THE END OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE

Our conference focuses on the theme of God’s divine providence. Rev. Roper has provided us with an excellent beginning to our conference by describing Divine Providence.

In this first session of our Conference, we are focusing primarily on the doctrine of divine providence. That is, the teachings of Scripture as they discuss and define this remarkable teaching of the sacred Scriptures.

Rev. Roper has described this doctrine. Now, in the course of this sermon, I hope to detail The End of Divine Providence, that is, the goal of divine providence.

It helps to have the goal in mind when engaging in various activities. For the sculptor, he or she needs to have a goal in mind when molding the clay or carving the wood. The same could be said of the bodybuilder. He sets out to carve the muscles of his body into an image in his mind.

As image bearers of God, we need goals in mind for which to work. God, the Creator of human beings, had a goal in mind prior to speaking a single particle into existence. We learn about this plan in Ephesians 3:1-11. His goal is to bring fallen humanity into His grace through Jesus Christ for His glory, to worship Him and be with Him for all eternity.

Notice the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 11:36, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

The end, the goal of God’s Divine Providence, is God’s glory. Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley write, “Glory is to be given to God alone for our creation and salvation.” The end of divine providence is God’s glory.

With the end in mind, let us return to our theme verse in 2 Chronicles 16:9. “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those who heart is completely His.” Let us, then, examine this passage and learn more about this end of divine providence.

I. GOD’S GLORY IS DEMONSTRATED IN REAL LIFE- 2 Chronicles 16:1-6

When dealing with lofty ideas, and in particular the glory of God as it relates to His providence, we can be guilty of treating it like it is outside the realm of human existence.

God’s glory, the end of divine providence, is demonstrated in real life. Here is Asa, a king of Judah who has a good beginning. For instance, in 14:2-8, we learn about Asa’s commitment to God and the reforms he brought to the nation of Judah.

In his first battle (14:9-15), we see Asa turn to the LORD for help and enjoy God’s blessings through victory. Sometime after this victory, God speaks through Azariah and warns Asa to stay faithful to God (15:1-7). After receiving this warning, Asa continues his reform of Judah in 15:8-19. Asa even removed his own mother from the position of queen in 15:16.

Even our present chapter, chapter 16, gives us the details of this potential war. I bring this up because God’s glory is demonstrated in real life. We need to keep this in mind, because this is part of the doctrine, the teaching of Scripture, on divine providence. This sets up our next point of focus, that is, God’s Glory is the End of Divine Providence.

II. GOD’S GLORY IS THE END OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE- 16:9

What was Asa’s sin? Why do we read this verse? Asa, who have previously turned to the Lord for assistance, turns instead to “Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus.”

Now, Asa achieved his goal. Concerned that Baasha king of Israel would attack his people, he turned to Ben-hadad, and with Ben-hadad’s help, Baasha left Judah alone (16:5). Asa had been warned in 15:2, “the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”

When Asa trusted the LORD, the LORD delivered and received the praise and glory. The response to God’s deliverance from chapter 14 in 15:9-15 is sacrifices, shouting, praise, and glorifying God. Not only on Asa’s behalf, but also the people.

Notice in verse 9, “He [Asa] gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon who resided with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they say that the LORD his God was with Him.”

When God delivered the people, He received the glory. This is what makes Asa’s sin so significant. By going to a foreign power, Asa failed to allow God to provide deliverance. As a result, Asa demeaned God’s power to the people. He prevented, though perhaps not purposefully, God from being glorified.

Those things, as described in our passage this evening, are the refusal to turn to the sovereign Lord for deliverance.

God displays His providence to glorify His name. Remember Paul’s words in Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Connecting this state to our present discussion on the End of Divine Providence, John Calvin states, “That the Lord’s own glory ought everywhere to continue to him unchangeably: for the sentence would be frigid were it taken generally; but its emphasis depends on the context, that God justly claims for himself absolute supremacy, and that in the condition of mankind and of the whole world nothing is to be sought beyond his own glory. It hence follows, that absurd and contrary to reason, and even insane, are all those sentiments which tend to diminish his glory.”

Or, to quote a pastor from our time, Terry Johnson says, “The goal of God-directed history is the exaltation of Jesus Christ and the glory of God the Father.”

Stepping back for a moment, I want to walk through some of the pertinent passages that demonstrate the end of God’s providence.

A. Creation glorifies God- Psalm 19:1-6

In Genesis 1:1 we read these astounding words, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The natural byproduct of this creation is that God is glorified. His divine providence, the ordering of creation, brings God glory. Every flower brings glory to God.

Every tree, with its beautiful variation of shapes, sizes, colors, and scents, brings God glory. Each animal brings God glory. Every drop of water and every grain of sand glorifies God. He divine providence, demonstrated in the unimaginable vastness of creation, brings Him glory.

