Truth Magazine

By Mark Mayberry

Could the Jews tell time? The same Moses who wrote the first 11 chapters of Genesis also wrote binding regulations regarding days, months, seasons and years. How can we say that all the time references in Genesis 1-11 are somehow different than those found in the rest of the Pentateuch?

Introduction

Those who would attempt to harmonize the Bible and the theory of modern evolution must fit 15 billion years into the book of Genesis. They also must stretch the Genesis genealogies to accommodate an old earth demanded by evolutionists. Proponents of this viewpoint would argue that the mid-eastern concept of time is vastly different from our western mindset. Yet, it is false to say the Jews had no rational concept of time. People in Biblical times were at least as intelligent as modern man, and therefore, had the ability to comprehend time in a meaningful way. From the beginning, man has been governed by time. God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years” (Gen. 1:14). Therefore, as we reflect upon the issue of the age of the earth, let us examine various Scriptures that clearly indicate that the Jews could tell time.

What About All Those Special Days, Weeks, Months & Years? Could the Jews tell time? The Mosaic law contains numerous and specific time references. The Israelites were commanded to “remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” They observed monthly and yearly feasts at specific times. The day of Atonement was celebrated on the 10th day of the seventh month. The Passover was celebrated on the 14th day of the first month. The Feast of Unleavened Bread began on the 15th day of the same month. The Feast of Purim was celebrated on the 14th and 15th days of Adar. The Feast of Tabernacles was observed on the 15th day of the seventh month. The Feast of Weeks was celebrated early in the third month on the 50th day after the offering of the barley sheaf at the Feast of Un- leavened Bread. They celebrated the new moon. They also observed the Sabbatical year. They celebrated the Jubilee every 50th year after seven cycles of seven years, when specific instructions about property and slavery took effect. In view of these many examples, it is absurd to allege that the Jews had no logical, rational, or sensible understanding of time!

When Is A Day Not A Day?

Could the Jews tell time? The same Moses who wrote the first 11 chapters of Genesis also wrote binding regulations regarding days, months, seasons and years. How can we say that all the time references in Genesis 1-11 are somehow different than those found in the rest of the Pentateuch? Those who argue for an old earth must contend that the seven days of creation are something other than seven literal, successive twenty-four hour days. But if their position is true, at what point did Moses switch gears from a symbolic to a literal usage of the term?

It is manifestly evident that Moses understood that God created the world in six literal, successive twenty-four hour days (Exod. 20:8-11; 31:14-17). This position is bolstered by Moses’ use of the phrase “the evening and the morning were the first . . . second . . . third . . . fourth . . . fifth . . . and sixth day” (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31).

What About the Chronologies of the Hebrew Kings?

Could the Jews tell time? Some might try to defend a loose under- standing of time by saying, “What about the chronologies of the Hebrew kings?” Admittedly, the Jews had a somewhat different way of reckoning chronologies than we do. However, there was method to their madness. Furthermore, the oriental and occidental approaches toward time are not so alien to one another that cross-cultural understanding is impossible.

While they appear confusing at first, it is possible, with careful study, for us to harmonize the books of Kings and Chronicles. One key to arranging a consistent chronology of the Hebrew kings is to realize that a part of a year was often counted as a whole year. We also must factor in the practice of co-regencies. A king would often begin his reign while his predecessor was still alive, governing with him for several years before he died. For more information on this subject, see E.R. Thieles A Chronology of the Hebrew Kings (1977) and The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (1983). In summary, please consider the statement found in Nelsons Illustrated Bible Dictionary: “But even after recognizing all these dating problems, the Bible student can rest assured that the ancient Near Eastern scribes worked with great care and precision in passing on the Old Testament. They furnish the patient modern interpreter with information needed to gain a reliable picture of Old Testament history.”1

What About “The Sign of Jonah”?

Could the Jews tell time? Some might argue, “The sign of Jonah proves that the Jews had a different way of looking at time than do we.” Well, “Yes” and “No.” Jesus said, “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights i n  t h e  h e a r t  o f  t h e earth” (Matt. 12:40). How long was Jesus in the tomb? Was it 72 hours or some lesser period of time?

