Would you join me this morning
in the gospel according to numbers? The gospel according to numbers.
I am reminded of what the Lord told a group of Pharisees one
time about the Old Testament, particularly the first five books
of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch. He said, Moses wrote of me. Moses
spoke of me. And here in this wonderful book
of Numbers, we have noticed a number of times that God did that very
thing. He speaks to us through the gospel
of Numbers. And in Numbers chapter 4 this
morning, Numbers chapter 4, And I want to read verse 16. We've
been spending some time in verse 16 because this priest, this
son of Aaron, this one that was a descendant from Levi, this
one that was a descendant from Jacob, this one that's a descendant
from Abraham, shares with us a great deal about our Savior,
about the Lord Jesus Christ. This one, as they planned, God
purposed and planned that they build a tabernacle there in the
wilderness, and that tabernacle was a temporary structure that
could be moved from time to time. Now the scriptures does not tell
us how often they moved, doesn't tell us how far they went when
they did move, But it does tell us that when they did move, that
there was a priest that was in charge of several things. It
was his responsibility to be in charge of several items. And
we have noticed that these items that he was responsible for,
every one of them share some rich blessing, some spiritual
blessing about our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 16
of Numbers chapter 4, the scriptures share this. And to the office
of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, pertaineth the oil
for the light. Now this oil was used to keep
the lampstands going, and when they moved, it was his responsibility
to take care of this. And then it goes on, and the
sweet incense, the incense that was burnt on the altar of incense,
he was responsible for this. Both of these items that he was
carrying or had the oversight over have a great deal to say
about the person, Christ Jesus, as we find him purpose from the
foundation of the world to save his people from their sins. Then
it goes on to tell us the daily meat offering or meal offering,
and he is truly the bread of life. He is that which was crushed
by the Father on the cross as he was a sin bearer of his people. and God the Father crushed him
as it were, as he would crush grain in a mortar and pedestal,
as he would smash grapes in a wine vat. This is what God did to
his son on the cross, that he might be just and justifier of
his people, that he could impute the sins of his people to the
Savior, and he, the Savior, could impute his righteousness to us.
We get the benefit of a wonderful trade-off. Sin imputed to him,
the bread of life, and righteousness imputed to us. Then we notice
the anointing oil, and that word anointing in that passage is
translated twice in the Book of Daniel as Messiah. He is our
Messiah, Christ is our Messiah, and how he's pictured throughout
the Old Testament. It was interesting as we looked
in the Book of John and Mike brought it out in his lesson
this morning about the woman at the well, we know. When Messiah
has come, he will tell us all things. And the wonderful statement
made by the Lord Jesus Christ in the very next verse, he that
is speaking to you am he. I am the Messiah. Well, we know
the outcome. She went on her way rejoicing,
just like the Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing after
hearing the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that
he actually and purposely Went to the cross to save some people
from their sins. He never put them in a position
that of Savable, but he saves them from their sins then it
goes on here and this morning we look at this latter part of
this verse of scripture and it shares so much about our Lord
as Eliezer is again a type and a shadow and a picture as we
find Moses spoke of me this Priest speaks of the person Christ Jesus. He's a type and a shadow and
a picture. Now, to fall down and worship
this type or shadow or this picture, that is so wrong. We need to
worship the real. We want the reality. We want
Christ. The latter part of that verse,
notice this, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, the oversight
of all the tabernacle and of all that therein is in
the sanctuary and in the vessels thereof." Now the responsibility,
the oversight, other translators have translated this verse in
a number of ways. One of them translated it that
he was responsible, another he's in charge of, another he's appointed
to have responsibility of. Well, here the oversight. I have
worked on jobs where someone had the oversight. A pastor of a church is said
to have some oversight. They have some responsibility.
