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. But Habakkuks confusion was not doubt. This week I ate lunch with a man who has recently become an acquaintance through an e-mail correspondence. Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. God is still using unlikely people to accomplish His will on earth today. Isaiah 28:11 warned, For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people. Jeremiah 5:15 said, Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel, says the LORD. 28:25, The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 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. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. Moses didnt have any power to divide the Red Sea. 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. All rights reserved. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. 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. ", Writing & Teaching Inductive Bible Studies. He sent His son to pay a most costly price for the sin of His people, for those who trust in Him. God has already determined the end from the beginning (Isa. His Do not lament your insufficiency. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. And goes on to say, How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? An unlikely person to be used by God. WebWhat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. Everything fits into Gods plan. WebWhat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 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. God Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. So He brought their days to an end in futility And their years in sudden terror. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. But what a privilege it is to be used by God! And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. God Works His Will The terms Neo-Babylons and Chaldeans are used interchangeably for the people of that Empire. Why? But they feared to do it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the crowds that thronged Jerusalem. God use unbelievers to accomplish his will Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. Here are some examples: Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. Recent events may not have gone how you hoped and the signs may seem bleak. International Standard Version. I also answer yes. Moses was an instrument, a tool, a vessel for Gods use, and so are we all. What does it mean that the righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)? Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). We might be a life-hacking, productivity guru. They looked to themselves for their power. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). Having all the wisdom in the world didnt guarantee fidelity. Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. Because God does miracles by His own power. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. 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. As for you, 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. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. 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.. And did not believe in His wonderful works. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. Causing him to not let the people go. Through one mans treachery, Jesus proves himself a man of peacenot a man of war. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? A complete answer is impossible for who has known the mind of the Lord (Isa. The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. God Remember my imprisonment. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. You are going to need it as we search the Scriptures to answer these two questions. 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. God use non-believers to help His people WebJohn 3:16. But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. How will they preach unless they are sent? Yet both declare His awesome glory. God Uses so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. He dealt with his doubts and confusion in the right way, he turned to God, not to his own understanding. Amen. Zechariah 11:1230 pieces of silver (see Matthew 26:15). And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. 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). Gods plan included the time of Jesus deathPassover, the placeJerusalem, the opposition by the Jewish leaders, and the betrayal by Judas. We all understand that God intended that Jesus would die for the sins of the world. It was a period of apostasy and violence. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. We might make Jim Collins proud, but God yawns at our leadership abilities. I sit on no boards. Gods Prophet Jeremiah warned of Gods judgment. 1:8). 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. It only made sense on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. Do you merely profess Christ and trust in your religious habits to save you, or do you possess Christ in your heart by faith? But He is unique and who can turn Him?And what His soul desires, that He does. Does God Accomplish His Purpose in Our 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? This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Which is why they completely missed the Messiah when they stood right beside Him. 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. The new Pharaoh saw the Israelites as a plague in the land. by Bob Burridge 2013, 2015 God is unimpressed. 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. We see this clearly in the life of Christ. Moses had great faith! God often reveals himself in most unexpected ways. But God did just that and used a sinning Gentile to begin the process of restoring Israel. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. Verse Concepts. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. We turn now to consider how the sin of Judas served many good purposesnone of which were seen that night and none of which diminish his true moral guilt. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. WebGod never does evil Himself. I run into people in different countries or am contacted by those from different countries who have been blessed by my preaching. How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. Jesus is truly the lamb without blemish who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29). Also, be sure to stop by our prayer wall. God use unbelievers to accomplish his will Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. 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?. Those who turn in humble trust to the Lord, who rest in His work of redemption, who seek to walk in his ways, and who turn in humble repentance when they fail, will receive His righteousness, and blessing forever. God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk Covenant judgment was about to be poured out upon Israel. It forces us to live by faith, which is how He wants us to live all the time because it gives Him glory. WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. I have not written a New York Times Bestseller, and no one has publicly endorsed, recommended, or vouched for me. I am not a rising star in any field, industry, or arena. It can be fairly said that the common people by and large respected Jesus and responded positively to his message. and be astounded! God use non-believers to help His people Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. 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! (1 Corinthians 1:2629). God Prayer is one of the means God uses to accomplish His sovereign will and get glory for himself. He told Moses, Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. But how? Acts 2:23 tells us that Jesus was delivered up, by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death. 