Now, as we think about creation,
we wonder, did you ever think, why did God create? Why did God,
who is all-sufficient and all-inclusive, create the heavens and the earth
and the universe and all things therein? Was it out of necessity
that our Lord created? Was it because he was lonesome?
Was it because God wanted something to do with this time that he
created? Well, we're going to look this
morning and see why God created all that he did and the end purpose
of his creation. And our text is Proverbs 16. Verse 4 is our text, but I think
I'll read verse 1 through 4 in that chapter for be our beginning. So in Proverbs chapter 16 and
verse 1 through 4 for our text of this morning. The preparation
of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean
in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the Spirit. Commit thy works unto the Lord,
and thy thought shall be established. Verse 4, The Lord hath made all
things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Let's look at it again. The Lord
hath made all for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of
evil. Now it's not been long since
we had a sermon on the hard things or hard saying in the scripture. When some said to our Lord in
the sixth chapter of the gospel of John, Lord, this is a hard
saying, who can hear it? Then we had another sermon from
Luke chapter 4 on the offense of divine sovereignty. When our
Lord spoke of sovereignty, The Jews took hold on him, took him
out to the cliff with the intention of throwing him over and killing
him. And the reason of that is, we
have a saying, there are some things in the scripture that
are as strong as a bear's breath when we first hear them or when
we first read them in the scripture. And one of them has to do with
our text of the morning in the last half of Proverbs 16 and
verse 4. And that is the question of sin
and of evil. The fall of man human wickedness
in all forms and degrees, the violence of so many in society
and in the world today. And then another question becomes,
is sin any part of the will and the purpose of Almighty God? Has God willed that sin enter
into the world and that evil be present? And if so, to what
end has that been done? Is sin and wickedness a part
of God's purpose for the human family? And do the sinful acts
of men ever serve the designs of God? Or do the sinful acts
of the wicked frustrate and deflect the purpose of God with regard
to the human family and his desire and his will. Now let me say
a few things working up to our text and subject of the morning. It likely was that on our journey
into the sovereignty of God, we met with something that probably
at the time gave us a startle. Until all things fell into their
place, And the Lord taught us about the sovereignty of God. Well, then we learned that our
great salvation was anchored in the divine election, which
was in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and that that was before the
world ever began in Ephesians 1 and verse 3 through verse 5. and that he set his love upon
us before we ever existed or before we ever knew him, and
that we learned God chose us in Jesus Christ under that great
salvation. But did God choose all to that
glory without exception? Did God love all without exception? And did Christ die for all without
exception? And does he call upon all without
exception? or try to call them away from
their sinful way of life. Now consider this. Our opening
text is from the Proverbs and the wise man Solomon. And some of his Proverbs, believe
it or not, declare the sovereignty of God. There's some pretty strong
statement in Proverbs about the sovereignty of God. In fact,
we have three of them here in the 16th chapter of Proverbs. There's verse 1, the preparation
of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. That is, God can make a man or
a woman to speak that which he will. Of course there is our
text then in verse 4 that we work on and then in verse 9. A man's heart deviseth his way
but the Lord directeth his step. However, Proverbs 21 and verse
1 is probably the strongest statement in the book of Proverbs concerning
the sovereignty of God, and it is relevant to our study of the
morning. It says this, And like the river, or literally
the chambers of water, he turns it, that is the king's heart,
whether so ever he will. In whichever direction he will,
he turns the king's heart. Now he's chosen the king because
