Providence

Verses

Ps 147:8 HE makes the clouds and provides rain. HE causes the grass to grow.
Eze 45:17 The prince will provide the offerings for the feasts and Sabbaths, "even the sin offering to atone for the house of Israel."
Eze 45:22 The prince will provide a sin offering for himself and for all the people.
Eze 45:23-25 He will provide this offering daily throughout the seven days of the feast.
Eze 46:2 The prince will enter by the gate of the porch and the priests will offer his peace offering. He will worship and leave, but the gates will remain open until evening.
Eze 46:12-15 When the prince makes a freewill offering, he shall enter the east gate and worship, but the gate will be shut when he leaves. For this, he will provide a yearling lamb daily, as well as a grain offering. Thus, there will be a perpetual offering to the LORD.
Ac 23:24 They were ordered to provide mounts and escort for Paul, to ensure his safe arrival at Felix' place.
1Co 10:13 There is nothing unique in your temptations. God never tests us beyond our ability to stand. He always provides the way of escape so that you can endure.
Gal 3:5 Does HE provide the Spirit and the working of miracles by the Law or by faith hearing?
1Ti 5:8 He who refuses to provide for his own family denies faith. He is worse than an unbeliever.
Rev 13:17 The beast provides that none shall trade unless they bear his mark, either his name or his number.

Examples of Providence

Ge 1:29-30 "I have given you every plant and fruit tree for food, and for every creature that has life I have given green plants for food." And so it was.
Ge 8:22 So long as the earth continues there will always be plantings and harvests, seasons and days.
Ge 9:1-3 Multiply and fill the earth. All creatures will fear you, for they are given into your hands. Everything that lives will be food for you. I give it all to you as I gave you the plants to eat.
Ge 22:17 I will bless and multiply you beyond numbering. Your posterity will possess the enemy's gates.
Ge 26:4-5 I will multiply your descendants and give them all these lands. Through them all the nations will be blessed because Abraham obeyed Me in all things.
Ge 28:20-21 Jacob vowed that if God would provide for him on his journey and return him safely home, HE would be his God.
Ge 49:10-12 Judah shall rule until Shiloh comes. His foal and his donkey and colt he shall tie to the vine. He shall wash his robes in wine. Wine shall dull his eyes and milk shall whiten his teeth.

Shiloh (OT:7886):

Tranquil. A title of Messiah.

Ge 49:20 Asher's food will be rich. He will make royal dishes.
Ge 49:24-25 Joseph's bow remained firm and his arms agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Israel. (The Shepherd, the Stone of Israel is from there.) His strength is from the God of your fathers, by the Almighty who blesses you with blessings in heaven, in the depths of the earth, and in the breast and womb.
Ex 15:26 If you heed the voice of your LORD GOD, and keep His statutes, I will not put upon you any of the diseases the Egyptians have suffered. For I am the LORD your healer.
Ex 23:20-22 I will send an angel before you to guard your way to the place I have prepared. Guard your ways in his presence and obey him, for he will not forgive your transgressions because he bears My name in him. If you truly obey Me, and his commands, then I will be the enemy of your enemies.

New Thoughts

So much here speaks of our Messiah! Look at the description of the prince from Ezekiel. The prince will provide the sin offering for all the nation. Throughout the seven days of the feast he makes this offering. So often, those seven days are seen as relating to the period until Christ's return. Throughout that time, His sacrifice continues to atone for our sins.

But take heed to the words of Eze 46:2. He has come already and made His peace offering. He has worshipped and departed. The gates remain open for us to come as well, but only until evening. The gates will close. There will come a time after which we can no longer enter in, except in His company. In the days of His freewill offerings, His presence shall be the gate. "None enter but through Me."

Again we see Messiah in the blessing upon Judah. His rule would last until Shiloh comes, until Messiah arrives. Was this to indicate that He would come from Judah, or only that Judah's rule was temporary?

I think that what most excites me, though, is that last passage from Exodus. He sends His angel to guard the way, but it is a specific way. It is the way to the place He has prepared. If we choose another way, we're on our own.

In the beginning, He declared that the plants were for our food. No mention was made of meats. To eat flesh at that time, then, would have been disobedience. It was after the flood that meat was added. Has it ever been revoked? I don't believe so. It was limited for a time, but the limits were removed in Peter's day.

What, then, shall we make of attempts in this time to say that this, that, and the other food are bad? Shall we declare unclean what God has called clean? Is this obedience or rebellion?

His provision is not without reason. Life is in the blood, not the sap. He provides that we might be strong. He is our strength and our Healer. We dare not refuse His provision. The angel who guards our way is not able to forgive. He is not empowered to forgive. That is reserved for the atoning work of our Prince of Shiloh.

What shall we say to the fact that His name is in His angel? It is not written upon him, but in him. Oh, may this be true of us! May our dedication and obedience to Him reflect an awareness of His Name, His Law, written within us on tablets of flesh. This, and this alone, is the seal of holiness, the sign of His call and choosing.

What is etched upon our hearts cannot but give evidence to itself. Willing or not, our flesh will reflect our heart. May it be found to reflect our Lord and Savior!