#758 1689 Confession Divine Providence Part 3

God, as the righteous Judge, sometimes blinds and hardens wicked and ungodly people because of  their sins. He withholds His grace from them, by which they could have been enlightened in their understanding and had their hearts renewed. Not only that, but sometimes He also takes away the gifts they already had and exposes them to situations that their corrupt natures turn into opportunities for sin. Moreover, He gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, so that they harden themselves in response to the same influences that God uses to soften others. 

…24Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen. 26For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.… Romans 1: 24-26

…6And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. 7What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”… Romans 11: 6-8

3You saw with your own eyes the great trials, and those miraculous signs and wonders. 4Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear. 5During the forty years I led you in the wilderness, neither your clothes nor the sandals on your feet wore out.… Deuteronomy 29: 3-5

…11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’… Matthew 13: 11-13

29just as the descendants of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for us, until we cross the Jordan into the land the LORD our God is giving us.” 30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might give him into your hands, as is the case this day. 31Then the LORD said to me, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land.”… Deuteronomy 2: 29-31

…12“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.” 13“But what is your servant, a mere dog, that he should do this monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Aram.” 14So Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he replied, “He told me that you would surely recover.”… 2 Kings 8: 12-14

…11But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me. 12So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. 13If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,… Psalms 81: 11-13

10and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. 11For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12in order that judgment will come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.… 2 Thessalonians 2: 10-12

…14The people piled them into countless heaps, and there was a terrible stench in the land. 15When Pharaoh saw there was relief, however, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said. Exodus 8: 14-15

30Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, 31and the LORD did as Moses requested. He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not one fly remained. 32But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time as well, and he would not let the people go.… Exodus 8: 30-32

9And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. 11Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until cities lie in ruins without an inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied, and the land is desolate and ravaged,… Isaiah 6: 9-11

To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the message— and to this they were appointed. 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.… 1 Peter 2: 7-9

5:7 The providence of God in a general way includes all creatures, but in a special way it takes care of His church and arranges all things to its good. 

…9This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance. 10To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 11Command and teach these things.… 1 Timothy 4: 9-11

8Surely the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” declares the LORD. 9“For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, but not a pebble will reach the ground. 10All the sinners among My people will die by the sword—all those who say, ‘Disaster will never draw near or confront us.’”… Amos 9: 8-10

…3For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. 4Because you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you and nations in place of your life. 5Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west.… Isaiah 43: 3-5

God's providence reveals the hearts and intents of men, brings brokenness and grace to those it humbles. It causes us to seek a righteousness that is not our own. 

2So he returned and told his father and his mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.” 3But his father and mother replied, “Can you not find a young woman among your relatives or any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.” 4(Now his father and mother did not know this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines; for at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)… Judges 14: 2-4

It is a mistake that men hold in their mind, that they are of a power to persuade God, or that their good acts somehow outweigh the bad. Samson's sin did not thwart God's plan against the Philistines, and though God's judgement on that nation was carried out in part through Samson, Samson's disobedience led to much personal anguish. God says, I will have obedience rather than sacrifice, and so it is that no matter how hardened to God we are, in the end all will give glory to His sovereignty, those who obey and trust Christ as vessels of honor, and those who disobey and trust self as vessels of dishonor. One will bring glory to God's grace and the other to His justice. 

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#757 1689 Confession Divine Providence Part 2

5:4 The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God are so thoroughly demonstrated in His providence, that His sovereign plan includes even the first fall and every other sinful action both of angels and humans. God's providence over sinful actions does not occur by simple permission. Instead, God most wisely and powerfully limits and in other ways arranges and governs sinful actions. Through a complex arrangement of methods He governs sinful actions to accomplish His perfectly holy purposes. Yet He does this in such a way that the sinfulness of their acts arises only from the creatures and not from God. Because God is altogether holy and righteous, He can neither originate nor approve of sin. 

32For God has consigned all men to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all. 33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways! 34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”… Romans 11: 32-34

1Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go, take a census of Israel and Judah.” 2So the king said to Joab the commander of his army, who was with him, “Go now throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and register the troops, so that I may know their number.”… 2 Samuel 24: 1-2

1Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan and bring me a report, so that I may know their number.”… 1 Chronicles 21: 1-2

27But I know your sitting down, your going out and coming in, and your raging against Me. 28Because your rage and arrogance against Me have reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth; I will send you back the way you came.’ 29And this will be a sign to you, O Hezekiah: This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what springs from the same. But in the third year you will sow and reap; you will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.… 2 Kings 19: 27-29

9when God rose up to judge, to save all the lowly of the earth. Selah 10Even the wrath of man shall praise You; with the survivors of wrath You will clothe Yourself. 11Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God; let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him who is to be feared.… Psalm 76: 9-11

19But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this— to preserve the lives of many people. 21Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.… Genesis 50: 19-21

6I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets. 7But this is not what he intends; this is not what he plans. His purpose is to destroy and cut off many nations. 8“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.… Isaiah 10: 6-8

10As my hand seized the idolatrous kingdoms whose images surpassed those of Jerusalem and Samaria, 11and as I have done to Samaria and its idols, will I not also do to Jerusalem and her idols?” 12So when the Lord has completed all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of his arrogant heart and the proud look in his eyes.… Isaiah 10: 10-12

20You sit and malign your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. 21You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But I Myself will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. 22Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you:… Psalm 50: 20-22

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life— is not from the Father but from the world. 17The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.… 1 John 2: 15-17

5:5 The perfectly wise, righteous, and gracious God often allows His own children for a time to experience a variety of temptations and the sinfulness of their own hearts. He does this to chastise them for their former sins or to make them aware of the hidden strength of the corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts so that they may be humbled. He also does this to lead them to a closer and more constant dependence on Him to sustain them, to make them more cautious about all future circumstances that may lead to sin, and for other just and holy purposes. So whatever happens to any of His elect happens by His appointment, for His glory and for their good. 

