Question 15: What are God’s Works of
God’s works of providence are the holy, wise, and
powerful acts which He preserves and governs all His creatures, and all their
actions.
DAY 1: Nehemiah 9:6
The context of today’s passage really begins back in chapter 8. The people gather together to hear the law of God. There is a preacher, Ezra, and he is given a pulpit to stand upon and to preach from. It was made especially for this purpose. As he towered above the people, he opened the Book of the Law and began to bless the Lord. When he did this, the congregation of people said, “Amen, Amen” and bowed their faces to the ground and began to worship the Lord. Then there was the expounding of what the Law said and the people began to weep. They were told not to weep anymore, because this was a day that was to be holy unto the Lord. The interesting thing is what happened the next day. The heads of the tribes and families came together to be further instructed about some things in the Law that had been read the previous day. This sounds very similar to what we are engaged in within our own fellowship. Though these men were instructors, they had to be taught as well.
What was the result? The result was that they clearly understood what God was saying and how He wanted them to respond to what He had said. In verses 14-18 we find that they found out EXACTLY what they were to do and responded positively to it. As we come to chapter 9, verse 1 tells us that it had been about 2 ½ weeks since chapter eight. They had just finished the feast of tabernacles just a couple of days before and now we find them in sackcloth and ashes. Though the festivals were a time of celebration and rejoicing, they had completed those days and were now back to mourning over their sins and confessing them (vs.2). As a result of all of this, they renewed and regained a right understanding of God. We can see a clear parallel today in the modern church. The less serious we take the expounding of the Word of God, the less serious we take God. The more we understand of God’s Word, the more clearly we will think about God and what He has said.
In verse six, the Levites continue in their exaltation of God and they state that He is LORD alone. We have seen that when you see the word LORD, it is a reference to the proper name of God, Jehovah. They declare that He alone is the self existing One. Then they make reference to the fact that all things exist because of the existing One. He has made heaven. The word made, asah, means, “to fashion or dress, to do or accomplish”. The term carries the idea of design and thus God did not just throw something together, especially the place where He dwells. This is not the atmosphere, nor space, but the third heaven of which the apostle Paul spoke. He also speaks of those who dwell in heaven that were made as well. The term host, tsaba, in the Hebrew, means “an organized army, those of service or of war”. This is a reference to angels. But He is not limited to the spiritual. He is also actively involved in the creation of the physical. He made the earth and the seas and all that is in them.
But the creation was last week. This week we are looking at God’s works of providence. Verse six continues on by stating that God preserves (chayah) them. The term preserve means “to preserve, to sustain life, to revive from sickness, discouragement, faintness, & death”. God is able to preserve all of His creation as He sees fit. There is nothing that can happen to us apart from His divine decree. The book of Job tells us that Satan must have permission to attack us. Job said we must be willing to accept both good and evil from the hand of the Lord. God alone, not us, possess the power of life and death. He has the power of healing and the power to sustain. Therefore, the host of heaven worships Him. Again, because of the right method, the preaching of the word, and the right action, the celebration as God directed, God revealed Himself in right thinking about Himself. When God is said to be on His throne, it is not just a cliché it is a reality. We see then that God has provided for the creation that He has made. He is not far from us but is actively involved in our midst and accomplishing His purposes accordingly.
DAY 2: Colossians 1:17
Once again we find ourselves in the first chapter of Colossians. Remember that Paul is refuting the heresy that has sprang up here. His contention is that Jesus Christ is God and in the middle of chapter one he is referring to Him as the Creator. In verse 15 He says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God and that He is the firstborn of creation. We recall that firstborn does not have to do with actual birth or the sequence of birth, but rather refers to title and the declaration of Christ’s preeminence. In verse 16 he tells us that Jesus created all things, even the things that are invisible. He is the One through whom the creation was made.
Here in verse 17, Paul says that He is before all things. The word before, pro, means “before”. However, it is also translated as above in a couple of other places in the New Testament. Both translations are valid here, but I think in the context that above seems to apply better since Paul goes into Christ’s place as the head of the body, and the firstborn from the dead. He is speaking of His preeminence. Though preeminence may speak of Him being before, and we use that term not understanding it in reference to time, but placement, it seems that to describe Him as above all things gives a clearer picture in the reading of the text. Christ is above all things. He is in charge of all things, whether visible or invisible. It is also just as true that He is before all things, both in time and placement. He was before John the Baptist, before the prophets, before Abraham or Moses, and He was before the angels. The book of Hebrews expounds upon His greatness or how much better He is than all those mentioned in the Old Testament, including the angels.
Paul also goes on to say that by Him all things consist. The word consist, sunistemi, means “to be established with, to place together, to be banded together”. Again, we have seen how Christ holds all things together by the word of His power. Not only did He create all things by the word of His power, but He sustains them with no more power exerted than that which it took to form them! We made a slight reference that scientists say that the universe should have gone out of existence just as soon as it came into existence. However, Christ had a purpose in holding it together and it is in that providence of holding it all together that He accomplishes His purposes.