Well, Jesus Christ is declared in this passage of scripture
as we find so often throughout the scriptures that Jesus Christ
has the oversight of salvation. He is the one that has the absolute
oversight over salvation. It is summed up in many places
in the scripture and one of those comes to us from a man in a great
fish's belly in the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea when he
was shown the truth of the gospel and said, salvation is of the
Lord. That's what we find here. Eleazar
had the oversight concerning all the tabernacle and all the
instruments and everything about it. He had the oversight. No
one else had that responsibility. Now, no doubt he had people that
helped him move. We're going to read about that
as we go through this chapter. There's going to be those that
are in charge of the boards, those that are in charge of the
hangings, those that are in charge of the coverings, and all of
that thing. But he is the ultimate overseer of all of these things
that went on. We have run into this word twice
already in the book of Numbers in chapter 3. Would you back
up just to one chapter? Chapter 3 and verse 32, and we
read here, and Eliezer the son of Aaron the priest shall be
chief over the chief of the Levites and have oversight of them that
keep the charge of the sanctuary. He is responsible. He has the
oversight of all of these. And then in that same chapter
in verse 36, it was translated just a little bit different,
but here it says, and under the custody and charge of the Mirai
shall the boards of the tabernacle. Under the custody is the same
word. So we find here that the Lord Jesus, as pictured here
by Eleazar the priest, as he had responsibility, he had the
oversight concerning the tabernacle and all the things that pertain
to it. Now, what did the tabernacle present? What did the tabernacle
represent? It represented that nobody would
ever have a right standing with God without the death of a substitute. An innocent substitute, someone
that had no sin. And so we find that God ordained
for the season that then was, that there would be lambs, and
goats, and heifers would be brought before the priest. And that animal
was to be slain before the priest, and before the people, and the
blood applied. That's what this tabernacle represents,
is that there is no reaching God without the shedding of innocent
blood. We have no ability in ourselves
to come to God on our own, and this represents this is the way
you come. Well, we know that the blood
of bulls and goats do not take away sin. There were only a picture
and a type and a shadow of him who could, but we do find one
that can take away sin, that did take away sin on the cross,
and his name is the Lord Jesus Christ. So we'll find in the
scripture, in the word of God, the great responsibility that
was given to the Lord Jesus Christ in redeeming his people from
their sins. In the book of Daniel, we've
read this many times, no doubt you've read it many times, but
I'd like to read a couple of verses here in the book of Daniel
that share with us how great of oversight that Jesus Christ
has over the entire world. Now, he's going to have the oversight
over spiritual things. He's going to have the oversight
over all things. But Nebuchadnezzar the priest, after he comes out
from his stupor, has this to say about the Lord of glory,
the Lord of hosts, the Lord Jesus Christ, and what capacity he
has as the oversight of all things. We do not, we cannot blame what
goes on in our life or in the lives of others or in the lives
of our country or in the lives of the world on the devil because
God has the oversight. Now if Satan is used, he's still
God's Satan. He's the one that has all of
the power over him. I have to say one more time,
Satan is not immutable, Satan is not eternal, Satan is a created
being, and much ado has been made about him with him in having
the oversight over the world, and we find out there's one that
has greater oversight, and his name is Jesus. Daniel chapter
4, verse 34. Would you turn there with me
as we look at this one who had the oversight. Eliezer had the
oversight concerning the tabernacle. Eliezer had the oversight concerning
those four items that he took around. But the Lord Jesus Christ
has oversight over all things. And here in Daniel chapter 4,
after Nebuchadnezzar, a great and a powerful king, was given
his mind back to him after spending seven years without a mind, being
like an animal in the woods. He comes to here in Daniel chapter
4 when he came to himself, it says here, and who brought him
back from that position? Only God. Who put him in that
position? Only God. God put him in it,
God brought him out of it, and here's his confession. Here's
his confession. You know when I come to the end,
I hope I have this good confession about the Lord. Here it is in
Daniel chapter 4 and there in verse 34, and at the end of the
days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes into heaven and my
understanding returned unto me and I blessed the most high and
I praised and honored him that liveth forever whose dominion
is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom is from generation
to generation. Now this is what he's talking
about God. This is a statement about God. God gave Nebuchadnezzar
this message about God. What message does a preacher
have today? The message from God. We have no other message.
