The Providence of God
Acts 23:12-35
June 16, 2013
In the Old Testament there is a book of the Bible
Devoted to telling one unique story.
It is a story of providence
It is a story of how God’s people are under a severe attack,
And threatened with complete annihilation.
However, through a sovereign plan of events
God is able to save His people and deliver them from peril.
The unique thing about the book is that it never mentions God,
Not even one time.
That book is the book of Esther.
• It reveals the plot of a wicked man named Haman who desired to completely wipe out God’s people.
• But through a chain of events, a young Jewish orphan girl is actually named queen, and through the help of her uncle she is able to stop the annihilation of Israel.
And even though God is never mentioned in the book,
Matthew Henry said, “His fingerprints are everywhere.”
It is a story that reveals the providence of God.
A scoffer might say it was
• Coincidence that Queen Vashti was removed…
• Coincidence that Esther was chosen…
• Coincidence that Mordecai overheard the assassination plot…
• Coincidence that the King wanted to reward him…
• Coincidence that Haman died on the gallows he built for Mordecai…
A scoffer would see that as blind chance
Or perhaps even as a result of extreme human ingenuity.
We know better.
And incidentally, so did Mordecai.
When Esther was actually seeking to retreat from her calling to approach the King on behalf of her people, Mordecai said:
Esther 4:13-14 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Mordecai knew that this matter was not up to chance.
He understood a divine sovereignty and providence behind the scenes.
And just as Mordecai expected, God delivered.
God’s providence won the day.
I bring that story to your attention tonight
Because here in the book of Acts we have a similar story.
A story which, in our text, does not mention God or Jesus or anything He did,
But just like Esther, His fingerprints are everywhere.
We know God to be at work behind the scenes
Working for His good pleasure.
Now in Esther’s case, God’s providence is expected
Based on promises written beforehand.
There was a promise that God would not forsake Israel.
They may be punished…
They may be persecuted…
But according to God a remnant would always remain.
So Mordecai, though he did not know the specifics,
Could know with certainty that Israel would not be completely annihilated.
God was bound by His promise to providentially perform.
And it is the same in our story.
There is a promise at stake here.
Acts 23:11 “But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
Jesus had already promised that Paul was going to testify to Rome.
Now, please understand that this was completely out of Paul’s control.
It was not as though he were free to go where he wished.
He did not have the luxury of simply getting on a boat and sailing to Rome.
He was a prisoner, held in custody, awaiting a trial.
He was not free to leave.
The point is, if Paul was going to get to Rome,
Then God was going to have act.
It is all on God’s shoulders at this point.
And that is why we know that God’s providence is at work.
Let’s look at the story and see this:
3 things
#1 THE CONSPIRACY
Acts 23:12-15
I do think it is important, especially in viewing God’s providential work,
To first of all see how much man’s efforts sought to thwart God’s plan.
Jesus told Paul he was headed to Rome.
The Jews are doing everything in their power to nullify that promise.
Let me show you some specifics about that plan
1) SEVERITY (12)
“When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.”
The equivalent of this oath was to call down a curse upon oneself
If they failed or backed out.
It would have been like those oaths we see in the Old Testament, “May God do so to me, if I don’t kill Paul today…”
It was that sort of serious oath.
And to further state the seriousness of that oath, these men “bound themselves…that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.”
That means that you had better fulfill the oath rather quickly.
The human body can’t go long without water,
And yet that is what they had bound themselves to.
They were serious in their plan to kill Paul.
2) SIZE (13)
“There were more than forty who formed this plot”
Obviously this was no small thing.
• This wasn’t just the hot-headed response of a few.
• This was 40 men under a severe oath to make sure they kill Paul.
This was a big deal.
A lot of men working together to thwart God’s promise to Paul.
3) SCHEME (14)
“They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.”
Here we find their partners in crime.
They go to the Sanhedrin and pull them in on the plot.
You will see in a moment that they need their help to carry out their plan,
And they will have it.
So this conspiracy is not only gaining rage and man power,
But also ability and authority.
By getting the Jewish leaders in on the plan,
This conspiracy is looking more and more possible to carry out.
These are angry men putting their heads together to pull off this plot.
4) SPECIFICS (15)
“Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”
And there is the simple plan.
As the council, you call for him, and when they bring him,
We are ready to kill him.
Certainly 40 men can surround and kill one prisoner,
Especially if that prisoner and his guards are unsuspecting.
In reality, this seems like a pretty good plan.
It looks like it just might work.
