WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?
8-28-11
God created mankind for the purpose that we may have a relationship with him. He wanted us to place our full confidence and trust in him. He gave us his word that we may have assurance of who he is. Concerning the Old Testament, Paul writes in Romans 15:4, “the things written before were written for our learning.” So the O. T. begins to reveal to us who our heavenly Father is. We see how great and powerful he is. We learn of his great love for us, and why he demands obedience from his children. Paul said this was for the purpose of producing patience and comfort, so that through the scriptures that we may have hope.
John states it this way in John 20:31, “but these are written that you may believe.” Believe what? Believe things concerning our Savior and our heavenly Father. Believe that Christ made this relationship possible. We now have knowledge that those before us did not have about the God of heaven. What do we need to understand about our heavenly father? Psalms 37:7, “rest in the lord, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.” Why? Proverbs 15:3, “the eyes (knowledge) of the Lord are in every place. Keeping watch on the evil and the good.” God through his divine providence knows and see all. He hears the words evil men speak, sees their actions, knows their thoughts and considers all their ways. He knows when a sparrow falls to the earth and at the same time can count the hairs on our head. Nothing escapes our heavenly Father’s eyes. So we need to develop patience and have comfort that our heavenly Father will keep us.
God has always forewarned his children of impending dangers. Dangers may come quickly at times or years later, but still God warns his children. God, through his providence does this. So, he told his children beforehand what they needed to do to be delivered from these dangers. Dangers are brought about by sinful deeds of men. God turns these sinful deeds into good because he is a good God who cannot be influenced by sinful men.
We see examples of this throughout the Bible. Read the context of these passages and see God’s providence at work: Matthew 2:12, “being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod.”
Hebrews 11:7, “being divinely warned of things of things not yet seen. (Also read Genesis 6:5 concerning this warning to Noah).
Deut. 28:49-50, God forewarns the children of Israel of impending doom if their deeds become sinful.
God’s providence brought about this destruction upon sinful Israel hundreds of years later. God gives warnings throughout his word for our benefit by which we may develop patience and have comfort and hope. Through his providence we have this assurance. Matthew 24 records such warnings. These warnings are spoken to his disciples. Some of the warnings in these verses are:
1) beware of false Christ’s.
2) rumors of wars & earthquakes
3) Jerusalem surrounded by Roman armies.
Christ speaks these words that they may have patience and comfort. They were warned to wait upon the Lord for deliverance. In Matthew 24:28, our Lord gives a proverb concerning the truth of what he has just said. This proverb is also stated in Luke 17:37. It’s a proverb about a truth concerning the animal kingdom that God rules over.
That truth is, where a dead animal is, eagles (vultures) will come. Likewise, destruction and punishment will come upon sinful man. But if a man will wait upon the Lord, he will be blessed…just as sure as vultures come to a dead animal. This, God requires of his children.
C. L. Bruner