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. Though there were still many who had remained faithful, others no longer followed the words of the Prophets. In such a manner Judas served Gods purposes through his wicked act of betrayal. The phrase all this refers to the betrayal, the circumstances surrounding it, and the circumstances flowing from it. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 Get your Bible. The greater the pain, the harder it is to see Gods fingerprints. But before his salvation took place God was still using Him. 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.. As they plotted how to murder Jesus they had no idea they were accomplishing Gods will. We are called to be among his faithful people. Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 46:10). 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. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). We are here and gone again. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. Summary We concluded that the Bible doesnt give us a final answer regarding why Judas betrayed Jesus Christ. What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). 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. His silence spoke more loudly than the foolish claims of his lying accusers. We pray because God is sovereign and all powerful. 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. We need to remember that God uses the foolish. The way of the wicked is like darkness;They do not know over what they stumble. 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. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. 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. Remember my imprisonment. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 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. verses about Unbelievers But among the leaders of the nation, only a few followed Christand they became secret believers for fear of persecution by their brethren. 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. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. International Standard Version. Moses give the Israelites specific instruction and visible representation from the invisible God. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, gave the parable of the sheep and the goats. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. How does this truth apply to Judas? If we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it (James 1:5). During this period, foreign powers invaded Israel again and again, and inside the nation known as Gods people, evil and immorality raged. Israel as a nation had rejected the promises of Moses and the Prophets culminating in the demand for the death of Jesus, Gods Messiah. 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. I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. In our text, Ex. We see this all the way through the Bible. 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. 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. That pagan nation was struggling against Egypt for dominance. Assyria had fallen when Nineveh, its capitol, was destroyed in 612 BC. 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. He mustered his army and went after the Jews in hot pursuit. Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. Joseph made Egypt phenomenally wealthy during the years of the famine. But through the lens of the New Testament, he is seen as a wicked man. Nothing is ever left to chance with God. I dont have any letters after my name. God 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). 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? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. The people of Jacob were trapped. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. WebGod never does evil Himself. 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. 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.. His Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. Questions? As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the. I think we can learn some great lessons by answering these questions. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? I was not a cum laude graduate. God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. As the persecution he inflicted was just the jump-start the early church needed to start taking the Gospel to the rest of the world. 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. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. But this much is clear: He never believed that Jesus was guilty of any crime. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. God Uses 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. But most of the time we wont see it fully until we finally arrive in heaven. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. 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. . In 605 Egypt was defeated by the Neo-Babylonians at Carchemish. He is working all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? When Judas kissed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively grabbed his sword and started swinging. Yet, God used him to rebuild the temple and allow Jews to return to their land. Including those who dont believe He exists. However, he had Aaron and Hur hold up Moses arms and had Joshua lead the armies of Israel. 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. 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. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). 2:11). In many cases without them even realizing that they were being used by God. We see this all the way through the Bible. God himself had foreordained every detail surrounding the death of his Son. They do whatever they want. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. 10:14-15). We see this all the way through the Bible. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 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. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Why? This is a true mystery, which we may explain in various ways but will never fully understand. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. 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. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;read more.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. Is that a contradiction? Guiding our world whether we are able to see it or not. In their very act of oppression, they unknowingly serve the glory of the Creator. He has but one endto make us like Jesus. Each time Moses would perform a mighty sign to convince Pharaoh of Gods power but each time God would harden his heart. They thank me for posting my sermons on the internet. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). But he chose instead to allow himself to be arrested, knowing that this would fulfill Gods plan. 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. He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. 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. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). Judas professed Christ but he did not possess him, which is why he is in hell today. God picks the scrawniest little girl to lead off on his kickball team. Our prayers aline us with Gods eternal decree. 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. When they offered him 30 pieces of silver, he readily accepted even though that was the going price for a slave. God was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. God 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. 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.
Sunset Funeral Home New Braunfels,
How Much Did Spotify Pay For Armchair Expert,
My Husband Resents My Chronic Illness,
Articles G