October 13th: The Providence of God

Speaker: Chris Laws

God’s activity as the ‘First Cause’ was described by the puritans as the mystery of providence. A glimpse from Scripture into the wonder of His care over all.

(BCF 5: God's oversight and benevolent care)

INTRODUCTION
Believers know that God cares for His people: Rom 8.28 “All things work together for good...”
What about unbelievers? Are world events just playing out randomly? Chance? Fate?
Some Christians think God created the world/ withdrew/ observes it. Like a machine set in motion.
Just intervenes now and then. Eg Covid-19.
Scripture: God is involved in the world and history, far more than that.

GOD RULES
Scripture teaches God is ruling over everything.
      •Psalm 103.19 “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.” Not chance.
      •Eph 1.11 God “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” Note “all things”.
      •Heb 1.3 “…upholding all things by the word of his power.”
Calvin: The entire command and government of the universe.

He rules over all human lives; when and where we are born, the abilities given to us, etc.
      •Acts 17.26 God “hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation.”
      •Matt 10.29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are numbered.”
      Not just foreseen but determined and appointed.
He rules over ‘chance’ events:
      •Prov 16.33 “The lot is cast…but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”
He rules nations:
      •1 Tim 6.15 “King of kings, and Lord of lords.”
      Kings, presidents are ultimately under His rule, though they are unaware of it.
He rules the universe, everything:
•Rev 4.1 “Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”
Things which “must” happen. A peep into the 'control room' of Creation.
God is working His massive purposes out in intricate detail. It doesn't seem like that to the human observer.

EXAMPLES
1. Haman got king Ahasuerus to agree to execute all the Jews and hang Mordecai on gallows. The orders went out.
      Esther 6.1 “On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of the records…and they were read before the king.” Account of Mordecai who had discovered a plot against the king's life, and saved him.
      So Mordecai rewarded, and the Jews saved from massacre.

2. Ruth. “Her hap was [she happened] to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz.”

3. Pastor spoke at Thanksgiving on Borehamwood. The whole new town had been designed, all space built on.
      Nowhere to erect a church building. But years before planners had made a mistake, and there was a plot.

GOD IS THE FIRST CAUSE 
BCF 5 para 2: “God, who is the First Cause…orders events according to the nature of second causes.”
Examples:

1. Who sent Joseph to Egypt? His brothers? God?
      •Gen 50.20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it…unto good…to save much people.”
      Who was ultimately behind it? Gen 45.8 “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.”
God was the First Cause. The brothers were the second cause.
      Were they responsible, guilty? Yes.

2. Who sent Christ to His death?
      •Acts 2.23 “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by          wicked hands have crucified and slain.”  God determined it, the people did it. They were guilty.
      •Acts 4.27-8 “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.” God determined it, the rulers and people did it.
First Cause, second cause. Notice how evil men unwittingly do God's will.

Pilate thought he ruled. Did he?
      •John 19.11 “Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”
So with all rulers. They achieve their wicked aims, and God carries out His aims through them.
      •Dan 4.17 “The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
      •Dan 2.21 “He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” Eg Nebuchadnezzar.
So with wicked nations; they end up doing God's will:
      •Hab 1.6, 12: “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall eat them up”…“Thou hast ordained them for correction.”
      •Isa 10.7 “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger…Howbeit he meaneth not so…but it is in his heart to destroy.”
Sometimes rulers become supportive of God's people.
      •Ezra 6.22 “The Lord…turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God.”
How remarkable are God's ways.
      •Rom 11.34 “Who hath known the mind of the Lord?” Calvin: the secret counsel of God.

ISN'T GOD THE AUTHOR OF SIN THEN?
Wisdom so profound that He directs all without violating free will and actions or being party to evil.

Eg. Pharaoh: Exod 4.21 “But I will harden his heart” (5 times). Isn't God the author of evil?
     Read on: Pharaoh “hardened his heart”. (3 times)
      Pharaoh was exposed to God's demands. God knew what Pharaoh would do. He refused, and was to blame.
      •Exod 9.16  Moses to Pharaoh: “For this cause I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”
      Pharaoh predictably opposed God, but ended up making God's grace known worldwide.

BCF 5 para 6: God “exposes them to certain…situations which their corrupt state will make the occasion of sin.”
Men do what they want. God allows it – permissive will. But doesn't condone.
      •Acts 14.6 “He suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.”
God is working His purposes out, weaving the free actions of men. They do what they want, God what He intends.
      Eg: Atheistic scientists spend their lives exploring evolution, and ultimately demonstrating for us it is impossible.

GOD SUSTAINS HIS CREATION
      •Col 1.17 “By him all things consist [are maintained]” – hold together. “Let there be light” is still in force today.
      •Heb 1.3 “Upholding all things by the word of his power.”
Calvin: “all things would instantly come to nothing, were they not sustained by his power.”
Our lives also. Acts 17.28 “In him we live and move and have our being.”
We are not self-existent – only God. But for His sustaining power, we would not be alive.
      The most antagonistic atheist is held in being by His power.
Calvin: “a great deep”. Mystery: Puritan John Flavel’s The Mystery of Providence.

GOD RESTRAINS EVIL
God is constantly restraining sin. That is why there is peace so often.
      •Ps 76.10 “The remainder of [man's] wrath shalt thou restrain.”
      •Ps 65.7 Who “stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of the waves, and the tumult of the people.”
He gives us governments and the desire for law and order in our hearts.

SUMMARY
Psalm 24.1 “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.”
Fullness = furnishings.

GOD ESPECIALLY CARES FOR HIS PEOPLE (Rom 8.28)
Reasons for heartache, tragedy:
1 – Training, more trust.
2 – Preparation for life's work.
3 – More feeling. We have to learn to grieve.
4 – Testimony under trial to be seen.
5 – Less trust of self.
6 – Removal of an idol.
7 – Enlarge heart towards God, away from world.
8 – Prove the Lord in prayer.
9 – Toughen us up for persecution.

Job's suffering a great blessing to millions.
      Be assured “God hath put all things under his feet.”