We don't go anywhere else. And all the inhabitants, verse
35, all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth according to his
will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth, and none can hold his hand back, or stay his hand,
or say unto him, What are you doing? Now a lot of people may
say that. What are you doing? but God does
as he pleases with whom he pleases as Nebuchadnezzar brought out
here in this wonderful statement in the book of Daniel. Daniel
is a prophet of the Lord. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
are prophets of the Lord. but here this man came out and
said this about Almighty God, the God of Daniel, the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the God of all believers, the
God of all the church, here he is, he is the one that has is
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He tells
us here, I have the oversight, I am in control, Not only am
I in control of the church, but I am in control of all the world.
Nothing goes beyond without me knowing. Not a hair drops from
our head without him knowing. Not a sparrow drops from the
sky without him knowing. In fact, They are all purposed
to do exactly what he said they would do. He worked with all
things after the counsel of his own will. He does exactly what
he pleases to do, and nobody can say, what are you doing?
Now, we may say it, but it's not going to stop God in any
capacity. So we find here as Eliezer was
the overseer, the Lord is the overseer. Now, turn with me over
to the book of Hebrews chapter 5, if you would, and we find
this wonderful verse of scripture. Sometimes I don't know about
you, but I find verses of scripture I'd never noticed before. I've
read the book of Hebrews several times. In fact, we've gone through
it a couple of times since I've been here. But here's a verse
of scripture that came off the page to me. because it says something
about him having the oversight. He is the author, it tells us
here. Now, I know what it says over
in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 2. He's the author and finisher
of our faith. Well, in this particular verse
of scripture, in Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 9, we have another
word used. It's translated author, but this
word Has to do with the thought that that which is of the cause
of anything That's what this word means now notice here in
Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 9 and just think for a moment a picture
for a moment Go to grandma's drawer and pull out that drawer
of pictures and pull out one of those pictures. Here's a picture
of Eliezer, the priest, carrying these things to the wilderness
as they move the tabernacle. Now look at the reality. Look
at the real. Look at Christ. And here it says,
I have the oversight. I rule in everything, and particularly
this area that natural man doesn't want God to get involved in. They want to be left to do their
own thing in here and make their own decision here. In Hebrews
chapter 5 and verse 9, the scripture says, and being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey
him. Some people say your obedience
is your own. No. God looked down from heaven
to see if there were any that did seek after him and he found
none. So any obedience that anybody has, that is real obedience,
that obedience has been given to them by God. He is the overseer
over all things. He makes us both to will and
to do of his good pleasure. That's what God's word has to
say about this. So he is the overseer. He has
made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation. He is the one that has the cause
of everything when it comes to our salvation. Salvation is traced
wholly to Christ from the beginning to the end. He is the overseer. He is the responsible party for
all things pertaining to the elect and to the saved ones. Now this eternal salvation is
laid out from eternity. Just think about that for a moment.
God had mind before the foundation to save some people from their
sins. He had a lamb slain from before
the foundation of the world. He had a Eternal and everlasting
covenant declared that he would save his people from their sins.
He took the initiative ahead of time. He is the overseer. He has the oversight with regard
to salvation. We find in the scripture a number
of times those who came to the Lord, as we heard read there
in the book of John this morning, but turn with me to the book
of Matthew chapter 19 if you would. The book of Matthew chapter
19, this is the common thing that people bring. When I was
in religion, I was taught that this is the question you ask.
What must I do? You know? And when we're saved
by the grace of God, we find out there was nothing we could
do. That's what the Lord is teaching us here. There's nothing we can
do. In the book of Matthew chapter 19, We have, and there's four
or five times in the Gospels alone, that this subject comes
up. Matthew chapter 19 and verse 16. We have this subject come
up that is carried through the scriptures. It's in the Old Testament
as well. I can just hear Cain say this, as it came time, as
he saw his brother offer this innocent lamb. He said, well,
what must I do? to be accepted with the beloved.
