Examples of Providence
1Ch 22:13 You will prosper if you carefully follow the LORD's commands. Therefore, be strong and courageous, have no fear and don't be dismayed.
1Ch 28:8 Obey the LORD's commands in the sight of Israel, in God's own hearing. Thus you will possess the land and leave it for your sons in perpetuity.
1Ch 29:12-16 Riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. Power and might are Yours, and You make the great great. You are powerful to strengthen everyone, so we thank You, our God, and we praise Your glorious name. But, what are we that we are able to offer so generously? All things come from You, and from Your hand we give to You. We are but travelers in Your lands, tenants like our fathers. Our days are short and hopeless on the earth. Oh God! All that we have provided to build Your holy house is from Your hand. Everything is Yours.
2Ch 1:11-12 Because you did not ask for riches, honor, revenge, or long life, but have asked only wisdom and knowledge to ably rule My people, whom I made you king over, you shall have wisdom and knowledge, and to this I will add riches and honor beyond that of any previous king, and any kings who will follow after you.
2Ch 7:17-18 If you are like David, keeping my commandments, then I will establish your throne as I covenanted with David when I told him he would lack no man to rule Israel.
2 Ch 20:3-30 Jehoshaphat, being afraid, turned to the LORD, declaring a fast throughout Judah. Together, Judah sought the LORD's help, coming out of all their cities to seek Him. Before the house of the LORD, Jehoshaphat stood in their midst and cried out to God. "Are You not God in the heavens? Are You not ruler over all kingdoms? The power and might of Your hand is such that none can stand against You. Wasn't it You who drove out the inhabitants of this land before us, and gave it to Abraham's descendants forever because he was Your friend? There they lived, building a house for Your name, believing that if any evil overtook them, be it war, or judgment, pestilence or famine, they would stand before You and cry out to You, knowing that You will hear and deliver. For Your name is in this house. Well, see now the sons of Ammon and Moab, those who refused Israel when they left Egypt, turning Israel aside. They come against us now to drive us out of Your possession, the inheritance You gave to us. Will You not judge them, our God? We can do nothing against this great multitude. We have no clue what to do, but our eyes are upon You." All Judah was there before the LORD, with their wives and children, even their infants. In the midst of this crowd, The Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel, Zechariah's son, a Levite descended from Asaph: "Listen, all of you, even the king. The LORD tells you not to fear this multitude for the battle is not yours but God's. Go out against them tomorrow. I tell you where they will be found. Yet, you needn't fight in this battle, merely station yourselves, then stand and see the LORD's salvation, O Judah. Do not fear, but go out and face them, for the LORD is with you." At this, Jehoshaphat bowed his face to the ground, and all Jerusalem fell before the LORD in worship. The Levites of the Kohathites and Korahites stood to praise the LORD in very loud voice. Next morning, they went out to Tekoa, and as they went, Jehoshaphat told them to trust the LORD, and thus be established. By trusting in Him, they would succeed. After consulting with his people, he appointed the singers, those who praised God in holy dress, to go before the army saying, "Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." When they began singing and praising, the LORD ambushed the sons of Ammon and Moab who had come against Judah, and they were routed. For they rose up against each other, destroying each other. When Judah arrived at the lookout and looked towards this vast army, all they saw were corpses on the ground, for no one had escaped. When they came to take their spoil, they found a great deal there; goods, clothes and valuables more than they could carry. So much was to be had that it took three days to gather everything. On the fourth day they assembled to bless the LORD, and even today the place they gathered is called the Valley of Beracah. Every man of Judah returned and Jehoshaphat was at their head. Jerusalem was filled with joy at their return, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice over their enemies. They came into Jerusalem with instruments of praise, going to the house of the LORD. Then, the dread of God was upon all the kingdoms, for they heard how the LORD had fought against Israel's enemies. Then, Jehoshaphat's kingdom had peace, for God gave him rest on all fronts.
2Ch 30:9 If you will return to your LORD, those who hold your brothers captive will have compassion upon them, and return them to this land. For the LORD is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn from you if you return to Him.
2 Ch 31:10 Azariah, the chief priest of the house of Zadok, told Hezekiah that they had had more than enough to eat since the people began bringing their contributions again, because the LORD had blessed His people such that a great deal was left over.
New Thoughts
Everything is Yours (1Ch 29:16). This is the fount from which providence flows. This is the fundamental fact of God by which we can be certain that all our circumstances, all the events of our lives are in His hands. If we are to be well off, provided for in abundance, it is by His determination, not by our sweat and labor that this shall be true. If we are to have only as much as is absolutely needful to live, this also is by His decision.