Our Lord hung on the cross from the sixth hour to the ninth hour, i.e., from 12 to 3 p.m. (Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44; John 19:14-18). Shortly thereafter, Jesus breathed his last, and yielded up his spirit. Then his lifeless body was removed from the cross and hastily buried, because the beginning of the Sabbath drew near (Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31).

According to Jewish reckoning, the old day ended and a new day began at sunset, or 6 p.m. At the most, Jesus was in the tomb only 2-3 hours on Friday. His body lay entombed a full 24 hours on Saturday, and no more than 11-12 hours on Sunday. There- fore, he could have been in the grave a maximum of 39 total hours. Yet, this is consistent with the Lord’s statement regarding the sign of Jonah. Part of a day was reckoned as a whole day by the Hebrews. Jesus was in the tomb on part of Friday, all of Saturday and part of Sunday. Therefore, according to Jewish reckoning, he was in the tomb “three days and three nights.”

While Jesus was not in the tomb for 72 hours, he was in the tomb for approximately three days. There is some looseness in the phrase “three days and three nights,” but not unlimited elasticity. We are not at liberty to say he was in the tomb for three weeks, three months, three years, or three millennia! While I don’t believe that it is truly significant, a rhetorical point could be made that the phrase “three days and three nights” refers to a shorter time-frame than what is actually specified! Thus the sign of Jonah gives no comfort to those who would lengthen the days of Genesis Chapter One into geologic ages!

What About Those Biblical Genealogies?

Could the Jews tell time? In dis- cussing the genealogical family lines of Genesis 4-5, 10, etc. we must acknowledge that the word “beget” does not necessarily refer to a direct father/son relationship. It can and perhaps often does mean “descendant of.” I agree there could be some generational gaps in the lineage. Yet, how many could there be? There must be some outer limit on the number of generations that were skipped, lest the entire genealogical concept become meaningless!

In tracing the genealogy of Christ through Joseph, Matthew lists 40 individuals from Abraham to Jesus (Matt. 1:1-17). In tracing the genealogy of Christ through Mary, Luke lists 75 individuals from Adam to Jesus. According to Luke, Abraham is 55 generations removed from Jesus, and Adam is another 20 generations re- moved from our Savior. In tracing the genealogy of Adam, Moses lists nine generations from Adam to Noah (Gen. 5:1-32). Jude acknowledges this chronology by speaking of Enoch as “the seventh from Adam” (Jude 1:14).

Was Enoch seven generations re- moved from Adam? Was he seventy generations removed? Was he seven hundred generations removed? Was he seven thousand generations removed? The answer we give to such a question is significant!

Bishop Usher added up the genealogical lists in the Bible and concluded that Adam and Eve lived approximately 4,000 years before Christ. He made no allowance for any generational gaps in the lineages. My question is this: how many gaps could we allow before the whole concept of genealogy is lost?

If we allow an average of 100 years per generation, it would take 40 generations to go from Adam to Jesus. In fact, an average of 100 years per generation is too high, because we know that Luke includes 75 generations from Adam to Jesus. If we divide Usher’s 4,000 years by Luke’s 75 generations, we get an average of 53 years per generation. Nevertheless, for our purposes let’s stick with an average of 100 years per generation because (1) it is generous and (2) it is easy to compute.

Current evolutionary thought allows a million or so years for human evolution. If you are trying to make room for 1,000,000 years since the evolutionist say man first appeared, you are now discussing 10,000 generations. If you say man has been around for 500,000 years, you are dis- cussing 5,000 generations. If you say man has been around for 250,000 years, it would have taken 2,500 generations from Adam to Jesus. If you say man has been around for a mere 100,000 years, you are still assuming approximately 1,000 generations from Adam to Jesus.

For the sake of argument, let’s be conservative and say that man has been on the earth for 100,000 years. Luke says there were 75 generations from Jesus to Adam. Where are you going to stick the extra 925 generations and have the Biblical genealogy make any sense at all? A line with that many gaps is no line at all!

