In his sermon titled 'Of Divine Providence, 1689 SLBC, Chap. 5, Par. 1,' speaker Eric Bechler explores the concept of divine providence, defining it as the care and superintendence God exercises over his creation. He emphasizes that acknowledging creation while denying providence is contradictory, as the power that created is necessary to sustain. Bechler discusses the interaction between God's decree, human responsibility, and the role of the church and the wicked, among others. He highlights that God's providence upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all things, manifesting His glory. Scriptural references affirm God's attributes of infinite power and wisdom, His intimate involvement in creation, and His governance over all things, from the greatest to the least. God's ultimate purpose is the manifestation of His glory, achieved through His sovereign governance. The sermon encourages believers to trust in God's control and care, recognizing His sovereignty over all aspects of life.

This week we move on to our next chapter, chapter five of Divine Providence. I'd like to start by turning to Noah Webster's definition for the word providence. He gives a particular definition specific to theology, which I thought was really cool. Let's look at that. Providence is the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures.

He that acknowledges a creation and denies a providence involves himself in a palpable contradiction. For the same power which caused a thing to exist is necessary to continue its existence. Some persons admit a general providence, but deny a particular providence, not considering that a general providence consists of particulars a belief in divine providence is a source of great consolation to good men By divine providence is often understood God himself So really nice definition from Noah Webster on that. So Providence here is the care and superintendents which God exercises over his creatures. Well how does God's decree fit in with this?

What about man's responsibility? What about the wicked? What about the church? What about God's people? And how does providence actually work?

As we go over the divine providence of God during the next seven weeks, we'll try to answer these questions and better understand how God interacts with his creation. In an effort to express our first paragraph more succinctly, I'll take away some of the phrases to get to the root of what's being said here in our confession. God upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures and things by his providence to the manifestation of his glory. And let's look more closely at each of the phrases and what the confession is saying here. It's not really complicated this week but there's a lot of passages here and he puts a lot of things here into one sentence.

God, the good creator of all things. We focused on this in chapter three a couple of months ago of creation at length. We'll read a few verses that relate to this phrase, God being good and God being the Creator. In Mark 10 18, and Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God.

In Psalm 11 1968, thou art good and doest good, teach me thy statutes. From John's Gospel, he writes in 1 3, all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made and from Paul's letter to the Colossians in 1 16 for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him." So we have God the creator of all things. And how was this done? God created all things in His infinite power and His infinite wisdom. And Scripture of course affirms these attributes of God.

We can turn to Psalm 147, 5. Great is our Lord and of great power, his understanding is infinite." And in Proverbs 3 19, the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, and by understanding hath he established the heavens. We know and confess that God created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, all things. So is that now the end of it? Did God do His creation, set everything in place, and did He just step back and observe what happens?

No, He didn't. God stayed intimately involved with what was going on with his creation. And we see that back even in the Garden of Eden, God noticed Adam. Adam was alone, and it wasn't good, so he created woman. We see in Genesis 2, 18, and the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone.

I will make him and help me for him. Recall that we read back in chapter 3 of God's decree that God hath decreed in himself from all eternity by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably all things whatsoever comes to pass. God predetermined before the foundations of the world were laid all that would happen. And as R.C. Sproul said, there's not even one Adam in the universe that's outside of God's control.

Why does he do this? What is his purpose? His chief end? We know that, that the manifestation of his glory. And John writes in his Revelation 411, worthy are you our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

Our confession breaks down this involvement into four parts, although each are interconnected. God the good creator doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern. Again, Scripture affirms these things. I'll read a number of verses supporting them. In Hebrews 1, 3, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.

We read also in Isaiah 46 10 through 11, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done saying, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country, yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed it, I will also do it." In Psalm 135, 6, whatsoever the Lord pleases, that did He in heaven and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. In Acts 17, 25-28, neither is worshiped with men's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being, as certain also of your own poets have said for we are also his offspring.

I won't read the next scripture reference but in in Job chapters 38 through 41 this is God's response to Job touching on his creation touching on life in those chapters there are a lot of powerful statements about God's direct involvement in all the aspects of creation of continual activities in heaven and on earth. God is involved. God is not silent. He is engaged. He is upholding.