DAY 3: Psalm 103:19
The context is that of an exaltation of the Lord. The Psalmist writes that God is one who bestows benefits (vs. 2), forgives iniquities and heals diseases (vs. 3), redeems life from destruction and crowns us with loving kindness and tender mercies (vs. 4), satisfies our mouth with good things to renew us (vs. 5), executes righteousness and judgment for the oppressed (vs. 6), shows us His ways (vs. 7), is merciful and gracious (vs. 8). In verse 9, He will not be one who strives with us forever and holds back his anger. Verse 10 reminds us that He has not dealt with us according to our sins. Verses 11-18 speak of the mercy of God towards those who fear Him. These things teach us of the greatness of God. He is both a just Judge and a merciful Lord.
Verse 19 says that God has established His throne. This is a good translation. The Authorized version renders the text as, “The LORD has prepared His throne”. God has founded a kingdom and it is firmly established. It is not prepared so to speak. Rather it has always been and will forevermore continue. There is none that will be able to remove God’s kingdom, nor remove Him from His throne, for it is eternal and one day will be upon the earth (cf. Dan. 2:44; 4:34). His throne is the place of rule. It is established in the heavens. It is there in heaven that Jehovah is seated in power and glory with those around Him doing His bidding. It is also there that Christ is seated in the same throne as His Father interceding for us.
David continues in verse 19 to tell us that God’s rule and His kingdom does not stop at the outskirts of heaven. His kingdom rules over all. This tells us that no one is able to do anything outside the providence of God. There is nothing that man, angel, or any other created thing can do that is outside the governing power of God. God is a holy King and not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from His decree. We see that all creatures are called upon to bless the Lord in verse 22. They are in the place of His dominion, or rule. God governs not only the laws of nature and the material world of the universe, but is actively involved in the governing of man. He is one who provides the sun and rain, as we saw the other week. He determines when life will be and when it will end. He can provide healing when and if He chooses to do so and He allows death to take its course.
Though we do not understand the ways of God and why He does some of the things He does, we do understand His greatness and His authority. Because we do, we should heed the words of David and bless the name of the Lord. He is worthy of praise from our lips and so much more. May we recognize God’s providence in our lives and be grateful unto Him for His care.
DAY4: Matthew 10:29-30
This week we have seen how God’s providence works both in general and in detail in the affairs of the visible and invisible world. Today, the gospel writer directs our attention to the words of our mouth. The context is Jesus sending out the twelve. He prepares them for what they are about to experience. He tells them they will meet with some who will receive them, but His emphasis tends to be on those who will not receive them. This is why they will find themselves scourged in the synagogues (17), and brought before kings and governors (18). In all of these things, whether they are received or rejected, they should keep in mind that Jesus has told them that these things will happen. He knows what is about to take place and tells them these things not just to be predicting the future, but because He wants to build up their faith in His words.
Now the verses we are looking at speak to the issue of what do they do when they are before the kings and governors. Jesus has already told them to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves, because they are sheep in the midst of wolves (16). Here, He specifically gives them wisdom. He says that they should not worry, or be anxious, about what they are to say. The word for worry, merimnao, carries the idea of concern to promote ones self interest. Jesus is telling them not to try to find a way out and preserve themselves. He is telling them to trust that God will fill their mouths with His message for those around them.
It
is very interesting that He would use the word merimnao speaking of their self
interest because immediately following His command to trust that the Spirit of
the Father will give them words to speak, He speaks of betrayal (21), and
hatred of them by the world (22). He
continues on with exhortation about Himself.
He tells them of how He was said to be of the devil (25), and how they
would have to follow in the footsteps of their master. He warns them to fear God, not men (28) and
gives them an illustration of God’s providence in the events of a sparrows
death (29). He comforts them with the
following verses in 30-33 that they are of more value than sparrows. He even goes on to warn them not to be taken
in that He came to bring peace to the world.
Individually, He came to bring peace with God. However, He came to divide those, even of the
household. Why? Because to follow Him we must be willing to
part with others. In speaking of these things many today
would find no comfort in these words because they do not believe in the total
sovereignty of God. Therefore, they
would become anxious about their situation and not trust God. However, we are not to think as such. Our God is reigning. He is in control. He has told us these things would
happen. When they happen, we are often
surprised, but we shouldn’t be, for He has said these things would come. He not only prophecies these things, but
watches over history to see that these things come to pass just as He has
ordained them (cf. Acts
Comment: It would be helpful to discuss this with your
child in relation to the common concept of “luck”. Is there such a thing as luck in a world
ruled by the providence of God? “The lot
is cast into the Lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord” (