Using this approach to genealogy, all of us could claim to be the direct descendants of George Washington (even though he had no children)! That which proves too much proves too little. If you tried to gain admission to the Daughters of the American Revolution based on such sketchy data, they would laugh you out of the room!

How does the Doctrine of Progressive Creation among non-institutional brethren, handle biblical genealogies? Here is an example: In a handout entitled Genealogy and Chronology, written by Hill Roberts and revised in 1994, he affirms that there is no question as to the date when Abraham lived: “By starting from events in the Bible which can be correlated to events which are well dated in secular history, historians are able to date the life of Abraham to within about a hundred years either side of 1900 BC.”2

Nevertheless, brother Roberts goes on to say that we cannot accurately date such events as the construction of the tower of Babel, the flood, Cain and Abel, the fall of man, or the creation.3

How much time elapsed from Adam to Abraham? Bishop Usher, making no allowance for any generational gaps in the lineages, calculated that 2,000 years elapsed between Adam and Abraham. According to the Bible, twenty generations are under dispute. In the aforementioned handout, brother Roberts correctly points out that sometimes several generations are skipped in Biblical genealogical listings. In at least one instance, brother Roberts argues that a father/son generation is actually separated by 400 years.4

Okay, how much time can one reasonable insert into these 20 generations? For the sake of argumentation, let’s say that each of the 20 generations from Adam to Abraham is separated by 400 years. According to this timetable, 8,000 years would have elapsed from Adam to Abraham (20 x 400 = 8,000). Brother Roberts does not dispute the biblical dating from Abraham forward. He accepts that Abraham lived approximately 2,000 years before Christ, and that we live 2,000 years after Christ. Therefore, according to this method of calculation, Adam was created about 12,000 years ago (8,000 + 2,000 + 2000 = 12,000). Therefore, even if we grant that the first 20 generations of Bible history each cover over 400 years, this still does not help brother Roberts. Having bought into the standard evolutionary timetable, brother Roberts needs to make that 2,000 years become 100,000 to 250,000 years. Obviously, he has a problem. And we are not even touching the extra 4.5 billion years he has to get into the six days of creation.

What About “One Day Equals A Thousand Years”?

Could the Jews tell time? When we attended a Lord I Believe Seminar several years ago, one of the most disturbing things we encountered was the instruction that our 4th grade son received. Our son’s teacher said we cannot know how long the days of creation actually were because Peter said, “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). This is an egregious misapplication of Scripture. These words have nothing to do with the chronological measurement of time; rather they describe the nature of God. Peter is not saying that there is some special time zone called “God Standard Time” where one God-day equals 1,000 human years. Rather, the inspired apostle is saying God is not limited by time and space. In contrast, man is a creature governed by time (Gen. 1:14). Therefore, the time references in Scripture are significant to man.

Conclusion

If the Jews were culturally and ethnically incapable of a precise understanding of time, the man who picked up sticks on the Sabbath should have been declared innocent by reason of incompetency. Yet, he was held accountable for trespassing a clear and understandable law relating to one’s conduct on the seventh day (Num. 15:32-36). Time mattered!

If the Jews were not interested in time in any traditional sense, why were they in such a hurry to remove Jesus and the two thieves from the hill of Calvary (John 19:31)? If they truly held such a loose view of time, “Why didn’t they say, “What’s the rush? Who cares if the bodies remain on the cross after sundown?” No, as much as the Lord’s enemies had enjoyed seeing him hang on the cross, they decided to “call it a day” because the Sabbath drew near. Obviously they were not watching the second hand tick away on their wristwatches, but they were watching the sun set in the west. Time mattered!

There is absolutely no basis in saying that the Jews could not tell time. They had a very clear understanding of times and seasons, days and years. The only reason one would argue otherwise is to accommodate the proclamations of science regarding the alleged old age of the earth. Yet, as one considers the Sacred Text, it is apparent that the most straightforward understanding of the Genesis record indicates that God created the heaven and earth in six literal, successive twenty-four hour days. Furthermore, the Scriptures point to a recent creation, not one that occurred billions and billions of years ago. Therefore, on this issue and all others, I am content to speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where the Bible is silent.