He is directing. He is disposing. And He is governing. We see, we recognize, God's divine providence, His care, and His superintendent, which he exercises over his creatures, over all creatures and things from the greatest even to the least. We refer to Matthew 10, 29 through 31.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and One of them shall not fall on the ground without your father, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." We see that God is doing this by his most wise and holy providence. Proverbs 15 3, the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Psalm 104 24, Oh Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches." We can see from scripture directly that God exerts providential control in many ways and in many areas.

If we look at his involvement in the physical world in general, We can turn to Job 37 verses 6 through 13. For he saith to the snow, be thou on the earth likewise to the small rain and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man, that all man may know his work. Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind and cold out of the north.

By the breath of God frost is given and the breath of the waters is straightened. Also by watering, he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world and the earth. He caused it to come, whether for correction or for His land or for mercy. We look at the physical world in individual events. I referred already to Matthew 10 in 29, or not two sparrows sold for farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father.

In creation Psalm 104 21 through 27 the young lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God the Sun ariseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens. Man goes forth unto his work and his labor until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches, so is this great and wide sea.

Wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships, there is that Leviathan whom thou has made to play therein. These wait all upon thee that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. In the general affairs of men in Daniel 2, 21, and he changeth the times in the season, he removeth the kings and setteth up kings. He giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding.

We see his involvement with the king of Assyria in Isaiah 10, 12 through 15. Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord hath performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria and the glory of his high looks For he saith by the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdom For I am prudent and I have removed the bounds of the people and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man. And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people, and as one gathereth eggs that are left. Have I gathered all the earth, and there was none that moved the wing or opened the mouth or peeped Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith Or shall the saw magnify itself Against him that shaketh it as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were not wood. We see God's involvement in the circumstances of individuals.

In First Samuel 2 verses 6 through 8, lifted up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among the princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them." We see in Proverbs 16, 9, a man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directed his steps. We see God's involvement over the actions of men. And the Lord in Exodus 12 36 and the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such things as they required, and they spoiled the Egyptians. From the example of Shemé cursing David as he was dealing with Absalom taking over the kingdom in 2 Samuel 16 10, and the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zoriah?

So let him curse, because the Lord has said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? In Acts 4.27, For a truth against the holy child Jesus, whom now has anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. We see also His hand in all that is good in man. We look at Philippians 4.13, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Psalm 119.36, incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness." In Galatians 5 22 through 25, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such as there is no law. And they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Clearly we see the hand of God working with, in, and on his creation. The confession continues to the end for which they were created. We look at Acts 17 verses 24 through 28.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands, neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after Him and find Him, though he be not far from every one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being, as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also of his offspring." So what was the end for which they were created? To bring glory to God. That they should seek the Lord, that they should worship the Lord, that they should praise the Lord and give him all glory. The confession follows with the two final phrases, according to his infallible foreknowledge and free and immutable counsel of his own will.

We see in Ephesians 1 11 in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. And to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy. With glory, Isaiah 63, 14, as a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest. So didst thou lead thy people to make thyself a glorious name. With wisdom Ephesians 3 10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.

With power Romans 9 17 for the scripture saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might show my power in thee and that my name might be declared through all all the earth with justice Genesis 45 7 and God sent me before you to preserve you of posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. In goodness, Psalm 145-7, They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness and shall sing of thy righteousness. And finally, mercy, Ephesians 2, 4, but God being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us. I'd like to summarize our topic this morning by reading some words from thecalvinist.net commentary on this. Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe.

The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole. The physical world, the affairs of nations, human destiny, human successes and failures, and the protection of his people. It is the God, the good creator, who governs and directs every step in the universe. He is the standard of goodness.

He means and intends everything for good as defined by himself. While man means it for evil, everything he does is most holy and wise, free and immutable, and for his glory. He upholds the universe by the power of his word and directs history to its predetermined end. He disposes of good and evil and governs every molecule and atom the way he pleases. Why?

To the glorification of his attributes. So what does all this mean for us? It means that God's in control. He is sovereign. He is sovereign over all.

So how do you respond to the idea of God's sovereign over all. Are you anxious when difficulties arise? Why? Are you trusting God with the issues in your life? How patient are you in difficult times or in dealing with difficult people?

How thankful are you when times are good or when good things happen to you? Do you remember where it's coming from? Remember this doctrine of God's divine providence. Be comforted that God cares and is involved with his creation as people in your daily life. Don't forget God cares about you and loves you.

Amen.