DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND SECONDARY CAUSES

By Gary Ray Branscome

Just as God uses His angels, He uses secondary causes, or intermediaries to carry out His will. The words, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain: unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain,” tell us that God uses watchmen and builders as part of His providential care, and all of their efforts would be in vain without that care (Psalm 127:1). In short, all who have honest and godly employment are serving the Lord, and God is working through them to care for us. The plumber serves God by installing and fixing our pipes, The farmer and baker serve God by providing us with food etc.

The words, “The LORD raised up judges, who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them,” tell us that God used judges to deliver His people (Judges 2:16). The words, “Be careful what you do: for you judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment,” warn judges not to pervert justice, because they are working for God (2Chronicles 19:6). And, the words, “He who listens to you listens to me; and he who rejects you rejects me; and he who rejects me rejects Him who sent me,” tell us that those who heard the Apostles were hearing Christ because He spoke through them (Luke 10:16).

The words, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or to governors, as those sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of those who do right,” tell us that God uses earthly rulers to punish criminals and suppress crime (1Peter 2:13-14). And, the words, “Can the throne of iniquity have fellowship with you, when he uses the law to mask evil? They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge. And He will turn their own iniquity back on them, and will wipe them out by means of their own wickedness,” assure us that even when human government turns evil, masking evil by making it legal and condemning the innocent to death, God is in control (Psalm 94:20-23). And, when Christians work within the system, as did Joseph, Daniel and Esther the hand of God will be with them to protect His people and carry out His will.