Genesis 37-39

When we don’t understand what God is doing or why, His ways can seem perplexing. The times when ungodly people seem to triumph over the righteous make us scratch our heads and wonder why the Lord doesn’t intervene. But the truth is, He oftenuses the wicked to accomplish His purpose.

Joseph faced one hard-hearted individual after another during his years in exile. His brothers shipped him off to Egypt. His boss’s wife accused him of an unspeakable crime. And even those he helped, like Pharaoh’s cupbearer, forgot about him (Gen. 40:23). The actions (or seeming inactions) of God make little sense at this point.

But once the story of Joseph’s life was written in full, it was clear that everyone who harmed or neglected the young man contributed to God’s plan. The Lord used numerous people across several years to bring a humbled young Hebrew unexpectedly to power at the right moment to spare his family–who were the Messiah’s ancestors–from the effects of famine.

In our circumstances, we can see God’s actions only from the limited vantage point of our humanness. We experience the events He has allowed or caused but can’t discern what He is thinking. Often the Lord’s goals and purposes are hidden from us until His plans come to fruition.

God is sovereign over all the earth. We may wonder at the strange or even terrifying turns our lives take, but we can be certain that He is in control and at work. The wicked may triumph for a season, but the final, eternal victory belongs to Christ and His righteous followers.

 “Why would a theologian have anything to contribute to any worthwhile discussion, on any subject whatsoever?”(1) So asks Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion. He further articulates his disgust for theology in his 2006 article in The Free Inquiry magazine:

 “What has theology ever said that is of the smallest use to anybody? When has theology ever said anything that is demonstrably true and is not obvious? I have listened to theologians, read them, debated against them. I have never heard any of them ever say anything of the smallest use, anything that was not either platitudinously obvious or downright false. If all the achievements of scientists were wiped out tomorrow, there would be no doctors but witch doctors, no transport faster than horses, no computers, no printed books, no agriculture beyond subsistence peasant farming. If all the achievements of theologians were wiped out tomorrow, would anyone notice the smallest difference? Even the bad achievements of scientists, the bombs, and sonar-guided whaling vessels work! The achievements of theologians don’t do anything, don’t affect anything, don’t mean anything. What makes anyone think that ‘theology’ is a subject at all?”(2)

 Dawkins scornfully dismisses not only theologians but the subject of theology, too. Francis Schaeffer similarly recalls in his book The God Who Is There meeting a successful young man when he was on a boat crossing the Mediterranean. “He was an atheist, and when he found out I was a pastor he anticipated an evening’s entertainment, so he started in.”(3) It seems not taking theologians seriously is hardly a new phenomenon. As a theologian, I might be tempted to respond to these provocations with the words of the Psalmist: The fool has said in his heart that there is no God. Nevertheless, skeptical commentators like Dawkins might also make me ask other questions. For instance, from where did people get the idea that theology is meaningless and also detached from other subjects? Do others think the same about theologians? Did the theological community contribute in any way to this impression? Are religious leaders guilty of indulging in spiritual talk divorced from reality?

When the apostle Paul visited Athens “his spirit was provoked” as he observed the city full of idols. Nevertheless, when he addressed the Areogagus gathering he commended them for being a religious people. Having spent time understanding their religious and philosophical beliefs he begins his message by finding a bridge in their idolatry with “The unknown god.” He knew that bridges could not be build without starting at their end of the shore. And he knew their ideas and interests well enough to be able to quote pagan poets and prophets.

 The Christian is always encouraged to take stewardship of this world of commerce, science, literature, philosophy, and every other field seriously. Where Christianity is lived well, the charge that theologians can engage only in the pursuit of theology devoid of contemporary issues should sound false to the ears of this generation. For all truth is God’s truth. As hymn writer Maltbie Babcock wrote more than a century ago:

 This is my Father’s world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres. 
This is my Father’s world: 
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

 This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker’s praise. 
This is my Father’s world: 
he shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

 This is my Father’s world. 
O let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet. 
This is my Father’s world: 
why should my heart be sad? 
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! 
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

 Cyril Georgeson is a member of the speaking team with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Delhi, India.

 (1) Richard Dawkins as quoted in “What’s so heavenly about the God particle?” Newsweek, January 2, 2012.
(2) Richard Dawkins, “The Emptiness of Theology,” Free Inquiry magazine, Volume 18, Number 2.
(3) Francis Shaeffer, The God Who Is There in The Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy (Wheaton: Crossway, 1990), 68.

