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. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. That doesnt lessen his guilt, but it does increase our appreciation of Gods sovereignty over the affairs of men. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. They had fast horses and were more fierce (more alert, fierce, and sharp) than the hungry wolves that come out to hunt in the evening. 16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. Each time Moses would perform a mighty sign to convince Pharaoh of Gods power but each time God would harden his heart. Dont mistake temporary material victories for true success. WebGod also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Its something we can clearly see within the pages of our Bible. Is that a contradiction? This week were looking at the other side of the equation. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Moses didnt have any power to bring the ten plagues upon Egypt either. (see Matthew 27:5). 1 John 5:14. Pentecost was a sign to the unbelieving of Israel that they had broken the covenant and stood deserving of Gods judgment and wrath. Jump to Previous No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. The Prophet Habakkuk wrote during the troubled times before Judahs captivity. Jesus waved him off by declaring, All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled (Matthew 26:56). When Judas actually betrayed Jesus in the Garden, Peter immediately sprang to his defense. It was the tech team, the web master, the secretary, or whoever posted my sermon on line. I sit on no boards. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. 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? God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. As Christians, we have nothing to fear or worry about because we know that God is in control. God commissions the invalid retiree to uphold dozens, even hundreds of missionaries on the field. Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.. Who would have had his own beliefs and gods that contradicted much of the Bible. He had great trust in the truth of God. This warning was made clear in the ancient covenant revealed long before through Moses in Deuteronomy 28. Until finally it came to the Red Sea where the Egyptian army was destroyed and the tale spread across the world to the glory of God. He wants us to trust in Him, to rely on Him, to cry out to Him, and then give Him glory for delivering us. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. (Bible quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.). Now relax your hand! And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. He told the people that Pharaohs army would be wiped out, though he did not know how. The greater the pain, the harder it is to see Gods fingerprints. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. God may ordain to use their wickedness, but this does not make it morally right. It doesnt matter if you have theology degrees or mothered a dozen healthy, happy children or started several 501(c)3s to feed the poor and end trafficking. The book of proverbs also gives us insight into this. Including those who dont believe He exists. Gods sign of judgment was that they would hear foreign language on the streets of Jerusalem, speaking in a language they did not understand. Lest he misunderstand, I also told him that going to Calvary Memorial Church cannot save anyoneor help save anyone. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation., Truth Of God Is denied by Unbelievers, the Truth of God Is denied by Unbelievers, Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world, Unbelievers Will be classed with outbreaking sinners in eternity, Unbelievers Their lifetime spent in vanity, Unbelievers Shall be judged by God's word in the last day, Will be classed with outbreaking sinners in eternity, Shall be judged by God's word in the last day. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. Visit Justins personal website Here. That literally means, I find no basis for any of the charges brought against this man. In modern terms, you might call it a Summary Judgment in favor of Jesus. Compared to you or me, King Solomon had it all wisdom, wealth, fame, power. Do not lament your insufficiency. There is no better example of Gods providence at work through the actions of a sinful man. Then we read this in Exodus 14:13-16: But Moses said to the people, Do not fear! Holman Old Testament Commentary: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah by Trent Butler. Amen. But what a privilege it is to be used by God! In the eyes of the Jews, Saul would be seen as a warrior of the faith. Were they to march into the sea holding their little ones, driving their cattle, and pushing their elderly? 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). Do not lament your insufficiency. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). When God determines where we will end up, he also determines how we will get there. During this period, foreign powers invaded Israel again and again, and inside the nation known as Gods people, evil and immorality raged. But sometimes we forget that when God ordains a particular end, he also ordains the means to that end. WebGod never does evil Himself. He uses believers and unbelievers. That leads me to ask a simple question: Are you a professor or a possessor? His covenant is always enforced. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. Paul also made this clear in Romans 9-11. The sheep representing believers who did Gods will and the goats representing unbelievers who do not do Gods will. 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. Israel stumbled at the stumbling stone, the suffering messiah (Romans 9:31-33). We need to be reminded again and again that we are like grass disposable, temporary, fleeting, momentary. The unbeliever has made an exchangethe truth for a lieand the devil is happy to facilitate the swap by presenting the sinner with a wide array of lies from which to choose. Do you merely profess Christ and trust in your religious habits to save you, or do you possess Christ in your heart by faith? God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. I was not a cum laude graduate. During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All rights reserved. And that is okay. God was rejecting their national privilege, and turning to the Gentiles to populate his Covenant Nation on Earth. