Biblical Doctrines Pt. 3 Revelation: God Is Revealed Through Providence

In our last post we touched upon a few highlights of how God is clearly revealed in creation. 

[For those who desire more resources showing how creation reveals God, I suggest the "Answers in Genesis" website. Also, "The Flood" written by A. Rehwinkle, "The Genesis Flood" by Dr. Henry Morris, and  "Darwin's Black Box" & "Darwin Evolves" both written by Michael Behe. 

In addition, Gerald Scanlon has written books that delve into physics, and the four fundamental forces that govern our universe, that can be found at Christian Books.com or at Amazon.] 

In this post we will look at how He is revealed in "providence" and we need to define what the word means.

In theology, "providence" is the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures. 

Those who acknowledge creation but deny God's providence, face a contradiction. The same power which created life is necessary to continue or sustain its existence. 

A belief in God's divine providence, is a source of great consolation to good men, women and young people. 

Providence reveals God's care for Abraham's offspring. 

Genesis 12:1-3  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2)  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3)  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

This is the first time we read about the Abrahamic covenant Jehovah made with the patriarch. He promised to make a great nation from the offspring of Abraham, to bless him and to use Abraham's offspring to bless all other nations. 

Jehovah promised to protect and bless those who blessed Abraham, and that He would be against his enemies. All families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham.

If you keep this covenant in mind as you read through the Bible, you will see God's providential hand at work, protecting and blessing Abraham's seed and doing just what He said He would do. 

God had to cleanse the earth from sin's defilement with a flood but He providentially preserved Noah and his family (Genesis 6-9). 

God providentially cared for Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 16:6-16; 21:8-21). When wicked queen Athaliah sought to destroy the seed of the woman (Messiah's line) 

God providentially protected one male child to continue the line of Messiah (See 2 Kings 11). 

The thread of God's providential care is woven throughout all of the Bible. You will certainly see it if you pause to reflect upon your own life and how you came to saving faith in Christ. 

Providence revealed God's ability to overrule evil with good. 

Genesis 50:18-21  And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. 19)  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20)  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21)  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 

We all recall the story of how Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery and reported to Jacob that he was killed. The text above is after Joseph revealed himself to his family, and after Jacob died in Egypt. His brothers were smitten with guilt and were ready to beg for their lives.

Notice the providence of God clearly referred to by Joseph. His brothers thought to do evil to Joseph, but God meant it for good, to save much people from the famine. This is His providential care. 

Providence reveals God's care for each believer in Christ. 

Psalm 37:23-25  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24)  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. 25)  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 

A good man is one who is rightly related to God through repentant faith in Christ. 

Jehovah will order and guide the steps of a good man or woman. We may stumble and fall at times, but we will not stay in a fallen state. Why? Because Jehovah will uphold us with His mighty hand. 

Then, the Psalmist put forth a practical example of God's providential care. He was older and in reviewing his life, he never saw the righteous forsaken nor did he ever see the child of God begging for bread. 

In other words, God's providential care sustains the believer (See also Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 29:11). 

Providence reveals God's blessing when we are faithful.

Malachi 3:8-10  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9)  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10)  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

Israel thought they could get away with holding back their tithes and offerings to Jehovah. Or, they would often bring blemished animals and moldy bread for their tithe, instead of giving God their best.

Jehovah challenged their sin and told them to test Him. He promised a blessing upon believers who tithed. Therefore, He said they should bring in their tithes and He promised to open heaven's windows to pour out overflowing blessings on them.

Ask a believer who tithes and they will tell you the Lord does amply supply for their needs, even though they gave Him the first ten percent of their income. 

Providence reveals Christ's care for us.

Matthew 6:25-33  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26)  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27)  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28)  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29)  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30)  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31)  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Jesus taught us not to fret or worry about what we will eat, drink or what clothing we shall wear. Why? Because our Father in heaven already knows our needs and He will provide for us.

God feeds the birds and he clothes the flowers. He provides rain and sunshine as needed to both good people and evil ones (See Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17). 

Just as Malachi urged the people to bring in their tithes so that they could receive the blessings of God, so Christ exhorts us to seek the kingdom of God first, so that we might enjoy His providential care for us. 

Jesus reminded His disciples that the very hairs on their heads were numbered by the Father. Therefore, He will never lose sight of us and will always work providentially in our lives, for our good and His glory.

Providence reveals God working in the details of our lives. 

Romans 8:27,28  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

This is the grand chapter of Romans where Paul really unfolds the Spirit of God for us to understand. He indwells us and because of that fact, there is no condemnation resting upon any believer in Christ. 

We can live and be a spiritually minded people, enjoying the love of God for us, and basking in His peace and joy through Christ. 

The Spirit of God helps us when we pray because we are feeble and need a lot of help. Notice how Paul speaks of the providence of God.

Glorious assurance from God that was a household word, a common, well known thing, among believers. This working out of all things for good is done naturally for “them that love God.” 

We are persuaded that He who gave His own Son for us intends good for us in all that comes our way. 

God's providence is shown in how He takes all the individual threads of our life and works things out for our good and for His pleasure. 

Paul said that all things work together for good for those who love God. All things? Yes!

Even hard things like growing up in a difficult home environment, or seeing your parents split up, or walking away from God because of all the pain and feeling like you do not belong anywhere. 

God can and does work it all out for our good, according to His perfect providential care and purposes. I know this is so, for He did this for my sisters and me. 

May we rejoice that God will providentially care for His children and that He will continue to work all things out for our good, even things that happen that are not so good. He will overrule and turn it around for our good.

Bob