Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say,read more.Because the Lord could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, therefore He slaughtered them in the wilderness. But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations. 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. So the Lord said, I have pardoned them according to your word; but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. 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. 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. Jesus Sends Out the God picks the scrawniest little girl to lead off on his kickball team. In their very act of oppression, they unknowingly serve the glory of the Creator. Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. God Works His Will 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. And goes on to say, How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? He told Moses, Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. But how? He is working all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. 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. At my own local church, and everywhere else I go, faithful men and women record my sermons in audio and sometimes video. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. 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. 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. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. Yet, God used him to rebuild the temple and allow Jews to return to their land. It was a period of apostasy and violence. In spite of all this they still sinned And did not believe in His wonderful works. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. Really, its just fine. Judas didnt know itand doesnt get any credit for itbut his dastardly deed actually fulfilled predictions given by the Holy Spirit hundreds of years before he was born. He uses believers and unbelievers. We return now to the original question: Why did God allow Judas to betray Jesus? God Judas professed Christ but he did not possess him, which is why he is in hell today. 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.. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. verses about Unbelievers Solomon was given a mind like no one before and like none even after him (1 Kings 3:12). 13:17). Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? They had been in Egypt under Egyptian task masters for 400 years. Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. You have entered an incorrect email address! What an honor to serve the King of kings. 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. 21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man. Bible Hub The Lord even tells Moses to do it, divide it! God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. Though there were still many who had remained faithful, others no longer followed the words of the Prophets. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. 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. His covenant is always enforced. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. Many believed they were going to die and complained to Moses (Ex. Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. God use unbelievers to accomplish his will But what a privilege it is to be used by God! 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. Who would have had his own beliefs and gods that contradicted much of the Bible. If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real. 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. He betrayed the Lord but ended up vindicating him. Its okay to be a nobody, if in all you do, you serve Somebody. Recent events may not have gone how you hoped and the signs may seem bleak. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. 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. 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. Summary If so, did he have a choice? 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. The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say. Fit to be Used God Uses Many People to Accomplish His Purposes God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. He was ready to die for his Master and intended to take a few of the bad guys with him. Believer, dont think that your faithful service to your local body of believers is insignificant or accounts for little or nothing. God They were evil cowards who hated the Son of God but feared a popular uprising if they tried to arrest him. I have not written a New York Times Bestseller, and no one has publicly endorsed, recommended, or vouched for me. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. I have not been named most influential, listed as most attractive, or voted most likely to succeed. 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. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. God Will Use Even You You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. God will use it even if you do not understand how. 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. His Email Jack. Here are some examples: 1:8). As they plotted how to murder Jesus they had no idea they were accomplishing Gods will. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 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.. We see this all the way through the Bible. I have received no honorary doctorates. God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk 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. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. I didnt attend an Ivy League school. Dont mistake temporary material victories for true success. And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? A third reason God had Moses raise his staff and hands before dividing the Red Sea is that God delights to use sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. 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.. 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.. Many that people can plan to do much but is God that will always have the final say. We see this all the way through the Bible. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. He uses believers and unbelievers. 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. 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? Gods Prophet Jeremiah warned of Gods judgment. The Bible says, God was well pleased through the message preached to save those who believe (I Cor. Why bother praying to a God who isnt? Everything fits into Gods plan. But through the lens of the New Testament, he is seen as a wicked man. C) God uses all eventsgood and badto accomplish his purposes. Yet, Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:4, 912). 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. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. Everything was planned by God down to the tiniest detail. Psalm 109:8Replaced by another manMatthias (see Acts 1:20). 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. He didnt accept evil apathetically, he was appalled by it. 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. Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. 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. 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. Here are some examples: He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. 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. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? God use unbelievers to accomplish his will 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. He may for a time use the ungodly to bring deserved chastising upon the hypocrites among His own people, and to show his uncompromising wrath upon those left to what we all deserve aside from the work of his grace. Click here. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent. Then the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to Me? Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? The terms Neo-Babylons and Chaldeans are used interchangeably for the people of that Empire. Jesus immediately restored the ear and told Peter to put down his sword. I dont speak on any circuits, have given no TED talks, and have been the keynote speaker less than once. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. 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. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. He told the people that Pharaohs army would be wiped out, though he did not know how. After God redeemed Israel from Egypt through a series of ten miraculous plagues, he had Moses lead the people of Israel out of Egypt near the shore of the Red Sea. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. 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. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). 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.. Those who look to themselves, will eventually and always reap their just punishment. God is unimpressed. In our text, Ex. Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. This is the grace of God as revealed in His merciful covenant. The Prophet was told to look around him and see what was going on among the nations, observe! It is a warning to Israel that if they should break Gods covenant, calamity will come upon them revealing the wrath of the offended God. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 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. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. Remember my imprisonment. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,But He does according to His will in the host of heavenAnd among the inhabitants of earth;And no one can ward off His handOr say to Him, What have You done?. In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives. 46:10). WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). 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. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. 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. Or see articles from other writers we feature Here. We might make Jim Collins proud, but God yawns at our leadership abilities. Gods plan included the time of Jesus deathPassover, the placeJerusalem, the opposition by the Jewish leaders, and the betrayal by Judas. The Pharisees believed they were serving God but in reality, they didnt even know Him. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. Causing him to not let the people go. 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. God often reveals himself in most unexpected ways. 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. Fit to be Used 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). Bible Hub 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. But he chose instead to allow himself to be arrested, knowing that this would fulfill Gods plan. 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. 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. So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 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 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 Uses Many People to Accomplish His Purposes WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. Do not lament your insufficiency. It will be a most terrible judgment. 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? Does God Accomplish His Purpose in Our In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it.
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