God’s Administration of Redemption and Providence

Introduction

Hello everyone, good evening. I am Evg. Nick from Zion church and HORA ministries, and welcome to our first bible study of our bible study series on book 4 of the history of redemption series, written by Rev. Abraham Park.

So in this series of bible studies, we will be investing our time into the kings period. We’ll be studying the kings of Judah and Israel, beginning from the time of David, all the way to the Babylonian deportation. That’s a lot of content. And in order to understand this content, we need to have a firm understanding of how God works, not only in the kings period, but throughout all of history.

So let’s begin with a simple question: what is God’s purpose for redemption?

When God called Abraham to go to the land of Canaan, He told Abraham that He would make him into a great nation.

Genesis 12:2 ESV

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

When Jesus taught us to pray, He told us to pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:10 (ESV)

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

So God’s purpose for redemption is to establish His kingdom. We call this the history of redemption or redemptive history.

And we are here because we want to participate in this work. Amen? We want to take part in establishing God’s kingdom here on earth. And in order to do that, we have to understand how God does His work. That means that we need to improve our theological vocabulary.

*SHOW SLIDE*

A head chef will go nuts if the kitchen assistant doesn’t know the cooking terminology. Cross cut, fillet, julliene the carrots, sweat the onions.

So likewise, we need to know the terminology for describing the works of God, so that we can be able assistants in establishing God’s kingdom.

And today, we are looking at three major concepts that Rev. Abraham Park uses to begin the 4th book.

Administration

Covenant

Providence

And these three concepts make up our vocabulary for describing and understanding God’s work in redemptive history. But for the majority of today’s study, we’ll focus on the idea of the administration of God. Because God’s administration is the foundational concept, the bedrock upon which everything else finds its place. And so we need to know this thoroughly if we want a strong theological foundation.

Administration

In the first chapter of the book, Rev. Abraham Park talks about God’s administration of redemption. And he says that this administration corresponds to the structural framework of a building. In other words, it’s the foundation for everything we see in the Bible.

The word for “administration” in the New Testament Greek is οἰκονομία/oikonomia which comes from two words: οἶκος/oikos and νέμω/nemo.

οἶκος/oikos means house or household, and νέμω/nemo means to parcel out, to assign, to manage, to administer.

So οἰκονομία/oikonomia means management or stewardship of a household. It’s the systematic planning of an activity or work.

And in the context of redemptive history, the household is the house of God, the church, the kingdom of God.

So God’s administration is the foundational concept for everything we see in the Bible, because everything we see in the Bible is about building up the kingdom of God.

The Apostle Paul in the New Testament gives us five descriptions of God’s administration. And these aren’t different kinds of administration, but five sides of a pentagon.

Administration of God which is by faith

The first description tells us that God is the subject of this administration. He is the one doing it, no one else.

1 Timothy 1:4 NASB95

nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

What we learn from this passage is that God alone is the one doing the administration.

And more than that, this administration is by faith. What does that mean? It means that trust is a key component to God’s administration. God’s work is based on trust. Trust in who? In His Word and His Spirit. Because God the Father sends His Word and the Holy Spirit to accomplish His work.

Trinitarian theology puts it this way. There’s a three-fold dimension to God’s work.

The Father wills it. The Word executes it. The Spirit empowers the Word.

Isaiah 55:11 (ESV)

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

So we need to have faith. Faith in God, God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit. If not, we cannot begin to understand God’s administration.

Stewardship of God’s grace

The second description tells us that this administration is entirely by the grace of God.

Ephesians 3:2 ESV

assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,

What does this mean? It means that the reason for God’s administration isn’t based on merit. God’s household is not a meritocracy where you earn higher marks if you do more good works. Under God’s administration, everything that happens happens because God wills it, not because we deserve it. That’s grace.

1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

So let’s think about this. If everything is by God’s grace, then does that mean we shouldn’t put in effort? That isn’t what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches us that grace isn’t opposed to effort, but to earning.

