Holy Bible started with Adam and Eve who chose to ORDER and CONDUCT THEIR LIVES on the basis of their own power and mind, knowledge and understanding of good and evil (Gen. 3). The choice of human autonomy and self-determination, self-projection and self-glorification is the basic act of sin before God. Adam and Eve were the first to reject the will of the Creator and disobey the commandments of God. In doing so, they set in motion the spirit and power of disobedience, choices and conduct of man and the human heritage of disorder and confusion, suffering and pain, death and extinction, corruptibility, mortality and futility. As the scriptures reveal, sin is the prime factor behind the uncertainty, insecurity, non-predictability and impermanence of life, human glory and human heritage as a whole. It is this that has made CHOICE and CONDUCT the spirit force behind history and destiny run amok outside the Divine ordained order and destiny of man. But God the Creator would not let man go for ever. Burdened by the human tragedy and hopelessness, God the Creator released His Spirit of salvation, regeneration, reconciliation, redemption and restoration in CHRIST the SON, by whom life and light of man, by whom and for whom and in whom all things consist. The Father has sent forth a fresh Divine Spirit to redeem, re-order and restore things. Christ is the word, life and light behind the redemption and restoration of man and creation. Or better still, Christ is the spirit power and wisdom behind creation and hence natural law and natural order as a whole. He has come to save man from sin and restore peace, righteousness and joy to man. Peace on earth and goodwill to all men is the goal. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3: 16 NKJ) Christ’s intervention is not only to save from sin and death but also to redeem from the state of human choices and conduct outside the heavenly order originally set in place by the Creator – THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE on EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN is the ultimate vision and mission. Christ’s intervention aims at arresting the earthly Satan-man rebellion-disobedience order of sin and death, wickedness and pain, corruption and decay, hopelessness and futility. Christ has come to break the chain of sin and captivity and bring life, liberty and hope, progress, prosperity, stability and security to the human race and creation as a whole. The Christ factor in the human story is the REGENERATION and RESTORATION of the Divine spirit and glory of man, the reconciliation of man with God so there be established a state of peace, righteousness and joy for man and in a restored relationship and worship of God, and God’s reign and rule and heavenly kingdom order on earth. His message was and still is REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. The teaching and counsel He has left men and nations is “……..SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these things shall be added unto it” (Matt. 6: 30-33) To conclude, let us say that, CHOICE and CONDUCT according to the knowledge, will and spirit-power of man and not according to the will, law, commandments, light and way of God the Creator is the cause of history and destiny diverted and crash-landed. The human tragedy of history and destiny of woes and curses, of darkness and death, of evil and wickedness, suffering and pain, corruption, mortality and futility is a matter of CHOICE and CONDUCT set in place by Adam and Eve. Human learning and human spirit-power with all its virtues has not succeeded and cannot in fact change this unfortunate state and course of history and destiny of man. If anything it rather perpetuates it. Return to and reconciliation with God the Creator is the ONLY WAY of change and peace, redemption and restoration of the original course of history and destiny for man and the nations. Obedience of the will, law and commandments, light and way of God is the key. Faith in, obedience and honour of JESUS CHRIST is the way of the fullness of surety of salvation, reconciliation, redemption and restoration. In CHRIST ALONE is the SPIRIT and PATH of the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God and fulfillment for the individual, households, tribes and nations. Hence the scriptures enjoin the nations – ‘RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION. BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE” (Prov. 14: 34) The scriptures affirm further, blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah and whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. Hence Jesus counselled, ‘SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM of GOD and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these things shall be added unto it’. We end by declaring that TRUST IN GOD THROUGH FAITH in JESUS CHRIST, the SON given is the Divine heavenly ordered life of Peace, Righteousness and Joy, Blessedness, Hope and Fulfillment for all men, all peoples, and all nations. In part II of this article, we will discuss the history and destiny of Ghana.

October 5, 2009 immanuelenoch@yahoo.com