God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. Eternity will reveal how your faithful service was used by the Lord in amazing ways. 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. 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. 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. 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. God used this unlikely group of people to accomplish His greatest work and they had no idea. Grace be with you. 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. For this reason God purposefully led the wondering multitude to a place where there was no possible way of escape from Pharaoh and his army, humanly speaking. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Rejoice that Christ is all-sufficient and always dependable. It was a period of apostasy and violence. In this period of Judahs last kings, the Prophets warned of the fulfillment of this covenant promise. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent. Then the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to Me? I am sure God has many reasons for doing the things He does in the way and timing of His choosing, but lets consider some likely reasons He used Moses, a sinner, to be the instrument of His sovereign, miraculous work of dividing the Red Sea. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. If your rsum is sparse, your intellect feeble, your skills unimpressive, and your wisdom just average, fret not. Verse Concepts. Verse Concepts. Verse Concepts. Do not lament your insufficiency. You have entered an incorrect email address! I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. In Acts 13:41 he said, Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! 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. Guiding our world whether we are able to see it or not. 1:37). God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. 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! Judas didnt know it, and neither did the disciples, but Gods fingerprints were all over his act of betrayal. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. 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? God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. 17:8-13). 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. 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. Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. Habakkuk learned that the material success of the ungodly is not a reliable measure of their true success. He even turns wicked hearts to serve his Sovereign purpose. One of the most remarkable things about the Scriptures is how they preserve for us what we regard as our highest dignity, which is the right to exercise our own will. I sit on no boards. Be encouraged Christian, God intends to use you in all your multifaceted weakness and obscurity for his glory. Jesus waved him off by declaring, All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled (Matthew 26:56). God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. WebJohn 3:16. It was their God, or at least the God of Moses, that just killed all the first born of Egypt. That pagan nation was struggling against Egypt for dominance. No, its a mystery. 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. The 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. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. Many that people can plan to do much but is God that will always have the final say. International Standard Version. One swing of his sword whacked off the ear of Malchus, servant to the High Priest. Impatience and failing to trust God is never helpful. 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.. What Jesus Wants Emphasized In His Church! The very first verse my daughter ever memorized was Isaiah 40:8, The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. It seemed like an odd one to begin with, but now in retrospect it might have been the best one. your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. They gather captives like sand. Then God, in His sovereign power and will, takes our weak and fallible service, and accomplishes His will, like parting the Red Sea. They were afraid. The Prophet Habakkuk wrote during the troubled times before Judahs captivity. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. Is it true that God cannot look upon sin? God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. It only made sense on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. Judas professed Christ but he did not possess him, which is why he is in hell today. They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They looked to themselves for their power. 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. Zechariah 11:1230 pieces of silver (see Matthew 26:15). Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. But God gave the command, Moses obeyed the command, and in a sense Moses divided the Sea, as the Lord commanded, and in a more ultimate sense God did the miracle and divided the Red Sea. 28:49, The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand. 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. A second reason, related to the first reason, is that God knew that by doing His miracles through Moses, Moses would then in turn give glory to God. God often reveals himself in most unexpected ways. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. At my own local church, and everywhere else I go, faithful men and women record my sermons in audio and sometimes video. Though Israel was many, only the remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27). 1 John 5:14. 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. 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. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. They sweep through like the strong winds from the East gathering up captives that number like the grains of sand. Nothing that happened to Jesus that night or later on Good Friday made sense when it happened. They were the ones who asked for valuables from the people of Egypt, who were so fearful and stricken with grief that they gave the departing Israelites their riches, literally paying the Jews to leave Egypt (Ex. WebGod never does evil Himself. If we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it (James 1:5). 1 John 5:14. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son for those who believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.. He could have just caused them to drop dead. WebJohn 3:16. 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. 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. . The Prophet was told to look around him and see what was going on among the nations, observe! Then the Lord heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers. We pray because we believe God, because we want to trust in God, praise God, ask God for things we cant do ourselves. for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Psalm 109:8Replaced by another manMatthias (see Acts 1:20). 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience sake. Dont mistake temporary material victories for true success. He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. During this period, foreign powers invaded Israel again and again, and inside the nation known as Gods people, evil and immorality raged. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. Everything fits into Gods plan. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 I have an unimpressive family background and do not come from a long line of important people. God picks the scrawniest little girl to lead off on his kickball team. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. But before his salvation took place God was still using Him. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. Gods plan included the time of Jesus deathPassover, the placeJerusalem, the opposition by the Jewish leaders, and the betrayal by Judas. Yet He was still able to accomplish His will through them. I dont have any letters after my name. 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. 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. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it. 1:22). (see Matthew 27:5). Do not lament your insufficiency. Why did a holy God allow such evil to continue? But among the leaders of the nation, only a few followed Christand they became secret believers for fear of persecution by their brethren. Paul used this verse from Habakkuk to warn the foolish despisers of the gospel. God himself had foreordained every detail surrounding the death of his Son. 