A few weeks ago, I was the guest speaker in Adventist Today‘s digital Sabbath School. Each week about 130 to 150 computers connect, with probably a total of about 200 participants. In the recent past I have made several presentations in this weekly seminar, that is always followed by an intense discussion. This time my topic was how we, as postmodern people, must read the Book of Revelation. I defended my belief that this last book of the Bible offers a panorama picture that is painted by the prophet. This is what we should focus on, rather than being concerned with applying all sorts of details to historical persons or events. John, under inspiration, articulates the meta-story of the great battle between good and evil, with ever-changing players. In that cosmic struggle, the church of Christ holds center stage. The faithful of God often go through difficult times, but all ends well! Christ overcomes, for and with his church. In my conclusion I indicated that we need have no fear because God is ultimately “in control” of everything.

During the discussion period this final comment, that God has everything “under control,” was questioned. Because, it was argued, we see a lot of things around us that put this in doubt. The person who raised this point said that speaking of God’s ‘control’ sounds far too Calvinistic. Calvinists point very emphatically to God’s sovereignty. We are small, sinful people and should not be so audacious that we take God to task and ask Him why He allows all kinds of things.

The fact that God is in control of everything and that nothing happens without his express will, or without Him consciously allowing it is, according to the questioner, at odds with our individual free will. A few days later he sent me the text of an article he had written on this subject. I read it with great interest. The author is Jack Hoehn, who is certainly worth listening to him. (Among other things, he wrote the book Adventist Tomorrow, subtitled Fresh Ideas While Waiting for Jesus, which was published by the Adventist Today organization and can be ordered through Amazon.) He comments on the concept of the great battle between good and evil. We know with absolute certainty who will win this battle, but that does not mean that at any moment, before the final battle has been fought, the Winner knows exactly how each stage of the battle will proceed on the way to the inevitable victory. For much, Hoehn says, depends on the enemy’s choices and strategies. In this sense, then, God is not always “in control” of everything.

Richard Rice, professor emeritus of the Divinity school at Loma Linda University, is an advocate of what he calls the “openness of God”. He argues that God knows everything as far as He can know it. Many things are still “open,” however, because God has given us a will of our own, and He gives us true freedom, and thus must wait to see how we will use it. Jack Hoehn suggests that we should not think and speak in terms of “control,” “omniscience” and “sovereignty,” but in terms of God’s love. We can be confident that God in his love has arranged everything in such a way that his ultimate purpose for the world, and for each of us personally, will be achieved. As long as we do not doubt that love–however incomprehensible it is at times–we are on the right track.