Paul also made this clear in Romans 9-11. They were afraid. Comments? He uses believers and unbelievers. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 Remember my imprisonment. Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice. I have not been named most influential, listed as most attractive, or voted most likely to succeed. He recognized what was evil because he believed Gods law. 16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. When we dont see the ungodly punished immediately, or when they seem to be successful in their evil ways, we should not assume that God is beaten or is pleased to turn His head. He clings to his sin like a drowning man to an iron life preserver. ", Writing & Teaching Inductive Bible Studies. 1 John 5:14. When God does something completely different and unexpected (Numb. Here are some examples: Verse Concepts. His son Jehoahaz became king. WebThe one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. WebJohn 3:16. They were evil cowards who hated the Son of God but feared a popular uprising if they tried to arrest him. Joseph made Egypt phenomenally wealthy during the years of the famine. First, the people of Israel were for the most part leaderless. 1:22). Who would have had his own beliefs and gods that contradicted much of the Bible. Able to do exceedingly and abundantly using unlikely people to further His plans. Prayer is one of the means God uses to accomplish His sovereign will and get glory for himself. Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. Gods sign of judgment was that they would hear foreign language on the streets of Jerusalem, speaking in a language they did not understand. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). That doesnt make us anything more in Gods eyes. Which is why they completely missed the Messiah when they stood right beside Him. WebGod never does evil Himself. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. This warning was made clear in the ancient covenant revealed long before through Moses in Deuteronomy 28. God use unbelievers to accomplish his will And he was an exalted and successful king. We need to be reminded again and again that we are like grass disposable, temporary, fleeting, momentary. And that is okay. We might make Jim Collins proud, but God yawns at our leadership abilities. They mock authority and law, and believe that might makes right. They still look to their own strength and ability as if they were divine and answer to no authority above their own. Israel as a nation had rejected the promises of Moses and the Prophets culminating in the demand for the death of Jesus, Gods Messiah. God could by-pass us and do everything himself, but He does not. God Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus I am not a rising star in any field, industry, or arena. Moses had great faith! The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. In Acts 1:16 Peter declared that the Scripture had to be fulfilled. He meant that the Old Testament predictions (he cites Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8) regarding Judas were bound to come true. 14:16, God, who is all powerful and infinitely sovereign, tells Moses, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. Why didnt God just part the Red Sea? Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. An unlikely person to be used by God. Were on a mission to change that. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.. International Standard Version. Now if You slay this people as one man, then the nations who have heard of Your fame will say. In the eyes of the Jews, Saul would be seen as a warrior of the faith. Do not lament your insufficiency. God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. I am sure God has many reasons for doing the things He does in the way and timing of His choosing, but lets consider some likely reasons He used Moses, a sinner, to be the instrument of His sovereign, miraculous work of dividing the Red Sea. So He brought their days to an end in futility And their years in sudden terror. 12:35-36). Providence means that God is in charge of the entire universe at all times and nothing happens outside his control. God has already determined the end from the beginning (Isa. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). God The Bible says, God was well pleased through the message preached to save those who believe (I Cor. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. Another unlikely person used by God was King Cyrus of Persia. Then the Lord heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers. This brings us face to face with the doctrine of Gods providence, which means, A) God has a plan that includes everything that happens in the universe, and, B) Gods plan extends to the tiniest details of life, and. Christianity is not about religion, its about a life-changing relationship with the Son of God. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Moses didnt have any power to bring the ten plagues upon Egypt either. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12: 3). (see Acts 1:20). Assyria had fallen when Nineveh, its capitol, was destroyed in 612 BC. During his ministry his greatest opposition came from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes and the teachers of the Law. I believe that t he Lord is here suggesting that the eternal torment that unbelievers will experience will be on a scale from more tolerable to less tolerable. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. God is unimpressed. Click here. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Verse Concepts. It is not our responsibility to determine how God will use us, but it is our responsibility to be faithful to obey the Word of God. It is only as we look back that we see clearly that God was there all along, working behind the scenes for our good and his glory. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. Egypt made his brother, Jehoiakim, the new king over the Jews. The Israelites and the church did face some tough times and we may too. The gospel writers record many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, the weapons of force have improved, yet all the more they take whatever they want, and give only when it serves their purpose. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;read more.the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. Im not a founder, innovator, CEO, or visionary of any company. But God did just that and used a sinning Gentile to begin the process of restoring Israel. And Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind., Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, We are not blind too, are we?. Jesus point is clear, The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. His And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For this reason God purposefully led the wondering multitude to a place where there was no possible way of escape from Pharaoh and his army, humanly speaking. This week were looking at the other side of the equation. In the time of the New Testament after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we see the expansion of Gods Covenant to include Gentile believers drawn to the Savor by the Gospel. His story is unique in that he claims to be a Christian even though he has chosen a way of life that God calls an abomination. