In this week's Bible study we looked into God's Providence, which we concluded was distinguished from His Sovereignty and His Will in this way;
- God's Sovereignty = His nature.
- God's Providence = His action.
- God's Will = How or why He acts.
Those distinctions may not be exact, but they helped the group to make a distinction of what simply looks like we're saying God's control of all things.
The study presenter also offered definitions of the word providence from dictionary.com as follows:
1. the foreseeing care and guidance of god or nature over the creatures of the earth.
2. God, esp. when conceived as omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.
3. a manifestation of divine care or direction.
4. provident or prudent management of resources; prudence.
5. foresight; provident care.
The study presenter then offered some verses that show God acting in the lives of not only "saved" people, but people outside of His chosen community/covenantal people.
Judges 2:16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
Judges 2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.
Judges 2:18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
1 Kings 11:14-22 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
1 Kings 11:23-25 And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
1 Kings 11:26-43 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king.
King Solomon loved many foreign women (11:1) and his wives turned the kings heart after other gods (11:4). The Lord was angry with King Solomon because his heart turned from the Lord (11:9), therefore God raised adversaries against Solomon for his sin.
2 Chronicles 21:16 Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:
Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat did evil in the sight of the Lord (21:6) even killing his own brothers (11:4).
Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Esther 4:14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Mordecai's uncle's daughter Esther (2:7) was made queen by king Ahasuerus (2:17), but Haman who was greatly promoted by the king but enraged by Mordecai's unwillingness to bow to him (2:5). Therefore he attempts to trick the king into having them all killed (2:8-11).
Romans 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
The trigger words were "raised up" and "stirred" showing God acting to cause the various people to do His will. In God's sovereignty He actually has the power to affect action/providence so that His will comes to pass.
We touched briefly on how a proper understanding of God's Sovereignty/Providence/Will and man's responsibility should keep a person from falling into what is called Hyper-Calvinismi wherein a person may conclude that since God is in control of all things, then we should do nothing to propose or oppose what is happening -- such as not evangelizing since God has already determined who will be saved. We plan in next week's study to discuss the typical proof-texts for what might be called freewillism where someone thinks God more or less allows humanity to unfold without His intrusion.
