God as Provider

Summary Statement

God is always a faithful provider for His people according to His purpose.

His people is expected to recognize God as the LORD, the one who fulfills His covenant promises to His people, and make make use of all what God provided for His own glory.

God as a Provider

The Scriptures speaks extensively about God as the provider of His people.

The concept of God as a provider is rooted on His nature as a loving and caring God who takes care of His Creation.

Exodus Experience

God has now come to fulfill His promise to bring the people of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt.

Exodus 6:6–8 ESV

Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’ ”

In this passage, there are seven acts God does for His people.

The first three acts are God’s plan for Israel

bring out from their burdens

deliver from slavery

redeem with acts of judgment

The second two acts are special declarations of divine covenantal election of Israel; thus giving them a special status, that “they were, corporately, his own people in a way that no other people were.“ Stuart, Exodus, NAC 7, 172.

take them as His people

He will be their God

The third two acts are the fulfillment of God’s formal oath taken by God to the patriarchs to bring their descendants into the land of Canaan.

bring them into the land

give the land for their possession

Response of the people

know Him as the LORD their God

People’s reaction

Optimism is dashed with suffering

Faith is diminished by hardship

Emotions powerfully played in human thinking

Pessimism continues unabated

Overcome by impatience for relief and by hard slavery

God fulfilled His promise

Nevertheless, God had fulfilled His promise and showed His love and care

He gave Israel a new life of liberty and grace

How?

The Egyptians gave them free-will gifts: gold and silver articles, raiment (their clothing did not wear out during their Exodus wondering) Exodus 12:35

Manna (heavenly food), Israel did not have to till and work the ground Exodus 16:4; John 6:31-33 (Jesus as the true bread of heaven)

Cloud by day, Pillar of fire by night Exodus 13:21 “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.”

The Land for their possession Deut 27; Joshua 8

fulfillment of God’s promise of liberty and grace to Israel

God is the owner of the whole earth (Ps 24:1

symbol of God’s blessing and vindication Ps 1:3; Joel 2:23; Joel 3:18

Israel’s Response

Israel did not remain in the covenant relationship

Nehemiah lamented the hollowness of possessing the land of the promise … because of sin and covenant unfaithfulness Neh 9:32-37.

Eventually, they lost the land of promise

But God, in his faithfulness and care to HIs people, has again promised to restore the land, no longer to the literal Israel but to those who believe in the expectations of Father Abraham who by faith was not looking for an earthly land but is looking forward Hebrews 11:10 “to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

Application

Today, God is still faithful and caring to all of us.

The gift of Land which the LORD gave to MVC is still intact.

In fact, we are congregated here right now to recognize that goodness and kindness to MVC.

We are here to honor and thank Him for these newly acquired tractors to be used for tilling the gift of LAND the LORD has provided; first: to the students, second: to the faculty and staff, third: to all inhabitants of MVC; fourth: to the everyone who comes and visit MVC.

Again, the tractors are a symbol of God’s faithfulness and care to MVC.

So, let us remain faithful and steadfast in our covenant relationship with Him so that we will continue to enjoy the benefits of MVC land, the land “flowing with milk and honey.”