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Providence of God, the.

From: The New Topical Textbook

By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 2 min. read • grade level: 16

His care over His works. Psa. 145:9⁹The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalm 145:9).

Is EXERCISED IN

Preserving His creatures. Neh. 9:6⁶Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. (Nehemiah 9:6). Psa. 36:6⁶Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. (Psalm 36:6). Matt. 10:29²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29).

Providing for His creatures. Psa. 104:27, 28²⁷These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. ²⁸That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. (Psalm 104:27‑28). Psa. 136:25²⁵Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 136:25). Psa. 147:9⁹He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. (Psalm 147:9). Matt. 6:26²⁶Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26).

The special preservation of saints. Psa. 37:28²⁸For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:28). Psa. 91:11¹¹For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Psalm 91:11). Matt. 10:30³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:30).

Prospering saints. Gen. 24:48, 56⁴⁸And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son. (Genesis 24:48)
⁵⁶And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master. (Genesis 24:56).

Protecting saints. Psa. 91:4⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:4). Psa. 140:7⁷O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. (Psalm 140:7).

Delivering saints. Psa. 91:3³Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. (Psalm 91:3). Isa. 31:5⁵As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. (Isaiah 31:5).

Leading saints. Deut. 8:2, 15²And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2)
¹⁵Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; (Deuteronomy 8:15). Isa. 63:12¹²That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? (Isaiah 63:12).

Bringing His words to pass. Num. 26:65⁶⁵For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. (Numbers 26:65). Josh. 21:45⁴⁵There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45). Luke 21:32, 33³²Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. ³³Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Luke 21:32‑33).

Ordering the ways of men. Pro. 16:9⁹A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. (Proverbs 16:9). Prov. 19:21²¹There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. (Proverbs 19:21). Prov. 20:24²⁴Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? (Proverbs 20:24).

Ordaining the conditions and circumstances of men. 1 Sam. 2:7, 8⁷The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. ⁸He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. (1 Samuel 2:7‑8). Psa. 75:6, 7⁶For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. ⁷But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. (Psalm 75:6‑7).

Determining the period of human life. Psa. 31:15¹⁵My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. (Psalm 31:15). Psa. 39:5⁵Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. (Psalm 39:5). Acts 17:26²⁶And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; (Acts 17:26).

Defeating wicked designs. Ex. 15:9-19⁹The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. ¹⁰Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. ¹¹Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? ¹²Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. ¹³Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. ¹⁴The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. ¹⁵Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. ¹⁶Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased. ¹⁷Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. ¹⁸The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. ¹⁹For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. (Exodus 15:9‑19). 2 Sam. 17:14, 15¹⁴And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. ¹⁵Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. (2 Samuel 17:14‑15). Psa. 33:10¹⁰The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. (Psalm 33:10).

Overruling wicked designs for good. Gen. 45:5-7⁵Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. ⁶For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. ⁷And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (Genesis 45:5‑7). Gen. 50:20²⁰But 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. (Genesis 50:20). Phi. 1:12.

Preserving the course of nature. Gen. 8:22²²While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:22). Job 26:10¹⁰He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. (Job 26:10). Psa. 104:5-9⁵Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. ⁶Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. ⁷At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. ⁸They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. ⁹Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. (Psalm 104:5‑9).

Directing all events. Josh. 7:14¹⁴In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. (Joshua 7:14). 1 Sam. 6:12, 7-10¹²And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh. (1 Samuel 6:12)
⁷Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them: ⁸And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. ⁹And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us. ¹⁰And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: (1 Samuel 6:7‑10). Prov. 16:33³³The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33). Isa. 44:7⁷And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them. (Isaiah 44:7). Acts 1:26²⁶And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:26).

Ruling the elements. Job 37:9-13⁹Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. ¹⁰By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. ¹¹Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: ¹²And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. ¹³He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. (Job 37:9‑13).

Isa. 50:2²Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. (Isaiah 50:2). John 1:4, 15⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
¹⁵John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. (John 1:15). Nah. 1:4⁴He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. (Nahum 1:4).

Ordering the minutest matters. Matt. 10:29, 30²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:29‑30). Luke 21:18¹⁸But there shall not an hair of your head perish. (Luke 21:18).

