The fact that God is holy and just assures us that there understanding of divine sovereignty is a stimulus to bib-
Proverbs
2. A Sovereign God The fact that God is holy and just assures us that there are righteous principles that govern the universe and His dealings with us. As Dr. A. T. Pierson put it, "History is His story." "The Lord works out everything for his own ends—even the wicked for a day of disaster" (Prov. 16:4 niv). "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (19:21 niv). The Christian believer remembers Colossians 1:16: "All things were created by him [Christ], and for him." Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things.
nkjv). Instead of being a deterrent to evangelism, an understanding of divine sovereignty is a stimulus to biblical evangelism; for we are sure that God is "taking out" a "people for His name" (Acts 15:14 nkjv; see 18:1–11) and that His Word will not return void (Isa. 55:10–11). God is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9) but desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and Jesus commanded us to go into all the world with the message of salvation (Matt. 28:18–20). Our task is to obey and share the message; His responsibility is to save those who believe.
As sovereign Ruler over all things, the Lord sees and knows what's happening, the thoughts, actions, words, and motives of all people. "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths" (Prov. 5:21 niv). "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good" (15:3 niv). "The Lord weighs the hearts" (21:2 nkjv; see 17:3; 24:12). When God judges, He judges justly, whether He's punishing the wicked or rewarding the righteous.
The proud mind of sinful man rebels against the very thought of the sovereignty of God and affirms, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."4 Charles Spurgeon said, "No doctrine in the whole Word of God has more excited the hatred of mankind than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God. The fact that 'the Lord reigneth' is indisputable, and it is this fact that arouses the utmost opposition of the unrenewed human heart."5
It's encouraging to know that "the Lord reigns" (Ps. 93:1) and that His righteous purposes will be fulfilled. Let's be sure that we're walking with Him on the path of life, surrendered to His will and seeking to honor His name.
Divine sovereignty doesn't destroy human responsibility and turn humans into robots. "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue" (16:1 niv). "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" (v. 33 nkjv). "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (v. 9 nkjv). God expects us to study, think, weigh possibilities, and make decisions, but we dare not "lean on [our] own understanding" (3:5). God promises to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5) and to direct those who are willing to obey (Prov. 3:5–6). Because He is the Creator of all things, God is sovereign in nature (3:19–20; 8:22–31; 30:4). He's also sovereign in history and geography, controlling the rise and fall of rulers and nations (Acts 17:22–28; Dan. 4:17, 34–35). "By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice" (Prov. 8:15). "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes" (21:1 nkjv). "There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord" (v. 30 nkjv).
3. A Compassionate God God's tender compassion and concern are seen in His care of the poor and needy. Widows and orphans in Israel were especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and God warned His people in His law to beware of mistreating them (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 10:18; 14:29; 26:12; 27:19). "He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy" (Prov. 14:31 nkjv; see 17:5). "The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all" (22:2 nkjv). When the Savior came to earth, He identified with the poor and the outcasts (Luke 4:16–21; 2 Cor. 8:9), and God wants to show His compassion for them through His people. To harm the needy is to give pain to the heart of God.
"Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them" (Prov. 22:22–23 nkjv). "The gate" was ancient Israel's equivalent of our modern courtroom, for there the elders met to settle village disputes. The poor might not be able to afford a lawyer, but God would come to their defense (23:10–11).6
Keep in mind that the God who decrees the end— His purposes—also decrees the means to the end. If He determines to overthrow Pharaoh and deliver Israel from Egypt, He also decrees that Moses and Aaron go to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. If He purposes to bring Israel into the Promised Land, He also decrees that Joshua shall be trained to lead them. If He purposes to win lost souls, He also decrees that a witness will share the gospel. "And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Rom. 10:14–15 nkjv).
