It’s one thing to like popular songs because they make you feel warm and fuzzy; it’s another thing to know how well they measure-up theologically. Yes, they may be ‘off the chart,’ top-hit successes, but how-well do they line-up with the truth of God? Are the messages of these songs right, or wrong? Are they good for us, or are they harmful to our belief and practise?

The song ‘Whatever Will Be, Will Be’ (Que Sera, Sera) was featured in the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock’s film “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year and topped the UK Pop Chart. It also reached #2 in the US, becoming Doris Day’s last Top 5 hits there. The lyrics of ‘Whatever Will Be, Will Be’ are as follows…

Verse 1: When I was just a little girl I asked my mother, “What will I be?” “Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?’ Here’s what she said to me…

Chorus: “Que Sera, Sera… Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see. Que Sera, Sera… Whatever will be will be.”

Verse 2: When I grew up and fell in love, I asked my sweetheart, “What lies ahead? Will there be rainbows, day after day?” Here’s what he said:

Chorus: “Que Sera, Sera… Whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see. Que Sera, Sera… Whatever will be will be.”

Those who seek the counsel of clairvoyants and science do not believe that ‘the future’s not theirs to see.’ Inherent in every person is a desire to know ‘what’s ahead,’ because knowing what is ahead is critical to making wise decisions today. This aids safe navigation considering tomorrow’s life-threatening events, ensuring safe arrival at Heaven’s eternal gate.

Clairvoyance and science are not the most reliable means of knowing the future. On average, clairvoyants enjoy 5% success in foretelling future events and the best of science enjoys 20% success. Why is it then that if Scripture has proven to be 100% successful in its foretelling of critical world events that most Christians bother little about researching these predictions?  

Of the 735 events predicted in the Bible, 593 have already been fulfilled, leaving 142 yet to happen. For example, the Book of Daniel contains 166 predictions, many of them symbolic. The prophesies in the Book of Daniel were given primarily as an encouragement to God’s exiled people at Babylon. Throughout the chapters of Daniel, Jews were encouraged to do certain things because they knew the future: to stand firm, to do exploits, to bring understanding, to endure suffering, to be refined, to resist evil and to find rest.

Many in the world today just want to know the future out of sheer curiosity. They want to be ‘in the know’ and to have it all tied up. The essential reasons for God revealing the future to us is so we can handle it properly, be ready, and stand firm in our faith, doing what God has for us to do in our short time on earth. Friends, we can endure suffering if we know that the end will be glorious.

The other reason why God has revealed the future is to warn unbelievers as He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent (2 Pet. 3:9b). Ultimately, Christ will replace them all. We belong to the Creator-King of the Universe. The Son of Man will come in clouds of glory (Mk. 13:26), and establish the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, and we shall reign with Him (Rev. 20:6). So, we had better get ‘our stuff together’ that we may partner with Jesus as righteous, responsible governors of the world. Yes, joint-rulers of the world!

In his Scriptural account, Daniel made unique predictions that are so detailed, so dated in sequence and so accurate in the light of historical events that it is simply history written down before it happened. So, every reader is faced with the question as to whether the future is known by God.

While exiled in Babylon, Ezekiel was given this message from the Lord for those living in Jerusalem and Israel, “Son of man, you have heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’ Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’” (12:22-23).

The following Scriptures explain the importance of God’s forewarning: “Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until He reveals His plans to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7); “And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but do not panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end will not follow immediately… See, I have warned you about this ahead of time” (Matt. 24:6, 25); “I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah” (Jn. 13:19).

The Bible makes it clear that God not only knows the future but also shapes it. However, this does not mean that everything is predetermined and planned. There is a very delicate balance in Scripture between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. So, we must not believe that everything is predetermined, as if we are robots. Are we not free to respond as we wish to any/all present and future events?

Shocking world-wide events, the magnitude of which the world has never experienced are heading our way. These divine judgements must take place before the second coming of our Lord and before the inauguration of a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1-7).

Friends, I believe that our God is a Father who wants His children to see every event that is ahead of them… every event that is of critical importance affecting their lives now, and for all eternity. The future IS ours to see!

Bill