3 Reasons History Is “His” Story



“History is a story written by the finger of God.”

– C.S. Lewis

Created History

God is the Creator and is sovereign over mankind. Whatever happens was ordained to come to pass by God. Even evil can be used for good (Genesis 50:20, John 3:16). God is never caught by surprise. It is we who are surprised. But God? Never! Whatever happens is what God planned to happen. In fact, “the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1). Prophecy is history written ahead of time, before it even happens.

Determines History

The Prophet Daniel knew who was in charge of all things. When King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him (Daniel 2:1), he called all of “the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king” (Daniel 2:1). However, none could interpret his dreams. Nebuchadnezzar threatened them all by saying, “If you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins” (Daniel 2:5). Thankfully for these wise men, Daniel intervened and said, “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation” (Daniel 2:24). Of course, Daniel did just that.

“His” Story

Daniel wrote that only God “changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21), and only God “looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips” (Job 12:18).  This is why C.S. Lewis said that “history is a story written by the finger of God.” Just as in the Ten Commandments, which were written in stone by the finger of God, they cannot be changed by humans because, like history, it has been ordained to come to pass.

Conclusion

If you know much about God and His Word, you know that nothing happens that God does not know will happen. In fact, He ordains what happens and knows what is to come. He is sovereign over all things; He determines history before it happens, and what God has ordained to come to pass cannot be changed. Indeed, “history is a story written by the finger of God.”