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And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Jump to Previous One final point is in order. In such a manner Judas served Gods purposes through his wicked act of betrayal. This shows the mercy and compassion of God to help the Israelites. 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. They post my sermons on the web and people listen to or watch me preach all over the world. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. He uses believers and unbelievers. God may ordain to use their wickedness, but this does not make it morally right. 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. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. Grace be with you. Paul used this verse from Habakkuk to warn the foolish despisers of the gospel. Were they to voluntarily all drown? Also, be sure to stop by our prayer wall. Gods plan included the time of Jesus deathPassover, the placeJerusalem, the opposition by the Jewish leaders, and the betrayal by Judas. How can I believe in the goodness of God when there is so much evil in the world? The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. 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. No, its a mystery. 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. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. Now and then we advance to Easter morning where we discover Gods purpose in our pain. The Israelites and the church did face some tough times and we may too. He was a brilliant poet, a skillful songwriter, a genius botanist, and a first-class biologist. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. This New-Babylon marched through Canaan and took hostages (one of them was Daniel). (Video #2), Lesson 2: Gods Use of the Ungodly Habakkuk 1:5-11. 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. 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. 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. What Jesus Wants Emphasized In His Church! B) We entrust our lives to the God who cares for us. The evil ones believe pridefully that their own imagined gods have blessed them. Steven Lee is the Pastor of Preaching & Vision at. This week I ate lunch with a man who has recently become an acquaintance through an e-mail correspondence. The mind of evil changes from bad to worse being taken in by successes in conquest. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. Judas served Gods purposes even though what he did was wrong and he ended up in hell. Unbelievers Are blinded by the God of this world 2 Corinthians 4:4 Verse Concepts God uses the overwhelmed and disheveled mother to nurture her children into spiritual giants. How does this truth apply to Judas? 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. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; Immediately the boys father cried out and said, I do believe; help my unbelief.. This is a true mystery, which we may explain in various ways but will never fully understand. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Moses give the Israelites specific instruction and visible representation from the invisible God. (1 Corinthians 1:2629). Will we show forth Gods glory in our obedience and in our receiving of His covenant blessing? If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience sake. He recognized what was evil because he believed Gods law. God strengthened Cyrus so that he could conquer nations and overcome opposition Thus says the Lord God to His 2. When God determines where we will end up, he also determines how we will get there. And that is okay. God didnt need to have Moses lift up his staff. How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. 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). Jesus said the unbelievers failed to give him food, drink, nurse him in His sickness, or visit Him in prison. 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. 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 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). As they plotted how to murder Jesus they had no idea they were accomplishing Gods will. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. The unbelievers, become confused, not remembering ever having the opportunity to serve Jesus. 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. As a place to begin, consider three verses dealing with Judas. In spite of all this they still sinned And did not believe in His wonderful works. 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. 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. 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. But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness. 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. WebJohn 3:16. Even Jesus cannot save a man who claims his sin is not really sinful. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. Causing a sacrifice to take place that would open salvation up to all people. The phrase all this refers to the betrayal, the circumstances surrounding it, and the circumstances flowing from it. Lest he misunderstand, I also told him that going to Calvary Memorial Church cannot save anyoneor help save anyone. 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. Literal Standard Version. Gods Prophet Jeremiah warned of Gods judgment. God will bring ultimate and final judgment upon all ungodliness. Remember my imprisonment. 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. 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? Here are some examples: But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 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. He betrayed the Lord but ended up vindicating him. Did Jesus Descend Into Hell? A nation would come to judge them speaking in a language they did not understand (Deuteronomy 28:49). Israel stumbled at the stumbling stone, the suffering messiah (Romans 9:31-33). Although God was at work in the betrayal, you couldnt see it that night. 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. How will they preach unless they are sent? 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.. Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, We see, your sin remains. And he was an exalted and successful king. WebJohn 3:16. 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. God wants to use those who look away from their self-sufficiency to his all-sufficiency. This week were looking at the other side of the equation. and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. Though used by God for his purposes, the ungodly are still evil. 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 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. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). You have entered an incorrect email address! When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 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. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? I didnt attend an Ivy League school. Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. Questions? More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! Rejoice that Christ is all-sufficient and always dependable. Thats where the judgment will come from. Just as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things! (Rom. He told the people that Pharaohs army would be wiped out, though he did not know how. Israel as a nation had rejected the promises of Moses and the Prophets culminating in the demand for the death of Jesus, Gods Messiah. Judas professed Christ but he did not possess him, which is why he is in hell today. 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. The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Stating that the plans of men are many but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 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. 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. Gods covenant warned from the beginning that if Israel fell into sin God would use a foreign heathen nation to bring judgment upon them. 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. Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. God Himself said that He used Pharaoh so that His name would be known on all the earth. The unbeliever has made an exchangethe truth for a lieand the devil is happy to facilitate the swap by presenting the sinner with a wide array of lies from which to choose. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. Moses didnt have any power to bring the ten plagues upon Egypt either. But through the lens of the New Testament, he is seen as a wicked man. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. 55:8-9). (Bible quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.). 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. Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? Though used of God to complete his plan, those who crucified our Lord were still personally wicked and godless in what they did. He does this for obvious reasons. 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. 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.. Their end will be most awful. Here is my answer: He allowed Judas to betray Jesus so that Jesus could become the Savior of the world. Is it true that God cannot look upon sin? God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). 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. God sees. I sit on no boards. If God did the miracles without Moses, amazing things would have happened, but the people would not have known what was going on or what to do. They looked to themselves for their power. Click here. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. God can use even you even me. Pharaohs heart was hardened again. Then God, in His sovereign power and will, takes our weak and fallible service, and accomplishes His will, like parting the Red Sea. In fact, in one place in scripture, God said that what He was doing could not be understood even if He explained it. But before his salvation took place God was still using Him. 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. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. They were in an impossible situation with no way out. God has sinners pray and answers the prayers of sinners that are according to His will, getting glory for himself. Suggestions? 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. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. Assyria had fallen when Nineveh, its capitol, was destroyed in 612 BC. Summary In their very act of oppression, they unknowingly serve the glory of the Creator. 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? Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. God chooses the custodian with a heavy accent to share the gospel and save lives. 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). Two questions confront us as we consider the story of Judas: Last weeks sermon dealt with the first question. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. When we reach a dead end in our own resources, God can part the sea of the impossible and get us through, but I digress. This warning was made clear in the ancient covenant revealed long before through Moses in Deuteronomy 28. Wisdom didnt ensure obedience. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. Jesus responded to the false testimony by saying nothing at all. This seems to be one of the reasons God had Moses lift up his staff and hands to divide the Red Sea. 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. Jump to Previous And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. or will we in our rebellion demonstrate the just curse of His covenant warnings? 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. Even today there are those who are arrogant and have no honor for God as He reveals Himself in Scripture. WebGod will never set man's will aside and use him for a good purpose without his being willing to be used. Wisdom alone, though, is insufficient. 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. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. We are here and gone again. God can use anyone and anything. We might be a life-hacking, productivity guru. Solomon was DaVinci, Einstein, Bach, Jordan, Augustus, and Shakespeare rolled into one superior man. 2:11). 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.. 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. Literal Standard Version. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. I was not a cum laude graduate. Do not begrudge your weakness. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Do not begrudge your weakness. 28:36, The LORD will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods wood and stone. He is the preeminent insider who knew Jesus as well as anyone has ever known himyet in the end never really knew him at all. 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. . He even turns wicked hearts to serve his Sovereign purpose. My ministry is small locally, but gigantic because of the faithful service of others. Our accomplishments do not justify our existence. 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. Yet, God used him to rebuild the temple and allow Jews to return to their land. For he sees that even wise men die;The stupid and the senseless alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others. 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. The manner of the judgment would be unexpected. The unbeliever has made an exchangethe truth for a lieand the devil is happy to facilitate the swap by presenting the sinner with a wide array of lies from which to choose. 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. Finally, they suborned perjury by putting forward false witnesses who produced contradictory testimony. How beautiful! but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. We when we dont know if something is Gods will, we pray, Yet not my will but yours be done (Mt. Understanding God in Troubled Times The ungodly show the futility of their rebellion, the awful penalty of sin, and the just wrath of God. God commissions the invalid retiree to uphold dozens, even hundreds of missionaries on the field. In the providence of God, the betrayal by Judas actually advanced Gods purpose in the world. These lessons simply teach us that God can take that which is evil and use it for his own good purposes. And how will they hear without a preacher? This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. They intend to be their own god. 46:10). Two questions stand out: 1) Did Jesus actually descend into hell? A) We bow in submission before the mysterious ways of God. 1:8). Just as He did with Pharaoh who placed no faith in the God of Israel. Soon they will be raised up from that struggle to full power. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. The total number of prophecies is well over 100. God then raised up Moses and his brother Aaron as instruments to deliver the people of Israel from cruel bondage. 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. Here are some examples: They have no respect for the leaders of other nations. 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. Yet both declare His awesome glory. If so, did he have a choice? His son Jehoahaz became king. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. The people of Jacob were trapped. They will be held guilty. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne ( Psalm 47:8 ). Moses had great faith! 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. He uses believers and unbelievers. God even gave prophecy through Isaiah that this very thing would take place. Really, its just fine. Do not begrudge your weakness. If youd like an interesting Bible study, take a look at the trials of Jesus. 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. 1 And Saul approved of his execution. The purpose of www.drivennails.com is to help train expository preachers in sermon construction and delivery, to train inductive Bible study writers and teachers, and to edify the saints with the Word of God. It was a period of apostasy and violence. 1:22). 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. We live most of our days in Good Fridayenduring confusion, opposition, disappointment and the many tragedies of life. 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). 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. But it does mean everything will happen as God sees fit. WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. Its okay to be a nobody, if in all you do, you serve Somebody. Impatience and failing to trust God is never helpful. Often in the confusion of life, we cant see the ends, much less the means God intends for us. Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 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. But we can find hope in knowing that God is in control, He works all things for our God, and no suffering we face know will even be able to cast a shadow on the glory we will receive in Heaven. 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. even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. 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. Showing us that our God can and will use anyone even though they dont know Him. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. Embrace your weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon you to reveal Gods surpassing greatness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I answer yes. Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? International Standard Version. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience sake. 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.