Administration of the mystery

The third description tells us about the hidden or mysterious dimension of God’s administration. God’s redemptive work is only revealed to those whom He chooses. And the metaphor that Paul uses is that of light and darkness.

Ephesians 3:8–9 ESV

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

What this tells us is that no one can discover this mystery on their own. It doesn’t matter how smart or clever you are. God has to be the one to open our spiritual eyes, and only then can we discover the mystery that is hidden in God’s administration. What’s the mystery? It’s the unsearchable riches of Christ.

So we need to pray the same prayer as the psalmist.

Psalm 119:18 (ESV)

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Administration suitable to the fullness of the times

The fourth description tells us that God’s administration is based on God’s own timing.

Ephesians 1:9–10 ESV

making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

The word for “time” here is καιρός/kairos, which means “an appointed time”, “a set time”, or even “a pre-decided time.” This kairos time is to be distinguished from kronos time, which is composed of our regular days, months, and years according to the calendar system.

And the point is this: God doesn’t follow our schedule. We need to humbly live a life of preparation for God’s kairos time. That means we, who live in kronos time, we need to know the times we’re living in according to God’s perspective. The Pharisees and religious leaders didn’t know the times they were living in, and so they crucified the Son of God instead of worshipping Him. Let us not follow their example. Let us know the times we’re living in, in order to participate and not miss out on God’s work of redemptive history.

Stewardship from God bestowed on us

The final description we see of God’s administration is in Colossians, where the Apostle Paul talks about the stewardship that God bestowed upon him.

Colossians 1:25–26 (NASB95)

Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,

What does Paul mean when he says that the stewardship from God was bestowed on him? He’s saying that God’s Word and God’s Spirit worked in and through him to fulfill redemptive history. He’s saying that his entire life and ministry, all his good works, everything was part of God’s administration.

And this is the same calling that we have received as the church. God has called us to be part of His administration, to fulfill His work in redemptive history.

Ephesians 3:10 ESV

so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

So in this way, we can say that we are called to be stewards of the Gospel.

So to summarize this point in one sentence, God’s administration is God’s work in establishing His kingdom. And how does He do it? By grace, through faith, according to God’s timing, for our stewardship concerning the mystery of Christ.

That’s God’s administration. Now let’s look at the other concepts.

Covenant

What is a covenant? A covenant is a binding arrangement between two or more parties. A common example of this is the covenant of marriage, where husband and wife bind themselves legally to fulfill their wedding vows.

And God’s administration proceeds through the covenants. They are the links and the means through which God redeems mankind. That’s why redemptive history begins with a covenant. After Adam and Eve sinned, God, established a covenant. And in that covenant, we find the first promise of redemption.

Genesis 3:15 (NASB95)

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Bible scholars have a name for this passage. They call it the protogospel, because it’s the first time that the Messiah is mentioned.

Now, God doesn’t just send Jesus right away to crush the head of the serpent. He instead promises the seed of the woman who would come through Adam and Eve’s family.

And throughout the Old Testament, this singular promise in Gen. 3:15 becomes the foundation for all the other covenants that God gives to Adam’s descendants.

What other covenants does God give?

The Noahic covenant (Gen. 9:8-17)

The Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15:12-21; 17:9-14; 18:10; 22:15-18)

The Sinaitic covenant (Exod. 20-24)

The Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-16)

The New covenant in Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34)

The amazing thing is that these covenants build upon each other, and they expound on the identity of the seed of the woman. In this way, we could say that there are six covenants, but they are also one covenant altogether, because they are all fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman.

So what are some characteristics of God’s covenant?

It is a sovereign covenant

When we say “Sovereign” here, we highlight the fact that God’s covenant is from God to us. Sinners cannot cut a binding agreement with God. It is only by God’s grace and mercy that He made a covenant to redeem fallen mankind from sin.

