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. WebWhat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But they feared to do it during the Feast of Unleavened Bread because of the crowds that thronged Jerusalem. God chooses the custodian with a heavy accent to share the gospel and save lives. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. Each time Moses would perform a mighty sign to convince Pharaoh of Gods power but each time God would harden his heart. Having all the wisdom in the world didnt guarantee fidelity. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. In the providence of God, the betrayal by Judas actually advanced Gods purpose in the world. Zechariah 11:13Judas would give the money back. Israel as a nation had rejected the promises of Moses and the Prophets culminating in the demand for the death of Jesus, Gods Messiah. Impatience and failing to trust God is never helpful. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. We are saved by living faith in the Son of Godnot by outward religious observance. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Until finally it came to the Red Sea where the Egyptian army was destroyed and the tale spread across the world to the glory of God. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They heap judgment on themselves. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask When Judas actually betrayed Jesus in the Garden, Peter immediately sprang to his defense. It appears that between 11 PM Thursday night and 7:30 AM Friday morning, Jesus underwent six different hearingsone before Annas, two before Caiaphas, one before the Sanhedrin, and two before Pontius Pilate. Though used of God to complete his plan, those who crucified our Lord were still personally wicked and godless in what they did. Just as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things! (Rom. Judas didnt know itand doesnt get any credit for itbut his dastardly deed actually fulfilled predictions given by the Holy Spirit hundreds of years before he was born. Moses didnt have any power to bring the ten plagues upon Egypt either. and be astounded! Other examples could be added to this list. Eternity will reveal how your faithful service was used by the Lord in amazing ways. Yet both declare His awesome glory. 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. We pray because we believe God, because we want to trust in God, praise God, ask God for things we cant do ourselves. They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. Romans 8:28 says, For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. All things includes both good and bad things. Because God does miracles by His own power. Summary (see Acts 1:20). The articles posted on this website are here to provide information about the Bible and specific topics related to the Reformed Faith along with it's application in our daily thoughts and activities. The book of proverbs also gives us insight into this. WebWhat if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But Moses said to the Lord, Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from their midst, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. Romans 8:28 says, For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. All things includes both good and bad things. 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. I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land. WebGod never does evil Himself. They sweep through like the strong winds from the East gathering up captives that number like the grains of sand. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. 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. Egypt made his brother, Jehoiakim, the new king over the Jews. But God did just that and used a sinning Gentile to begin the process of restoring Israel. There is no better example of Gods providence at work through the actions of a sinful man. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. The phrase all this refers to the betrayal, the circumstances surrounding it, and the circumstances flowing from it. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). In Acts 2 God poured out His Holy Spirit on the disciples who spoke on the streets of Jerusalem in the languages of the Gentiles who were present. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. A man who lived in a time in which only Jews served the one true God. How can I believe in the goodness of God when there is so much evil in the world? but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. An unlikely person to be used by God. in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? 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). 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. Its something we can clearly see within the pages of our Bible. As a place to begin, consider three verses dealing with Judas. Literal Standard Version. What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). In those moments we often feel alone in the chaos of circumstances as life tumbles in around us. One swing of his sword whacked off the ear of Malchus, servant to the High Priest. A most astonishing way of fulfilling that prophesy. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. Those who look to themselves, will eventually and always reap their just punishment. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now., but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the. Their end will be most awful. A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son for those who believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.. They wanted him dead and used Judas as a convenient means to that ugly end. The way to heaven is only Jesus and Jesus only.. Questions? Now and then we advance to Easter morning where we discover Gods purpose in our pain. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 28 who says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built,, and of the temple, Your foundation shall be laid. . Including those who dont believe He exists. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask Why bother praying to a God who isnt? Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Because they did not believe in GodAnd did not trust in His salvation. New American Standard Bible Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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. So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. WebAnd then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will. Or see articles from other writers we feature Here. It doesnt matter if you have theology degrees or mothered a dozen healthy, happy children or started several 501(c)3s to feed the poor and end trafficking. You are going to need it as we search the Scriptures to answer these two questions. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. In Acts 2 God poured out His Holy Spirit on the disciples who spoke on the streets of Jerusalem in the languages of the Gentiles who were present. One of the most remarkable things about the Scriptures is how they preserve for us what we regard as our highest dignity, which is the right to exercise our own will. First, we see the faith of Moses. We need to be reminded again and again that we are like grass disposable, temporary, fleeting, momentary. WebAnd then they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the Devil, who had caught them and made them obey his will. That is what moving forward would require, or so it seemed. It was all the Lord. Here we see that when believers are doing the will of God, obeying the Word of God, and serving even the least of the Saints, they are Gods instruments, doing Jesus will, ministering to Jesus people, His body, His bride. WebGod also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. Nothing is ever left to chance with God. He has but one endto make us like Jesus. As Christians, we have nothing to fear or worry about because we know that God is in control. But God gave the command, Moses obeyed the command, and in a sense Moses divided the Sea, as the Lord commanded, and in a more ultimate sense God did the miracle and divided the Red Sea. Moses was sent by the Lord multiple times to Pharaoh asking for the release of the Hebrews. Habakkuk 1:7-11, They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. In the process, we will also find an answer to a third question, Who are the sons of God in Gen. 6? If you like solving mysteries, you will love this, "Churches are going apostate inside their comfortable church buildings! They post my sermons on the web and people listen to or watch me preach all over the world. In many cases without them even realizing that they were being used by God. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, gave the parable of the sheep and the goats. But our God is mightier than any office or country. A prophecy we can imagine would have seemed quite improbable to those who heard. When God determines where we will end up, he also determines how we will get there. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Jump to Previous After God redeemed Israel from Egypt through a series of ten miraculous plagues, he had Moses lead the people of Israel out of Egypt near the shore of the Red Sea. Stating that the plans of men are many but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Pastor, Expository Preacher, Author, Trainer of Preachers and Bible Teachers. The Pharisees believed they were serving God but in reality, they didnt even know Him. When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. For who resists His will?, For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.. 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. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? Solomon was DaVinci, Einstein, Bach, Jordan, Augustus, and Shakespeare rolled into one superior man. He wants us to trust in Him, to rely on Him, to cry out to Him, and then give Him glory for delivering us. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. 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. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. They have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people, for You, O Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. Two questions confront us as we consider the story of Judas: Last weeks sermon dealt with the first question. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. They had no weapons to fight Pharaohs army, no experience in war, no ability to defend themselves, and no way of escape. Because God is utterly unimpressed by my rsum. God can use even you even me. Do not lament your insufficiency. 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. His betrayal proved that the Jewish leaders were far from innocent bystanders in the death of Christ. When he went before Pilate, the Roman governor received an urgent message from his wife: Dont have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him (Matthew 27:19). WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. I think we can learn some great lessons by answering these questions. He fought against God and hoped to destroy the early church. What an honor to serve the King of kings. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. God wanted the people of Israel to look to Moses as their God appointed human leader and deliverer. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. In spite of our slownessand even sinGod will bless and use us to fulfill His purpose of blessing all nations through Christ, because of our relationship to the Father through the Son. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Many that people can plan to do much but is God that will always have the final say.
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god uses unbelievers to accomplish his will