B. Human beings were created to glorify God- Isaiah 43:7 & Psalm 100:2-4

Human beings are the apex of creation, bearing the very image of God in our beings (see Genesis 1:26). They were to give their lives in spreading the glory and splendor of God throughout all of creation (see Genesis 1:28-30).

Human beings are to glorify God. But we know from Genesis chapter 3 that man forfeited, willingly, his privilege to glorify God when he sinned against God.

C. Earthly rulers glorify God

Two important passages will provide us with an excellent summary treatment of this thought. In Romans 9:17, which is a quotation from Exodus 9:16, we read these words, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate my power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” We know from Romans 13:1 that all authority comes from God. That is, all authority, good and wicked, extend from the providence of God.

An important proverb that we would do well to commit to memory and quote frequently is Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

Some rulers, such as David and Solomon (to an extent) bring God great glory through righteousness. Other rulers, such as Pharaoh or wicked Herod, bring God great glory through His execution of holy wrath.

Though not dealing with rulers per se, the psalmist records these words that are pertinent to our discussion this evening, “For the wrath of man shall praise You; with a remnant of wrath You will gird yourself.” Earthly rulers glorify God, and this is splendidly told to us by the apostle Paul in Philippians 2:8-11. All people, those who receive eternal life and those who reject it, will bow before Jesus to the glory of God the Father.

D. Incomprehensible situations glorify God

John 9:1-12 presents to us the account of Jesus healing the man who was born blind. Now, the disciples asked a question that sounds very similar to the accusations of Job’s friends, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”

In other words, only bad things happen to bad people. Are we not guilty of this as well? Do we not see television preachers come out and declare a natural disaster to be from the judging hands of God for sins?

It is unfortunate, but this seems to be how we reconcile incomprehensible situations. A child who passes in infancy, a mother who dies while young, a father who losses his career, many examples could be provided. We simply do not understand why God allows certain situations. Think about the wonderful lady Joni Eareckson Tada. She became a quadriplegic in a diving accident. We may ask, “Why? Why did you allow this, God?”

This is where Job found himself. After experiencing the tragic loss of almost all his physical possessions, all of his children, and his health. His friends accused him of unrighteousness. And for 36 chapters, Job argues with four of his friends of Job’s state, of God’s judgment, and of practical theology. Then God shows up, and issues a series of questions to which Job had no answer. Each question dealt with something that Job was unfamiliar with, and each question reminded Job that God was God and Job was not. He could not understand this incomprehensible suffering, but incomprehensible situations glorify God.

We do not always know why. In fact, though we know that all things work together for good, I think there are some providences that are too immense for our finite minds to grasp. That is to say, we may never know how a certain situation brought God glory, but brothers and sisters, this is what the Scriptures teach!

The end of divine providence is the glory of God. And incomprehensible situations, a work of God’s divine providence, glorify God.

E. God’s miraculous power glorifies God

We also see God receive glory in His miracles. Be it creation, or the deliverance of a nation from slavery, or deliverance of His people from the flames of a furnace, God is glorified through miracles.

Think of all the heart-wrenching accounts found in the Gospels. Each situation is terrible. The death of a loved-one, the possession by a demon or demons, the experience of a lethal disease were all means of God’s providential work to glorify Himself.

The disciples, experiencing the terror of death in the storms and waves, were amazed at the power of Christ. (Matt. 8:23-27)

When a paralytic man was brought to Christ by his friends, and Christ heals the man and offers salvation, it is state, “when the crowds say this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.” (Matt. 9:1-8)

Go through and read the Gospel accounts. Not all people glorified God through His miraculous power, but routinely they did.

F. The common things of life glorify God

Have you ever wondered why God created flowers? While some flowers are edible, there are many beautiful flowers that are not. Roses offer us a beautiful example. They smell incredible, they are varied in their construction and color, but ultimately they take nutrients from the soil that could provide benefits for actual food, like potatoes.

Flowers are a common thing, but that common thing brings glory to God. That is its end. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:28-29 says, “Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”

The stars in the sky, the cry of a baby, the music of the birds, the cool autumn breeze, the summer sun, the smell of the salty ocean, the delightful taste of steak, the very heavens themselves declare the glory of God! All creation points back to her Creator and brings Him glory.

God’s glory is the end, the goal, of divine providence. He rules all things for His glory. He creates all things for His glory. He brings pain into our lives for His glory and our good. The end of all divine providence is the glory of God. The Scriptures definitively teach this.

G. The end of redemption, under divine providence, is for the glory of God- Ephesians 1:6, 12, and 14

God is glorified through the salvation of fallen human beings! And this is the focus of the entirety of Scripture. Unfortunately, we do not have the time to flesh this out, but God’s plan to redeem fallen humanity through Jesus Christ is the end of existence, ultimately brought about to glorify God. And this redemption will be the ongoing praise of God throughout eternity (see the book of Revelation).

The London Confession records these words, “Moreover, man having brought himself under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace, wherein He freely offers unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved; and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, His Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.”

