A Study of the Doctrine of Providence Pt 17 Problems of Providence
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God’s providence is supreme, and therefore sovereign … He is the sole arbiter of events and destines … So that it is as clear that God rules alone as that he rules at all, that he rules everywhere as that eh rules anywhere; that he governs all agents, all causes, all events, as that he governs any of them. To surrender in whole or in part his control of the universe would be to admit that he was not God. —William S. Plumer
Can anyone summarize our working definition of providence?
God’s secret working in and through the free acts of men, directing all events in order to accomplish his will.
What are some potential problems that might arise in our theology of God’s providence?
Where does sin fit in?
If God is working in and through the free acts of men, directing all events in order to accomplish his will, where does sin fit into the picture?
Does it fit anywhere, or is sin outside the realm of God’s providential control?
What part does Satan play on the stage of providence?
How does God providentially maneuver through all this murky terrain of free will, sinful impulse, human wickedness, and Satan’s prompting without becoming sullied Himself?
The Problem Illustrated:
23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left;
20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another.
21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’
22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’
23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
Compare these two texts:
1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
Who “moved” David to number the people? God or Satan? The answer is “yes.” That answer may not satisfy all our curiosities, but it is the only thoroughly biblical answer.
What Does the Bible Say?
What Does the Bible Say?
One of the best contexts from which to address the problem of God’s providence is the Book of Job. When “bad” things happen, is it God or man or Satan?
Who’s Responsible for This?
Who’s Responsible for This?
Who is responsible for what happened to Job? God or Satan?
11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
Whose hand is being described in v. 11? God’s hand
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Whose hand is being described in v. 12? Satan’s hand.
Whose hand is doing the stretching out against Job?
5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”
6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
Remember back to our study on Joseph- who is ultimately responsible for EVERYTHING that happens to us?
God must be if He is both just and omnipotent. If something “bad” happens that we do not understand, we are immediately tempted to question God.
What attributes of God do we call into question?
Omnipotence- how? Why didn’t you prevent that God? Were you unable to prevent it?
Justice- How could you allow that to happen? That’s not fair!
Which one did Job call into question? God’s justice!
Think about the calamities that happened in Job’s life. Was Job merely the target of nonmoral “natural” disasters?
18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.
To whom are these catastrophes to be attributed? God or Satan or natural causes?
Was Job also the victim of sin?
14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”
So now who is in charge, God or Satan?
Who was in charge of the natural calamities?
Who was in charge of all the suffering as a result of the sins of others?
Truth- God cannot be the originator of any sin or temptation to sin. How do we know that?
But, who, if anyone, was ultimately responsible for what happened to Job? Were God AND Satan jointly in control? Do they share the responsibility/blame? Who is ultimately in charge?
11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.
3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
You incited me? Satan incited God? Satan moved God?
You incited me against him? Satan moved God against Job?
You incited me against him to destroy him without reason? Satan moved God against Job to destroy him without reason?
How can that be?
A Closer Look at a Key Verse
A Closer Look at a Key Verse
Job 2:3 is a crucial verse to understanding the book of Job, and to understanding our problem of providence.
Let’s dissect the terms of the text that are central to our problem.
Job 2:3 (ESV)
3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you INCITED me against him to destroy him without reason.”
"Incited” (סות)- means “to allure, entice, incite, provoke.” It is used 18x’s in the OT in different senses.
Sometimes people do this to other people in an evil sense of seducing or enticing them to do something wrong.
Jezebel incited Ahab to do evil:
25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.
Ahab induced Jehoshaphat to join him in battle:
2 After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.
A friend or relative might entice someone to serve idols:
6 “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known,
Sometimes people do this to other people in an innocent sense of motivation.
Achsah urged her husband to ask Caleb for an inheritance:
18 When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”
Sometimes God does this to people in the sense of prompting or direction, either directly or through secondary means.
He drew Israel’s enemies to leave Jehoshaphat alone in battle:
31 As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; God drew them away from him.
He incited David against Israel to number them:
1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
Only once does anyone ever do this to God.
Job 2:3 (ESV)
although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
Only here, in Job 2:3, is God the object of this verb. By God’s own admission, Satan incited/provoked/motivated/persuaded Him against Job to swallow him up undeservedly.
God Himself admits that He has been “moved” by Satan to dot this to Job. To do what?
Job 2:3 (ESV)
you incited me against him to DESTROY him without reason.”
“Destroy” (בַלְּע֥)- is a graphic word that literally means “to swallow up” or “to gulp down.”
32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.
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.
God admits that what He did to Job was not unlike the earth swallowing up houses or the fish swallowing up Jonah.
Why did God say He was moved to do this? To what end? For what cause?
Job 2:3 (ESV)
you incited me against him to destroy him WITHOUT REASON.”
“Without Reason” (חִנָּֽם)- can mean either “without compensation” or “without cause, undeservedly.”
Saul sought to destroy David without cause:
5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”
David refused to offer a sacrifice from that which cost him nothing:
24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
Most instructive is this Messianic reference:
4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?
This prophetic reference to Messiah’s suffering focuses on the single event of history that puts all our suffering, even Job’s, into proper perspective!
Was there any other suffering that was more undeserved than that of the spotless, holy, harmless Lamb of God?
How should Jesus’ suffering cause us to gauge our own suffering?
We must always gauge our attitude toward our own suffering not by the experiences of other by by the experiences of Christ!
Back to the Question
Back to the Question
Who did all this to Job? God or Satan? The answer is YES.
11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
God placed Job in Satan’s hand or power.
Then who is responsible for all this? God.