• They’ve got plenty of hostility…
• They’ve got plenty of motivation…
• They’ve got plenty of men…
• They’ve god a good plan…
By all accounts Paul should be dead in a just a short while.
But we are about to see the PROVIDENCE OF GOD take over.
Similar to in the days of Joseph.
Genesis 45:7-8 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”
Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”
What we find throughout Scripture is that
God is capable to take the worst plans of man (or the devil)
And not just stop their plans,
But actually use their plans to further His own.
It is really miraculous
In our mission sermon we listened to this week,
John MacArthur talked a little about the miracle that is God’s providence.
And when you think about it, it really is miraculous.
It’s one thing for God to just intervene with a miracle.
• Sort of like when Peter was in prison, and God just led Peter right out…
• Or like when Paul and Silas were in prison and God threw open the door…
Because we know God is omnipotent those don’t surprise us.
But when you think about, providence
Is really a tremendous display of God’s power and wisdom.
How do you let millions of people make their own plans and carry them out, and yet you still, with all the billions of contingencies and options available, you still cause the end result to be what you desire?
God let’s men plan and scheme and decide and choose and act according to their will, and yet at the end, His will is achieved.
That is really mind-blowing when you think about it.
Joseph’s brothers thought there were hurting Joseph.
No, God was saving Israel.
It reiterates that verse we love to quote so much:
Romans 8:28 “And 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.”
Well, that is what we are about to see here.
Not only does God not allow this wicked plan to succeed,
But God actually uses this wicked plan to further His own.
The Conspiracy
#2 THE PROVIDENCE
Acts 23:16-30
Now I suppose we could probably stop and see God at work in hundreds of ways throughout the story, but to help make things clear, let’s just look at the four obvious ways God was at work here.
The scoffer would call it good luck or coincidence, but we know better.
1) PAUL’S NEPHEW HEARD (16)
“But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul.”
Now this to me is really bizarre.
• Who knew Paul had a sister, let alone a nephew?
• What in the world was Paul’s nephew doing in Jerusalem?
Some even think that since Philippians 3:8 says Paul suffered the loss of “all things” that his family had disowned him.
And yet, with impeccable timing, here is Paul’s nephew
Stumbling upon some very valuable information.
Very similar to that of Mordecai:
Esther 2:21-22 “In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.”
Some would call that “being in the right place at the right time”.
But we know that God certainly used that
And so it is not far-fetched to say that God orchestrated it.
This conspiracy has been unintentionally leaked.
That is God at work.
2) THE CENTURION CONSENTED (17-18)
“Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.”
Now it certainly isn’t shocking that Paul would want to get this information to the commander (every prisoner would)
What is a bit shocking is that the centurion consented to Paul’s wishes.
Paul was a Jewish prisoner.
It could be that the only reason the Centurion did consent
Was because Paul was a Roman citizen.
It may even be that the whole “putting Paul wrongfully in chains”
Had the guards a little more eager to keep Paul happy.
Of course that is all speculation.
What is amazing though is that this centurion actually listened to Paul
And led Paul’s nephew to the commander.
God was intervening.
3) THE COMMANDER LISTENED (19-22)
So maybe we have a compassionate centurion,
But certainly the commander is far too busy to take the time
To listen to a young Jewish relative of a prisoner.
And yet…that is precisely what happens.
(19) “The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?”
That is really impressive, and then when the boy relates the story,
The commander believes everything he has heard.
I especially like verse 21, where the boy says, “So do not listen to them…”
How often do boys get to tell commanders what to do?
• It really required a humble man…
• It really required a man concerned with truth…
I can imagine on most days this sort of thing doesn’t happen,
And yet it is obvious to me that God is orchestrating it.
No different than Esther going before the king.
She didn’t know if she’d be welcomed, she didn’t know if he would accept her.
It was going to take some divine favor to orchestrate that meeting.
And yet God granted that favor.
Esther 5:1-3 “Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace in front of the king’s rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you.”
Or as VeggieTales put it, “My little queeny-poo can come any time she wants”
That was obviously divine favor.
God was causing things to work out on Paul’s behalf.
4) THE COMMANDER ACTED (23-30)
So not only did the commander listen,
But the commander acted and acted wisely.
I could have easily seen the commander say, “Well, that’s just 40 Jews, have 100’s of soldiers, I think Paul is safe. I don’t think they’ll be able to do anything to him.”
And then just dismissed the boy and told him not to worry about it.
But that is not what the commander did.
He made arrangements for Paul to be transported to Caesarea.
