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. Now and then we advance to Easter morning where we discover Gods purpose in our pain. 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. As we saw in the first four verses of this book, Habakkuk was confused. All of it happened according to Gods plan. Judas professed Christ but he did not possess him, which is why he is in hell today. 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. 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! We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. 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. As for you, 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. Do not begrudge your weakness. 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. And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst? Israel stumbled at the stumbling stone, the suffering messiah (Romans 9:31-33). Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 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. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 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.. He had great trust in the truth of God. 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. In heaven, each mans praise will come to him from God, and God will be glorified for sovereignly using sinners for His good purposes (I Cor. A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. The story of Judas teaches us that nothing happens by accident. We should never presume to say to an unbeliever, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. We cant know that. Including those who dont believe He exists. Other examples could be added to this list. In such a manner Judas served Gods purposes through his wicked act of betrayal. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. But the fact of the matter is it wasnt me! He chooses to use sinners to accomplish His sovereign will, often in ways we dont even understand. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.. The Lord did it, but He did it through Moses. He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. Peter told the early Christians that the Scripture had to be fulfilled. He meant that the betrayal had to happen the way it did. This was Moses advice to the people of Israel when facing the imminent threat of death, and it is true for us as well when facing any trial. Recent events may not have gone how you hoped and the signs may seem bleak. We need to remember that God uses the foolish. 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? He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. Be encouraged Christian, God intends to use you in all your multifaceted weakness and obscurity for his glory. 6:10). the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. Summary 14:11). When Judas actually betrayed Jesus in the Garden, Peter immediately sprang to his defense. This week were looking at the other side of the equation. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. They wanted him dead and used Judas as a convenient means to that ugly end. Lest he misunderstand, I also told him that going to Calvary Memorial Church cannot save anyoneor help save anyone. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. They were evil cowards who hated the Son of God but feared a popular uprising if they tried to arrest him. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. It can be fairly said that the common people by and large respected Jesus and responded positively to his message. God chooses the custodian with a heavy accent to share the gospel and save lives. 4:5). Finally, they suborned perjury by putting forward false witnesses who produced contradictory testimony. Having all the wisdom in the world didnt guarantee fidelity. Nothing is ever left to chance with God. 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?. 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. How will they preach unless they are sent? Herod the Great tried to kill him in Bethlehem. 1 John 5:14. The way to heaven is only Jesus and Jesus only.. In spite of all this they still sinnedAnd did not believe in His wonderful works. That doesnt lessen his guilt, but it does increase our appreciation of Gods sovereignty over the affairs of men. In our text, Ex. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. 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. I have received no honorary doctorates. 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. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Because God does miracles by His own power. Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. They had been in Egypt under Egyptian task masters for 400 years. Paul, in writing to Corinth, corrected the Churchs misuse of speaking in foreign tongues. It is a warning to Israel that if they should break Gods covenant, calamity will come upon them revealing the wrath of the offended God. In this period of Judahs last kings, the Prophets warned of the fulfillment of this covenant promise. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. Rejoice that Christ is all-sufficient and always dependable. Thanks for your interest! What does it mean that God came from Teman (Habakkuk 3:3). Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god.. 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. (Video #2), Lesson 2: Gods Use of the Ungodly Habakkuk 1:5-11. The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 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. WebJohn 3:16. Gods Prophet Jeremiah warned of Gods judgment. 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. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. 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. Our prayers aline us with Gods eternal decree. Those who turn in humble trust to the Lord, who rest in His work of redemption, who seek to walk in his ways, and who turn in humble repentance when they fail, will receive His righteousness, and blessing forever. 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? Until that man turns from his sinwhich in his case means acknowledging his behavior as sinand runs to the Cross of Christ he cannot be saved. Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, gave the parable of the sheep and the goats. I find it remarkable how consistently the New Testament writers see the hand of God in the events surrounding the death of Christ. 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. And it is just like God to ask us to do hard things, things that seem impossible, that we know in our hearts we cant do. 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 see the same thing after the Israelites cross the Red Sea and are attacked by the Amalekites (Ex. They will be held guilty. 12:35-36). Remember my imprisonment. