The Provision God Makes for His Creation (Jn. 5:2-9, 15-17)

Wayne Galloway
11/12/15 - N/A

Series: Additional Studies

Introduction:

1.  If you had been sick for 38 years, unable to move, unable to walk, dependent on others to move you from place to place and you had just been healed so that not only were you able to walk, but you were able to carry your own pallet—perhaps this statement, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working,” would be easier for you to believe. 2.  But since nothing like this has happened to you, you may be asking, “Is God really concerned about me?  Is He active in My life?  Perhaps He has wound up the world and gone off and left it.  Perhaps He is not there at all. 3.  In our study this morning from Dan. 4 we learned that God was in control during the days of king Nebuchadnezzar, we see Jesus saying that He was working in the first century, but is He operating today? 4.  The question of God’s activity in the world is known as His providence.  Providence concerns God’s support, care and supervision of all the creation from the first creation to eternity.

Discussion:

I.  Providence defined.

A.  The word “providence” is from the Latin providentia.  The verb form means, “to see ahead.”  It carries the idea of seeing ahead so as to make plans and preparations for what is coming.  If you have a bill that is coming due you must look ahead and make provision for payment.  You must act so as to provide the required payment.

B.  The Greek term pronoeo, means “to perceive in advance” so as to make provision for.

C.  The English word “providence” only occurs in Acts 24:2 in Tertullus’ address to Felix.  He said, “By your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation...”  The English term never occurs in regard to God’s provision and care.  This is surprising in light of the fact that the concept permeates all of Scripture.

D.  “Providence,” as we are using it, refers to God’s care and help, His provision for His creation.

1.  ZPEB defines providence as “God’s activity through His unlimited power and knowledge to fulfill His purpose for the whole creation, including man.”

2.  Jack Cottrell (God the Ruler), gives a more complete definition.  “God’s providence is His continuous activity of preserving and governing the whole creation by His wisdom and goodness and power, for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose and for the glory of His name.”  This definition distinguishes four elements.

a.  Kind of activity—preserving and governing.

b.  Scope—universal.

c.  Means—infinite wisdom, goodness and power.

d.  Purpose—fulfillment of His plan to glorify Himself.

II.  God works in preserving the universe in existence and in directing its natural processes according to natural laws.  This is known as General Providence.

A.  All the things that are created must have God’s continual input of power in order for them to continue to exist.

1.  Col. 1:17:  “In Him all things hold together.”

2.  Heb. 1:3:  “He upholds all things by the word of His power.”

3.  God preserves in existence all He has created (Psa. 148:1-6).

4.  We owe our very existence at this moment to God (Acts 17:28).

5.  “O Lord, You preserve man and beast” (Psa. 36:6).

6.  We are dependent upon a faithful God.

B.  God controls all the natural processes in the universe.

1.  While science may analyze what happens, God is the force behind its happening.  To describe a natural occurrence does not explain the power behind it.  A botanist may explain the various combinations of seed, light, water and minerals that produce a corn plant he cannot explain the mystery of the life in the seed.  He can explain what happens, but not why it happens (Psa. 104:14-15).

2.  Note Job 38-39.

3.  God is concerned with the life of sparrows (Matt. 10:29) and feeds them (Matt. 6:26).

4.  He controls evaporation (Psa. 135:6-7; Job 36:27-28).  The clouds (Job 37:11-12).

5.  He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt. 5:45).

C.  Observations.

1.  God operates through natural laws that He has designed to accomplish His will for His creation.  Because we can observe these laws in operation does not mean that God is inoperative or does not exist.  Quite to the contrary, they are evidence of His operating.  Cf. Rom. 1:20; Psa. 19:1-6.

2.  God’s rulership in these matters does not mean that other forces are never involved.

a.  Satan was involved in Job’s temptation (1:12; chaps. 1 and 2).  But God was in ultimate control.

b.  Human free will is also operative.  Cf. Gen. 2:17-19.

