They sweep through like the strong winds from the East gathering up captives that number like the grains of sand. God use non-believers to help His people In such a manner Judas served Gods purposes through his wicked act of betrayal. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. Training for Preachers and Teachers of God's Word, Want to know what an RSS feed is and how it works? Later Pilate gave in to pressure and ordered Jesus crucified. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). WebJohn 3:16. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. God Will Use Even You God 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. 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. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. But the fact of the matter is it wasnt me! At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. His plan in doing so was to bless all people. There are so many amazing things in these few verses. Guiding our world whether we are able to see it or not. 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). God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. A man who lived in a time in which only Jews served the one true God. Summary God sees. He sent His son to pay a most costly price for the sin of His people, for those who trust in Him. 1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent. Then the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to Me? Did Jesus Descend Into Hell? You have entered an incorrect email address! 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. Moses give the Israelites specific instruction and visible representation from the invisible God. Our accolades cannot merit us any greatness. His silence spoke more loudly than the foolish claims of his lying accusers. He has many means to accomplish that holy purposeincluding some that are difficult to understand. Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? This New-Babylon marched through Canaan and took hostages (one of them was Daniel). The Lord can never be blamed for evil, but evil does not take p. God never does evil Himself. God doesnt need men, but God chooses to use men at times to accomplish His sovereign will. 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. And he was an exalted and successful king. 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. 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). When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. This week I ate lunch with a man who has recently become an acquaintance through an e-mail correspondence. 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. Why does God allow deception When Moses spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people mourned greatly. 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. They were evil cowards who hated the Son of God but feared a popular uprising if they tried to arrest him. As Christians, we have nothing to fear or worry about because we know that God is in control. We know from the sowing and reaping principle that t here will be degrees of torment in the lake of fire. Wisdom alone, though, is insufficient. Your children, however, whom you said would become a preyI will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. God uses all those who humble themselves before the cross, boasting only in him his strength, his wisdom, his righteousness, his accomplishment. In the healthiest churches, we find a holy conspiracy between pastors who gladly care for the sheep, and sheep who do what they can so that the pastors might serve joyfully. Nothing is ever left to chance with God. Though absolutely sovereign, all knowing, all wise, and everywhere present, God uses sinners to accomplish His will. It was a period of apostasy and violence. The book of proverbs also gives us insight into this. Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.. The fact that God ordains both the means and the ends should surely encourage us as we face our own trials. All rights reserved. WebGod Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus 1. Gods covenant warned from the beginning that if Israel fell into sin God would use a foreign heathen nation to bring judgment upon them. 1 John 5:14. He didnt accept evil apathetically, he was appalled by it. WebThe Scripture teaches that God achieves His purpose in unbelievers. I am not a rising star in any field, industry, or arena. 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. He stands behind it indirectly, but He directly stands behind good. God will bring ultimate and final judgment upon all ungodliness. The way to heaven is only Jesus and Jesus only.. He is working all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. We might be a life-hacking, productivity guru. so that they might escape from the devil's snare, even though they've been held captive by him to do his will. He was a brilliant poet, a skillful songwriter, a genius botanist, and a first-class biologist. 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. 10 people that God used to accomplish his purposes I. Paul: The one with a shameful past and challenging present (4:18) Colossians 4:18 - I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask Judas didnt know it, and neither did the disciples, but Gods fingerprints were all over his act of betrayal. A prophecy we can imagine would have seemed quite improbable to those who heard. Going to church wont make you a Christian any more than sleeping in a garage makes you a caror going to a donut shop makes you a cop. but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Covenant judgment was about to be poured out upon Israel. 14:11). Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 He even turns wicked hearts to serve his Sovereign purpose. They were the ones who asked for valuables from the people of Egypt, who were so fearful and stricken with grief that they gave the departing Israelites their riches, literally paying the Jews to leave Egypt (Ex. So the emphasis of the chapter is on Gods working out His purpose through ordinary people who obey Him. They were in an impossible situation with no way out. God will use it even if you do not understand how. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. 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. That leads me to ask a simple question: Are you a professor or a possessor? The greater the pain, the harder it is to see Gods fingerprints. 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. Thus they plundered the Egyptians ( Exodus 12:36 ). The phrase all this refers to the betrayal, the circumstances surrounding it, and the circumstances flowing from it. We turn now to consider how the sin of Judas served many good purposesnone of which were seen that night and none of which diminish his true moral guilt. 