I never cease to be amazed at the way in which the most insignificant actions can have the most unexpected consequences. Who would ever have predicted that the slaughter of a chicken would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem for example? But that’s exactly what happened when a group of Syrian Gentiles sacrificed a chicken in an alleyway outside a synagogue in Caesarea. The Roman governor’s refusal to punish the ringleaders led, in turn to protests, a mass exodus, severe unrest and then the slaughter of at least 3,600 Jews in Jerusalem. Ultimately, it provoked the uprising that resulted in the destruction of their beloved Temple and city.

History is full of such stories. Who could have guessed that a simple conversation between two sisters would have a huge impact on the American civil war? But that’s what happened when Harriet Beecher Stowe’s sister told her: “If I could use my pen as you can, I would write something that would make this whole nation feel what an accursed thing slavery is.” Harriet vowed to write something, and the result was ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin,’ a book that became an international bestseller and so enflamed popular opinion that Abraham Lincoln greeted her with the following words: “So this is the little lady who made this big war!”

We’ve witnessed something similar again over the past year or two with the result that David Cameron’s decision to hold a referendum on Brexit has led to the very real possibility of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister.

We only need a superficial grasp of history to conclude that the course of human affairs can often seem to be directed by nothing but pure chance. One writer expressed it this way: “History does not obey rigid scientific laws. It doesn’t evolve according to some simple rational principle. History is essentially complex, chaotic and unpredictable.”

But is that true? It is certainly complex. And it is frequently chaotic. But is it unpredictable? I don’t think so. It’s worth reminding ourselves at this point that much to everyone’s surprise Jesus predicted the destruction of the Temple several decades before it actually happened. Indeed He’d told His followers what signs to look for so that they could get out before the disaster engulfed them. It’s for reasons like this I am convinced that history is not determined by random chance. Far from it! I am persuaded that God is in ultimate control.

Many people live in a state of meaninglessness today. They feel that there is no pattern and no real purpose in life. That’s why some consult the lady down the road who looks at crystals or reads the stars. I understand why they do this. They are trying to reclaim some kind of control over their lives.

But those of us who believe the Biblical story need none of these weird practices. We know we are not drifting in a meaningless sea of time; we are not drifting aimlessly and helplessly into a pointless future. Far from being chaotic, history is being shaped by a divine providence and those who put their trust in God will never be disappointed. For He has assured us that ultimately ‘All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well’ (Julian of Norwich).

Rob James is a Baptist Pastor broadcaster and writer who currently operates as a church and media consultant for the Evangelical Alliance Wales. He is available for preaching and teaching throughout Wales and can be contacted at [email protected]