this is the highest among men and has the most power among
men, but even the heart of the king is in the Lord's hand that
he might turn it whether so ever he will. And this is often confirmed
in the scripture and I will give you some occasions of it. that earthly sovereigns are themselves
subject to the sovereign of heaven and of earth. Not just the peasant
and the weak and such like, but the sovereigns of earth themselves
are subject to the will of God. And some of the foremost examples
is the Egyptian despot, Pharaoh. Pharaoh, the king over Egypt. And we will consider him later
in our study, if you will. Here are some examples of the
king's heart being in the hand of the Lord, and him turning
it, whichever way he will. Remember in Genesis chapter 20,
when Abraham and his wife journeyed down into the land of Gerar. And Abimele was the king in that
land. And when he saw Sarah, he planned
to take her and add her to his harem to become one of his wife. But God said to him, I withheld
you, I kept you, I restrained you from sinning against me,
therefore I suffered you not to touch her. He would have taken
Sarah and defiled her except for the work of the Lord. In Genesis chapter 41, 37 through
verse 45, is a miraculous story when God gave Joseph favor in
the eyes of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And he made Pharaoh,
rather, he made Joseph, correction, prime minister over all of Egypt,
and all of Pharaoh's house, putting everything into his hand, making
him second in command, riding in the second chariot when they
went among the people, and the people composed to bow the knee
unto Joseph over Pharaoh's house. And also this, that Joseph had
favor, was a blessing unto the Jew and the family of Joseph
who dwelt there in that land. But again, in Ezra, in the book
of Nehemiah, you find that the kings of the land helped them
in the restoration and the rebuilding of the temple. We read a marvelous
thing in Revelation chapter 17 verse 16 and 17. God has put into their heart,
that is the kings of the earth, to fulfill his will and to give
their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God be fulfilled. If you read in Esther chapter
6, Verse 1 and verse 2, the king's insomnia led to the overthrow
of a wicked plot against the Jew and those dwelling in that
land with Mordecai. In Psalm chapter 2 and verse
2, Acts 4 verse 25 through 28, the wickedness of the kings of
the earth stood up against our Lord and
against his cry, and they were divinely guided in the action
that they performed toward our Lord. The scripture said they
did what the hand of God determined before ought to be done. Another one. In Luke chapter
2, verse 1 through 7, the decree of taxation or enrollment, if
you will, by Caesar and the taking of a census is what sent Joseph
and Mary to the city of Bethlehem, where the scripture said, the
blessed and promised one would be born, Ezra chapter 5 and verse
2, that this is the city of his birth. Now our text, one verse,
but it has two parts as we look at it. Part one says that God
has made all things for himself. with a time to every purpose
under heaven as Ecclesiastes 3.1 and 3.17 has told us. Now this sentiment would probably
be agreed to by most who consider themselves a Christian. that
God is the first cause of everything, that he is the creator, that
he has made all, and as Charles Bridges put it, quote, all the
works of creation, all the events of the nation, and all the dispensation
of God's providence, unquote. And note the two words. for himself. He hath made all things for himself,
not out of necessity, not to have something to do, not for
a hobby on the side, and not to fill up any vacuum or to fill
time, not for company. He was not needful of any other
company or creature to do that. And so in Revelation 4, And 11,
thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for
you have created all things for thy pleasure they are and were
created. Now the word pleasure there in
Revelation chapter 4 that we read is not fun or enjoyment. It's not that kind of pleasure
that the word means. But the word translated will
in at least six places in the Ephesian epistle as Paul writes
it. And three times in Colossians
this very same word is translated will. And it means determination,
decree, purpose, inclination, that is, will. For thy will they
are or were created. God created because he willed
to create. God created because he would.