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. WebGod never does evil Himself. Paul used this verse from Habakkuk to warn the foolish despisers of the gospel. As with the raising of Moses hands by Aaron and Hurt, sharing the gospel, or praying, God delights in and receives glory for himself, when we submit to His will, live by faith, and obey His Word. 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. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. Second, the proper response to any trial or danger is to not fear but stand by and see the salvation of the Lord. How many times do we fret and worry and then see the Lord deliver us and realize that all of our anxiety and fretting was for naught, that it accomplished nothing, but was an expression of our sinful doubt? Why? In the time of the New Testament after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we see the expansion of Gods Covenant to include Gentile believers drawn to the Savor by the Gospel. WebGod also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. 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 know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. In those moments we often feel alone in the chaos of circumstances as life tumbles in around us. When you find yourself in a tight spot and you cant see any way of deliverance, have faith in God, obey His Word, and wait for the salvation of the Lord. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. 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. 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. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. A complete answer is impossible for who has known the mind of the Lord (Isa. This truth about Judas illustrates Gods control of every event in the universe. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. Judas solved their problem by volunteering to betray the Lord. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Third, it is necessary for us to remain silent, to not fret, grumble, or complain, while we wait for the Lord to deliver us from whatever trial we are suffering. WebGod never does evil Himself. Being a creative, innovative or highly effective leader is insufficient. 16:30), when he uses you or others, delivering you from your trials, be sure to praise, thank, and give Him all the glory for sovereignly using sinners. Solomon was DaVinci, Einstein, Bach, Jordan, Augustus, and Shakespeare rolled into one superior man. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. 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. 2) If Jesus did descend into hell, why? We see this clearly in the life of Christ. All of it happened according to Gods plan. Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. Moses was a by-product of the Egyptians attempts to hinder Gods blessing upon them, was placed in pitch covered basket and set adrift in the Nile, but rescued, weened by his own mother, adopted into Pharaohs house, and educated in all the learning of Egypt (Acts 7:22). What does it mean that the righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)? The story of Judas teaches us that nothing happens by accident. WebGod also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. 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). 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. This seems to be one of the reasons God had Moses lift up his staff and hands to divide the Red Sea. We live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. Were they to voluntarily all drown? At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. Grace be with you. For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. The Lord said to Moses, How long will this people spurn Me? Paul, in writing to Corinth, corrected the Churchs misuse of speaking in foreign tongues. They had no weapons to fight Pharaohs army, no experience in war, no ability to defend themselves, and no way of escape. They had been in Egypt under Egyptian task masters for 400 years. But Habakkuks confusion was not doubt. A prophecy we can imagine would have seemed quite improbable to those who heard. They probably said things like, See, God isnt doing anything no body ever gets punished, it cant be very serious. They had forgotten the longsuffering of the True God who made all things, and who rules as King over all kings. 1:8). 1 And Saul approved of his execution. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? 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. 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.. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. Judas didnt know it, and neither did the disciples, but Gods fingerprints were all over his act of betrayal. We pray because we believe God, because we want to trust in God, praise God, ask God for things we cant do ourselves. Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness. And goes on to say, How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? In heaven, each mans praise will come to him from God, and God will be glorified for sovereignly using sinners for His good purposes (I Cor. Yet, Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:4, 912). Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 28 who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built,, and of the temple, Your foundation shall be laid. . Here are five specific prophecies that were fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus: Psalm 41:9Close friend will betray Christ (see John 13:18). Guiding our world whether we are able to see it or not. This is the grace of God as revealed in His merciful covenant. God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. He told Moses, Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. But how?
Nyu Salary Band 52 Salary Range,
Is Star Wars: Obi Wan Compatible With Xbox 360,
Articles G
