The Divine Providence Of God
“You take what the enemy meant for evil, and You turn it for good, You turn it for good.”
For those of you who don’t recognize that line, it is from a song titled “See A Victory”. **
** The usage of this song neither endorses nor condones this songwriters' theological beliefs, nor the church they are associated with, and will not be addressed in this blog entry.
Rather, it is my belief that its usage here further magnifies the topic being presented. All to the glory of God.
When we sing those words, we are declaring God’s Divine Providence and infinite wisdom. That is what I will be presenting to you in this entry today, brothers and sisters in Christ.
When we sing these words, we are declaring to God, what Joseph declared about God, to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-20:
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 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.
Joseph was a righteous man, wasn’t he? The bible tells us many times leading up to that point, that the Lord was with Joseph. He had to be righteous to react that way towards his brothers.
First they plotted to kill him. Then they reconsidered that so they could make some money by selling him into slavery instead. Telling their father that he was dead from a wild animal devouring him out in the pasture.
That sent Joseph’s life on a course of turmoil; Slavery. False accusations of rape from Potiphars wife. Prison time.
Now Joseph may not have known it at the time he was going through all of that, but through it all, the Lord had a plan and a purpose for him. In this case, to use Joseph to save many people from the coming famine so that ultimately, God would be glorified.
This is one instance of God’s Divine Providence found in Scripture.
In his teaching series, ‘The Providence of God’, R.C. Sproul enlightens readers to the scriptural fact that everything in creation is under the providing care of God. Not only does God supply all things, He arranges them according to His plan for His glory. (Ligonier Ministries)
Does that fact nullify the free will of us as humans? Not at all. We know that humans have free will, but we also know that God is sovereign. Both things are true.
We know that God is not the author of sin, nor does He tempt anyone to sin. (James 1:13). Human responsibility cannot be removed.
Joseph’s brothers did a wicked thing, however God had much greater plans.
In His providence, God can and will use whoever and whatever He pleases to accomplish His good and perfect will.
He is in control of all things.
Because if God is not in control of all things, then He is not sovereign; and if He is not sovereign, then He is not God.
He alone has eternal wisdom that displays His true deity.
He’s created us with a capacity for wisdom, but only God’s wisdom is infinite and omnipotent. Only God’s purposes are 100% certain and drive everything else to display His glory.
The ultimate example being the crucifixion, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ for our salvation:
Jesus went to the Cross, died and was resurrected exactly as The Father had intended before the world began.
Jesus is the very design and accomplishment of God’s eternal wisdom.
What the enemy meant for evil, God used for His glory.
In His Divine Providence, the sin of men and the tragic events that it leads to often become a tool for God’s glorification.
In saying all that, I’d like to return briefly to the story of Cain and Abel that we read about in my previous blog entry. Specifically, the events that follow Cain's departure from the Presence of the Lord. Events involving Cain's descendants.
So let’s look go back into Genesis 4 and pick it up at Verse 17:
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.
19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. (emphasis added)
For me, genealogies are a tough read. I admit, I tend to become a speed reader when I hit passages with a long list of begats and also bore’s.
But, there’s some meat in here that really highlights God’s infinite wisdom and Divine Providence:
First we see that Cain truly has turned from God. He is still very prideful and rebellious. He builds a city after the birth of his son Enoch. He’s not trusting in God at all for His promise of protection.
We see that Cain's great, great, great grandson is named Lamech. And we didn’t read that far but I can tell you all, Lamech is not a good dude. He’s following right along his great, great, great grandfather's path of arrogance.
Lamech is the first polygamist. He takes two wives. He wants to have his cake and eat it too. In later verses he also brags to his wives about committing murder just because someone hit him.
Lamech has sons from both his wives. One is named Jabal and his brother is named Jubal.
We read that Lamech’s sons were very inventive and creative as well.
Jabal invented the idea of camping and cattle ranching for profit. However, it is Jubal’s invention that really draws my attention.
It says that Jubal, the great, great, great, great grandson of Cain, the first recorded murderer in the history of mankind, invented the lyre and the pipe.
We can use the word invented, because that’s what the phrase father of all those means. It literally means father. And used remotely is forefather. In Hebrew it’s ahb and it pertains to his patrimony.
How to make and play the lyre is all passed down from Jubal through generations going forward. The knowledge may morph, the lyre may be improved upon; modified with new ideas; made into different shapes and sizes. But it all started with Jubal.
Let’s talk about the lyre for a second:
The Lyre that is mentioned is an ancient stringed instrument known as the Kinnor. It could have anywhere from 3 to 12 strings that would have been made from animal gut, (which can still be used today by the way) and it was plucked, either with the fingers or a plectrum, which was a small animal bone. Similar usage to a guitar pick today.
In the bible, the lyre is sometimes used interchangeably with the words harp, kithara, psaltery, and nevel. But the thing to realize here is that they are all stringed instruments from the same family.
So why is Jubal being the father of the lyre so interesting?
Well we’re talking about God’s Divine providence. How God in His infinite wisdom can and will use whoever or whatever he pleases to accomplish His good and perfect will so that He will be glorified.
Jubal was of a wicked line of people. His father Lamech was a murderer.
His great, great, great, great grandfather the first murderer in creation. They all lived in the rebellion that Cain lived in.
And he creates this instrument, this kinnor or lyre, for whatever reason.
Then he and everyone else except for Noah and his family are blotted out from the face of the earth.
The Lyre and the knowledge of it, survive the flood.
We read in scripture that centuries later…..many generations having passed, a lyre somehow ends up in the hands of a young shepherd boy.
A young shepherd boy who during the long days spent tending his flock in the fields, is honing his craft of playing that lyre. Becoming extremely skilled in his mastery of it.
A young shepherd boy with so much faith in God, that when he battled lions and bears while protecting his flock, he gave God the glory for his victory.
A young shepherd boy with so much faith in God that he slayed the giant Goliath with but a rock and a sling.
A young shepherd boy who became a king, and whom the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon.
A young shepherd boy in whom God testified “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.”
You see, God in his Divine Providence, knew that as Jubal was designing that first lyre; an instrument originating from a line of wicked people in rebellion against Him, that one day a young shepherd boy named David would learn of its existence, and would pick it up, and master it, and use it for its intended purpose:
To glorify God.
While Psalm 33 does not contain an ascription to any particular author (the Septuagint attributes it to David), it encourages believers to trust in the unwavering love and providence of God.
I leave you with Romans 8:28.
God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him. We can always trust Him, and shout for joy in the Lord for His Providence. Glory to God!
-Jorge Velez
Worship Director @ Living Faith