God created because it was in accordance with an eternal purpose
which ye purpose in Christ Jesus the Lord. Ephesians chapter 3
says that unto us. And that purpose is not limited
to the ones that are saved through Jesus Christ and brought to heaven. For now, we look at the words
further, for himself. He has created all things for
himself. Now, I know the Bible said he
created the earth as the dwelling place of man, and he gave man
the earth to live upon. But for his pleasure or his will,
the world and the earth is where it plays out the twofold decree
of God, election and reprobation through the human family. And
from the same lump of humanity to make both vessels of honor
and vessels of dishonor, Romans 9, 21 through 23. Now, recently,
I took out and read again from the long treatise of Jonathan
Edwards, and he titled it, God's Chief End in Creation, unquote. And the words, for himself, as
we look at it. Proverbs 16 and 4, for his pleasure
in Revelation 4, and verse 11. Now, every workman surely has
some intended use or end for that which he has made, something
to serve a particular end. In creation, because he could
purpose no higher, he purposed in himself. As is said of Christ
in Colossians 1, And verse 16, all things were created by him
and for him. That is the Lord Jesus. Now,
we especially today will concentrate upon the earth, upon the world,
upon the habitation of men. And the reason why God did will
to create the world and all things therein. The creation account,
you know, you have in Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2 of a
six-day creative period in which God created all, rested the seven,
looked upon it, and declared in Genesis 131 that it was all
very good and rested the seventh day. And it is the Creator the
himself who best knows the end for which he created all things. He better than anyone knows why
he created all the things that have been created by him. And in the article, that article
by Jonathan Edward, his premise is God made himself the last
end in the creation of the world. That the ultimate end of creation
is the manifestation of his glory to magnify his name, to make
his perfections known, and for everything that hath breath to
praise him, Psalm 150 and verse 8, and that his attributes be
manifested and declared, not only through his word, but also
in his work among the human family. Now, one thing we read is that
creation acts and works of God will cause His name to be declared
throughout all of the earth. Exodus 9, 16, Romans 9, and 17. And the manifestation of His
name is connected to His will or purpose or pleasure to create
the angels in heaven and the sons and the daughters of men
upon the earth. It is a thing often mentioned
in the scripture that God would have his name to be magnified
and to be honored, not as an ego thing, but to the honor of
himself. Here are some scripture for Samuel
12, 22, Psalm 23 and 3, Jeremiah 14, and verse 7, 1 John 2 and verse
12. But here are some individual
verses, like 2 Samuel 7 and verse 23. The redemption from Egypt,
quote, to make him a name, the God of heaven. Make him a name
in the deliverance of them. Isaiah 63 and verse 12, he divided
the water before them to make himself an everlasting name. For who but a mighty God could
destroy all the firstborn in Egypt, making a difference between
the Egyptian and the Jews. delivering the one people and
destroying the other by the might of his power. Now God will be
glorified in connection with having created all things in
heaven and earth. He will be glorified for the
power of his word to create, to bring forth something out
of nothing, for his wisdom in arranging all things for the
habitation of living creatures on the earth. But everything
that breathes upon the earth and exist. Proverbs 3, 19 and
20 has this to say, the Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth. By understanding, he hath established
the heaven. By his knowledge, the depths
are broken up. Here are three attributes of
God that are present in the creation of all things. All exercise in
the creation and the arranging of the earth, also the preservation
of the creation that God has made. But we are especially interested
this morning in the earth because it is our Quote, home planet,
unquote. A lot of people trying to go
live on another planet. But the earth was made for the
habitation of men. Job told his accusing three friends
when they came, God has hanged the world on nothing. And you'll find that in Job chapter
26 and verse 7. Now this is not acceptable to
infidels and idolaters and unbelievers. I have read that some of the
ancient Greeks believed that the earth sits on the back of
Atlas. I'm sure you remember him. Forced there by the god Zeus,
And so Atom, or rather Atlas, holds up this Earth. And then
they believe that earthquakes were the result of Atom, or rather
of Atlas moving or shaking himself in some way. Some say that the
ancient Greeks believed that. Shifting maybe caused the earthquake
that caused their destruction upon the Earth. And I would ask,
Pray tell what is Atlas Standing on Perry Ames wrote that the
Babylonians believe that a sea monster Supported the earth while
the Japanese believe that a giant catfish so pray tell me that
What are these standing on that the earth might rest upon them? Hindus thought that the earth
was on the back of an elephant, who in turn was standing on the
back of a turtle. And again, pray tell me, what
is the turtle standing upon? So God has hanged it upon nothing. If you could go to the bottom
