Lesson 14

ANTHROPOLOGY

A Study of Man, the Object of Salvation

Chapter 7 – Providence

ALS bilingual pdf file: Chapter 7, pages 1-9 [NPH: pages 163-169]

Introduction

In lesson 13 our study of anthropology began with the creation of the world. The Triune God created all things. Then, on the 6th and final day of his creating activity, God made humankind as the crown of creation. On the 7th day, God rested from his creating activity. However, this does not mean that God stopped being involved in the world which he created. In this lesson we begin a study of divine “providence”. Divine providence has to do with the fact that the Triune God remains directly involved in the world which he created: God preserves, protects and provides for the world which he created.

We may speak about divine providence in both a broader and a narrow sense. We will focus on the narrow aspect of providence. This focus will give us mysteries to ponder as we learn how God takes care of us and everyone else and everything which he created.

A. By his providence, the LORD God preserves all that he has created.

a. It was by God’s will [or desire] that all things came into existence.

i. The Bible tells us that God “spoke” the universe into existence by means of his “creative word”.

Psalm 33:6-9 (EHV) By the word of the LORD the heavens were made. By the breath of his mouth he made the whole army of stars. 7 He gathers the water of the sea into a heap. He puts the depths into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all the inhabitants of the world revere him. 9 For he said, “Let it be,” and it was! He gave a command, and there it stood.

ii. The Bible explains that God’s creative word is an expression of his will (or desire).

Revelation 4:11 (EHV) Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for you have created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.

b. It is by his will that the Triune God preserves all things.

i. God preserves all things through his presence within everything and everyone.

Job 38:4; 8-10 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, 9when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, 10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,

Psalm 90:1-2 (EHV) Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity you are God.

Psalm 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore. Acts 17:28a (EHV) 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

ii. God preserves all things through the natural laws he created in the beginning.

Genesis 1:29-30 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.”

Psalm 104:27-29 (EHV) 27 All of them wait hopefully for you to give them their food in its time. 28 You give it to them. They gather it up. You open your hand. They are satisfied with good things. 29 You hide your face. They are terrified. You take away their breath. They breathe their last and return to their dust.

Matthew 5:45b (EHV) For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

B. God provides for and protects his world by his concurrent working in us.

Psalm 127:1-2 (EHV) 1 If the LORD does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work hard over it. If the LORD does not watch over the city, it is useless for the watchman to stand guard. 2 It is useless for you to get up early and to work late, worrying about bread to eat, because God grants sleep to the one he loves.

Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 6:6-8 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 (EHV) 0 In fact, when we were with you, this was our command to you: If anyone does not want to work, he should not eat.

“Pray for potatoes with a hoe in your hand.”

C. God guards and guides everything by his governance of all things.

a. Everything in the universe is governed by his providence

i. The stars

Isaiah 40:25-26 25 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

ii. The seas

Psalm 104:6-9 (EHV) 6 You covered it with the deep as a garment. The waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they fled. At the sound of your thunder they hurried away. 8 The waters surged up the mountains. They went down into the valleys, to the place that you prepared for them. 9 You set a boundary that they cannot cross. They will not return to cover the earth.

iii. All that exists – large and small.

Colossians 1:17 (EHV) 17 He is before all things, and all things hold together in him.

b. Everything is governed by his providence for the good of his church

Genesis 50:20 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 8:28 (EHV) 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose….

Ephesians 1:22 (EHV) 22 God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church.

“All of creation in general, the church in particular, and a believer in specific are all under the providence of God. This is a great comfort.” (Lyle W. Lange, God So Loved the World, NPH, 2005, page 165; ALS bilingual version, chapter 7, page 3)

D. We are responsible for how we use the abilities God gives to us.

a. God is not at fault when people, using the powers God has given to them (the “material” portion of an action), do what is evil (the “formal” portion of a human action).

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Psalm 92:15 (EHV) 15 Yes, they can proclaim, “The LORD is upright. He is my Rock, and he does no wrong.”

Romans 3:3-4 (NIV) 3 Now what if some did not believe? Their unbelief[a] will not nullify God’s faithfulness, will it? 4 Absolutely not! God must be true, even though everyone is found to be a liar, just as it is written: So that you would be justified whenever you speak, and win the case when you judge.

“The scriptural way of speaking is that God goes along (concurs) with every action insofar as it is an act but not insofar as it is evil. Or, we might say that God goes along with the effect but not the defect of evil actions.” (Mark J. Lenz, God’s Providence ~ A Bible Study Course for Adults – NPH, 1997)

b. God is to be praised and thanked for the good things his believing people do through their God-given faith in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV) 8 Indeed, it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance so that we would walk in them.

Philippians 2:13 13 In fact, it is God who is working in you, both to will and to work, for the sake of his good pleasure.

Conclusion

This lesson has given us a brief glimpse into the topic of divine providence. These are the basics. Much more could be said. This mystery can be explored more fully. However, we must do as Job learned to do (put our hand over our mouth; repent of our sinful pride {40:4; 42:6}). We do not want to say too littler nor do we want to say too much about these things. Faith – i.e., trust in the goodness and love of our Triune God – as revealed on the pages of his Word, the Bible – faith must remain in us also when we fail to perceive the guiding, guarding, protecting and providing which God is working in all the events of our lives. We walk by faith, not by sight.

DISCUSSION TIME

STUDENTS’ QUESTIONS

INSTRUCTOR’S QUESTIONS

Homework

Review your notes from this lesson. Give correct answers to the following questions. You may also find correct answers to these questions in the book “God So Loved the World” as indicated on page 1 of this lesson. Be ready to discuss these questions and your answers at the beginning of the next session.

Your next exam will follow lesson 20 of this course.

  1. Identify the three parts of providence in the wide sense. a.

    b.

    c.

  2. Define providence in the narrow sense.

  3. Identify the three acts which comprise God’s execution of His decree of providence in time. a. Psalm 104:27,28; Matthew 6:26

b. Acts 17:28

c. Jeremiah 10:23

  1. What are the objects of God’s providence?

a. Psalm 147:4; Job 38:11; Mark 4:41; Job 38:28-30; Hebrews 1:3

b. Matthew 10:29; 16:18, 10:30.

  1. Demonstrate that creation depends on God’s sustaining it. Psalm 104:29,30.

  2. Why do we say that preservation is immediate?

  3. Demonstrate that God uses means to preserve His creation.

a. Genesis 1:29

b. Genesis 9:3

c. Matthew 5:45, Isaiah 55:10

  1. Demonstrate that God can sustain life without means. Deuteronomy 9:9, 18; Matthew 4:2-4.

  2. Why does God not want us to neglect his means of preservation? Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 6:26-34.

  3. What is divine concurrence? Matthew 10:29; Acts 17:28.

  4. Explain: though distinct from His creation, God is present throughout creation, Enabling His creatures to carry out the functions He gave them..

  5. With regard to the evil that people do, demonstrate:

a. that God can prevent it from happening. Genesis 20:6.

b. that God may permit it but will direct it so it works out for the believer’s good. Genesis 50:20.

  1. Demonstrate that God’s permission of evil is not:

a. a weakness in God, as though he could not prevent evil. Exodus 14:19, 20.

b. an apathy on God’s part toward evil. 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 6:23.

c. an abrogation of God’s will. Exodus 20.

  1. Demonstrate that by nature we have no free will in spiritual matters. 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 2:1; Romans 8:7.

  2. Demonstrate that we are responsible for the evil we do but that God gets all the credit for the good which we do. Psalm 5:4-6; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13.

  3. Explain: God supplies the capability of action, but we bear the blame for our evil actions.

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