This is not to suggest that we can just cease from our labors, and wait on God to drop manna from heaven for us. There is a condition on this, He tells us that if we obey, then He will prosper us. God cannot and will not bless disobedience, and He has commanded us to work until He comes. This includes both working for His kingdom, and working to support the family He has given us. "If they will not work, neither will they eat." To our government supported ears, this sounds harsh, but this is the ethic given us by God, God who is gracious and compassionate (2Ch 30:9).
The welfare state seems compassionate to us, and perhaps it is on the surface. But is it compassionate to rob a man of his worth in the name of supporting him? Is it compassionate to condition entire families to living on the edge of poverty, to condition them to expect handouts as their right, rather than to teach them the godly principles of earning their own keep? Earlier, we saw the statement, again in Scripture, that the man who will not support his own family is worse than an unbeliever, he has denied any faith in God he may claim to have. What is our government teaching its people, though, but to set aside this supportive labor, and let them do it for us? The government is not our provider. God is our provider. He may occasionally use the offices of government to accomplish that provision, yet if we fail to see His hand behind what occurs, we still don't understand Providence.
Does this, then, mean that God dislikes the poor? No. We need only look at the rules He put in place for His government to see that. He tells His people not to be greedy in their labors, but to leave a portion for those who are in need. Yet, those in need He still requires to gather that remnant for their use. It's not a handout, effort must be put forth. Indeed, He says that when His people are governed by His command, when they are obedient to His command, there will be no poor in His kingdom, because His provision will suffice for all.
But this is not the prosperity message of 'get rich with God.' Not at all. Among other things, we need to recognize what God is promising when HE promises to prosper us. We need to recognize that Paul was being prospered both in times of much and in times of little. He was being prospered just as much while he was in prison as he was while teaching in the church. God's prosperity might include monetary wealth, or it might not. If it does, it is because He is trusting us to use what He has given to do His work. He is trusting us to apply our wealth as He wants it applied, be that in supporting others in need, in supporting His Church, in supporting missionaries, or all of the above.
Solomon received riches precisely because they were not his focus. His focus was on the people of God, and because this was the case, God was able to entrust him with great wealth. David's prayer is so instructive, as well. Everything we give to God, everything we possibly could give to God, is but a portion of what He has given us. We like to think we've sacrificed a great deal on His behalf, but what sacrifice is it to give somebody what is theirs by right anyway? We would do well to remember with David that we are but tenants here. We only rent our space on earth for a time, and then return it to its owner. Should we not pay the Owner the rent we owe?
Of course, I can't let the tale of Jehoshaphat go by without comment. This is one of the greatest inspirations for praise and worship that I have ever seen in the Word. How we, who play the music of the Church, need to be constantly reminded that it's not an entertainment, it's not just fun, it's front-line battle that we have signed up for. We are tasked with bearing the Lord our Banner, Jehovah Nissi, before the armies of our God. What an awesome honor! What a fearsome responsibility. In the face of our enemy, who would seek to block ears and harden hearts, we come with the praises of our God, that the enemy may be vanquished, and the word of the LORD heard. Not just heard, but received. Not just received, but taken to heart. Not just taken to heart, but taken into action.
Look, also, at God's provision in that case. He determined when. Tomorrow is the day. Go out and face your enemies with boldness tomorrow. He determined where. At the very edge of the wilderness, on the boundaries of the desert places you will find them. He determined how. Don't try to take them on, just station yourselves in the place I have chosen. Can you imagine a modern army receiving instructions like this? Battle stations! Each man to his position! Now stand there in the face of the enemy. Yet the flock of Judah still recognized their Shepherd's voice, and far from being confused by such directives, they knew exactly what to do.
They fell down in worship of their God and Savior, the Rock of Israel, their strong tower of refuge. But, here's an interesting thing to observe: when all Judah fell down in worship, the Levites stood in praise! This deserves some consideration. In our modern services, many find it inappropriate to return to praise when we've entered a period of worship. We have come to think that the proper progression must consist of praise first, worship later, and then perhaps a moment of silent awe in His presence. Yet, here are God's people giving us another perspective. Worship and praise need not be mutually exclusive. They need not follow after a certain order. Not only is there no requirement that we start fast and finish slow, there's not even a requirement, in this case, that the leaders of worship be in outward sync with the mood of the house.
All Judah had fallen down in worship, and how did the Levites react? They began to praise loudly! Note that it doesn't say, here, that Judah jumped up out of their worshipful place and joined in. No. Both ministrations continued side by side. How God must have rejoiced to receive this! I wonder if we will come to this place in our own times of communion and fellowship. I wonder if we could accept it.