What must I do? So he went out and got some watermelons
and some muskmelons and some onions and brought them and presented
them to the Lord. Well, he brings this up here
in the book of Matthew because the Lord Jesus Christ is asked
this a number of times. In Matthew chapter 19 and verse
16, we read these words, and behold, one came and said unto
him, good master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal
life? Now, he's not asking that in
an honest way in any least, as we find in another place, a lawyer
came and tried to beguile him or try to find fault with him
by asking the same question. You know what the Lord says about
this? We're not going to read all of those places, but turn
over, if you would, to the book of Matthew chapter 19, verse
24. And again, I say unto you, it
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man. And this is not just riches monetarily. This is self-righteous riches,
rich in themselves. I have need of nothing. What
must I do to inherit eternal life? What good thing can I do
to inherit eternal life? And Jesus responds to these questions
and he says, I am the overseer. I am the one that is responsible
for salvation. I am the one that Jonah spoke
about. Salvation is of the Lord. I am
the one that drew out the redemption plan. I am the one that laid
it from beginning to end. I am the one that purposed to
come at the exact time that was prophesied in scripture because
it is in the covenant of grace that I come at that time. I am
the one that has life everlasting. I am the one that must come and
give life and here in the book of Matthew chapter 19 there it
tells us in verse 24, and again I send you it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle. Now one time I read
where they tried to do away with this just a little bit the the
picture that is here and said there was a there was a very
small gate in the walls of Jerusalem and that a camel could get down
on its knees and crawl through there if it's all taken out and
get inside the city. You know that's not what the
Lord's talking about here at all. He's not talking about there
is a possibility if you do enough that you can get in here because
this eye of a needle is an eye of a needle that I can hold in
my hand that I could sew with, that I've watched my wife sew
with many times. That's what he's talking about.
Because he goes on to tell us here in the scripture, it is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And when his
disciples heard that, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who
then can be saved? Good question. If he is not the
overseer, there will be no salvation. Here he goes on to say, and Jesus
beheld them and said unto them, with men it is impossible. It is impossible to be saved
by coming with a question, what must I do? What good thing must
I do? What work must I do? What must
I do? We heard this morning there in
the book of John, This is the work of God. Now the work of
God is that you believe. That's the work of God, that
you believe. How does He do that? He creates
faith in us. He creates belief in us. We're
born again and then the results of that is we believe God. We're born again and we have
repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We
believe these things as a result of a great work that God has
already performed, and that is called the new birth. He told
Nicodemus, you must be born again. Never described how it was. Now, many modern scholars have
come up with the idea that they have what it is. They write books
about it, how to be born again. They never mention. that in the
new birth, it is pictorial of the physical birth, and the physical
birth, you and I had nothing to do with our own. It was those
who had the oversight, our mom and our dad. Who has the oversight
of our salvation? The one who has the oversight
over all things, and his name is Jesus. He is the one that
has oversight. In the book of Hebrews chapter
12, again in verse two, it tells us that he is the author and
finisher, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith. What does that mean? It means
he has the oversight. He's the one that has the oversight. He has the responsibility placed
upon him to provide these rich gifts to everyone that he died
for on the cross. looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. I don't know how many people
I've talked to and they have their own faith when they trusted
Jesus. No, we never have that. We're just incapable of providing
that. We don't know what it's about.
