The world likes the idea of coincidence. It takes away any accountability to acknowledge the existence of a Creator or purpose in our lives. If things just happen by chance, then our actions really don’t matter. But the Bible leaves no room for coincidence.
God is sovereign. He is the Alpha and the Omega, all-knowing and all-powerful. (Revelation 22:13; Romans 11:33-36; Job 42;1-2). From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation it is evident that God is in control. Even before Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, God knew that Jesus would have to die on the cross to bring redemption. He knows every decision we will make and the consequences we will experience. For God, there are no surprises, accidents, or karma.
God cares for us -His creation. He knows the number of stars in the sky and even the number of hairs on our head (Like 12:7). He accounts for every detail from something as simple as a flower to the complexity of the human heart. Matthew 6-28-30 says,
“Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toilm neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But of God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t He much more clothe you, you of little faith.”
God has a plan, He weaves together all events and all decisions for His greater purpose of redeeming His creation and being reunited with it. Moses coming across a burning bush was not a coincidence (Exodus 3:1-17), God meant to meet him there. Abraham finding a ram to sacrifice instead of his son was not a coincidence. God knew Abraham would be faithful to Him and provided an alternative sacrifice (Genesis 22). Jesus arriving in Jerusalem the week of Passover was not a coincidence. Jesus Himself would take the place of the Passover lamb forever destroying the power of sin with His final sacrifice.
In Isaiah 46:9-11 God says,
“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me. I declare the end from the beginning and from ancient times that are not yet done. I say. My counsel will the stand, and I will do all that I please. I call a ravenous bird from the east, the man of My counsel from a far country. Yes, I have spoken. I will also bring it to pass. I have planned. I will also do it.”
A few passages in the Bible have phrases with the undertone of coincidence. Such as the account of the good Samaritan in Luke 10 it is said the “by chance” a priest passed the beat-up man on the road. Yet when taken into the context of the Bible as a whole, it is clear that while the priest passing by was unexpected from a human perspective. God already knew that it was not the so-called righteous of society, but the disliked samaritan who would stop and help the man. Perhaps the role of coincidence in God’s eyes is best captured by the words of Albert Einstein, “Coincidences are God’s way of remaining anonymous.”
From Pity to Praise 