What Is Providence?

The doctrine of Providence is that all things are sustained, directed and controlled by God. — Leonard Woods

Linguistically the English word for providence is a compound word meaning “before” and “to see.” God pro videos; that is, God provides because … He sees before what we need and therefore supplies.

Providence involves God’s capacity to see (and, consequently, to act) beforehand.

Do humans have any capacity for to act like this? Can we anticipate certain things in life?

“See it coming” or “Seeing a need before it arises.”

Are we equipped to anticipate all events in our lives?

What would that ability require?

Omniscience and omnipotence

Is this a sufficient definition of providence? Is providence only divine anticipation? No, it is not merely reactive.

Is it enough to say that providence is proactive? Providence is more than being merely proactive.

Providence is determinative!

The Word “Providence” in the Bible

Acts 24:2 KJV 1900

2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

Acts 24:2–3 ESV

2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.

πρόνοια- thoughtful planning to meet a need, forethought, foresight, providence

It is used one other time in the NT-

Romans 13:14 ESV

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

What does Paul mean when he says, “make no provision for the flesh”?

He means take no foresight or forethought for the flesh—planning or arranging an opportunity or manipulating circumstances so that my flesh has an opportunity to satisfy its desires.

What are some examples of doing this? Carry the answers into an exam / purposefully stroll down the magazine isle at the store.

What are you doing when you do these things? You are exercising providence (very negative sense).

You are looking down the road ahead of time to arrange an opportunity to sin.

Positive Illustrations of “Providence”

3x’s the NT uses the verb form of providence.

Romans 12:17 ESV

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

What is our word? What is the meaning in the context? take every precaution to be open and aboveboard in our dealings.

2 Corinthians 8:21 ESV

21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.

Paul is practicing Rom. 12:17 in his handling of the financial gift for the Jerusalem saints.

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV

8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Here our words dictates the duty of caring and providing for the needs of the family.

Jehovah-Jireh: Banner of Providence

Context of Gen 22-

Genesis 22:8 ESV

8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

Provide: lit. means “to see”

We could translate it this way, “God himself will see to a lamb for a burnt offering.”

This is exactly what God did, in an very unusual, unexpected, and “providential” way.

Genesis 22:13 ESV

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

What name did Abram then give the place where all this happened?

Genesis 22:14 ESV

14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Or Jehovah-jireh (יְהוָ֣ה׀ יִרְאֶ֑ה)

“jireh”- is the same word from v. 8 and means “to see.”

So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will see to it” and “in the mount of the Lord it will be seen to.”

What is the easy application of this passage in regards to providence?

The general notion that God always provides

However the context helps us see some very specific applications and nuances of providence.

Context on Abraham’s statement- what was Abraham willing to do on this occasion?

Obedience to the Lord that involves sacrifice of what is dearest and most cherished- and even God-given!

Context driven application:

1. When we seek to obey God, even at enormous cost to ourselves, He “sees to it” that we are blessed.

2. If we are on the verge of willingly sacrificing something in deference to Him, or in order to carry out His will, He will “see to” (that is, He will provide) a suitable substitute or will recompense the loss in His way and time.

3. God in His providence will provide / intervene for us when we determine to obey Him or when we willingly sacrifice for Him.

What Does the Bible Say?

Let’s look at some narrative statements that demonstrate God’s providence.

What kinds of situations does the Bible explicitly attribute God’s providential intervention in these passages?

Genesis 12:17 ESV

17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.

Preemptive disease

Genesis 20:6 ESV

6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.

Restraint from sinning (Abraham and Abimelech)

Genesis 20:17–18 ESV

17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Barrenness and pregnancy

Genesis 25:21 ESV

21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Conception

Genesis 45:4–8 ESV

4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Suffering as the victim of the sinful acts of others in order to be used to effect a greater good.

1 Samuel 26:12 ESV

12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

Unusually deep sleep (to protect God’s servant)

2 Kings 7:6 ESV

6 For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us.”

Auditory hallucinations and a complete misapprehension of reality

Daniel 2:21 ESV

21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

Daniel 4:17 ESV

17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

Daniel 4:32 ESV

32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”

Appointment of even secular governmental leaders

Jonah 1:4 ESV

4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

Jonah 1:17 ESV

17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 2:10 ESV

10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Jonah 4:6 ESV

6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.

Jonah 4:7–8 ESV

7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

Weather, animal behavior, and plant development

Over what activities is the providence of God at work?

What is so significant about all of these examples? Small to great and everything in-between

Defining Providence

Simply stated, providence is the word that describes the biblical doctrine of God’s active involvement and intervention, directly or indirectly, in human affairs.

Providence denotes the “preservation, care and government which God exercises over all things that He has created, in order that they may accomplish the ends for which they were created.” — Wilbur Tillett

Providence is “the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill, He upholds His creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory.”

The Twofold Concept of Providence

Preserving providence- God continuously preserves and maintains the existence of every part of His creation, from the smallest to the greatest, according to His sovereign pleasure.

Governing providence- God graciously guides and governs all events, indulging the free acts of men and their external circumstances, and directs all things to their appointed ends for His glory.

Providence or Miracle?

What is the difference?

Miracle- a supernatural act in which God intervenes in the natural course of human experience, by exercising His authority over creation for the purpose of self-revelation.

Miracle- splitting the Red Sea

Providence- a king not being able to sleep at night

A miracle is overt providence. Providence might be described as God’s covert activity in orchestrating the affairs of men and the events of history.

Providence of Coincidence?

Does providence leave any possibility for coincidence?

The doctrine of the providence of God leaves no ream for fate, blind or otherwise. God is not blind; neither is He capricious. For Him there are no accidents.

If chance exists, God cannot exist. If one molecule flies wild by chance, then God is not sovereign. If God is not sovereign, then God is not God. God and chance simply cannot exist. — R.C. Sproul

Some practical questions:

How often do you refer to luck or chance in casual conversation?

Are phrases like “Good Luck” or “If anything can go wrong, it will” as innocent as they seem?

Do you think habits of speech condition the way you or those around you view and interpret life?

If God’s providence is over every aspect of our lives, how should that effect our attitude toward whatever we may experience?