How shall they believe on him whom they have not heard? Christ
has the oversight over all things invisible and visible, over flesh
and spirit, heavenly and earthly, and he certainly has the oversight
with regard to salvation. He's going to have the oversight
over that. He will have his way in this. Now, turn with me if
we think about this oversight. The number of verses of scripture
in the Bible that says salvation begins with God. Salvation is
the Lord's. Salvation is God's creation in
us. We are a new creation in Christ
Jesus. If you believe that God created
the heavens and the earth, If you believe that God created
every bit of grass and every tree and every bit of fruit and
every critter and every fish, then we should be able to go
over and say he had to create a new creature in Christ Jesus,
a new creation in order for me to be alive. He has to be in
charge of that. Even when he created Adam, Adam
had nothing to do with his creation. God came and made a body of flesh
and that body of flesh would have remained a body of flesh
and dirt until the spirit came and breathed into his nostrils
a breath of life and he became a living soul. Adam became a
living soul. God exercises his priorities
in this subject of being the oversight many times in the scriptures.
One of my favorites is when he detained himself from going over
to where Lazarus was sick. He stopped himself from going. He would not go over there. Now,
we have seen him in the past. He could have healed from the
distance. He did that. He has the oversight. He could
have got there quicker and healed him. But he has the oversight
of this wonderful picture of how God saves his people, and
he let Lazarus die. In fact, he had to explain to
his disciples, Lazarus is dead. And then he demonstrates, I have
the oversight. I am in charge. Lazarus can do
nothing. Lazarus is a dead body. Lazarus
is beginning to decompose. He's a nothing and he can't pay
attention to a thing. And the Lord spoke and said,
Lazarus come forth. And the next thing we see is
Lazarus is at the door. What oversight. All right. First
Timothy chapter two. First Timothy chapter two. As
we read through the scriptures so often, we find these wonderful
filaments of Eliezer the priest. He had the oversight. I don't
find him ever saying, looking around, says, boys, look what
I'm in charge of. It was a great responsibility.
But you know who can brag on himself? Is the Savior. I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. I am the bread of
life. I am the water of life. I am
the door. And here in 1 Timothy chapter
2 and verse 5, we read these words about our Savior. It says,
1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5, it says, for there is one
God and one mediator between God
and men. There's one mediator, not multiple
mediators. You know, we can't even mediate
our own needs. We can't mediate with God. God
has an appointed mediator. And it goes on to say, the man
Christ Jesus is the appointed mediator. What's that mean? He's
in charge. He has the oversight. He's the one that gives salvation. He's the one that has that. Over
in the book of Hebrews chapter 3, Just a little bit further,
Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1, we read these words about him
having the oversight over the most important thing that could
ever happen in an individual's life and that is their salvation. He does not have detained from
that. oversight over the sun, oversight
over the moon, oversight over the stars. He has the oversight
over all things pertaining to the world and in heaven. He has
the oversight of all things on the earth, in the earth, under
the earth. He has the oversight. says the lions depend upon him
for their food. Well, here in the book of Hebrews
chapter 3 and verse 1, wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the
holy heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of
our profession. That's as far as you can go.
the apostle and high priest of our profession. He is at the
top. He is the one at the top. He
is the apostle of the apostles. I'm thankful that the translators
put in that capital A. He is the apostle of the apostles.
There are many apostles, but he is the chief apostle. He is
the one in charge. And then there have been many
high priests. Aaron was a high priest. Eliezer
took over for him. Praised during the times of the
Lord Jesus. It was the high priest that gave
him the problem. Tell me plainly, are you the Messiah? And he said,
I am. He said, what further need? Ripped his clothes, what further
need do we need to listen to him? This is the high priest.
But the true high priest is mentioned here. Consider the apostle and
high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. He has the oversight. He has the oversight of the chief
apostle. He has the oversight as the chief
high priest. He is the apostle and high priest
of our profession. First Peter chapter 2 and verse
25. First Peter chapter 2 and verse
25 brings it out again. I'm in charge. I have the oversight. Salvation is not in the hands
of men, it's in the hands of God. I have the oversight. Belief is in the hands of God.
