The sermon titled 'Providence of God - Part 5' by Jamey Stout explores the concept of God's providence through the examples of Hezekiah from the Old Testament and Peter from the New Testament. It underscores God's wisdom, righteousness, and grace, which sometimes involve allowing His children to face temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts. These experiences are meant to humble them and bring them into closer dependence on God. The sermon examines Hezekiah's pride and subsequent humbling as well as Peter's denial and restoration, emphasizing the importance of repentance and humility. The sermon concludes by highlighting the promise in Romans 8:28, which assures believers that God works all things together for their good and His glory, crafting them into the likeness of His Son.

I too would like to go to the Lord in prayer before we begin. Father, we do give you praise and honor for what we just sang. It is such a joy to know that you the Lord Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God the Father and that you are all our hope and stay. You're our only boast. What a joy it is to know you and oh Lord God would you help as we seek to look at you again in your holy word in Christ's name amen.

We're in chapter 5 of the confession London Baptist confession of faith the chapter 5 that is in the section on providence. And so that's where we're at in the confession. It states this, the most wise, righteous, and gracious God that oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts to chastise them for their former sins or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and the deceitfulness of their hearts that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and for other just and holy ends so that whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment for his glory and their good. So this afternoon I'd like for us to delve into this by looking at two examples one from the Old Testament one from the New Testament and then we'll look at a promise that undergirds the whole, and then that'll close our time in looking at this. So first of all, first example, Hezekiah, let's turn to our Bibles, the second Chronicles chapter 32 second Chronicles 32 and we're gonna really focus on verse 25, 26 and 31 And just a little bit of backdrop for the example that Hezekiah is.

When I use that term, the example of Hezekiah, I mean God's dealing with this man and God's dealing with Peter that we'll look at in the New Testament. So first of all, let's just remember in our minds as we come to second Chronicles, Hezekiah's reputation. Second Kings 18 five states he trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah nor who were before him. So he had an amazing reputation and then as you just look at 2nd Chronicles chapter 29 through chapter 32, Hezekiah's time was one of amazing reformation, amazing rescue. We have the temple clans worship restored, Passover going on and we've got them saved from Assyria.

So it's an amazing time that God is doing a great work through this king and during this king's lifetime. And then we come to Hezekiah's healing. And this is before us in 2 Chronicles 32. And we'll start in verse 34 and read our section together down to verse 26. In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death and he prayed to the Lord and he spoke to him and gave him a sign but Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him for his heart was lifted up therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

So you notice as you read 2 Chronicles that he is just very tight in his summary here and you have to go to 2 Kings or go to Isaiah and you can find out some more details. So I'm going to do that for you. This is second Kings 21 through 11 and these are some of the details about this healing. In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos went to him and said to him, Thus says the Lord, Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live. Then he turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the Lord saying, Remember now, O Lord, I pray, now I have how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in your sight.

And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And it happened before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court that the word of the Lord came to him saying, return and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, thus says the Lord, the God of David, your father. I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Surely I will heal you.

On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord And I will add to your days fifteen years and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria and I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David." Then Isaiah said, take a lump of figs. So they took and laid it on the boil and he recovered. Hezekiah said to Isaiah, what is the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord the third day? Then Isaiah said, this is the sign to you from the Lord that the Lord will do the thing which he has spoken. Shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?

And Hezekiah answered, it is an easy thing for the shadow to go forward, or excuse me, to go down ten degrees. No, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees. So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz. Quite an amazing sign. God returns health to Hezekiah and returns the sun ten degrees.

Now we come to Hezekiah's haltiness as we go back and get a detail that 2 Kings and Isaiah's prophecy does not give us about the pride of his heart and the return that he gives. So, Hezekiah's holiness. This is verse 25. But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him. Now this word favor is the same word used in Psalm 103 verses 1 through 5.

It's translated there benefits and this is what the text says, bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless the Lord on my soul and forget not all his here's our word benefits who forgives all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from destruction who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. So the benefit that Hezekiah received and the return that he gives to Yahweh don't line up they don't match up it's a paltry return according to God through the author of Chronicles the Lord returns the Sun 10 degrees for Hezekiah But Hezekiah gives a lacking return to the Lord. How about us? I mean, just in my study, thinking about that, all the benefits that God has poured upon my head and the return that I have given back in thanks to Him in blessing his name or in what we heard from Romans. What are we to do in light of the mercies of God?