Stealing the property of the poor was one way to get rich quick, even though the law commanded that the ancient landmarks not be moved (22:28; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Isa. 1:23; Hos. 5:10). God owned the land (Lev. 25:23) and loaned it to His people, and they were to keep their property within the tribes and clans. Family farms were marked off by stones, not fences; these ancient landmarks were to be honored and protected. "The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he
The sovereignty of God is one of the greatest motivations for Christian life and service, because we know that God is on the throne and controls all things. His commandments are His enablements, and "we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28
Proverbs
4. A Wise God Theologians tell us that God's wisdom refers to His ability to devise perfect means to attain perfect ends. Nobody has to teach God anything. "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" (Rom. 11:34 nkjv; Isa. 40:13; Jer. 23:18). And nobody can ever say that God made a mistake, because in His wisdom, He does all things well (Rom. 8:28; 9:20–21). No wonder Paul called Him "God only wise" (16:27).
will establish the border of the widow" (Prov. 15:25). The Lord keeps an eye on the property lines.
We can sin against the poor by neglect as well as by oppression. "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard" (21:13 nkjv). "He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses" (28:27 nkjv). If we shut our ears and close our eyes, pretending to be ignorant of their plight, God will take note of it and shut His eyes to our needs and His ears to our prayers—and so will other people. We will reap what we sow. (See Deut. 15:7–11.)
God has revealed His wisdom in creation. "By wisdom the Lord laid the earth's foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew" (Prov. 3:19–20 niv). The astronomer watching a comet through a telescope and the biologist peering at a cell through a microscope are both discovering God's wisdom, for scientific study is but the act of thinking God's thoughts after Him.
"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given" (Prov. 19:17 nkjv). When we give to help others, we're actually giving to the Lord; He puts it on account and pays rich dividends (Phil. 4:15–17). "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (Matt. 25:40 nkjv). By the way, this principle also applies to the way we treat our enemies (Prov. 20:22; 25:21–22; Rom. 12:18–21). God is a shield to those who trust Him (Prov. 30:5) and a strong tower for those who run to Him for help (18:10). "The name of the Lord" in verse 10 signifies all the glorious attributes of the Lord. Because of who He is and what He is, those who trust Him don't have to worry—because He is always their refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1).
While seeking to witness to a university student whose religion was science, I noticed that he kept using the word "universe."
"Why do you say 'universe' and not 'multiverse'?" I asked.
Puzzled, the student said, "I don't understand what you mean."
"Well," I replied, "the word 'universe' implies that everything around us is one, a unity. If that's the case, where did this unity come from? What instituted the laws that you're studying in your science classes? Why do all these things work together and produce a 'universe' instead of a 'multiverse'?"
One of God's compassionate ministries to us is that of divine guidance. Proverbs 3:5–6 is a promise God's people have been claiming for centuries, and it has never failed. As I said earlier in this book, God expects us to assess a situation and get all the facts we can, but we must never lean on our own understanding. We must humble ourselves before Him and seek His direction in all things, and we must be sure that our motives are right.
He saw which way the conversation was going and quickly changed the subject!
But my question is a valid one. If there weren't wisdom and order built into the universe (what most people call "scientific laws"), the farmer couldn't expect a harvest, the astronomer couldn't predict an eclipse, the scientist couldn't safely conduct an experiment, the pilot wouldn't be able to fly his plane, and nobody on earth would know from one moment to another what the stars and planets would do next! Isaac Watts said it perfectly:
But what if we make a mistake, as we're all prone to do, and start to move in the wrong direction? "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (16:9 niv). "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (19:21 niv; see 16:33). If we sincerely want to know and obey God's plan, the Lord will direct us and providentially guide our steps in ways that we may not understand. "A man's steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?" (20:24 nkjv).
I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey.8
The Danish philosopher Sören Kierkegaard said, "Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward." One day we shall look back and say with David, "Surely [only] goodness and mercy [have followed] me all the days of my life" (Ps. 23:6).7 Knowing that God lovingly guides our steps as we seek to follow Him is a great encouragement when we don't know which way to go. "Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses" (25:12 nkjv). Even the great apostle Paul wasn't always sure of the next step, but the Lord guided him (Acts 16:6–10).
God's wisdom is also seen in His providential ordering of events, not only for nations but also for individuals. "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord" (21:30 niv). "To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his" (Job 12:13 niv). The English word providence comes from the two Latin words video, "to see," and pro, "before." God in His wisdom "sees before," that is, plans in advance and "sees to it" that His will is accomplished.