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. They thank me for posting my sermons on the internet. So while many American Christians worry about what will take place in the coming years I find peace in knowing that God can use even the most unlikely candidates to accomplish His will. I didnt attend an Ivy League school. 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. 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). His plan in doing so was to bless all people. Here are some examples: A lesson worth considering, but not the main lesson I want to focus on, is that God often put us into situations where only He can deliver us. Though Israel was many, only the remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27). This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask Everything fits into Gods plan. Who would have had his own beliefs and gods that contradicted much of the Bible. When God desires to save someone, He raises up Christians to preach the gospel. They were afraid. The glory of His nature and attributes will be made known in full. Because they did not believe in GodAnd did not trust in His salvation. He uses believers and unbelievers. Able to do exceedingly and abundantly using unlikely people to further His plans. B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. 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. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. But Habakkuks confusion was not doubt. In the eyes of the Jews, Saul would be seen as a warrior of the faith. I have not been named most influential, listed as most attractive, or voted most likely to succeed. But He is unique and who can turn Him?And what His soul desires, that He does. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. Two questions stand out: 1) Did Jesus actually descend into hell? It forces us to live by faith, which is how He wants us to live all the time because it gives Him glory. Second, the proper response to any trial or danger is to not fear but stand by and see the salvation of the Lord. How many times do we fret and worry and then see the Lord deliver us and realize that all of our anxiety and fretting was for naught, that it accomplished nothing, but was an expression of our sinful doubt? Two verses later, in Rom. The trials that were meant to establish his guilt ended up establishing his innocence for all the world to see. Get your Bible. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? International Standard Version. God wanted the people of Israel to look to Moses as their God appointed human leader and deliverer. 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. All rights reserved. The people of Israel, were backed up against the Red Sea with Pharaohs army charging at them. You have entered an incorrect email address! The evil nations God was raising up to judge his rebellious people were self-centered. God scoffs at any attempt by me or you to prove our worthiness. Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers. 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. Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. 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. He could have just caused them to drop dead. The total number of prophecies is well over 100. I am a preacher and Bible teacher. He sent His son to pay a most costly price for the sin of His people, for those who trust in Him. God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. 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. Everything was planned by God down to the tiniest detail. We concluded that the Bible doesnt give us a final answer regarding why Judas betrayed Jesus Christ. A God who can bring something good out of betrayal can be trusted to accomplish his work in your life. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. This warning was made clear in the ancient covenant revealed long before through Moses in Deuteronomy 28. It was a period of apostasy and violence. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out to the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.. When God determines where we will end up, he also determines how we will get there. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. The Neo-Babylonians were dominated by Chaldean kings. If your rsum is sparse, your intellect feeble, your skills unimpressive, and your wisdom just average, fret not. He does this for obvious reasons. Do not begrudge your weakness. 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. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 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. Literal Standard Version. In the providence of God, the betrayal by Judas actually advanced Gods purpose in the world. Although Judas appears to be acting solely on his own initiative, it is clear that his betrayal fits into a larger pattern of eventsone that is orchestrated by the unseen hand of the Living God. Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. In spite of all this they still sinned And did not believe in His wonderful works. How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. 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. This week I ate lunch with a man who has recently become an acquaintance through an e-mail correspondence. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. Gods plan even extended to having Jesus buried in a borrowed tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Many believed they were going to die and complained to Moses (Ex. The repentant show Gods unmerited grace to undeserving sinners, and reveal the merciful blessing and goodness of God. For he sees that even wise men die;The stupid and the senseless alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others. But now, the grief of the Egyptians had subsided and was replaced with anger and regret. Jump to Previous Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. Why bother praying to a God who isnt? How does this truth apply to Judas? They have no respect for the leaders of other nations. Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. Solomon was DaVinci, Einstein, Bach, Jordan, Augustus, and Shakespeare rolled into one superior man. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. 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). Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts 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. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? He may for a time use the ungodly to bring deserved chastising upon the hypocrites among His own people, and to show his uncompromising wrath upon those left to what we all deserve aside from the work of his grace. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. Jump to Previous 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. At first he ordered the Israelite babies to be killed at birth by the midwives (Ex. His silence spoke more loudly than the foolish claims of his lying accusers. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. He was ready to die for his Master and intended to take a few of the bad guys with him.