25But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown to him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26Then Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart— he and the people of Jerusalem— so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah. 2 Chronicles 32: 25-26

30It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Spring of Gihon and channeled it down to the west side of the City of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. 31And so when ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in Hezekiah's heart. 2 Chronicles 32: 30-31

27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. 29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.… Romans 8: 27-29

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#756 1689 Confession Divine Providence

5:1 God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom, upholds, directs, arranges and governs all creatures and things, from the greatest to the least, by His perfectly wise and holy providence, to the purpose for which they were created. He governs according to His infallible foreknowledge and the free and unchangeable counsel of His own will. His providence leads to the praise and glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy. 

…2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.… Hebrews 1: 2-4

…10 when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors, 11 and I declared: ‘You may come this far, but no farther;here your proud waves must stop’? 12 In your days, have you commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,… Job 38: 10-12

…9 Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. 10 I distinguish the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come, saying: ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’ 11 I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, I will surely do it.… Isaiah 46: 9-11

…5 For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods. 6 The LORD does whatever pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. 7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings the wind from His storehouses.… Psalm 135: 5-7

…29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.… Matthew 10: 29-31

5:2 All things come to pass unchangeably and certainly in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, who is the first cause. Thus nothing happens to anyone by chance or outside of God's providence. Yet by the same providence God arranges all things to occur according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or in response to other causes.

…22 Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. 23 He was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. 24 But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.… Acts 2: 22-24

5:3 In His ordinary providence, God makes use of means, though He is free to work apart from them, beyond them and contrary to them at His pleasure. 

…30 Meanwhile, the sailors attempted to escape from the ship. Pretending to lower anchors from the bow, they let the lifeboat down into the sea. 31 But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.… Acts 27: 30-32

…42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim to freedom. 43 But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life , thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to follow on planks and various parts of the ship. In this way everyone was brought safely to land.… Acts 27: 42-44

…10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.12 You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.… Isaiah 55: 10-12

…6 Gomer again conceived and gave birth to a daughter, and the LORD said to Hosea, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I should ever forgive them. 7 Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will deliver them, not by bow or sword or war, not by horses and cavalry, but by the LORD their God.”  Hosea 1: 6-7

…19 Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.… Romans 4: 19-21

…26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the burning fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.28 Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.… Daniel 3: 26-28

God's providence provides means by which men may accomplish so many things, He calls in to being those tools of the mind and body that function and observe an ordered universe. We observe seasons, harvest, rain and so many natural functions that may be understood through science, yet God remains above all these things. The creation itself is a miracle, and being born again is in every way as much a miracle as being raised from the dead. People who look solely for miracles would have them be not miraculous, but common and therefore no longer miracles, and life chaotic and unpredictable. Or, some would have God become a genie that performed at their request.

In this way, we ignore the beauty of God's providence, His provision of normal means. For example:

• I grew up poor, or so I thought, and that is the way it was described to me by some, and the way I saw it when comparing myself to others. When I look back now, I see we had all we physically needed and there has never been a time in my life that I did not have more than what I actually needed. I thought I had nothing to give because I had less financially then other people.
• Lord, I want to give, but I am too poor. I had legs that could push a mower, and God provided us with a mower. I had hands that could pull weeds, hoe the earth, and we had a wonderful garden. My mom shared from our garden and though manna didn't fall from the sky, we caught fish and had a roof over our heads. 
• I could help paint someone's house, but that went against my laziness, and besides, I was poor so I thought I should only receive. I did not like to receive though because it went against my pride. I saw other kids my age that just played and got the things they wanted, so I wasted time envying what God had not given me, rather than thanking Him and using what I had. 
• I wished I knew the Bible better, I even prayed that, but here it was, God, in His providence provided these natural means, my eyes and my brain so that I could read. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. He said His word would not return void, and there it was gathering dust on my mantle. If I really wanted to know His word better, then I would pick it up, pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me, and start reading. 
• There are means in the Christian walk, things that take us from milk to meat, but so much of that I rejected. If only there were good pastors, but I wasn't seeking one. I would choose comfort over conviction. Being part of the body of Christ, but I prefer to study alone, and people are annoying. Being humble, but that's not my thing. Reading the word, rightly dividing the Scriptures, but that takes time away from my hobbies and tv. Prayer, but I don't know how to pray, and where could I find out about that? 

Sadly, we refuse the means God has given us, we see our bodies as temples to ourselves and not the Holy Spirit. We praise autonomy, referring to our bodies as our own, as if we created them. The indescribable Creator of the universe reaches out to us, tells us about our condition, our fallen state, His ownership of the world, and of His Holy nature, but somehow we think we know better than that. Our ideals of how things should work become our idols. What God should do but doesn't, in our reasoning, makes Him not God. It is truly a miracle that anyone comes to God, and that God chose me is a mystery I cannot comprehend, but I am forever grateful.

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