Is righteous. Psa. 145:17¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. (Psalm 145:17). Dan. 4:37³⁷Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Daniel 4:37).

Is ever watchful. Psa. 121:4⁴Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4). Isa. 27:3³I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. (Isaiah 27:3).

Is all pervading. Psa. 139:1-5¹<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. ²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. ³Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. ⁴For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. ⁵Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. (Psalm 139:1‑5).

Sometimes dark and mysterious. Psa. 36:6⁶Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. (Psalm 36:6). Psa. 73:16¹⁶When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; (Psalm 73:16). Psa. 77:19¹⁹Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. (Psalm 77:19). Rom. 11:33³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33).

ALL THINGS ARE ORDERED BY,

For His glory. Isa. 63:14¹⁴As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. (Isaiah 63:14).

For good to saints. Rom. 8:28²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).

The wicked made to promote the designs of. Isa. 10:5-12⁵O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. ⁶I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. ⁷Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. ⁸For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? ⁹Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? ¹⁰As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; ¹¹Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? ¹²Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. (Isaiah 10:5‑12). Acts 3:17, 18¹⁷And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. (Acts 3:17‑18).

To BE ACKNOWLEDGED

In prosperity. Deut. 8:18¹⁸But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18). 1 Chr. 29:12¹²Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. (1 Chronicles 29:12).

In adversity. Job 1:21²¹And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21). Psa. 119:15¹⁵I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. (Psalm 119:15).

In public calamities. Amos 3:6⁶Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? (Amos 3:6).

In our daily support. Gen. 48:15¹⁵And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, (Genesis 48:15). In all things. Prov. 3:6⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:6).

Cannot be defeated. 1 Kin. 22:30, 34. Prov. 21:30³⁰There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. (Proverbs 21:30).

Man's efforts are vain without. Psa. 127:1, 2¹<<A Song of degrees for Solomon.>> Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. ²It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:1‑2). Prov. 21:31³¹The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord. (Proverbs 21:31).

SAINTS SHOULD

Trust in. Matt. 6:33, 34³³But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:33‑34). Matt. 10:9, 29-31⁹Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, (Matthew 10:9)
²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29‑31).

Have full confidence in. Psa. 16:8⁸I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8). Psa. 139:10¹⁰Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:10).

Commit their works unto. Prov. 16:3³Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. (Proverbs 16:3).

Encourage themselves in. 1 Sam. 30:6⁶And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. (1 Samuel 30:6).

Pray in dependence upon. Acts 12:5⁵Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. (Acts 12:5).

Pray to be guided by. Gen. 24:12-14¹²And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. ¹³Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: ¹⁴And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master. (Genesis 24:12‑14). Gen. 28:20, 21²⁰And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, ²¹So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: (Genesis 28:20‑21). Acts 1:24²⁴And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen, (Acts 1:24).

Result of depending upon. Luke 22:35³⁵And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. (Luke 22:35).

Connected with the use of means. 1 Kin. 21:19, with 1 Kin. 22:37, 38. Mic. 5:2²But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2), with Luke 2:1-4¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. ²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) ³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) (Luke 2:1‑4). Acts 27:22, 31, 32²²And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. (Acts 27:22)
³¹Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. ³²Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. (Acts 27:31‑32).

Danger of denying. Isa. 10:13-17¹³For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: ¹⁴And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. ¹⁵Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. ¹⁶Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. ¹⁷And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; (Isaiah 10:13‑17). Ezek. 28:2-10²Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: ³Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: ⁴With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: ⁵By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: ⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; ⁷Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. ⁸They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. ⁹Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. ¹⁰Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 28:2‑10). Dan. 4:29-31²⁹At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. ³⁰The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? ³¹While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. (Daniel 4:29‑31). Hos. 2:8, 9⁸For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. ⁹Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. (Hosea 2:8‑9).

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• Presumption.

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• Procrastination.

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• Prophets, False.

• Proselytes.

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• Providence of God, the.

• Publicans, the.

• Publishers' Foreward

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• Punishments.

• Purifications or Baptisms.

• Raven, the.

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