Jesus said the unbelievers failed to give him food, drink, nurse him in His sickness, or visit Him in prison. Which is why they completely missed the Messiah when they stood right beside Him. B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). He uses believers and unbelievers. 14:16, God, who is all powerful and infinitely sovereign, tells Moses, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. Why didnt God just part the Red Sea? even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. The fact that we cant conceive of free choice coexisting with Gods predestination simply reminds us once again that he is God and we are not. As we saw in the first four verses of this book, Habakkuk was confused. What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). They will be held guilty. He uses believers and unbelievers. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! ", Writing & Teaching Inductive Bible Studies. Covenant judgment was about to be poured out upon Israel. The ungodly show the futility of their rebellion, the awful penalty of sin, and the just wrath of God. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. There is no better example of Gods providence at work through the actions of a sinful man. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? And Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind., Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, We are not blind too, are we?. It can be fairly said that the common people by and large respected Jesus and responded positively to his message. Moses was an instrument, a tool, a vessel for Gods use, and so are we all. They do whatever they want. His son Jehoahaz became king. God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. A lesson worth considering, but not the main lesson I want to focus on, is that God often put us into situations where only He can deliver us. If youd like an interesting Bible study, take a look at the trials of Jesus. It only made sense on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. It is only as we look back that we see clearly that God was there all along, working behind the scenes for our good and his glory. Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. I believe that t he Lord is here suggesting that the eternal torment that unbelievers will experience will be on a scale from more tolerable to less tolerable. We see this all the way through the Bible. Romans 8:28 says, For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. All things includes both good and bad things. Finally, they suborned perjury by putting forward false witnesses who produced contradictory testimony. When we dont see the ungodly punished immediately, or when they seem to be successful in their evil ways, we should not assume that God is beaten or is pleased to turn His head. We pray because God is sovereign and all powerful. They thank me for posting my sermons on the internet. Christianity is not about religion, its about a life-changing relationship with the Son of God. But he chose instead to allow himself to be arrested, knowing that this would fulfill Gods plan. Those who look to themselves, will eventually and always reap their just punishment. Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. When Judas actually betrayed Jesus in the Garden, Peter immediately sprang to his defense. This truth about Judas illustrates Gods control of every event in the universe. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. You truly never know God could be doing something right that we wouldnt understand even if He told us. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. Wisdom didnt guard him against a wandering heart. Do not lament your insufficiency. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. Many that people can plan to do much but is God that will always have the final say. How beautiful! International Standard Version. He recognized what was evil because he believed Gods law. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. Everyday Apostolic 2019 | All Rights Reserved, Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers, Canceling Church On Christmas Removes Christ From Christmas, Great Resources On Baptism In The Name Of Jesus, A Diluted Christianity: Oneness, Trinitarian, Or Is It All Just Irrelevant, Youre Not David Pastor Raymond Woodward, The Walking Bible Pastor Raymond Woodward, Wait On The Lord by James Wilson NAYC 2019, If I Shout/Lets Testify Medley FAC Sanctuary Choir. I was not a cum laude graduate. Matthew 26:3-5 informs us that the leaders of the Jews were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus and put him to death. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now., but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the. But now, the grief of the Egyptians had subsided and was replaced with anger and regret. This brings us face to face with the doctrine of Gods providence, which means, A) God has a plan that includes everything that happens in the universe, and, B) Gods plan extends to the tiniest details of life, and. Though Israel was many, only the remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27). It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. 1:15-16), later to be thrown in the Nile (Ex. To say it another way, there is a man in hell today who has been there for 2000 years even though what he did advanced Gods plan to save the world. In Acts 2 God poured out His Holy Spirit on the disciples who spoke on the streets of Jerusalem in the languages of the Gentiles who were present. This is a true mystery, which we may explain in various ways but will never fully understand. The way to heaven is only Jesus and Jesus only.. 13:17). So while many American Christians worry about what will take place in the coming years I find peace in knowing that God can use even the most unlikely candidates to accomplish His will. In many cases without them even realizing that they were being used by God. Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. The people of Jacob were trapped. Do not begrudge your weakness. 10:17 Paul writes, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. When we preach the gospel to someone and they come to saving faith, we dont boast that we have saved them but that God has saved them, though we were the instruments of Gods saving work. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. For who resists His will?, For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. In the eyes of the Jews, Saul would be seen as a warrior of the faith. When we reach a dead end in our own resources, God can part the sea of the impossible and get us through, but I digress. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. But if anyone says to you, This is meat sacrificed to idols, do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other mans; for why is my freedom judged by anothers conscience? God uses the overwhelmed and disheveled mother to nurture her children into spiritual giants. Two questions stand out: 1) Did Jesus actually descend into hell? For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Romans 8:28 says, For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. All things includes both good and bad things. And, "Who Are The Sons of God in Genesis 6? Jesus point is clear, The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.. In our text, Ex. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, gave the parable of the sheep and the goats. Going to church wont make you a Christian any more than sleeping in a garage makes you a caror going to a donut shop makes you a cop. WebGod never does evil Himself. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. As far as Pilate was concerned, he was ordering an innocent man put to deathwhich is why he tried to wash his hands of the whole affair. It is not our responsibility to determine how God will use us, but it is our responsibility to be faithful to obey the Word of God. Jesus is truly the lamb without blemish who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29). WebJohn 3:16. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. What does it mean that the righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)? In such a manner Judas served Gods purposes through his wicked act of betrayal. God can use anyone and anything. It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say. . Amen. In spite of our slownessand even sinGod will bless and use us to fulfill His purpose of blessing all nations through Christ, because of our relationship to the Father through the Son. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. God Himself said that He used Pharaoh so that His name would be known on all the earth. 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 (Genesis 12: 3). They were evil cowards who hated the Son of God but feared a popular uprising if they tried to arrest him. And that is okay. I have an unimpressive family background and do not come from a long line of important people. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.. First, the people of Israel were for the most part leaderless. Jesus responded to the false testimony by saying nothing at all. Habakkuk 1:7-11, They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. Thats generally the way life is for all of us. I think we can learn some great lessons by answering these questions. This was Moses advice to the people of Israel when facing the imminent threat of death, and it is true for us as well when facing any trial. Do not lament your insufficiency. in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. We see this all the way through the Bible. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition. The mind of evil changes from bad to worse being taken in by successes in conquest. 2) If Jesus did descend into hell, why? 1:21). He chooses to use sinners to accomplish His sovereign will, often in ways we dont even understand. This doesnt erase tragedy or transform heartache, but it gives us a divine perspective on the hard times of life that enables us to keep on going when wed rather give up and quit. During his ministry his greatest opposition came from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes and the teachers of the Law. If your rsum is sparse, your intellect feeble, your skills unimpressive, and your wisdom just average, fret not. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough! They heap judgment on themselves. We have one life to use, and the usefulness of that one life depends not on our rsum or even how much we know. He is working all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. We need to remember that God uses the foolish. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. For I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you., Jeremiah also spoke of the same thing about which God warned Habakkuk. Verse Concepts. Judas solved their problem by volunteering to betray the Lord. Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. He reminded Peter that he could call for 12 legions of angels72,000 highly trained, heavily armed members of the Angelic Defense Leagueto come to his rescue at any moment. Herod the Great tried to kill him in Bethlehem. Its okay to be a nobody, if in all you do, you serve Somebody. The Lord did it, but He did it through Moses. Do not begrudge your weakness. He used sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. Fifth, and the point I want to focus on, is that the Lord tells Moses, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. I find this very interesting and encouraging. They had no weapons to fight Pharaohs army, no experience in war, no ability to defend themselves, and no way of escape. Pastor, Expository Preacher, Author, Trainer of Preachers and Bible Teachers. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. Stating that the plans of men are many but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). What Jesus Wants Emphasized In His Church! God had not yet told Moses what He was going to do, but Moses knew the Lord did not redeem the Israelites from Egypt to have them slaughtered. The gospels writers emphasize that although the Jewish leaders earnestly sought for witnesses who could testify against Christ, they found no one willing to come forward. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Now relax your hand! And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. God didnt need to have Moses lift up his staff. As a place to begin, consider three verses dealing with Judas. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. WebThe one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. The glory of His nature and attributes will be made known in full. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? God asks us to do things we cant do, because it makes us trust IN HIM, not ourselves. I have not been named most influential, listed as most attractive, or voted most likely to succeed. It appears that between 11 PM Thursday night and 7:30 AM Friday morning, Jesus underwent six different hearingsone before Annas, two before Caiaphas, one before the Sanhedrin, and two before Pontius Pilate. Gods covenant warned from the beginning that if Israel fell into sin God would use a foreign heathen nation to bring judgment upon them. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. He even turns wicked hearts to serve his Sovereign purpose. How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? We might be a life-hacking, productivity guru. They intend to be their own god. Here are the two great texts to keep in mind regarding Gods providence and our own personal experience: The first is the famous statement by Joseph to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. The second comes from the familiar words of Romans 8:28, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. These verses teach us that God is able to take the worst things that happen in life and turn them for our good and his glory. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. We see the same thing after the Israelites cross the Red Sea and are attacked by the Amalekites (Ex. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. But they feared to do it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the crowds that thronged Jerusalem. Verse Concepts. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. In Acts 13:41 he said, Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. I believe that t he Lord is here suggesting that the eternal torment that unbelievers will experience will be on a scale from more tolerable to less tolerable. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. It was a period of apostasy and violence. Grace be with you. Moses was sent by the Lord multiple times to Pharaoh asking for the release of the Hebrews. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. But we can find hope in knowing that God is in control, He works all things for our God, and no suffering we face know will even be able to cast a shadow on the glory we will receive in Heaven. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. And did not believe in His wonderful works. Even those who have a very low view of Gods sovereignty, if they pray, pray because God is perfectly sovereign, otherwise prayer would be an exercise in futility. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. Eventually, Pharaoh decided to use the Jews for slave labor. 6:10). In Jeremiah 13:20 it said, Lift up your eyes and see Those who come from the north . Jeremiah 25:32 says, Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up From the farthest parts of the earth., Habakkuk 1:6, For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.. At the beginning of their sojourn, Joseph was ruler of Egypt, a son of Jacob, and watched over his own. God could have had the earth swallow up the Amalekites. Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers. Its something we can clearly see within the pages of our Bible. But Moses said to the Lord, Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. God then raised up Moses and his brother Aaron as instruments to deliver the people of Israel from cruel bondage. Lesson 7 The Interpretation of Scripture, Lesson 5a Boundaries of the Doctrine of Creation, Primeval Chronology by Dr. William Henry Green, Lesson 8 Gods Special Providence & Miracles, Lesson 10 Assurance of Grace and Salvation, Lesson 2 Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience, Lesson 3 The Regulative Principle of Worship, Lesson 4a The Elements of Regulated Worship, Lesson 4b The Elements of Regulated Worship, Lesson 1 An Overview of Special Eschatology, Lesson 2 -The Great Tribulation of Matthew 24, Lesson 3 The Millennium of Revelation 20, A Guide for Small Group Bible Study Leaders, Defending the Biblical Faith by what God Shows Us, Lessons in the Westminster Shorter Catechsim, The Inspiration of the Treasured Word of God, Summary of the 45th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, The Holy Spirit In the Ministry of the Word, The Necessity of Biblical Love in the Believers Life, Keep Your Bible Skills Sharp and Ready (part 2), Keep Your Bible Skills Sharp and Ready (Part 1).
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