and look down, you wouldn't see a foundation. for the earth other
than the power and the purpose of God. Now, let me give you
a couple of examples of the hand and the wisdom of God in the
founding and arrangement of the earth. Number one, do you ever
think about this from the scientific standpoint, that the supply of
oxygen in our air or atmosphere is essential to life, to those
things that breathe up on the earth? Too much or too little
would be a devastation and a catastrophe. There is just the right amount
of oxygen in the air we breathe. I've heard that it's 21% of the
atmosphere. Then I say, pray tell me, did
evolution do that or the all-wise God? Secondly, think about this. The Earth is exactly the right
distance from the Sun for life. farming, the season, and all
of that depend upon the relation of the sun unto our earth. They tell us that it's 93 million
miles from the earth unto the sun. If much closer than that,
it would be too hot to survive. If much further away than that,
it would be too cold for us to survive. And by the way, the
Earth is also just the right size and the right distance from
the Moon in order that gravity might aerate the ocean and stir
it up for the oxygen of those things that live there. And it
is just right on its rotation. day and night occurs with an
unchanging regularity. Indeed, in Psalm 19, 1 through
5, the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth
His handy work. Now, let's go back to our original
text and look at the last half. of the verse now, which is prefaced
with the word even. The Lord has made all things
for himself even. And then he's going to give us
a particular situation that might seem incredulous unto us. The whole verse is, the Lord
made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the
day of evil. In this case, Even then, two
things mentioned in the first half of the verse are also relative
to the last half of the verse. And that is number one, the Lord
made all things for himself. Yea, even the wicked. It is the Lord that has given
us our existence and being. He's the first cause of everything,
giving every creature his being. For there is no other source
of being. There is no other God beside
Jehovah. Now the second thing true of
the last half that's true of the first half is for himself. He hath made all things for himself. All that he has made, he has
made for himself. To direct it and to use it, to
fulfill his will, to serve his purpose, and especially to receive
glory and honor by or out or through it. Now the word even. Look at it. The word even is
the word g-a-m, gamma, gom in the Hebrew. It might be rendered
this way. It might be rendered also. God
made all things for himself, also the wicked, and so forth. Yea, though, in like manner,
in like manner, as he made all things for himself, so the wicked. And in the New Testament, we
see a word even. to emphasize a special or a particular
thing. For example, in Acts chapter
239, as Peter is speaking to the Jew on the day of Pentecost,
he said that the promise is to you, to your children, to all
that are far off, Even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Even, and that qualifies it,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call. There's another
one in Romans 5 and verse 14. that death reigned over all men
after Adam's sin, even them that had not sinned after the similitude
or the likeness of Adam. That makes a particular emphasis.
Death reigned over all, even those who did not sin in the
similitude of Adam. Now why does the author use the
word even here in this verse of the scripture for emphasis? He has made even the deeds of
the wicked to serve his purpose and to serve his will and to
serve his end for the creation of the world. This is very offensive
to most who would call themselves Christian. Such texts as these
are the subject here of the wicked and reprobation caused them to
reject it upon the ground. Such a view amounts to saying
that God is the author of sin or that he has made some only
to destroy them. So as Gil wrote on Proverbs 16
and verse 4, The last words of the verse. There is a two-fold
emphasis for the words, even the wicked. Number one, it confirms
the general premises of the first part of the verse that God has
made all things for himself. And number two, to overthrow
any objection as that this is not a fit thing for God to do. That this is not a fit thing
that God could do or would do or ought to do. Now, listen to
Psalms 76 and verse 10. Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee. Surely the wrath of man, and
the last half of the verse said this, and the remainder of wrath
shalt thou restrain, or literally truss up, or bundle in, or hold
in, so literally to bind it so that it goes no further than
God allows or will. Thus we're bound to admit that
the scripture teaches that God uses the acts of the wicked to
bring to pass His will and His purpose. That He has even ordained
their acts to accomplish a particular end in and through Jesus Christ. Such things as His betrayal and
His crucifixion. Now these were not done by good
men. These were not done by Christian men. These were not done by the
followers, faithful followers of our Lord, but by the hand
of the wicked. Wicked hands took him and crucified
him. Hence the works that even the
wicked are instruments to serve God's purpose and to bring him
glory, honor, and praise. And perhaps one of the most prominent
of the wicked deeds brought glory to God is through the Egyptian
despot Pharaoh. Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Let's look at that for a minute.
