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 is a true mystery, which we may explain in various ways but will never fully understand. God was revealing that He was going to use this ungodly power for judgment upon his own straying people. 6:10). I, the Lord, have spoken, surely this I will do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. Psalm 69:25Reputation destroyed forever. 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. ", Writing & Teaching Inductive Bible Studies. Questions? Yet, God used him to rebuild the temple and allow Jews to return to their land. 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. Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. The Israelites and the church did face some tough times and we may too. Email Jack. For he sees that even wise men die;The stupid and the senseless alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others. It was all the Lord. But all of them come from the hand of the Lord. It will be a most terrible judgment. Assyria had fallen when Nineveh, its capitol, was destroyed in 612 BC. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. Jesus is truly the lamb without blemish who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29). Because they did not believe in GodAnd did not trust in His salvation. 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. God then raised up Moses and his brother Aaron as instruments to deliver the people of Israel from cruel bondage. You have entered an incorrect email address! Each time Moses would perform a mighty sign to convince Pharaoh of Gods power but each time God would harden his heart. No, its a mystery. It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say. . We need to be reminded again and again that we are like grass disposable, temporary, fleeting, momentary. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. God often reveals himself in most unexpected ways. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Summary God is not finished with you yet, so dont give up on him. As far as Pilate was concerned, he was ordering an innocent man put to deathwhich is why he tried to wash his hands of the whole affair. I am the trustee of nothing more than my personal belongings. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. Egypt made his brother, Jehoiakim, the new king over the Jews. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. 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.. Get your Bible. But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. Thats generally the way life is for all of us. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. Why? You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Able to do exceedingly and abundantly using unlikely people to further His plans. Be encouraged, child of God. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. It doesnt mean everything will also go perfectly or the way we hope. Did Jesus Descend Into Hell? C) God uses all eventsgood and badto accomplish his purposes. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 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. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. Pastor, Expository Preacher, Author, Trainer of Preachers and Bible Teachers. It was their God, or at least the God of Moses, that just killed all the first born of Egypt. Were they to voluntarily all drown? This doesnt erase tragedy or transform heartache, but it gives us a divine perspective on the hard times of life that enables us to keep on going when wed rather give up and quit. They were evil cowards who hated the Son of God but feared a popular uprising if they tried to arrest him. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. 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. 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. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. Why tell Moses to lift up his staff and stretch out his hand over the see and be the instrument God would use to divide the sea? So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. 16:30), when he uses you or others, delivering you from your trials, be sure to praise, thank, and give Him all the glory for sovereignly using sinners. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives. When Isaiah 53:1 speaks of the future coming of the Messiah, literally it says, who would have believed the thing reported? His birth as a baby who would grow up, suffer and die was most unexpected. And he was an exalted and successful king. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. 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?. Or see articles from other writers we feature Here. They have heard that You, O. 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. 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. Because God created all He can use anything in creation. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. 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. 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. . I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. 4:5). But what a privilege it is to be used by God! As we saw in the first four verses of this book, Habakkuk was confused. Jump to Previous So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. He told the people that Pharaohs army would be wiped out, though he did not know how. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. We have one life to use, and the usefulness of that one life depends not on our rsum or even how much we know. Amen. But if anyone says to you, This is meat sacrificed to idols, do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other mans; for why is my freedom judged by anothers conscience? Gods sign of judgment was that they would hear foreign language on the streets of Jerusalem, speaking in a language they did not understand. All rights reserved. To put the matter that way raises several other questions: Was Judas predestined by God to betray Jesus? Jesus says much the same thing in his famous prayer just before Judas arrives: None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that the Scripture would be fulfilled (John17:12b). Yet, Solomon turned away from God (1 Kings 11:4, 912). Eternity will reveal how your faithful service was used by the Lord in amazing ways. All of these people are unlikely choices to be used by God since they didnt truly know or believe in Him. Lesson 7 The Interpretation of Scripture, Lesson 5a Boundaries of the Doctrine of Creation, Primeval Chronology by Dr. William Henry Green, Lesson 8 Gods Special Providence & Miracles, Lesson 10 Assurance of Grace and Salvation, Lesson 2 Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience, Lesson 3 The Regulative Principle of Worship, Lesson 4a The Elements of Regulated Worship, Lesson 4b The Elements of Regulated Worship, Lesson 1 An Overview of Special Eschatology, Lesson 2 -The Great Tribulation of Matthew 24, Lesson 3 The Millennium of Revelation 20, A Guide for Small Group Bible Study Leaders, Defending the Biblical Faith by what God Shows Us, Lessons in the Westminster Shorter Catechsim, The Inspiration of the Treasured Word of God, Summary of the 45th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, The Holy Spirit In the Ministry of the Word, The Necessity of Biblical Love in the Believers Life, Keep Your Bible Skills Sharp and Ready (part 2), Keep Your Bible Skills Sharp and Ready (Part 1). An unlikely person to be used by God. WebGod never does evil Himself. Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 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 said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. The Lord even tells Moses to do it, divide it! God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. The very first verse my daughter ever memorized was Isaiah 40:8, The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. It seemed like an odd one to begin with, but now in retrospect it might have been the best one. 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. Soon they will be raised up from that struggle to full power. We live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. If we lack wisdom, we should ask God for it (James 1:5). The evil nations God was raising up to judge his rebellious people were self-centered. The way of the wicked is like darkness;They do not know over what they stumble. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? God will surely judge all rebellion, secret and open. They gather captives like sand. God didnt need to have Moses lift up his staff. and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? He reminded Peter that he could call for 12 legions of angels72,000 highly trained, heavily armed members of the Angelic Defense Leagueto come to his rescue at any moment. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. All four gospel writers agree that three times Pilate rendered the same verdict regarding Jesus: I find no fault in him (John 19:6 NKJV). The coming of Messiah was unexpected. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. There he said in 1 Corinthians 14:21, With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me, says the Lord. He directly quoted the covenant warning of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Deuteronomy. To say it another way, there is a man in hell today who has been there for 2000 years even though what he did advanced Gods plan to save the world. Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Now and then we advance to Easter morning where we discover Gods purpose in our pain. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Acts 2:23 tells us that Jesus was delivered up, by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death. In Acts 13:41 he said, Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! The sad story of Judas stands as a warning to religious people not to trust in their religion. For I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you., Jeremiah also spoke of the same thing about which God warned Habakkuk. Guiding our world whether we are able to see it or not. We see this all the way through the Bible. In Jeremiah 13:20 it said, Lift up your eyes and see Those who come from the north . Jeremiah 25:32 says, Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up From the farthest parts of the earth., Habakkuk 1:6, For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough! The phrase all this refers to the betrayal, the circumstances surrounding it, and the circumstances flowing from it. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation., Truth Of God Is denied by Unbelievers, the Truth of God Is denied by Unbelievers, Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world, Unbelievers Will be classed with outbreaking sinners in eternity, Unbelievers Their lifetime spent in vanity, Unbelievers Shall be judged by God's word in the last day, Will be classed with outbreaking sinners in eternity, Shall be judged by God's word in the last day. Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. Were on a mission to change that. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. God was rejecting their national privilege, and turning to the Gentiles to populate his Covenant Nation on Earth. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 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.. Gods Prophet Jeremiah warned of Gods judgment. But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it. The fact that we cant conceive of free choice coexisting with Gods predestination simply reminds us once again that he is God and we are not. Jesus waved him off by declaring, All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled (Matthew 26:56). Though Israel was many, only the remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27). And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. Paul used this verse from Habakkuk to warn the foolish despisers of the gospel.