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. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. Visit Justins personal website Here. Moses didnt have any power to divide the Red Sea. Gods Prophet Jeremiah warned of Gods judgment. This shows the mercy and compassion of God to help the Israelites. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. 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. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. It forces us to live by faith, which is how He wants us to live all the time because it gives Him glory. Remember my imprisonment. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). Joseph made Egypt phenomenally wealthy during the years of the famine. Eventually, Pharaoh decided to use the Jews for slave labor. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. The new king was deposed after three months. When he went before Pilate, the Roman governor received an urgent message from his wife: Dont have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him (Matthew 27:19). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. 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.. Is that a contradiction? This truth about Judas illustrates Gods control of every event in the universe. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Moses was sent by the Lord multiple times to Pharaoh asking for the release of the Hebrews. 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. While not all became believers, many felt a strong attraction to his message. 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. A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; Immediately the boys father cried out and said, I do believe; help my 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. God could by-pass us and do everything himself, but He does not. Anxiety, worry, anger, never help remedy the situation, they are emotions that compound our trials and betray that in our hearts we dont believe God, dont trust God, and dont think He is good. Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say. 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. The manner of the judgment would be unexpected. I am not a rising star in any field, industry, or arena. However, he had Aaron and Hur hold up Moses arms and had Joshua lead the armies of Israel. They had been in Egypt under Egyptian task masters for 400 years. 12:35-36). All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. Why? But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. God will deal with them according to his plan, but first, He will use them for His own covenant judgment. A prophecy we can imagine would have seemed quite improbable to those who heard. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. He could have rained fire and brimstone down on them. I didnt attend an Ivy League school. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. In such a manner Judas served Gods purposes through his wicked act of betrayal. One final point is in order. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son for those who believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.. And, "Who Are The Sons of God in Genesis 6? If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience sake. 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. . The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. Even today there are those who are arrogant and have no honor for God as He reveals Himself in Scripture. Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. But what a privilege it is to be used by God! Because God is utterly unimpressed by my rsum. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. In the process, we will also find an answer to a third question, Who are the sons of God in Gen. 6? If you like solving mysteries, you will love this, "Churches are going apostate inside their comfortable church buildings! God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. 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. God answered him. We should never presume to say to an unbeliever, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. We cant know that. If God did the miracles without Moses, amazing things would have happened, but the people would not have known what was going on or what to do. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). I have received no honorary doctorates. He was a brilliant poet, a skillful songwriter, a genius botanist, and a first-class biologist. And did not believe in His wonderful works. First, we see the faith of Moses. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. Do not begrudge your weakness. 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. Its okay to be a nobody, if in all you do, you serve Somebody. Causing him to not let the people go. 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. God didnt want to lead the people around the Red Sea by the way of the Philistines knowing they might get scared and run back to Egypt (Ex. Here are some examples: They have no respect for the leaders of other nations. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. Everything was planned by God down to the tiniest detail. But most of the time we wont see it fully until we finally arrive in heaven. Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. Yet, Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:4, 912). (see Acts 1:20). To put the matter that way raises several other questions: Was Judas predestined by God to betray Jesus? Habakkuk 1:7-11, They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. Literal Standard Version. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. The evil ones believe pridefully that their own imagined gods have blessed them. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. His silence spoke more loudly than the foolish claims of his lying accusers. He used sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. 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). That leads me to ask a simple question: Are you a professor or a possessor? Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. 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. WebAnd then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will. Stating that the plans of men are many but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. They mock authority and law, and believe that might makes right. They still look to their own strength and ability as if they were divine and answer to no authority above their own. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. He was ready to die for his Master and intended to take a few of the bad guys with him. 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? They heap judgment on themselves. Recent events may not have gone how you hoped and the signs may seem bleak. Literal Standard Version. Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? In those moments we often feel alone in the chaos of circumstances as life tumbles in around us. Then we read this in Exodus 14:13-16: But Moses said to the people, Do not fear! He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. How can I believe in the goodness of God when there is so much evil in the world? Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. The articles posted on this website are here to provide information about the Bible and specific topics related to the Reformed Faith along with it's application in our daily thoughts and activities. Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! Yet, God used him to rebuild the temple and allow Jews to return to their land. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. So He brought their days to an end in futility And their years in sudden terror. 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). Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. 28:36, The LORD will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods wood and stone. Comments? "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. We might make Jim Collins proud, but God yawns at our leadership abilities. He uses believers and unbelievers. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). 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. God is still using unlikely people to accomplish His will on earth today.