It's a gift that God gives us. Trust is a gift that God gives
us. Hope is a gift that God gives
us. Here in the book of First Peter, Chapter 2 and verse 25,
the scripture share this, says, ''For we were as sheep going
astray, but are now returned, under the what the capital s
shepherd and capital b bishop of your souls i have the oversight
a shepherd and a bishop have almost the same definition those
who are in charge the shepherd is in charge of the sheep the
bishop is in charge of the church here we go and then Acts chapter 4 verse 24. Would you turn there with me.
Acts chapter 4 verse 24. In Acts chapter 4 verse 24. A
bunch of the disciples had been threatened. Their lives had been
threatened. They'd been preaching the gospel.
They had been talking about a resurrected savior. One that resurrected
from the tomb because he was victorious over sin. One that
had resurrected from the tomb because God was well pleased
with his offering, his sacrifice. Here in the book of Acts chapter
4, And verse 24, it tells us this, and when they heard that,
they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said,
Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and earth and the
sea and all that in them is. What's that word God mean? Overseer,
one in charge, creator, creator of heaven and earth, the one
that has charge of all things, the one that has charge over
all salvation, the one that is in charge of the salvation of
his people. Now, when we look at all of those
things, those times that someone came up with a subject, Lord,
what good work must I do to be saved? Let's just follow that
over to the book of Acts chapter 13 for a moment. Acts chapter
13 in verse, as we hear the Lord has the oversight. Here in Acts
chapter 13, Paul had been preaching, told a bunch of Jews. Now in
that Old Testament covenant, we find that recorded twice in
the book of Hebrews, recorded twice or three times in the Old
Testament, that God made a covenant with them, with the house of
Israel, and they kept it not. And therefore, he regards it
not. But he has a covenant with spiritual Israel, and that's
the eternal covenant. Well, here in the book of Acts,
chapter 13, Paul had been preaching, and a whole bunch of Jews, he
just said, you have judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life. Why
did he say that? Because they didn't want the
word of God. They didn't want all the word of God. They did
not want to hear about a God who has the oversight over all
things and over salvation. Well, there's a bunch of Gentiles
there. And you say, well, what are they going to do with this?
What are they going to do with the word? They wanted to hear
the word. And in Acts chapter 13 and verse 48, we find the
reason. What does it say here in Acts
chapter 13 And verse 48, what is the reason that they believe?
What happened? What did they do? Did they have
some good work that they offered God? Did they have some good
saying? Did they say, we'll do the best
we can? We'll adopt the Ten Commandments.
We'll adopt the law. We'll build us a tabernacle. We'll go through all of that
stuff that the Jews had in the Old Testament. You know what
happened here? Read with me, Acts chapter 13
and verse 48. The scriptures share here, and
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified
the word of the Lord. Don't stop there, because this
is the reason. And as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed. Now that's the reason. What does
that say? The Lord has the oversight. The Lord has command of. The
Lord is the responsibility of. The Lord is over his people,
lost or saved. He's over his people, wherever
they are. This is the work of God. God's
work is he creates in us belief. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. Now in the book of Second Kings,
would you turn there with me? Chapter 19, 2 Kings chapter 19. We have a king way after Solomon. Hezekiah is his name. And the
borders are being threatened. The borders are being threatened.
And here, in this time of great peril, he's not saying, oh, me. He's not saying, oh, have I wasted
my time? He's not saying, you know, I
thought, Lord, you'd protect me. Lord, I thought you'd keep
me from this ill health. Lord, I thought you'd keep me
from these people out here. We find this man said these words,
2 Kings chapter 19 and verse 15. He sees the enemy at the
gate. He recognized that there's a
problem. And he says this, 2 Kings chapter 19 and verse 15, And
Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said, O Lord God of Israel,
which dwellest between the cherubims. You know what, if we went to
the Old Testament back further, we'd find out what dwelled between
the cherubims there in the tabernacle, the Shekinah glory of God. the
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior. He says, you're in
charge of salvation. You have salvation. And he goes
on to tell us here, thou art the God, even thou alone, of
all the kingdoms of the earth, and thou hast made heaven and
earth. Lord, bow down thine ear and hear. Open, Lord, thine eyes
and see, and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent
him to reproach the living God. But Hezekiah had this to say
about his God. You're in charge of all the kingdoms
of the world, even this one that is at our door. But a statement is found throughout
the scriptures about one having the oversight over all things. I'll never forget Brother Rupert.
