Before our precious Lord&8217;s hour came for him to die, there was not a man smart enough, there was not an army powerful enough to put our Lord and Savior to death.

Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him. Because his hour was not yet come (John 7:30). And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

But he passing through the midst of them went his way, and came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days (Luke 4:28-31). Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode (John 10:39-40).

When his hour came for him to die as a lamb slain from the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:18-21 and Revelation 13:8), nothing surprised him, and nothing could prevent him from dying for the sins of his people.

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end (John 13:1).

Jesus knew when his hour was come. These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:1-3).

Jesus was not caught off guard or surprised at the events that took place. And he cometh the third time, and said unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners (Mark 14:41).

Our salvation came not by coincidence but by purpose and providence. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again (Mark 8:31).

Many are under the impression that wicked man got the upper hand when our Lord was crucified. They fail to see that even in that dark hour, our Sovereign God was in control of the people and the events. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done (Acts 4:26-28).

Have you been brought to faith in Christ and has it been revealed unto you that the hour spoken of above was for you? If so, this was not of your doing, but of the Lord.

Lee Roy Dutton is pastor at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church