GOD'S PLAN IS ALL-EMBRACING

or

GOD IS IN OUR PROBLEMS

1.  DEFINITION

   The scope of this characteristic is enormous. Is there anything outside the plan of God? What does the plan of God include? The Scripture is quite clear on this matter. Here we see Sovereignty, Omniscience, and Omnipotence all working together to produce God's extraordinary, eternal, infinite, immutable plan.    

Ephesians 1:11

also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

   The "all things" include the thoughts, decisions, and actions of all rational creatures (angels and humanity), all the amoral activities of non-rational creatures (animals), and all their activities of non-rational things (planets, stars, the rotation of the earth). Nothing happens in these categories outside of the plan of God. His plan embraces all things. 

2.  DOCUMENTATION

   His plan includes the actions of all the animals. He cares about their needs. 

Psalm 104:21

The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God.

Psalm 104:28

Thou dost give to them, they gather it up; Thou dost open Thy hand, they are satisfied with good.

Matthew 6:26

"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

   His plan includes the activities of the physical universe, the invisible and the visible.

1 Kings 17:1

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." 

   Elijah delivered God's message to Ahab. There will be a drought. This will last three years. This drought was sovereignly produced. God overruled all that was necessary to cause the drought. He stayed the wind, controlled the humidity in the air, kept the barometer from dropping, suspended the rainy season, and held up the winter snows. God controlled all of the laws of nature involved in providing precipitation. All of this was in God's plan. God knows the weather conditions of every day and in every locale since the days of planet Earth's restoration in Genesis one and includes the last day before the renovation of the planet Earth in the future. 

   His plan includes the activities of human governments and nations. lt embraces their deliberations, decisions, and actions. 

Romans 13:1

Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

   God established the principle of nationalism.

Acts 17:26

and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation,

   God has determined the time they would exist - America would be born on July 5, 1776. He established their geographical locations.

   The rise and fall of nations are included in God's plan.

Job 12:23

"He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.

Daniel 2:38

and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold.

Daniel 2:39

"And after you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. 

Psalm 33:10

The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the people.

  His plan includes the length of human life.

Job 14:5

"Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with Thee, And his limits Thou hast set so that he cannot pass.

  His plan includes the mode of our death.

John 21:18

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."

John 21:19

Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"

   His plan includes our vocation in life.

1 Samuel 16:1 

Now the Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since l have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons." 

Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Galatians 1:15

But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased.

Galatians 1:16

to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,

   His plan includes the successes and failures of men:

Successes

1 Samuel 1:6

Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.

1 Samuel 1:7

And it happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her, so she wept and would not eat.

1 Samuel 1:8

Then Elkanah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad'? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

1 Samuel 1:20 

It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the Lord." 

Exodus 12:36

and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered [back pay] the Egyptians.

Failures

Psalm 75:6

For not from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the desert comes exaltation;

Psalm 75:7

But God is the Judge; He puts down one, and exalts another.

Luke 1:52

"He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.

   His plan includes all the events of history.

   For instance, let's take the life of Abraham. What do we find? The Gutians are coming out of the mountains and overthrowing the great nation of Sumner in the south and Akkad in the north. We find Ute-gagal raising an army of Sumerians and the remnants of the Akkadians. They fight and beat back the Gutians.

  Then, a man named Ur-Nammu, an Akkadian, takes control of an area and rebuilds the city of Ur. The third great dynasty of Ur was born. This is the city and culture of Abraham. It is a time of peace, prosperity, and security. God calls Abraham away from this thriving metropolis. To go where? Canaan! Canaan, at this time, is a wilderness. It is out in no man's land. Is this a wise and reasonable plan? Now, the traffic pattern here is fascinating. The Amorites are leaving Canaan. They will eventually destroy the city of Ur.

  So we can see God's wise plan. We have the facts. While all of Abraham's contemporaries are being tortured or killed, Abraham is enjoying peace, prosperity, and security in Canaan. God read the divine record of Ute-gagal, his thoughts, and actions. He read the divine plan on the Amorites. He read the divine history of the Akkadians - Ur-Nammu, Shulgi, Amar-sin, and others. He got Abraham out of Ur before it fell to the Amorites. He is in control of all things. 

   Since the decree of God includes the thoughts, actions, and decisions of all rational creatures
and some of these actions are sinful and evil; we must clarify at this point something so
obvious, yet could lead to dishonoring the Lord.

   If the thoughts and actions of rational creatures are in the plan of God, then God would be
responsible for them because He decreed them.

   Let's take something terrible. Adolph Hitler decided to murder the Jews. The actions of the Third Reich were to gas and then incinerate 6 million Jews. Did God know about this? Yes! Was this act of Hitler in the Plan of God? Yes! If God knew about it and then decreed it, how do we escape the inevitable conclusion that God is just as responsible as Hitler's evil deeds?

   What did God decree? God decreed to give man free will. God decreed to allow man to act, to think, to decide. Because God is God, he comprehended at once all things related to the rise and fall of the Third Reich and sovereignly ensured that Hitler had free will to act, think, and decide. He read the history and put Hitler into the computer of divine decrees. From that moment on, it was certain to occur exactly as God determined.