I beseech you, I urge you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your spiritual service of worship. That's what I should render to my God. Oh, I should have wrath looming upon my head for the lack of return that I have given for the great benefits that have been poured upon my head by sheer grace of my God amen and I hope you're saying that for you and not just amen that I should have wrath upon my but it's so true you know I mean wow so Hezekiah's lack there tags my heart wakes me up causes me to say oh God forgive me for my lack of return aren't you glad that his blessings are not dependent on how well the return is, or we would get no blessing, amen? So what a king that he is still kind to us. Now why did this take place?

Why was it lacking? Pride. That's what the Holy Scripture tells us. Why am I not going to fall on my face and give thanks and give myself up to my God and thanksgiving? Pride.

The pride of heart. For his heart was lifted up, the text says. So this is why Hezekiah did not give an adequate return as his heart became high in him. It became exalted, it became halting. And before destruction, the heart of man is halting.

And before honor is humility, Proverbs 18-12. So what's God's response to Hezekiah's pride? Therefore wrath was looming as the new King James puts it over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. But then aren't you glad that that's not where the text stays, but God grants this man repentance. That's our life together, isn't it?

It's one of repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So let's look at Hezekiah's humility. Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. So the very thing that was causing the wrath of God, the heart issue of pride, he humbles himself and God's hand is stayed.

He relents of the wrath that was due his people. God's response so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. Now let's look at Hezekiah's abandonment. This is 2 Chronicles 32 31. However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him in order to test him that he might know all that was in his heart.

Now as you read through this and as you look at what's highlighted by our author the riches and wealth of Hezekiah is highlighted and if you go to the other places where this is found. His riches and all of his honor and all these things are what's highlighted and that's what he shows them. And that's what God says to the prophet Isaiah, there's going to come a time when these very people are going to come and take all that away from you. So My question is, what was revealed? You kind of just have to go by the implications of the text, but my question is, did they get an education about the splendor of God or about the splendor of Hezekiah?

What was the most prominent feature of the visit? Was it about the God who turns the shadow back 10 degrees? Or was it about Hezekiah? And you're kind of thinking as it's laid out in the Holy Scripture that it was more about Hezekiah. I wonder how visits go in our home, right?

What's the visit going to be about? This is what God's done for me. This is who my God is, you know. So Hezekiah is Abandonment. But aren't you glad this very same word is used of another son of David who was abandoned?

This one is found in Psalm 22.1 where the text says, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? There's our word. Abandon. God withdrew. Why are you so far from helping me and from the words of my groaning this son of David endured God's wrath do for us for the glory of his father and the eternal good of his people.

Hezekiah was like, well, that's not going to happen in my day. So this is this is good news. This is good news. Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ, as he is suffering the judicial wrath of God in our place. He is thinking about his posterity, isn't he?

He's thinking about you and I, for whom he is doing this very Act IV. And as he's abandoned on the tree, the glory of God is shining forth in its most glorious splendor that ever could be given because here the great dilemma of the Bible, this holy God and sinful man and this God who says he forgives and yet he will not by any means relent of holding the guilty, unpunished truth and mercy kiss each other right there on the tree and God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ what a King what a glorious King So that he is absolutely true to his character in the way in which he saves us wretched sinners. Oh what a gracious and awesome God he is. And what a king we have at the right hand of God who's loved his people you know all the other sons of David were failures to point us to the ultimate son of David that we would fall at his feet and worship him and see his glory and goodness and grace. So we learn from Hezekiah that his sin led to his humbling and his abandonment to his heart being revealed and I don't know about you but I've had that happen to me over and over again in my Christian experience.

His God's humbling hand upon me. Oh hallelujah. Now we turn to Peter. Let's turn to Luke chapter 22, Luke 22, 31 through 34, Luke 22. Verse 31, And the Lord said to Simon, and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.

But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren." But he said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Then he said, I tell you Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know me. I'm glad that in our text the first thing we see is not the example of Peter but Peter's Lord and as we gaze at him I hope and pray that you are just so encouraged by who your great high priest is. Simon, Simon the text says, behold Satan has asked and the word ask here says one Greek lexicon with emphasis with the implication of having a right to do so. You know many of the accusations of the devil hurt so bad because they're true.