 Morning “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge,

etc.” / 2 Peter 1:5-6

 If thou wouldest enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith, under

the blessed Spirit’s influence, and assistance, do what the Scripture tells

thee, “Give diligence.” Take care that thy faith is of the right kind–that it

is not a mere belief of doctrine, but a simple faith, depending on Christ, and

on Christ alone. Give diligent heed to thy courage. Plead with God that he

would give thee the face of a lion, that thou mayest, with a consciousness of

right, go on boldly. Study well the Scriptures, and get knowledge; for a

knowledge of doctrine will tend very much to confirm faith. Try to understand

God’s Word; let it dwell in thy heart richly.

 When thou hast done this, “Add to thy knowledge temperance.” Take heed to thy

body: be temperate without. Take heed to thy soul: be temperate within. Get

temperance of lip, life, heart, and thought. Add to this, by God’s Holy

Spirit, patience; ask him to give thee that patience which endureth

affliction, which, when it is tried, shall come forth as gold. Array yourself

with patience, that you may not murmur nor be depressed in your afflictions.

When that grace is won look to godliness. Godliness is something more than

religion. Make God’s glory your object in life; live in his sight; dwell close

to him; seek for fellowship with him; and thou hast “godliness”; and to that

add brotherly love. Have a love to all the saints: and add to that a charity,

which openeth its arms to all men, and loves their souls. When you are adorned

with these jewels, and just in proportion as you practise these heavenly

virtues, will you come to know by clearest evidence “your calling and

election.” “Give diligence,” if you would get assurance, for lukewarmness and

doubting very naturally go hand in hand.

 

Evening “That he may set him with princes.” / Psalm 113:8

 Our spiritual privileges are of the highest order. “Among princes” is the

place of select society. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with

his Son Jesus Christ.” Speak of select society, there is none like this! “We

are a chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood.” “We are come

unto the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are

written in heaven.” The saints have courtly audience: princes have admittance

to royalty when common people must stand afar off. The child of God has free

access to the inner courts of heaven. “For through him we both have access by

one Spirit unto the Father.” “Let us come boldly,” says the apostle, “to the

throne of the heavenly grace.” Among princes there is abundant wealth, but

what is the abundance of princes compared with the riches of believers? for

“all things are yours, and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” “He that

spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with

him also freely give us all things?” Princes have peculiar power. A prince of

heaven’s empire has great influence: he wields a sceptre in his own domain; he

sits upon Jesus’ throne, for “He hath made us kings and priests unto God, and

we shall reign forever and ever.” We reign over the united kingdom of time and

eternity. Princes, again, have special honour. We may look down upon all

earth-born dignity from the eminence upon which grace has placed us. For what

is human grandeur to this, “He hath raised us up together, and made us sit

together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”? We share the honour of Christ,

and compared with this, earthly splendours are not worth a thought. Communion

with Jesus is a richer gem than ever glittered in imperial diadem. Union with

the Lord is a coronet of beauty outshining all the blaze of imperial pomp.

…To make them sit with princes.   Psalm 113:8 

 Our spiritual privileges are of the highest order. “With princes” is the place of select society. “Indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”1 There is no more select society than this! “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.”2 “. . . to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.”3

The saints have direct and immediate access: Princes are admitted to royalty when common people must stand afar off. The child of God has free access to the inner courts of heaven. “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”4 “Let us then with confidence draw near,” says the apostle, “to the throne of grace.”5

Among princes there is abundant wealth, but what is the abundance of princes compared with the riches of believers? For “all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”6 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”7 Princes have peculiar power. A prince of heaven’s empire has great influence: He wields a scepter in his own domain; he sits upon Jesus’ throne, for “You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”8 We reign over the united kingdom of time and eternity.

Princes, again, have special honor. We may look down upon all earthborn dignity from the eminence upon which grace has placed us. For what is human grandeur to this: “[He] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”?9 We share the honor of Christ, and compared with this, earthly splendors are not worth a thought. Communion with Jesus is a richer gem than ever glittered in a royal crown. Union with the Lord is an emblem of beauty outshining all the blaze of imperial pomp.

11 John 1:3 21 Peter 2:9 3Hebrews 12:23 4Ephesians 2:18 5Hebrews 4:16 61 Cor 3:22-23

 

7Romans 8:32     8Revelation 5:10      9Ephesians 2:6

Family Reading Plan Jeremiah 22 Mark 8