Accomplish
A Rich Biblical Concept
The word 'accomplish' and its synonyms appear throughout both testaments, representing several Hebrew and Greek terms with nuances including completing, fulfilling, executing, consecrating, and perfecting. While modern English uses 'accomplish' primarily for achieving goals, the biblical usage is richer, encompassing God's sovereign fulfillment of his plans and humanity's completion of divinely assigned tasks.
God Accomplishes His Word
The most theologically significant use of 'accomplish' relates to the fulfillment of God's purposes and prophecies. Isaiah declares, 'So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish what I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it' (Isaiah 55:11). Daniel studied the Scriptures to understand the 'number of years' that must be accomplished for the desolation of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:2). Lamentations 4:11 describes God accomplishing his fierce anger against Jerusalem. In each case, God's word carries inherent power to achieve exactly what he intends.
Christ's Accomplished Work
Jesus spoke of his mission in terms of accomplishment. He told his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem because 'everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man must be accomplished' (Luke 18:31). At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about his 'departure' (exodus) which he was about to 'accomplish' at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). In Luke 12:50, Jesus expressed urgency about the baptism of suffering he must undergo: 'How distressed I am until it is accomplished!' And at the cross, his final cry 'It is finished' (John 19:30) declared the accomplishment of the entire plan of salvation.
Accomplishing in the Priestly Service
The Hebrew concept of accomplishment also includes consecration and the completion of religious duties. Leviticus 22:21 uses the term in connection with accomplishing a vow, fulfilling what one has pledged to God. The priests accomplished their service in the temple according to prescribed regulations (Hebrews 9:6). This usage connects accomplishment with faithful obedience to divine commands.
Human Responsibility and Divine Enablement
Scripture presents a balance between human effort and divine enablement in accomplishment. Paul urged the Philippians to 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure' (Philippians 2:12-13). Solomon recognized that without God, even the best human plans cannot be accomplished: 'Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain' (Psalm 127:1). What God purposes, he enables; what he commands, he empowers.
The Certainty of God's Plans
The biblical theme of accomplishment ultimately teaches the certainty of God's plans. What God declares will be done. No human opposition, natural obstacle, or demonic power can prevent the accomplishment of his purposes. This assurance runs from Genesis, where God promises Abraham a future (Genesis 12:1-3), through Revelation, where every promise reaches its final fulfillment (Revelation 21:5-6).
Biblical Context
Accomplishment language spans the Bible. Key passages include Isaiah 55:11 (God's word accomplishes its purpose), Daniel 9:2 (years to be accomplished), Lamentations 4:11 (God's wrath accomplished), Luke 9:31 and 18:31 (Jesus' mission), Luke 12:50 (Jesus' baptism of suffering), John 19:30 ('It is finished'), Leviticus 22:21 (vow fulfillment), and Hebrews 9:6 (priestly service).
Theological Significance
The concept of accomplishment reveals God as sovereign and purposeful. His word never fails to achieve its intended result. Christ's cry 'It is finished' represents the supreme accomplishment in all of Scripture, the completion of salvation. The biblical teaching assures believers that what God has begun, he will finish (Philippians 1:6), and that no purpose of his can be thwarted (Job 42:2).
Historical Background
The concept of divine purposes being accomplished reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine decree. In Mesopotamian literature, the word of a god was believed to carry inherent power to effect what it declared. The biblical concept is similar in form but different in theology, in Scripture, there is one sovereign God whose word never fails, rather than competing deities whose plans can be frustrated. The biblical emphasis on accomplishment also reflects the covenant framework, where God's promises are guaranteed by his own character.