Footnotes

1  Nelsons Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Herbert Lockyer, Sr. (Seattle, WA: BibleSoft & Nashville: TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986), s.v. “Chronology, Old Testament.”

2  Hill Roberts, Genealogy and Chronology, Handout written by Hill Roberts, revised 1994, Paragraph 1, First Sentence.

3  Hill Roberts, Genealogy and Chronology, Handout written by Hill Roberts, revised 1994, Paragraph 2, First Sentence.

4  Hill Roberts, Genealogy and Chronology, Handout written by Hill Roberts, revised 1994, Sub-point: The Nature of Hebrew Genealogies, Paragraph 4, Last Sentence.

Our beloved and highly esteemed James Rogers Cope changed worlds on June 18, 1999. It is like the passing of an era. He was my beloved brother in Christ, and a true friend of many years. I first met Jim and Georgia Deane when I entered Freed-Hardeman College where he was teaching in the fall of 1948. Harold Trimble married a girl from my home congregation, and he and Frances had attended Freed-Hardeman under brother Cope. He was preaching for the Bemis church near Freed-Hardeman. Harold preached many times at my home congregation, and he took me under his wing and introduced me to James Cope. He ad- vised me to take as many classes as possible under brother Cope. However, my studying under him was limited to one year, for at the end of my first year, he became president of Florida Christian College (Fall 1948). But, I profited greatly from his teaching in the classes I had with him. Several Freed-Hardeman students transferred to Florida Christian College with brother Cope. He asked me to come with him, but I had commitments that prevented it.

Through the years, however, our paths crossed and we developed a friendship that endured and grew stronger with the passing of time. We worked together in gospel meetings, and he was greatly responsible for my moving to work with the 9th Avenue church in St. Petersburg. At that time he was preaching for the Diston Ave. church in St. Petersburg. This afforded many opportunities for us to work together and deepen our friendship. He, some of the members at Diston, and I became fishing partners. Jim loved to fish, and we had some very fruitful and fun trips out on the Gulf of Mexico. Often when the pressure of his work became intense and he needed to get away, he would knock on our door with a paper sack in his hand containing his pajamas. When I would open the door, he would say, “I have come to spend the night and go fishing.”

Jim was an outstanding teacher. Very informal, yet a deep thinker. He had a wonderful mind. His classes were open, and students were urged to participate. Students were impressed with his humble spirit; never reluctant to say “I don’t know,” and always ready to change his mind if found to be mistaken. He challenged his students to think for themselves, and not just accept without further investigation what they had always been taught. His textual study classes were unique. Sometimes we would spend days on a single verse. It would be explored from every angle. There were usually one or two in the class whose knowledge was much less than they thought it was. Brother Cope enjoyed toying with such, not to embarrass them, but to prod them to do more study and to think for themselves. It was really a tragedy when pressing administrative responsibilities took brother Cope out of the classroom. Many young minds were thus deprived of the influence of one of the ablest teachers I ever had.

Jim Cope was a handsome young man when I first met him, and a very popular teacher. He had recently married Georgia Deane Combs, a beautiful young Texan, and Connie, their first child, was born while he was teaching at Freed-Hardeman. Jim was not only a popular teacher, but he was the preacher for the College church which met in the college auditorium. He was an excellent preacher, and the auditorium was always filled to capacity. Brother L.L. Briggance, a long-time teacher at Freed-Hardeman and a grammarian of the highest order, once said, “Jim Cope has one of the best commands of the English language of anyone I have known.” Coming from L.L. Briggance, that was, indeed, a high complement especially in light of the fact that he had been associated for so many years with N.B. Hardeman who was known as “the prince of preachers.” Jim was well-known for his “long-winded” sermons. He dealt thoroughly with any subject he undertook.