They're true. And this is what he seeks to undo us with. He's asked for himself, for you. Now you'll notice as you're studying this that that you there is plural. And I think the net Bible helps us out here.

It's just plural for all the disciples, which Peter represents. Satan wants all you, all you guys. He wants to destroy you. And so the text says to sift his wheat and one brother puts it this way as he, this illustration by our Lord is used, as the wheat is shaken and the seed that the chaff may thereby separate itself from the wheat and fall out so will Satan also disquiet and terrify you through persecutions dangers tribulations in order to bring your faithfulness towards me to apostasy notice what we see here who is our Lord Our Lord knows exactly what's going on in heaven. Our Lord knows exactly the conversation that Satan is having, the accusation and the request that Satan is requesting of God the Father because our Christ is not just a man he's God come down taking on our flesh.

The omniscience of Christ it's reminiscent of the scene that takes place in the book of Job as you are familiar with that and we'll notice as well that our Lord knows exactly what's in store in Peter's future But notice what the text says in verse 32. Yes, Satan has asked for you, Peter. He wants to destroy you. He wants to sift you as wheat. But I myself have prayed.

This is to ask for something pleadingly. Now, I ask you, brothers and sisters and dear children here, do you really think the Father is going to turn His Son away as He pleadingly prays for you? You tell me, you tell me church, Willie, is that possible? Do you see the surety at the right hand? Isn't it wonderful to know Jesus Christ crucified, risen, and seated at the right hand, interceding for your soul at this very moment in time.

What a Savior! He's prayed and now we go to a singular you concerning you, Peter, in order that your faith should not fail die out cease so my brethren what is the taproot of the saints perseverance. He's at the right hand. That's the taproot. That's the taproot.

That's why Jamie hasn't failed. And the only reason I'll make it home. There's a man in heaven, the God man interceding for me who knows my frame and all about me and his prayers are effectual and they will take me home. Aren't you glad? If this thing hangs on me, I'm done.

I'm done. But it hangs on the one who is at the right hand. Well let's go a little deeper because we can because the Holy Scripture allows us, right? What's the tap root of our Lord's intercession? Well, look no further than 1 John chapter 2 verses 1 and 2, my little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father.

It's His person, number one, Jesus Christ the righteous, and it's His work, number two, and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Oh my! Is there anything wrong with the person of Christ? Is there anything lacking in the work of Christ? This is the taproot of His intercession for my soul.

It will take me home. I have no doubt for who he is and what he's done. Do you? Hallelujah what a Savior. Amen.

It couldn't get any better than this. It can't to have such a friend in heaven who loves me and has given himself for me and praise on that very basis. He will lose none that are his. Now listen to verse 32. And when you have returned, strengthened, command by our Lord to Peter in his restored state, strengthened, calls to be inwardly firm, committed, establish your brethren.

Our Lord's intercession is so sure that he already knows it will be answered and can give commands in the light of it. Think about that. It's that sure. It is that secure that he knows, Peter, I know you're gonna be restored. You're gonna go through this trial, but I know my prayer will be answered and I know that not only will you be restored but you will be a tool in the hand of God now humbled that you might be used to help your brothers and sisters in Christ what an awesome God So has he who is the same yesterday and today and forever changed in your case my dear one has he?

No. Have confidence not in yourself as we learn from this text, but in our Savior. Amen. Well, now we turn to Peter's pride. Peter's pride.

But he said to him, Lord, remember who he's talking to, the one who just revealed that he knows what's going on in heaven, the one who has such sway with the Father that he can command his followers in the light of it. With you, you just don't know me well enough god oh my with you I am ready both into prison and to death just like our Lord doesn't have any doubts whatsoever in his way with the father on Peter's account Peter in pride though unlike our sinless savior. Peter in pride does not doubt his commitment to Christ nor his strength to stay true to him. Matthew sheds light just listen to a few statements from Matthew 26 I'll highlight for you Peter answered and said to him even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. Peter said to him, even If I have to die with you, I will not deny you." And that's after the Lord told him that he was gonna deny him three times.