3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.
This is the answer Scripture gives us. And it is the answer that Job and his friends never doubted throughout the entire book. Why do we?
When we say that God only “permitted” everything that happened to Job, we must remember who started it all in the first place?
God spoke first, not Satan. God first brought up Job’s name and character, not Satan. Knowing exactly what would happen and how it would end, God not only permitted Job’s circumstances but also initiated the whole process of Job’s suffering.
Principles of Providence
Principles of Providence
1. God is NOT responsible for my (or anyone else’s) wrong actions or choices.
1. God is NOT responsible for my (or anyone else’s) wrong actions or choices.
Free will exists and is corrupted by man’s fallen sinful nature! There is such a thing as human responsibility.
2. God IS, by His own admission, responsible for what happens to me, even when it involves sinful actions and choices of others.
2. God IS, by His own admission, responsible for what happens to me, even when it involves sinful actions and choices of others.
The “free acts of men” in our definition of providence. That is providence. Remember Joseph, remember Job, remember Jesus.
3. God is the ultimate cause of every moral right (for no moral right can originate from fallen man) but the cause of no moral wrong (for no moral wrong can originate from an unchangeably holy God).
3. God is the ultimate cause of every moral right (for no moral right can originate from fallen man) but the cause of no moral wrong (for no moral wrong can originate from an unchangeably holy God).
Yet He sovereignly controls and orchestrates both to accomplish His purposes. How does He do this?
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
Before and after the flood- intention of man’s heart is evil! Only evil continually!
It’s like God opens the lid on this bottomless pit of human depravity just so far- filtering what escapes. Allowing only that which accomplishes His will, and restraining the lion’s share that does not.
Millard Erickson:
How does God relate to sin?
He prevents it.
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.
2. He permits it
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
3. He directs it
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
4. He limits it
1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side— let Israel now say— 2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
Given the depth of man’s depravity, the wonder is not that God permits harm and difficulty and even devastation to befall us; the wonder is that He prevents and restrains so much!
But Why?
But Why?
What is the one question that Job kept asking over and over again in the midst of his suffering? Why God?
What answer did God never give Job?
What answer did God give Job?
3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
God is asking Job two very important questions in this passage.
Job who are you? Who are you Job? Did you lay the foundation of the earth? Did you determine its boundaries? Or its foundations?
Job Who am I? I am the one there in the beginning before the foundations of the earth. I am the one who determined its measurements and sunk its bases. I laid the cornerstone of the world.
God is the only one who can do all these things. The very idea of trying to comprehend the amount of wisdom and power necessary to order the universe itself is staggering! Yet God in all of His wisdom and strength can and did. And on top of that the ordering of the world was just a glimpse of God’s power and wisdom- for His power and wisdom are infinite.
How dare we question a God who is this wise and this powerful.
The God who is wise and powerful enough to create has to be wise and powerful enough to manage my life too.
How could I possibly do a better job at managing my own life than God?
The question is not why, it’s who? Who created the earth, and the sea, and the dawn? God did.
The only appropriate response to our sovereign and wise God is submission—not blind, servile submission but trusting, loving submission because He has earned our trust and love by a thousand mercies. “Job needs to learn that the issue is not ethical, the question is not why, and the need is not understanding. The issue is spiritual, the question is who, and the need is trust.”
A Look in the Mirror
A Look in the Mirror
1. Is it correct to view God as doing “bad” things (i.e., not moral evil but undesirable experiences) to us?
1. Is it correct to view God as doing “bad” things (i.e., not moral evil but undesirable experiences) to us?
We need to adopt God’s thoughts on the matter. We must think God’s thoughts after Him. It is not that God “did” this to Job. Rather, He entrusted this experience to Job, just as God entrusted to Joseph the terribly trying circumstances that he experienced.
We have been given by God the stories of Job and Joseph. We might not know the outcome of the circumstances that God has placed in our lives. But, we have seen God providentially work through the lives of Job and Joseph and we know that we can trust Him completely!
11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
Think about these verse! Because Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus- therefore, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he STAYED TWO DAYS LONGER!
Jesus’ delay, and the suffering it caused, was in fact a manifestation of His love for them. It was for their ultimate good and His own glory!
Just imagine how Mary and Martha would have felt in the midst of the trial?
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
God why did you let this happen? How could you be late? God is never, NEVER, late!
“I adore and kiss the providence of my Lord, who knoweth well what is mot expedient for me, and for you, and for your children.” —Samuel Rutherford
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace:
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face. —William Cowper
2. Was it “bad” for God to take away everything Job had “without cause”? Was it right?
2. Was it “bad” for God to take away everything Job had “without cause”? Was it right?
What foundational truth about God must we bear in mind?
God is incapable of sin.
Was it unfair for God to take away all that Job had?
What was the cause of Job’s suffering? Providence.
What was the cause of Job’s prosperity?
Yes, God allowed Job to suffer even though he had not done anything to deserve it. But neither had Job done anything to deserve the giving of those blessings in the first place. Nor have we!
21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
So what is the key to reacting with the right spirit when suffering comes our way? Cultivate a right sense of humility for all of God’s continuous, undeserved goodness while things are going well. Nothing good we have is deserved in the first place, and anything God does with it is always right.
3. What is the biblical measure of suffering that helps us put all our difficulties, no matter how severe, into proper perspective?
3. What is the biblical measure of suffering that helps us put all our difficulties, no matter how severe, into proper perspective?
Christ suffered under the providential hand of God infinitely more than we could ever endure. If you want to put your sufferings into perspective go to the cross!