While Jim was the president of Florida College and an outstanding classroom teacher, he never ceased being a gospel preacher. He was dedicated to the preaching of the Word. He preached for many of the churches in the Tampa area and held gospel meetings all over the country. He preached quite a bit even after his short-term memory began to fail. He said, “I can still preach but I have to use copious notes and stay close to them.” I heard him preach for the last time in 1994. I was working with the Palm River church in Tampa, and he was attending there. We asked him to preach. It was a good lesson.

Jim was a very effective speaker. He could move one to tears one minute and laughter the next. He was a tender- hearted man. He often wept while speaking of things that touched his emotion. While teaching at Florida College and being closely associated with him, I wrote him a lengthy letter telling of my high esteem for him and how he had influenced my life for good. I mentioned the tremendous contribution he had made to the cause of Christ, and that Florida College had “James R. Cope” written all over it. I never realized how this letter would touch his emotion. He mentioned it over and over, and said he frequently read it and wept. It was something he needed to hear at that stage in his life, and I am so thankful that I wrote it. It brought some joy to his life when he needed it most.

Brother Briggance’s evaluation of his command of the English language was manifested vividly in Jim’s writings. He was a prolific writer, a genuine word smith. He authored several tracts and booklets which received wide circulation. Brother Cope and others at Florida College began the Preceptor periodical in November of 1951. It carried many of Jim Cope’s well-written articles. It became a very popular periodical, and was instrumental in clarifying many of the issues of the day. Brother Cope did much of his best writing in that magazine.

While I lived in St. Petersburg, Jim and I had opportunities to engage in many Bible studies. Members of the Diston church would sometimes have the Copes and the Needhams for dinner for a social occasion, but mainly to hear our studies of Bible subjects. We would sometimes continue until midnight. These were both enjoyable and profitable.

Jim had many “loves” in his life. He had an intense love for the Lord, his family, Florida College, education, and young people. He labored hard and long for the college. He struggled through the years with its financial problems which are quite common to all private schools. Because the school refused to accept money from churches, he and the college became the lightning rod for a liberal effort to arrest the college from his control. There were many battles, and at times it looked like the school would be lost to the liberals, but through Jim’s hard work, wise ways, and the help of many brethren it was saved and became the only college operated by brethren that neither solicited nor accepted subsidies from churches. Whatever good the school has accomplished stands largely as a monument to the life and labors of James R. Cope. Harry Pickup, Sr. worked for the college in public relations for many years. He once said, “James Cope is the most able administrator I ever knew.”

Following Jim’s retirement in 1982, his short-term memory began to deteriorate. It seemed to escalate following the death of his beloved Georgia Deane. During that time I taught at the college and saw Jim almost every day at chapel. We spent a good deal of time reminiscing of “the old days.” His long-term memory remained well intact, and we talked of our days at Freed Hardeman, of L.L Briggance, and other members of the faculty. We talked of N.B. Hardeman and Foy E. Wallace, Jr. and the major battle they waged over church subsidies to schools and other human institutions, and how this initiated the lengthy debate over benevolent societies, congregational cooperation, and other issues that led to a major division in the brotherhood.

Jim Cope was a country boy who did exceptionally well. He was raised on a farm, and wore his heritage well. I once heard him tell a young man, “Don’t ever rise above your raising. “That is, don’t ever feel ashamed of where you came from. Keep the basic values you were taught by your parents.” While keeping his country roots, Jim could mix with the humble and with men of distinction. He often did. When Roy Acuff ran for governor of Tennessee, Jim was chosen to introduce him on the steps of the court house in Henderson, Tennessee.

Jim’s loss of short-term memory was thought to be the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and sure enough it was. His last days were spent in the Clare Bridge nursing home in Tampa with little or no knowledge of his past, or the people he had known. But Jim never forgot his interest in the souls of men, for even after he entered the nursing home, he held Bible classes with some of his fellow patients.