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. C) We place our confidence in Gods ultimate purpose for us. They do whatever they want. Every evil in the world must somehow serve Gods purpose. Do not begrudge your weakness. God uses pathetic people for his glorious purposes to show his superior power. His words imply that all the torment will be tolerable. Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? The gospel writers record many Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul used this verse from Habakkuk to warn the foolish despisers of the gospel. The sheep representing believers who did Gods will and the goats representing unbelievers who do not do Gods will. Were on a mission to change that. 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. It even included the price Judas would receive for his act of treachery30 pieces of silver. I might preach to 100 people on Sunday morning in my own little church, but I preach to thousands over the internet. God was rejecting their national privilege, and turning to the Gentiles to populate his Covenant Nation on Earth. 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. Our prayers do not alter Gods eternal decree. The way of the wicked is like darkness;They do not know over what they stumble. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. Grace be with you. His I also answer yes. At times, God enlisted non-believers to help His people through the ages. God Can Use Unbelievers part 1: Cyrus Nothing will ever be able to affect Gods will. So through his death, he can have everlasting life on earth. From the earliest days of Jesus life we find the Jewish leaders conspiring against him. You are going to need it as we search the Scriptures to answer these two questions. God has the amazing ability to do things that simply do not make sense to mankind. In many cases without them even realizing that they were being used by God. It doesnt matter if you have theology degrees or mothered a dozen healthy, happy children or started several 501(c)3s to feed the poor and end trafficking. 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. 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. Do not lament your insufficiency. This week were looking at the other side of the equation. 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. The Neo-Babylonians were dominated by Chaldean kings. God Will Use Even You As with the raising of Moses hands by Aaron and Hurt, sharing the gospel, or praying, God delights in and receives glory for himself, when we submit to His will, live by faith, and obey His Word. Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? 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. 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. A complete answer is impossible for who has known the mind of the Lord (Isa. Just as He did with Pharaoh who placed no faith in the God of Israel. This is the grace of God as revealed in His merciful covenant. We return now to the original question: Why did God allow Judas to betray Jesus? 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. But through the lens of the New Testament, he is seen as a wicked man. They have heard that You, O. But God did just that and used a sinning Gentile to begin the process of restoring Israel. Here are some examples: Email Jack. 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. Habakkuk 1:7-11, They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 5:14). I believe that t he Lord is here suggesting that the eternal torment that unbelievers will experience will be on a scale from more tolerable to less tolerable. Habakkuk learned that the material success of the ungodly is not a reliable measure of their true success. But among the leaders of the nation, only a few followed Christand they became secret believers for fear of persecution by their brethren. Here are some examples: 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.. God Works His Will God then raised up Moses and his brother Aaron as instruments to deliver the people of Israel from cruel bondage. God answered him. Fit to be Used It only made sense on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. The new king was deposed after three months. I didnt attend an Ivy League school. Thats generally the way life is for all of us. verses about Unbelievers 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. It becomes all the more bold in lawlessness. Do not lament your insufficiency. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. So continue to trust in Him and you wont be disappointed. 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. This could be the begging of a time of great growth for the church. Habakkuk 1:5, Look among the nations and watch Be utterly astounded! Philippians 3:4-7 - although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. Amen. Matthew 26:3-5 informs us that the leaders of the Jews were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus and put him to death. God was revealing that He was going to use this ungodly power for judgment upon his own straying people. The terms Neo-Babylons and Chaldeans are used interchangeably for the people of that Empire. But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 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. Those who read my words are in many different situations: May I repeat what I just said: He has not brought us this far to cause us to fail. Does God Accomplish His Purpose in Our But we learn that over time a new Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph or respect what Joseph had done (Ex. But we need to grow in faith and obedience. I think we can learn some great lessons by answering these questions. No buildings, streets, or hospitals have been named in honor of me. This is a true mystery, which we may explain in various ways but will never fully understand. 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. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. One final point is in order. God promised to precede Cyrus and destroy all opposition that Cyrus would face: 'I will go before you and make the 3. God Works His Will More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.. WebGod was about to turn to the Gentiles as He judged Israel as a nation for her unbelief. During our conversationwhich lasted two hours and was both cordial and very frankI told him that his religion could not save him. He recognized what was evil because he believed Gods law. God sometimes use evil to accomplish His plans (Habakkuk His Gods Ability To Use Unlikely People Even Unbelievers. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, Why does this generation seek for a sign? Were they to march into the sea holding their little ones, driving their cattle, and pushing their elderly? According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition. In the beginning Satan challenged Gods right to rule. (see Matthew 27:5). How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? In the eyes of the Jews, Saul would be seen as a warrior of the faith.
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