Brother Rupert Reichenbach, when 9-1-1 happened, when those planes
crashed into the Twin Towers and after a short time, they
just fell. How many people died in there?
His daughter called him up and she's a mental wreck over it.
Just a mental wreck. The end of the world. And Rupert
just said to her, you know who brought this? God. God permitted this. God purposed
this to happen. Straighten up. God's in charge. He has the oversight. Oh, when
someone is saved, we rejoice because once again, God's oversight
over salvation has been demonstrated. It's not in a profession of faith,
it's not in walking the aisle, it's not in signing a card, it
is the work of God and no wonder that Jonah would say from that
great vicious belly, salvation is of the Lord. It belongs to
him, he's in charge of it, and he will save some Gentiles, I
guess. He went to Nineveh and that happened. In the book of Jeremiah Chapter
10, as we think about Eliezer, what a task he had. All of those
four items that he carried around, and then he had the responsibility
over the tabernacle and all the instruments that were in that,
all the altars, everything. He was in charge of it all. just
such a picture that Jesus Christ is in charge of every bit of
salvation, that he gets his word out. When we heard those lessons
on the sower and he went forth to sow, every bit of seed was
purposed to fall where it fell, and on good soil, it brought
forth fruit. Well, here in the book of Jeremiah,
Jeremiah chapter 10, Want to read verse 10, 11, and 12. Jeremiah
chapter 10, verses 10, 11, and 12. Jeremiah chapter 10, verse 10. But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and an everlasting
King. At his wrath the earth shall
tremble, and the nation shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them,
the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they
shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens. He hath made the earth by his
power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and he hath
stretched out the heavens by his discretion. He's in charge of all things.
He's in charge of my salvation. And a lot is at stake because
he has promised eternal salvation and he will give it. He will have nobody. He told
his disciples, and he mentioned to the father, of all that you've
given me, I've lost none of them. from the time of Abel to today
and for the future too. He has charge over salvation.
He has charge over all creation. He will be charge over the new
creation. He put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. He is in charge. Final verse
we'd like to look at is over in the book of Hebrews chapter
9 verse 26. He is in charge. Here in the
book of Hebrews chapter 9. What did John do? When they came
to him about the Messiah, he pointed people to Christ. Behold
the Lamb of God. What caused them to go to him?
God. God. In the book of Hebrews chapter
9, verse 26, these wonderful scriptures speak. Speaking about
those priests of the Old Testament, you know what happened to Eleazar?
He died. What happened to his dad? He
died. What's going to happen to his son? Ellie, he's your
son. He'll die. That's just the way. Natural
man is not going to survive this life. We're going to die. And
here he said, for then must he often have suffered since the
foundation of the world. But now, once in the end of the
world, hath he appeared to put away sin, to have the Lord in
charge of putting away sin. He is the overseer of that great
task, to put away sin. He hath appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself. We can't deal with one sin, not
alone the multitude that we have. He is able and he alone is able
to deal with sin and to put it away. What's that mean? To get
rid of it totally. To be able to present his church
spotless without wrinkle or without spot of any kind. No, any inspection
that God ever placed upon his children, they'll never find
a spot or wrinkle upon his children. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justified them.
So we find he's in charge. He is the overseer. He has the
oversight with regard to all things spiritual. In fact, with
all things physical, spiritual, visible, invisible. Things we
can't understand, he's still in charge of. So we look to him
as the prophet of old, Salvation is of the Lord. Amen. Brother Mike.