Connecting the account of Job to the Cross of Christ, Christopher Ash writes,

“The assurance that he can do all things and that no purpose of his can be thwarted is the comfort I need in suffering and the encouragement I crave when terrified by evil. He does not merely permit evil but commands it, controls it, and uses it for his good purposes. The most evil deed in the history of the human race, the moment when the Leviathan and the Behemoth seemed ultimately victorious, was the moment that was brought about by ‘the definite plan and foreknowledge of God’ (Acts 2:23), and that was the moment of the Behemoth’s and Leviathan’s definitive defeat. This God who knows how to use supernatural evil to serve his purposes of ultimate good can and will use the darkest invasions into my own life for his definite and invincible plans for my good in Christ. Hallelujah! What a Savior!”

The end of redemption, the end of human existence, of all creation including the desperate times and the common things, everything is a tool in the hand of the sovereign God for His glory.

It is through the marvelous grace of God that fallen human begins are made new into the image of God and will spend all eternity praising God.

We could provide many more examples for discussion, all saturated with Scripture, all pointing to the end of divine providence: God’s glory.

But this brings us to our next point of focus.

III. GOD’S POWER IS THE MEANS BY WHICH HE IS GLORIFIED—strongly

God’s glory is demonstrated in real life, real people, and real events. God’s glory is the end everything and it is brought about by God’s divine providence. The means of this accomplishment is God’s power.

Consider how we have just discussed all aspects of human existence. Pain, suffering, joys and life, flowers and stars, rulers and dictators are all within the power of God almighty.

Notice the words of Hanani the seer, “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

Consider the act of Creation. In another sermon on God’s power, Charnock makes these comments about God’s power.

“And this conducts to a third thing, wherein the power of God appears, in that he did all this with the greatest ease and facility. First, without instruments. As God made the world without the advice, so without the assistance of any other....Secondly, God created the world by a word, by a simple act of his will. The whole creation is wrought by a word, God said, Let there be light.’

One act of his will formed the world and perfected its beauty. All the variety and several exploits of his power were not caused by distinct words or acts of power. God uttered not distinct words for distinct species, as, let there be an elephant, and let there be a lion; but as he produced those various creatures out of one matter, so by one word. By one single command, those varieties of creatures, with their clothing, ornaments, distinct notes, qualities, functions, were brought forth. By one word all the seeds of the earth, with their various virtues; by one word, all the fish of the sea, and fowls of the air in their distinct natures, instincts, colours; by one word all the beasts of the field, with their varieties…Heaven and earth, spiritual and corporeal creatures, mortal and immortal, the greater and the less, visible and invisible, were formed with the same ease. A word made the least, and a word made the greatest.”

God is infinitely power. Our minds cannot comprehend His power. His power is the means by which He divinely operates within the world of men and of angels.

God works His divine plan because God is powerfully, infinitely so. Why is this important? We cannot forget God’s power when dealing with divine providence because we cannot have divine providence without divine power.

This is also important, as we will discuss more tomorrow, when dealing with our every day lives. When we consider the intricate and complex pain we endure, we must remember that the same power that brought the world and everything into existence is the same power that comforts and guides us through those dark times.

IV. GOD’S GLORY BENEFITS HIS PEOPLE- support those whose heart is completely His

The last point that we will examine with our time this evening is that God’s glory, while being the end (or goal) of His divine providence, benefits His people.

God’s divine providence has His glory as its aim, but wonderfully incorporated in that aim is our good. His power, which resulted in His glory, was meant for the good of His people, expressed through the deliverance of His people from attack in this passage and variously expressed throughout the testaments.

For some, God’s power produce miraculous healing and life. For others, God’s power freed them from demonic possession. Others enjoyed the blessings of food through God’s power.

All of these earthly aspects, however, point us to the ultimate good through God’s glorious power: salvation through Christ.

We see this most beautifully expressed in Ephesians 1:3-12. Notice the combination of God’s glory and our salvation.

The end of divine providence is God’s glory and our good, yet this does not mean that everything always works out the way we anticipated. Hanani the seer, faithful to the LORD in the declaration of His Word, is imprisoned.

Was God’s power diminished? Was divine providence hindered? No, it was not. Notice these words from Hebrews 11:35-40. God’s glory, the end of His divine providence, benefits His people. It does not always benefit us the way we think it should, but it always benefits. That is the teaching of Romans 8:28.

Conclusion

The end of divine providence is God’s glory as it is demonstrated in real life. That is the goal, but God graciously brings us into His plan as He glorifies Himself for our good. The good of His people, particularly the Church, is the benefactor of God’s divine providence.

This is the doctrine (i.e., teaching) of Scripture. God’s divine providence brought Asa into rule, blessed Asa when he obeyed, and judge Asa when he rebelled, all for God’s glory and His people’s good.

This is the teaching of God’s Word for the people of God for the glory of God. And all of God’s people said, Amen.