Proverbs chapter 16 has some select verses that gives a great description and instruction of God’s Divine providence for our lives as a believer in Christ. 1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. 2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. 9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
But what is Divine providence? From the website GotQuestions.org we get a clear definition. “Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations (Psalm 66:7), human destiny (Galatians 1:15), human successes and failures (Luke 1:52), and the protection of His people (Psalm 4:8).” Simply said, “Through divine providence God accomplishes His will.”
As we said in past weeks when studying the events concerning the birth of Jesus, we need to piece them together from the gospels of Matthew and Luke to see how the events occurred chronologically. The following is not a complete list, but it is a list specifically focusing on Joseph, Mary and the birth of Jesus and how God’s Divine providence is clearly seen in their lives through what could be incorrectly seen as one hardship or set back after another.
Luke 1:26-38, The Birth of Jesus foretold to Mary.
Matthew 1:18-25, The Birth of Jesus foretold to Joseph.
Luke 2:1-7, The Birth of Jesus.
Matthew 2:1-12, The visit of the Maji.
Matthew 2:13-28, Escape to Egypt.
Matthew 2:19-23, The Return to Nazareth.
Joseph and Mary had their expectations for marriage and how their future was going to be starting a family, however God had different plans for the parents of Jesus. Through their submission and obedience to God’s will, conveyed by His instructions, Joseph and Mary experienced God’s providence, protection and provision.
We finished last weeks study with the birth of Jesus, Luke 2:6-7, 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. This week we are going to conclude our study looking at the events that occurred shortly after the birth of Jesus clearly displaying God’s Divine providence.
Matthew 2:1-12, The visit of the Maji
Concluding our study we need to go to the gospel of Matthew. When studying these verses, we need to distinguish with scripture the facts that are clearly stated in what we read, compared to what is stated and added by tradition which is not in stated in scripture.
Starting with the visit of the Magi or wise men who came from the east, there many incorrect things said about them which many people believe that are not in the scripture. First of all, the Bible does not tell us how many were there of which tradition tells us there were three. Many believe this because there were three different kinds of gifts presented to Jesus, Luke 2:11b, Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
The Bible does not give us the Magi’s names, as tradition does, which are Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior.
When the Magi found Jesus, it was not on the day of His birth, an unspecified amount of time had passed. Jesus was not in a stable laying in a manger, we find Joseph, Mary and their new born baby Jesus in a house, Luke 11a, On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Why was the visit of the Magi so important to God’s providence and will for Joseph, Mary and Jesus? Because by their visit, which was in line with God’s will and by gifts they gave to Jesus we see God’s provision for the young family to travel and stay temporarily in Egypt.
The very points of our studies for the past three weeks are that we need to learn even though we might have plans which are good and of which we have sincerely prayed to God about to bless, we need to remember that many times God has different plans for us, which are more than what we could have ever imagined. God’s will or plans will always challenge us to grow in our relationship with Him. Through the events of these plans, God will mature us spiritually. We will learn how to trust God in ways much more than we have ever done in the past. We will also recognize what is in us that causes the hindrances for us to trust and obey God’s will for our lives.
Matthew 2:13-28, Escape to Egypt
Matthew 2:13-15, 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
For the second time we read that God spoke to Joseph, “…an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.” What we can learn from this is that God will and can speak to us in many different ways. However, He always will speak to us in a way that will best get our attention. What good is it if God speaks to us but we do not notice and understand clearly enough to submit and act on what He tells us?
By this time, it is apparent that Joseph recognized that God was speaking to him. From what he learned from past experiences, he trusted God without question or protest, which made it easier for him to obey the instructions that he received from God. We cannot trust someone who we do not know. Joseph experientially knew God’s providence and provision. This is evident because he was able to immediately acted and as a result experienced God’s protection.
As previously stated, what was provided through the Magi’s “gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh” we see God’s provision for what was needed to escape to Egypt and stay there for an unspecified amount of time as they were instructed by God through the angel in a dream.
The scripture does not tell us anything about Joseph’s and Mary’s thoughts concerning the angel’s instructions to go to Egypt. Did they know someone in Egypt to live with? Did they know the language? What sense did it make to go to a country that has a culture that they knew nothing about? Would it not have been easer to just go back home to Nazareth where their families and friends lived?
To experience God’s providence and His will in our lives there will be times God will give us instructions that in our minds will not make sense. In fact those who are close to us will even give us council contrary to what God tells us.
It is very clear Joseph and Mary knew from past experience that God is faithful, He would protect, provide and be with them when they act in faith trusting His word and instructions.
Matthew 2:19-23, The Return to Nazareth
Matthew 2:19-23, 19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
In this portion of scripture, we read that God speaks two more times to Joseph in dreams and we see his and Mary’s obedience. It is easy to see all the benefits and reasons why God’s instructions would easily be followed and not questioned from Joseph’s and Mary’s point of view. Such as, they were now returning home to family and friends. Now everyone finally can see their toddler Jesus, after a long of time being away from home. Nazareth was a place that was familiar to them, where everyone knew them, where the culture and language was not foreign to them.
However, the main purpose for them to return to Nazareth was not for their benefit, but it was to fulfill God’s will for Jesus as verse 23 tells us. “…he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
We cannot trust God if we do not know Him. How well do we really know God through His Word and by prayer? How much have we experienced His love, faithfulness, protection and provision?
Pastor John
