Destiny

DESTINY (מְנִ֥י) a pagan god, along with Fortune in Isaiah 65:11, ASV. One may guess that there is some similarity with the Stoic theory of fate, but the fact that the founder of Stoicism, Zeno, was a Semite is insufficient ground for asserting any historical connection.

Pagan ideas of fate or destiny vary. In Gr. mythology and in some popular forms of Mohammedanism the hour of death is determined, and perhaps the place also, but the ordinary course of life is left to chance. Stoicism, more consistently, insisted that every event was determined. Sometimes fate is supposed to be a blind, purposeless force, rather than providence, foresight, and wise planning. Again, the Stoics, particularly in later times, asserted the wisdom and foresight of God.

Though the word “destiny” does not occur in the KJV and the Gr. word does not occur in the NT, the idea, divested of pagan implications, is frequent in the Bible. God sees the end from the beginning. He has appointed a destiny for the Christian, for the unbeliever, for Israel, and for other nations. But instead of the word “destiny,” the Bible speaks of providence, predestination, and last things or eschatology (q.v.).

As the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.”

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

des’-ti-ni: A god of Good Luck, possibly the Pleiades.

See Astrology, 10; MENI.