Namely because God’s plan wasn’t just to protect Paul,
But to send Paul to Rome.
Now, (thanks to this evil plot of the Jews,)
God’s plan is being carried out to perfection.
Man had plans, but God is using those plans to accomplish His own.
That is what we call – providence.
The Conspiracy, The Providence
#3 THE DELIVERANCE
Acts 23:31-35
And now we learn that Paul has not only been safely delivered,
But is in fact one step closer to Rome.
Furthermore he is also not being housed in a prison, or dungeon, but in “Herod’s Praetorium”
And what else can we say, except that God is working on Paul’s behalf.
NOW WHAT IS THE POINT?
That God always delivers and thwarts the plan of the enemy to protect His people?
No.
• Many believers over the course of history have been imprisoned,
tortured, and murdered.
• Many believers even today suffer these horrible realities.
To set here an advocate that if you get in trouble, don’t worry,
God won’t let anything hard or bad happen to you is a false hope.
That is the ground work of the prosperity gospel, and it simply isn’t true.
God’s people do suffer and suffer wrongly sometimes.
WHAT IS THE POINT?
GOD IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL
• He always has a plan.
• He always knows what He is doing.
• He always does what He wants.
Ephesians 1:11 “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,”
Our God is the God “who works all things after the counsel of His will”
HE DOES WHAT HE WANTS.
Now, don’t misunderstand that either.
That doesn’t mean that nothing ever happens
Which God doesn’t approve of.
Because things God doesn’t approve of happen all the time.
• We read in Genesis about God being sorry that He made man
because their actions had grieved Him.
• We read in Exodus about God being so disappointed in the behavior of
the Israelites that He doesn’t even want to accompany them to the
Promised Land
• We read in the New Testament where Paul tells us specifically not to
“grieve” the Holy Spirit.
So we know that things happen all the time that God is not pleased with.
What we mean is that God, in His providence,
Takes even the things that displease Him
And still causes His overall plan to be accomplished.
He takes the evil and forces it to work for His predetermined end.
WE CALL THAT SOVEREIGNTY.
Psalms 115:3 “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.”
Psalms 135:5-6 “For I know that the LORD is great And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”
Daniel really had it figured out:
Daniel 4:35 “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
And we understand then that God is in complete control.
Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.”
The indication there is that God can NOT ONLY directly lead His children
Who have pledged to follow Him.
But God can also indirectly lead,
Even those who refuse to acknowledge Him.
If He wants to lead a sinner,
God can even manipulate the things a sinner will listen to.
Consider when Nebuchadnezzar was debating
Whether or not to attack Jerusalem:
Ezekiel 21:18-23 “The word of the LORD came to me saying, “As for you, son of man, make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And make a signpost; make it at the head of the way to the city. “You shall mark a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into fortified Jerusalem. “For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver. “Into his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to set battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift up the voice with a battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall. “And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; they have sworn solemn oaths. But he brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be seized.”
God caused Nebuchadnezzar’s pagan practices
To direct Him to fulfill God’s predetermined will.
God can do whatever He pleases.
Isaiah 44:24-26 “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone, Causing the omens of boasters to fail, Making fools out of diviners, Causing wise men to draw back And turning their knowledge into foolishness, Confirming the word of His servant And performing the purpose of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’ And of the cities of Judah, ‘ They shall be built.’ And I will raise up her ruins again.”
God controls everything He wants to control.
Isaiah 45:7 “The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.”
And the simple point that I want to make to you tonight is that
God is sovereign and His providence rules all.
Now, that DOESN’T mean nothing bad will ever happen to you.
But it does mean that even in the bad things you suffer
God is still in complete control
And will guarantee to bring your life to His determined end.
And even when life is hard to understand, TRUST the providence of God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
Psalms 37:23-24 “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.”
A righteous man can suffer hardship,
And still know how the story will end.
Now a sinner, cannot have the same encouragement.
He may have blessing in life,
But the providential hand of God will not let it end well for him.
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 “Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.”
So the simple point tonight is for you to know that God is in control.
His providential hand is at work.
When things happen you don’t understand,
It is does not mean that God has forgotten or somehow lost His sovereignty.
But you can rest assured that God can and will take
Even the worst and hardest of circumstances
And yet somehow, according to His wisdom and power,
Turn those events to fulfill His predetermined plan.
• Jesus promised Paul he was headed to Jerusalem.
• Jesus used the wicked plan of 40 Jewish men to get that ball rolling.
He did it because He is God and He can do it however He wants.
Romans 8:28-30 “And 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. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