3.  God’s rulership over nature might be compared to a gardener who plants, waters, weeds, etc., but basically let’s nature take its course.  Yet he guides that course to accomplish his purposes.  God has given basic laws of nature, but guides them, cares for them, and tends to them and He is the cause of those natural processes.

4.  Luck and pure chance is ruled out.  God is in control!

5.  Brings new meaning to songs like “This Is My Father’s World” (p. 127).

III.  God also acts directly in the world.  Sometimes He acts to set aside natural laws altogether.  When He does this a miracle occurs.  Generally however, God intervenes by acting upon natural laws and influencing human decisions so as to causes results that would not have occurred without the intervention, but which are still within the possibilities of natural law and which do not violate free will.  Such actions are called Special Providence.

A.  What I would like to do under this heading is to look at one grand example of God’s special providence—the plan of redemption.  Illustrate how God accomplished His will with particular instances of His accomplishment of His plan with two lesser examples, the preservation of Israel by Joseph and the conversion of the Ethiopian by Philip.

B.  Acts 2:23 says that Jesus was delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. Acts 4:28 indicates that His death happened as a result of what God’s hand and purpose predestined to occur.

1.  These passages indicate that the death of Jesus was part of a plan that God brought about.

2.  We can go back in Scripture and see this plan gradually unfolding.

a.  It was prophesied that from Abraham’s seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3).

b.  Gal. 3:16ff indicates that Christ was that seed.

c.  Thus, the preservation of the nation of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, was accomplished in order that God might produce the Christ.

C.  Gen. 37-50 tells the story of Joseph.

1.  Sold by his brothers into slavery.

2.  In Egypt he prospered and ultimately preserved the nation of Israel, the descendants of Abraham.

3.  Not his assessment of God’s involvement in his experiences (Gen. 45:5, 7-11).  He did not understand it before.

4.  The descendants of Abraham were provided for by God.

5.  God used Joseph’s brothers.

6.  He used Ishmaelite tradesmen.

7.  He used Pharaoh.

8.  He used the land of Egypt.

9.  Observations.

a.  Did not overrule anyone’s free will decision.

b.  Used natural law.  Agricultural and weather conditions of Egypt and Canaan.  Even used natural psychological law.  Brother’s jealousy and hatred.

c.  He used miracles to reveal dreams.

d.  God acted to direct the affairs of His creation to accomplish His objectives sometimes outside the direct awareness of those He was using.

e.  God did all this because He was concerned about the spiritual condition of an Ethiopian who lived thousands of years after Joseph.  In Abraham’s seed all nations shall be blessed.  God made provision for this Ethiopian to be saved.

D.  Acts 8:25ff describes the experiences of this Ethiopian.

1.  Read the text.

a.  God provided Philip by miraculous intervention (v. 26).  Philip had approximately a two day journey to arrive at the place where the Ethiopian was.

b.  Natural occurrence for the Ethiopian to have been to worship.  But not everyone had.  Not everyone was journeying from Jerusalem.  Not everyone was reading from Isa. 53.

c.  Natural occurrence for an Ethiopian to be taught Christ by Philip and Isa. 53.

d.  No indication that Ethiopian knew of angel speaking to Philip.

2.  God preserved the nation of Israel in order to save this Ethiopian.

3.  Jesus came through Abraham.

4.  Philip preached Jesus to this Ethiopian.

5.  Jesus died for this Ethiopian.

6.  The Ethiopian’s rejoicing came about as a result of what Joseph did.  Without God providing for the nation through Joseph, Jesus would not have been produced.  If God had not provided Jesus, the Ethiopian could not have been saved.

E.  God has provided for me, and you.

1.  God acted providentially through Joseph to provide for me, and you.

2.  God preserved the nation of Israel in order to save me, and you.

3.  God provided the word written in my language so that I can read and understand.

4.  God provided a messenger to communicate Jesus Christ to me.

5.  God has brought us together today by His divine providence.

6.  God provided Jesus for you.

Conclusion:

1.  God is acting right now in your behalf. 2.  God is providing you rain, fruitful seasons, air to breathe. 3.  God is providing for you that you might be saved. 4.  God is, and God is active.