In Exodus 9, 16, Moses speaks God's words to Pharaoh. And he says this, and in very
deed, For this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in you my
power, and that my name might be declared throughout all of
the earth. Again, in Romans chapter 9, Paul
is referencing that text in Exodus 9, 16. For the scripture says
unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,
that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might
be declared throughout all of the earth. That's Romans 9 and
verse 17. Now, who was Pharaoh? Pharaoh was the king of Egypt. He was the dictator in chief. He was the ruler. He was the
grand potentate over the land of Egypt. God put him there. Look, I have raised thee up. And I noticed that the margin
in Exodus chapter 9 and verse 16 has made thee to stand. I have made thee to stand. I put you there. I made you to
be what you are, that my purpose and my name might be declared
throughout all of the earth. Now, let's look at Pharaoh. For I believe some are in sympathy
with Pharaoh against the great hand of God that was against
him. In connection with him, The delivering
of the children of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob's seed from
the bondage in the land of Egypt. It involved, yea, it turned upon,
hear me carefully, it turned upon the hardening of the heart
of Pharaoh. And that in a threefold manner,
as we read about in the book of Exodus. Now, I think this
hardening is mentioned at least 18 times in those chapters in
the book of Exodus as God was delivering them. Number one,
three times it is said that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Three times out of the 18, Pharaoh
hardened his heart. Number two, A other five times
it is stated as a fact the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. And then it is said simply that
the heart of Pharaoh was hardened. But the most times are ten that
God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, including the first mention in
Exodus 4 and verse 21. God said to Moses, I'm sending
you down. Tell him to let my people go.
But he said this, I will harden his heart that he will not let
the people go. Now Pharaoh's under a command,
let my people go. And God's hardening his heart.
that he would not let them go. In Exodus 7 and 3, I will harden
Pharaoh's heart and multiply my sign, my wonders in the land
of Egypt, and also the hearts of the Egyptians. And then hear
this. even after the Jew was out of
the land of Egypt and had gone out with a high hand and spoiled
the Egyptians. And Egypt was decimated by the
ten plagues and the death of the firstborn all across Egypt. Their crops lay in ruin. Many
of their livestock were destroyed. Yet when they were gone, when
they riled the land, when Pharaoh finally said, go, go, take with
you, then we read in Exodus 14, verse 4 and verse 8, that he
pursued Israel. God hardened the heart of Pharaoh
that he pursued Israel and he was destroyed and his army in
the Red Sea. And in Exodus 14 and verse 23
through 31, so that not one of them escaped. Not one of Pharaoh's army survived
the judgment of God. And how often we read that God
would get honor upon Pharaoh. Exodus 14 and 4, I will be honored
upon Pharaoh and all of his host. Exodus 14, 17 and verse 18, I
will get me honor and that from hardening Pharaoh's heart and
destroying him and his army and host in the Red Sea. Now, the
hardening of Pharaoh's heart accomplished this. It strengthened
his resolution and his resistance to not let the people go, so
that the mighty power of God was exhibited in their deliverance
to overcome that stubbornness in the heart of Pharaoh, that
all might know, Jews, Egyptians, the nations round about, all
who hear, all who read, will know that the Lord he is God. Let's say some more about the
matter of God hardening for that's offensive and I know a lot of
people say I don't believe that. I believe he hardened his own
heart and God had nothing to do with it nor was it a part
of his will. Whether this was a unique and
an isolated case in a specific situation or whether it is a
common method with God, as Paul writes when he references Pharaoh
in Romans chapter 9, 8, 13, in Romans 9 and 18, therefore have
mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens. Let me give you a couple of Old
Testament examples of God hardening others as well, and they were
