STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF JONAH- part 5

                                   8/10/03

 

PROVIDENCE OF GOD –continued:

 

IV. Since Christ is the mediator of relations between man and God and

   He is the Revealer of God, then Christ controls and guides all work

   of providence.  John 5:17 and I Cor. 8:6

 

V. Scripture gives proof of the general providential rule and control

   Of God

  1. Over the universe at large- Psa. 103:19

  2. Over the physical world- Mt. 5:45, 6:30

  3. Over brute creation- Mt. 6:26, 10:29

  4. Over the affairs of nations- Job 12:23, Psa. 66:7

  5. Over mans birth & lot in life- Psa. 139:16, Gal. 1:15-16

  6. Over the outward success/failure of men’s lives- Psa. 75:6-7

  7. Over things seemingly accidental or insignificant- Prov.16:33

     and Matt.10:30

  8. Over the protection of the righteous- Psa. 4:8, 63:8, 121:3

  9. In the supply of the needs of God’s people- Deut.8:3, Phil.4:19

 10. In the arrangement of answers to prayers- Matt.6:8

 11. In the exposure & punishment of the wicked- Ps.11:6

 

VI. Four kinds of providential action is ascribed to God with respect

   to the evil acts of men:

  

PREVENTATIVE

  God can prevent sin which otherwise would be committed.

  Gen.20:6-with Abimelech & Sarai

  Psa. 19:13- Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins..

 

PERMISSIVE

   God allows some sin to fully manifest itself by withholding

    impediments that would have prevented the sin.

   II Chron.32:31-God left him, to try him..

   Psa.81:12- So I gave them up to their own..lusts

    Isaiah 53:10 yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him..

 

 

 

 

 

 

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DIRECTIVE

    God directs the acts of men to ends that are unforeseen

    and unintended by the agents themselves.

    Gen.50:20 you thought evil against me, but God meant it unto

      good      Rev.17:17 God hath put in their hearts….

    Psa. 76:10 the wrath of man shall praise thee…

 

DETERMINATIVE

    God determines the bounds reached by evil and the measure

    of its effects.

    Job 1:12, 2:6

    II Thess 2:7 only He who now lets [allows]…

 

  Such providence by God should NOT be construed to be fatalistic.

Fatalism maintains the certainty, but denies the freedom, of human

self-determination.  Such would contract consciousness that says we

are free.

 

VII.  Consider the ends to which God’s providence is directed:

 

1) He governs the world with a view to the happiness of the creature.

   See Acts 14:17 and such goodness has a purpose- Romans 2:4

   God’s essential nature is beneficence and providence must work in

   that direction.

2)  He governs the world with a view to mental & moral development

   of mankind.- the Levitical system was instructive, not salvific; it

   provided a system to worship while awaiting the Messiah’s coming.

   Humanitarian developments trace themselves back to His govern-

   ment of the world.