That’s why the Bible never calls it “Our covenant” or “humanity’s covenant,” but “God’s covenant.”

It is an eternal covenant

Jeremiah 50:5 ESV

They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’

The Bible says that God’s covenant is as trustworthy as God Himself. The other gods we see in Greek mythology or the other religions are rarely able to keep their word. But the God of the Bible is a God who doesn’t change. And if He doesn’t change, then His Word stands forever.

Malachi 3:6 ESV

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

It is a covenant of God’s oath

God’s covenants are eternally effective because they are covenants of God’s oath.

When someone swears an oath, the word is “saba” in Hebrew. And it literally means “promise by repeating seven times.”

As human beings, we can make an oath. But we can never guarantee 100% that we’ll keep it. There’s always something that could happen that’s out of our control. But nothing is out of God’s control, and our God doesn’t lie. So how wise it is of us to trust not in man’s words, but in God.

Psalm 132:11 (ESV)

The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.

It is a covenant that God remembers

Psalm 105:8 (ESV)

He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

What’s the significance of this? The word “Remember” is zakar in Hebrew, and it means “to mark” or “to mention.” So whoever belongs to this covenant, whoever puts their faith in God’s covenant, they are marked out before God, and God will never forget them.

It means that God will be merciful toward the covenantal people.

Luke 1:72 (ESV)

to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

God’s Providence

In the context of redemptive history, providence is what God does to fulfill His covenants. Providence is the activity of God that brings His covenant to completion.

Providence is God’s continued exercise of authority over all things according to His sovereign will. It’s God’s concrete activity of controlling the universe for the purpose of fulfilling the covenant of redemption.

The method of God’s providence

There are three general ways that God’s providence works: preservation, concurrence, and government.

Preservation: God’s providence preserves creation by the power of His Word.

Nehemiah 9:6 ESV

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Concurrence: God’s providence controls and moves the thoughts and actions of man according to His will

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Government: God’s providence governs all creation to accomplish the salvation of the elect

Psalm 103:19 (ESV)

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

Psalm 145:13 (ESV)

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

What is the sphere of God’s providence

The sphere of God’s providence transcends all time and encompasses all space. All of creation is affected by God’s providence.

As Jesus said, not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from God’s providence.

Matthew 10:29 ESV

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, we’ve learned about God’s administration, God’s covenant, and God’s providence. And these three things are what drive redemptive history to it’s fulfillment.

What’s interesting about these three concepts is that they also point us to the three persons of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:2 (ESV)

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

When it comes to the works of God, the Father is the one who decrees it. The Father wills it. So the concept of administration, we could say, points us to the Father.

The Covenant is the Word of God given to man. And what we see in redemptive history is that the covenant is fulfilled by the Son of God, otherwise known as the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

Finally, providence points to God’s power to fulfill His Covenant. He is mighty. He is in control. He is able to keep His Word. And that’s why we can trust Him. And what we see is that God’s Word is empowered and actualized by the Holy Spirit.

Administration = wisdom/will = Father

Covenant = faithfulness = Son

Providence = power = Spirit

And so what does this have to do with us, and our study of the Kings Period? As we study the Kings period, we need to discover three things.

First, administration. We need to discover the will of God for us. God created Adam to be His coregent king, to govern all of creation. So let the kings of the Old Testament show us what we should or shouldn’t be.

Second, covenant. We need to discover the faithfulness of God for ourselves. We need to bear witness to God’s loyalty and faithfulness and longsuffering, as He remains faithful to the covenant while His people were faithless. And may our trust and faith in God be restored.

Third, providence. We need to discover the power of God in our own lives. Many of the kings became power-hungry and drunk on their own power. But we must realize that all things are under God’s providence and control. And we must humbly submit to God all our positions of power. Whether we’re rich or influential or physically strong and capable, all of our power has been granted to us by God. And so we need to ask God to use us and our power for the fulfillment of redemptive history.