In the course of our earthly sojourn we meet many people who influence our lives — some for good and some not so good. Most of us can list five or ten persons who influenced us for good far above everyone else we chance to meet. Among those who have had a life-lasting positive effect on my life, I would have to put Jim Cope somewhere close to the top. Jim Cope left vivid and well defined footprints on the sands of time. The memory of his work and the imprint of his life will endure for generations to come. His influence will live on in the lives of the thousands he touched. May God bless his memory and his family in such a great loss. We hope to meet again.

For some time I, and others, have expressed concern about the kind of preaching that is being done in many places today. In expressing this concern I have frequently said that much of the preaching that is being done today could be done in any denominational church without any change and it would be accepted.

Some have interpreted this concern as saying that our “difference from denominations” is the measuring stick for our preaching. No one that I know who has expressed this concern over the lack of distinctive preaching has suggested that this is the measuring stick for our preaching nor have they lamented over the lack of “church of Christ” doctrine in the preaching being done. In fact, the men I have heard expressing concern over the kind of preaching being done have been the ones who have spoken out against the denominational concept of the church and are the ones who emphasize the distinctive message of God’s word. They are the ones insisting that the word of God is the only standard of authority and that we must respect that authority. When this kind of preaching is done on a regular basis you will be teaching men and women what they must do to be saved; that Christ is the way and that he is the Savior of the church (Acts 2:38; John 14:6; Eph. 5:25). We are not talking about lessons from time to time that may deal with some Bible character or lessons from his life. We are talking about a compromising spirit on the part of far too many who will not preach what the word of God teaches on the plan of salvation, the church, the work of the church, the worship of the church, the organization of the church, or the truth on many other moral and doctrinal issues.

I am ready to affirm that when we preach the gospel in its purity and completeness that teaching will not be accepted by denominationalists, not because we have sought to “offend the denominations,” but because it is the truth. Brethren, don’t be deceived into thinking that the willing ness of denominations to accept certain lessons you may preach is an indication of their “closeness to the truth.” That acceptance is based on the fact that the particular lesson may be something with which they agree. For example, I could go to a Baptist Church and preach a lesson showing from the Scriptures that baptism is an immersion and every word I say be true and be accepted by them but that would not mean they were “close to the truth” on what the Bible teaches concerning baptism. They still deny the truth on baptism and its purpose.

We need to realize that when we seem to be closer to the denominations than we used to be it is not due to the denominations coming closer to the truth; it is due to our leaving the truth. It is a shame when men are criticized and misrepresented when they make an appeal to get back to preaching that will convict men and women of their sins and teach them what they must do to be saved. This kind of preaching will not be accepted by the denominations but it will be pleasing to God and that is what is of real importance.

By Donald Townsley

The Bible doctrine of divine providence has been neglected by gospel preachers of our generation. In days gone by this subject was given a more prominent place in the preaching and writing of brethren. I believe we have reaped some tragic consequences because of our ignorance on this subject. Extremes have arisen and found fertile soil in which to grow because of the ignorance that exists. One example is the “direct operation of the Holy Spirit” movement. I do not believe false teaching on this subject would have found ready acceptance by some if they had understood God’s providential working. Another consequence of not understanding this subject is the gloom, depression and anxiety that afflict the hearts of so many of the children of God. If they could only understand this Bible doctrine and have the conviction that “the Lord is at hand” (near, Phil. 4:5) and that he really cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7), it would do away with the insecurity, fear, depression, and despair that exist in the hearts of so many.

In order to define what “divine providence” is, let us first point out what it is not. Divine providence is not a miracle. A miracle is an act of God superseding or suspending a natural law. A miracle was a visible sign which indicated to all men that a super-human power was at work in that particular thing. An example of a miracle is the Lord feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes (John 6:8-14). Miracles were for the purpose of confirming the Word (Mark 16:17-20). The Word was given in its completeness and confirmed, then miracles ceased (1 Cor. 13:8-13).

Providence differs from a miracle in that its ends are brought about by means of the established laws of God through ordinary channels. Providence is the preservation, care, and government that God exercises over all things that he has created in order that they may accomplish the end for which they were created.