1. All of the free acts of humanity are included in God's plan.
2. Sin, human good, and evil are in the plan of God, but they are not God's desire.

3. God desires us to do His perfect will, but we violate His will. We think, we act, and we decide contrary to his plan. This proves man has free will.

4. God does not desire to cast anyone into the Lake of Fire, but He has decreed that all who reject Christ will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.

5. All the free acts of man are in the plan of God.

A. ln the plan of God, there are those acts, thoughts, and decisions of man's free will which please God. 

Isaiah 44:28

"lt is I who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire. 'And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built, 'And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid. "'

  God decreed the very words that Cyrus would speak.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

   Your acceptance of Jesus Christ was a choice, a free act on your part. Yet, it was a part of God's plan. Think of salvation as a door. As you approach it, it reads, "Whosoever will may come." As you pass through the door, you look back, and the sign reads, "Chosen before the foundation of the world."

   Your salvation is related to the divine decrees. ln God's plan, the time in which you would be saved, the day, hour, moment, the circumstances surrounding it, everything that God would do personally or through agencies to draw you unto Himself, all this was previously mapped out.

B. In the plan of God are those acts, thoughts, and decisions of man's free will, which displease God.

   Sin and evil are not the desire of God, but they are in the plan of God. They are in His plan because God gave man free will:

Genesis 50:20

"And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

Luke 22:22

"For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"

Acts 2:23

this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

Acts 4:27

"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

Acts 4:28

to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur.

Romans 9:17

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth."

Revelation 17:17

"For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled.

   God does not desire to cast any person into the Lake of Fire.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But included in the plan of God is the casting of all who reject Christ as Savior into eternal damnation. 

Revelation 20:10

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

2. Because all things are included in the plan of God, this does not mean that God will do everything. In the plan, God does some things directly (primary causes) and some things indirectly (secondary causes), and some things occur as the result of something else (third in sequence or tertiary causes).

A. Primary Functions: creation, salvation, provision, and blessing, answers to prayer.

  He keeps us from sin in the hour of temptation.

Genesis 20:6

Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, l know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and l also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore l did not let you touch her.

Psalm 19:13

Also keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Hosea 2:6

Therefore, behold, l will hedge up her way with thorns, And l will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths.

Hosea 2:7

"And she will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, 'l will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now! '

He keeps our enemies from carrying out their wicked devices:

Genesis 31:24

And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad."

Exodus 14:23

Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.

Exodus 14:24

And it came about at the morning watch, that the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.

Exodus 14:25

And He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians."

Exodus 14:26

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen."

Exodus 14:27

So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 

B.  Secondary Functions: God does some things in His plan through different agencies:

1. Through the laws of nature, the control of the physical universe is established.

2. Through the laws of establishment, human conduct is controlled: Institution of Government, marriage, and family.

3. Through Israel, spiritual blessing comes to others.

4. Through the church, spiritual blessings come to others.
   
   

Through Angels:

2 Kings 19:35

Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out, and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead.

Daniel 6:22

"My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."

Daniel 12:1

"Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 

Through ministers

Ephesians 4:11

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

Ephesians 4:12

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

Through us

1 Thessalonians 1:7

so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

1 Thessalonians 1:8

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

1 Thessalonians 1:9

For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

Through the Holy Spirit

Luke 4:1

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness

John 16:7

 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

John 16:8

 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; 

John 16:9

concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

John 16:10

and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me;

John 16:11

and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Acts 8:29

And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

Through Outward Circumstances 

Philippians 1:12 

Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 

1 Corinthians 16:9

for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Appeals to Man through reason

Romans 1:19

because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Isaiah 1:18

Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

Through Man Conscience

Romans 2:15

in that, they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,  

Through the Word of God, sent to us to provide guidance.

2 Timothy 3:16 

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 

2 Timothy 3:17 

so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 

Psalm 119:105 

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 

   It does not matter what category an action falls; all constitute one all-comprehensive plan.

3.  MEDITATION

   Two views: God goofs, or all things are working in the plan of God toward their appointed ends.

Job 42:3

'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? '"Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."

   Our problems do not occur outside God's plan, nor are they neutral. God is aware of them; God is in the problem. 

   Life is not absurd; it has meaning, purpose, and definition. 

   There are worthy reasons for all things, God's reasons. 

   Our hope is in a faithful creator who created all things, sustains all things, guides all things, and has a beneficial reason for all things.

4.  The Drill: Discipline Yourself To Godliness

1st:  Claiming the promises

   In a time of trouble, I turn to God. I bring Him into the picture by claiming the promise in Romans 8:28. From that promise, I recognize that God is at work. God has a plan, and all the problems in my life are related to that plan. God is in the trouble I am experiencing.

2nd: Concentrating on the rationale

   Nothing that occurs is not in the plan of God.  Therefore, nothing that occurs is absurd.  It has a divine reason and purpose.

   God's plan embraces all things.