What Is Eventuality?
EVENTUALITY is a Bible teaching. No, this is not the same as fatalism, which teaching claims that an individual’s life course, his every experience and final destiny are subject to fate and thus are all predetermined. Rather, eventuality means that certain events without fail are due to occur ultimately. These eventualities are determined by a superior who governs times and seasons. There are eventualities of condemnation and eventualities of favor bringing blessings. Before those eventualities fall due, individuals have great freedom of choice, which determines the outcome for them as to whether they are to remain under condemnation into annihilation or are worthy to share in future eventualities of favor.
Man, created in the image of God, was originally granted the possibility of everlasting life on a paradise earth. For Adam’s rebellion against Jehovah’s sovereignty he and his offspring were placed under an eventuality of death. (Rom. 5:12) This condemnation now gave them a time-bounded life span, a limitation as originally designed for the beasts of the field, who were not created in the image of the everlasting God. “For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies.”—Eccl. 3:19.
This eventuality of death is no respecter of persons, whether they be true or false worshipers, rich or poor. “One eventuality there is to the righteous one and the wicked one, the good one and the clean one and the unclean one, and the one sacrificing and the one that is not sacrificing. The good one is the same as the sinner . . . This is what is calamitous in all that has been done under the sun, that, because there is one eventuality to all, the heart of the sons of men is also full of bad, and there is madness in their heart during their lifetime, and after it—to the dead ones.”—Eccl. 9:2, 3.
Man’s striving to advance his own selfish works eventuates in futility. The handicaps involved under this great eventuality of death cannot be overcome whether one be wise in his practical wisdom or one be stupid in his foolishness. “As regards anyone wise, his eyes are in his head, but the stupid one is walking on in sheer darkness. And I have come to know, I too, that there is one eventuality that eventuates to them all. And I myself said in my heart: ‘An eventuality like that upon the stupid one will eventuate to me, yes, me.’ Why, then, had I become wise, I overmuch so at that time? And I spoke in my heart: ‘This too is vanity.’ For there is no more remembrance of the wise one than of the stupid one to time indefinite.” (Eccl. 2:14-16) Forgotten in the dust of time are all the accomplishments and self-works of the ancient wise ones and the fools. But a man who seeks to follow a course of dedication to God, performs worth-while works that eventuate for him in future life and blessings.—1 Cor. 15:58.
For the Christian faithful to his dedication, amazingly grand eventualities of favor lie ahead, future certainties. Eventually the Kingdom government will rule this earth for a thousand years. Eventually peace will bathe this globe. Eventually death will be wiped away. Eventually physical and spiritual healing of the peoples will restore human perfection. Eventually the earth will become a paradise. Wonder of wonders, eventually there will be resurrections of the dead. Jehovah’s sovereign supremacy eventually will be vindicated at the end of the thousand years when most of restored mankind will prove their integrity in the final test. Eventually they will receive the gift of everlasting life. Men and women then will be adopted by Jehovah as his earthly sons and daughters forever.
What hope these eventualities for a course of Christian integrity bring to faithful servants of Jehovah in these days of the world’s end! These eventualities do not make Jehovah’s witnesses fatalists. No, these amazing eventualities yet to be realized but sharpen our interest to become worthy of the gift of everlasting life from God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:23) It may be that the eventuality of death will overtake one before Armageddon, before the termination of death’s long rule. So make good use of every day you are alive before the universal war of Armageddon to build a good record with your God. Give praise to Jehovah the appointer of due eventualities to the wicked and to the good while you yet have breath. Make sure of the eventuality that Jehovah God assigns to those who do his will.—1 John 2:17.