Proverbs what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures."10
Providence doesn't mean that God simply "foresees" what lies ahead and "adjusts" Himself accordingly. God alone knows and controls future events. The Baptist theologian Augustus Hopkins Strong calls providence "that continuous agency of God by which he makes all the events of the physical and moral universe fulfill the original design with which he created it."9 Without violating man's ability to choose, God "works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11 nkjv) and rules and overrules in all things. "The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths" (Ps. 135:6 niv).
Notes 1 A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1961), 7. This is one of the finest devotional studies of the attributes of God in print. See also Richard L. Strauss, The Joy of Knowing God (Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1984). 2 Ibid., 11. 3 For a fuller treatment of the subject, see Be Holy, my exposition of Leviticus (Colorado Springs: Victor Books, 1994). 4 The quotation is from "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley. The word invictus is Latin for "invincible, unconquered." Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bones and bravely endured at least twenty operations, but one wishes he had given the Lord credit for some of the determination that kept him going. We admire any person's courage in the face of seeming defeat, and his poem is an inspiring clarion call to personal courage, but the Christian believer would prefer 2 Corinthians 12:7–10. 5 These were the opening words of his sermon preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, on Sunday evening, February 4, 1866. See vol. 58 of The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 13. 6 The word translated "redeemer" in Proverbs 23:11 is goel and refers to the kinsman-redeemer, such as Boaz in the book of Ruth. For the law governing the redemption of property, see Leviticus 25:47–55. The goel had to be a close relative who was willing to pay and able to pay. He is a picture of Jesus Christ, who in His incarnation took upon Himself flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14) that He might redeem us from our spiritual bankruptcy and sin. See my book Be Committed for an exposition of Ruth and an explanation of the law of the kinsman-redeemer (Colorado Springs: Victor Books, 1993). 7 Most scholars believe that Psalm 23 was a product of David's latter years and not the poem of a young shepherd. It's possible that it grew out of the insurrection caused by his wicked son Absalom (2 Sam. 15—19). David had experienced many difficulties in his long life, yet he saw only God's goodness and mercy. 8 The hymn we call "I Sing the Mighty Power of God," Isaac Watts titled, "Praise for Creation and Providence." It was originally written for children. For some reason, we've lost one verse from some of our hymnals:
God wants to share His wisdom with us, which, of course, is the emphasis of the book of Proverbs. "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright" (2:6–7). The first step in receiving God's wisdom is trusting Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God. The world is frantically seeking the wisdom to know what to do and the power to be able to do it, and these are found only in Jesus Christ, "the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:24).
The gospel of salvation sounds like a foolish message to the lost world, for it seems foolish to commit your life to somebody who died on a cross in weakness and shame. But the preaching of that cross releases the power of God to change lives (Rom. 1:16)! "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18 nkjv).
After you trust Christ and become a child of God (John 1:11–13), the next step is to ask God to give you His wisdom in the ordering of your life (James 1:5). "The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor" (Prov. 15:33 niv). As you read His Word, meditate and pray, and seek to glorify Him, He will direct your steps (3:5–6). The way may not always be easy, but it will be the best way (Rom. 8:28). Remember that the will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), so you don't have to worry.
When you have decisions to make, take time to pray and meditate on the Word. Ask God to direct you and, if necessary, seek wise counsel from friends who are mature in the faith. At the start of each day, ask God to guide you in every decision you must make, big or small; a wrong "small" decision could lead to disturbing "big" decisions. As you grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God, and as you walk by faith, seeking to honor the Lord, you will increase in spiritual discernment and live skillfully.
His hand is my perpetual guard, He guides me with His eye; Why should I then forget the Lord, Whose love is ever nigh?
Paul used divine creation as part of his proof that the Gentiles, who were never given the revelation of God's law, are still guilty before God and will be judged by Him (Rom. 1:18ff.). 9 A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, one-volume edition (Philadelphia: The Judson Press, 1949), 419. Strong goes on to say, "Providence does not exclude, but rather implies the operation of natural law, by which we mean God's regular way of working…. Prayer without the use of means is an insult to God" (439). 10 Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, 70.
"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble" (Prov. 4:18–19 niv).
To quote A.W. Tozer again, "With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it,