God's Silent Symphony: Unveiling Providence In Everyday Life - 1 Samuel 9 Series

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1 Samuel 9:16 About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel

1 Samuel 9:3-4 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys." 4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

Introduction

We are in the midst of a study of 1 Samuel, and we left off last time in chapter eight and nine where Israel rejects God as their king and asks for a human king like all the other nations have. They wanted someone to deliver them from their enemies without having to bother with being committed to God. So God warned them about the terrible things that would happen to them if they followed through on this course, and that in spite of all those hardships that go along with having a king they would still not get what they really wanted, because even with a king they would still have to be committed to God in order to be safe from their enemies, and their answer to God was: “No!” They rejected God’s warning. So God punished them by answering their prayer and giving them what they most desired. He gave them tall, impressive, godless, inept Saul.

But before we move on to chapter ten, there is one more very important theme we need to see in chapter nine. This theme is crucial not only for understanding this book, but most of the Old Testament as well. And it is also crucial for understanding the nature of God and for living the Christian life. It is the doctrine of providence. “Providence is a word that does not appear anywhere in the Bible in reference to God, like the words “Trinity” or “Bible” or “The Sovereignty of God”, and yet it is a major theme in Scripture. In fact, one entire book is dedicated to showcasing it (Esther). The reason the word does not appear in Scripture is the same reason “Trinity” does not appear – because it is a word we have come up with as shorthand to describe not a doctrine, but a set of doctrines.

Definition: Control + Purpose

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines providence as “that preservation, care, and government which God exercises over all things … in order that they may accomplish the ends for which they were created.” God’s providence is God accomplishing all His purposes by means of all that takes place in His creation. God controls absolutely everything, and uses all of it to bring about His perfect plan.

God Controls Everything

Now I know that the first part of that – the part about God controlling everything - raises questions for many people. One reason it raises questions is because it is beyond human understanding how God could control everything and there still be such a thing as free will on the part of humans. I believe humans do have free will. If they didn’t, it would be misleading for Scripture to talk about free will offerings, for one thing. Man does have free will. Man does have the capacity to choose Coke or Pepsi. But once you make your choice, it is also true that God was in full control of the outcome of your decision making, just like He is in full control of everything else that ever happens.

Ps.135:6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths

Dan.4:35 He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"

Eph.1:11 we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will

Isa.46:10-11 I make known the end from the beginning, … I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 11 … What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

This includes both blessing and calamity.

1 Sam.2:6-7 The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. 7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

Job 2:10 Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"