God’s providence does not eliminate following the word of God in every detail. God, through his word, brings about conversion and edification of his people (Rom. 1:16; Acts 20:32). This does not eliminate our using all the care, sense and skill that we can exercise. Neither does it eliminate the free-moral agency of man. God’s providence works with two kinds of wills — willing wills and opposing wills. Good men suffer many times at the hands of evil men — evil men meaning it for evil, but God in his providence can overrule it for the good of the innocent. Joseph, in the Old Testament, is a good example of God overruling the evil intent and actions of his brothers for good. Joseph said to his brothers: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; But God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Gen. 50:20). The psalmist said, “He (God) sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant” (Ps. 105:17). This example of Joseph is a good commentary on Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” This verse does not mean that everything that happens to a Christian is good within itself, but that God, through his providence, can ultimately overrule even the bad for our good. He did this for Joseph. Why deny he can do it for us?

Let us look at scriptural proof of divine providence: God makes the sun to rise and sends the rain and fruitful seasons (Matt 5:45; Acts 14:17); in God we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28); God gives rain, makes the grass to grow and feeds the beasts and ravens (Ps. 147:89); God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:6); God knows every hair on our heads (Luke 12:7); God’s eyes are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers (1 Pet. 3:12); God rules in the affairs of nations: “the most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Dan. 4:25); John said that Christ was “the prince of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5); Paul said, “For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God” (Rom. 13:1). These verses should prove to any honest man that God is providentially working in the world today.

It is upon the belief in God’s providence that prayer is founded. We pray because we believe that God will hear our prayers and that he has the power to grant our petitions through his providence. He does not answer our prayers with miracles, but through his providence — working through his established laws and ordinary channels. We pray for doors to be opened through which we can enter to preach the gospel (Col. 4:3; 1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12), and God opens these doors through his providence in answer to our prayers. We pray for our daily food (Matt. 6:11); we labor with our hands (Eph. 4:28), and God will provide our needs through his providence. We pray for the sick (Jas. 5:14-18) , and God heals the sick, providentially. We pray that we may not be led into temptation and for God to deliver us from temptation (Matt. 6:13; 1 Cor. 10:13; Matt. 26:41), and God, through his providence, will make a way of escape in answer to our prayer; but we must use the way of escape. God will not deliver a man from temptation un- less that man wills him to do so. We, as God’s people, need to have faith that the Lord is at hand, not a far off (Phil. 4:5, 6; Jer. 23:23-24), and that we in everything can make our requests known to God and he will providentially answer our prayers (1 John 5:14-15).

Jesus gives proof of divine providence to the Christian in Matthew 6:24-34. In verse 25 of this chapter he tells us to take no thought (or be not anxious) for our lives, about what we will eat, drink, or put on. He tells us that God, who gave us our lives and our bodies, will give us food and raiment. Jesus is not teaching laziness here; we are to work, doing our best (Eph. 4:28), then leave the rest to God. In verse 26 Jesus tells us to “behold the fowls of the air,” that God feeds them; we are of much more value than fowls, so God will feed and take care of us. In verse 7 Jesus says that worry will not add one cubit to our stature, so to worry about what we are going to eat, drink, or wear is needless because God will provide it through his providence. In verses 28-30 he shows how foolish it is to worry about raiment; if God clothes the lilies of the field he will most assuredly clothe us. In verses 31 and 32 he tells us that God knows we have need of food, drink, and clothing; so we are not to worry about them like the Gentiles do because we know that God will supply them. Jesus then gives the Christian the proper course to pursue in verse 33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness” and God, through his providence, will supply our temporal needs. He said, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow” (v. 34), because God will providentially care for us.

Conclusion

Friend, if we are Christians, faith in God’s providential care will take the worry out of our lives. Those who walk by faith take God at his word, and sincerely believe that the things he has promised he is able to perform (Rom. 4:21). Do you believe that God works through his providence today? Too many Christians have “little faith” (Matt. 6:30) in God’s providential care. We all need more faith that his eyes are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers (1 Pet. 3:12); that he is near (Phil. 4:5), and that we can cast our cares upon him for he does care for us (1 Pet. 5:7).