kings. In Deuteronomy chapter 2 and
verse 30, Israel is on their journey to the promised land
and they come into a land Heshbon and Sihon is the king of that
land. And in Deuteronomy 2 and 30,
Sihon, king of Heshbon, quote, would not let us pass by him
for the Lord our God hardened his spirit and made his heart
obstinate that he might deliver him into our hand." There it
is, clear. By this God gave Israel his land
and also a victory over him. gave God his land and his city. Deuteronomy 2, 32 through 35. So the hardening of Heshbon's
heart, or rather of Sihon's heart, accomplished that. And then again,
Joshua chapter 11 and verse 19, when they're marching to their
permanent dwelling in the land of Canaan under Joshua. And in verse 20 of that chapter
of Joshua, for it was of the Lord to harden their heart, that
they should come against Israel in battle, that we might destroy
them utterly, and that they might have no favor. Another hardened
saying, but we might further declare the multiple times that
God has said to harden and to blind the Jew in the day of Messiah. Just give you the verses, Isaiah
6, 9 and 10, John 12, 37 through 41, Romans 11, 7, Psalm 69, 22
and 23, Romans 11, 7 through 10, and 11 and 25. And in all of those places mention
is made that God has blinded or hardened Israel as to the
truth of their Messiah. And that was the purpose of God
to turn unto the Gentile. Now, let's close out this study
by revisiting the saying that God has made all things for himself,
for his honor, for his glory, for his praise, for the manifestation
of his divine attribute, that he makes even the wrath of man
to praise him. Now, I will give you two examples
where God ordained the sinful acts of the wicked to fulfill
his purpose. Number one, the betrayal of our
Lord by Judas Iscariot, by a close friend for 30 pieces of silver. Psalm 41 and verse 3. Zechariah
11 and verse 12, and Luke 22, 22. The Son of Man goes as it
was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed. And he called Judas a devil. One is a devil. Second, the greatest
act of all was the crucifixion of the Lord by a confederation
of evildoers. prophesied in the second Psalm
and referred to in the New Testament, in Acts 4, 25 through 28, though
he was delivered by the determined counsel and the foreknowledge
of God, yet they did to Christ what God determined should be
done. Now by election and reprobation,
the full range of God's attributes are manifested and are active
in the saving of the elect. They're called vessels of mercy
and the destruction of others who are called vessels of wrath. Romans 9, 21 and 22. Now, think about it. A special
sort or set of attributes are exercised towards each one of
these out of the same lump of humanity. Vessels of honor, vessels
of dishonor. Some fitted to destruction, others
aforeprepared unto glory. Verse 23 of that chapter. In Romans 9, 23. Notice. that
we might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of
mercy. God works toward both the elect
and the reprobate. We'll be to his honor and to
his glory. And in the Ephesian epistle,
Paul declares the purpose of God's end is this. Ephesians 1 and verse 6, to the
praise of the glory of His grace for the forgiveness of sin. Verse
7, being according to the riches of His grace. Verse 12, to the
praise of His glory. Verse 14, under the praise of
His glory is this great work of redemption. Verse 18, the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 2 and
verse 7, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in kindness toward us through Jesus Christ. So that in the salvation of sinners,
there is manifest the glory, the grace, the mercy, the power,
the wisdom of God, but especially the grace of God. never had been
manifested, except there come the fall and the sin of man. These attributes had lain unexercised. The intended end was a display
of the glorious grace of God, that he be praised on account
of that saving grace unto many, all according to his pleasure
and goodwill." And I close with some words from John Eady, quote,
to reveal himself more fully, and to manifest more fully his
glory, was an end worthy of God." Unquote. He hath created all
things for himself. That does not exclude the wicked.
It includes them. He will be glorified in both
of them. And that is the greatness, the
wisdom of our mighty God.