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. No, its a mystery. How can I believe in the goodness of God when there is so much evil in the world? He fought against God and hoped to destroy the early church. Understanding God in Troubled Times They probably said things like, See, God isnt doing anything no body ever gets punished, it cant be very serious. They had forgotten the longsuffering of the True God who made all things, and who rules as King over all kings. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. That literally means, I find no basis for any of the charges brought against this man. In modern terms, you might call it a Summary Judgment in favor of Jesus. Because God does miracles by His own power. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. Jesus Sends Out the The Lord did it, but He did it through Moses. Suggestions? But they feared to do it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the crowds that thronged Jerusalem. Be encouraged, child of God. Visit Justins personal website Here. How will they preach unless they are sent? Why would God allow his Son to suffer such indignity at the hands of one who claimed to be his friend? But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. God didnt want to lead the people around the Red Sea by the way of the Philistines knowing they might get scared and run back to Egypt (Ex. Literal Standard Version. Amen. I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. In this wilderness they shall be destroyed, and there they will die. As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord. Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? He uses believers and unbelievers. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. God was revealing that He was going to use this ungodly power for judgment upon his own straying people. Everyday Apostolic 2019 | All Rights Reserved, Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers, Canceling Church On Christmas Removes Christ From Christmas, Great Resources On Baptism In The Name Of Jesus, A Diluted Christianity: Oneness, Trinitarian, Or Is It All Just Irrelevant, Youre Not David Pastor Raymond Woodward, The Walking Bible Pastor Raymond Woodward, Wait On The Lord by James Wilson NAYC 2019, If I Shout/Lets Testify Medley FAC Sanctuary Choir. 28:25, The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth. 10:17 Paul writes, So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. When we preach the gospel to someone and they come to saving faith, we dont boast that we have saved them but that God has saved them, though we were the instruments of Gods saving work. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. Thats generally the way life is for all of us. But our God is mightier than any office or country. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Jesus Sends Out the Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. The trials that were meant to establish his guilt ended up establishing his innocence for all the world to see. 10 people that God used to accomplish his purposes I. Paul: The one with a shameful past and challenging present (4:18) Colossians 4:18 - I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. The glory of His nature and attributes will be made known in full. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). When we do that we become His instruments to accomplish His sovereign will. Summary During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. In the providence of God, the betrayal by Judas actually advanced Gods purpose in the world. But He is unique and who can turn Him?And what His soul desires, that He does. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. God used this unlikely group of people to accomplish His greatest work and they had no idea. All rights reserved. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. Moses didnt have any power to divide the Red Sea. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Those who were rebelling against God had become apathetic. Does God Accomplish His Purpose in Our 1:8). He betrayed the Lord but ended up vindicating him. Wisdom didnt guard him against a wandering heart. He wants us to trust in Him, to rely on Him, to cry out to Him, and then give Him glory for delivering us. As we saw in the first four verses of this book, Habakkuk was confused. The total number of prophecies is well over 100. Going to church wont make you a Christian any more than sleeping in a garage makes you a caror going to a donut shop makes you a cop. A second reason, related to the first reason, is that God knew that by doing His miracles through Moses, Moses would then in turn give glory to God. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. Showing us that our God can and will use anyone even though they dont know Him. God blesses those in whom he stirs to obedience, and judges disobedience. God Uses Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.. If so, did he have a choice? God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. They do whatever they want. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. God Say to them, As I live, says the Lord, just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. He sent His son to pay a most costly price for the sin of His people, for those who trust in Him. I believe that t he Lord is here suggesting that the eternal torment that unbelievers will experience will be on a scale from more tolerable to less tolerable. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.. 10 people that God used to accomplish his purposes I. Paul: The one with a shameful past and challenging present (4:18) Colossians 4:18 - I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Do not lament your insufficiency. by Bob Burridge 2013, 2015 As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the. They have no respect for the leaders of other nations. Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. We pray because God is sovereign and all powerful. also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,But He does according to His will in the host of heavenAnd among the inhabitants of earth;And no one can ward off His handOr say to Him, What have You done?. God sovereignly saves sinners, yet, He often uses sinners to accomplish His sovereign will. This is a true mystery, which we may explain in various ways but will never fully understand. Everything fits into Gods plan. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. They had fast horses and were more fierce (more alert, fierce, and sharp) than the hungry wolves that come out to hunt in the evening. All of it happened according to Gods plan.
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