Little later in Gethsemane, what takes place? He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and notice what he points out. And he said to Peter, "'What? "'Could you not watch with me one hour watch and pray at least you enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak friends I don't know how many times I've heard Paul Washer say this, there's only one hero in this story. It's not us, it's Jesus Christ.

And he will get all the glory for every sinner in heaven, Him alone. Him alone. Alone, him alone. He was so sure of himself, cannot even pray for an hour. Well, regardless of Peter's pride, his fall is sure.

The Lord repeats, tells him in verse 34 of our text that we're looking at in Luke. And due to time, I would like to give you the, read through the narrative, but I just give this to you on your own. Read Mark 14, 16 and following you'll see Peter's denial and Peter's denial happens exactly like our Lord told him it would happen. I want to point out one part of this. You see Peter's denial then you see Peter's humbling and I like how the ESV captures this.

The text This is the very last verse for 1772. A second time the rooster crowed then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him before the rooster crows twice. This is Mark 1672. You will deny me three times and when he thought about it he wept. Another way to translate this would be and he broke down and wept.

Peter was brought to the end of himself wasn't he? The self-confident Peter is reduced to ashes before the sure word of his Lord. But just as sure as the word about his denial and his failure is his restoration, which we find so beautifully given to us in John 21, don't we? John 21, verses 15 through 19, This is our Lord's, this is Peter's restoration, our Lord in his third post-resurrection appearance to his disciples deals with Peter's denial by asking Peter three times if he loves him. He again tells him what is going to happen to him in the future.

How different after such a trial that Peter went through will be his response now. So let's read this text together. John chapter 21. So when they had eaten breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonah, Do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

He said to him, Feed my lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me?

Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Most assuredly I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.

This dovetails so well with what we learned today brethren why do we do what we do in the body of Christ? Well, he tells you right here, what's the question every time? Do you love me? Do you love me? You see, my love for Jesus Christ is, you want to stick a thermometer in Jamie's love for Jesus, it's how I treat the body of Christ.

If you love me, Peter, take care of them sheep. Sheep. But you know, As you look at this, as you look at what God is doing with us all, as the Chai and Peter stand as two examples of the most wise, righteous, and gracious God leaving for a season his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts to chastise them therefore their former sins or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts that they may be humbled and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and other just and holy ends. Brethren, God's crafting in you and in me a tool that's going to be a help to his pride. And he doesn't waste anything.

And with that, let's go to the undergirding promise and land this plane. Romans 8 28. Romans 8 28. Now I say promise but really it's a reality. It's a reality.

Notice what he says, for we know, we know, it's a fact. We know that God causes all things To work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to his purpose. So my brethren what's that purpose? Well he tells you in verse 29 doesn't he? So clearly.

These are those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son. Dear ones, he's not wasting anything in your life. He's going to make you like his dear son. And you know we often read the last or not the last verse but verse 31 and we don't connect it with 28 where it says to us what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Now think about that in the light of the reality of 28, my friend even those who call themselves vowed enemies against us and all the adversity that we face are really just tools in the hand of the omnipotent God to craft the very likeness of His Son and His people. That's our God. That's what He's doing. It's awesome to be a child of God. It couldn't get any better to have him as your father and live in this reality.

It is when I don't live in the reality, I come up with my own stupidity from my flesh or the lies of the devil or this world that I'm floundering. But the reality of God is so much better. It is the liberty in which we must run our race. So brothers and sisters, that's the promise that undergirds the whole. That even my stupidity, even my pride, that God unmasked in his dealings with me, is from a loving Heavenly Father that I might learn to depend upon him and be a blessing to his people.

Shall we pray? Father, we don't even deserve to come into your holy presence and speak your name. Lord, as we look at just Hezekiah's example and we know these truths Lord you've allowed us to see them you've allowed us to have a Bible that we might read about you our Heavenly Father's care and to know these truths God we confess to you how many times they just leak right out of our heads and that we don't hold them dearly as we ought that we don't walk in blessing your name and giving you the due response that you deserve for who you are and what you've done but we're And we're so glad father that not changes you. You're still just as good as ever. And it is that grace, Lord, that unchanging grace that continues to cause us to hate our sin more and love you more.

God, we're so grateful that you would let us have you as our God through your son the Lord Jesus Christ may we depend on him more so as a result of this time together for it's in his name we pray it amen