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05012016TheWealthOfTheSinnerIsLaidUpForTheRighteousDonRuhl
The Wealth of the Sinner Is Laid Up for the Righteous
Why does the world exist?
Proverbs 13.22
Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • May 1, In the year of our Lord, 2016
Prelude:
- Why does the world exist?
- More precisely, why does the Lord bless the world,
- even the people and the nations who do not honor Him?
- I propose to you that He does it for the sake of His kingdom on the Earth.
- Proverbs 13 gives this insight,
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
(Pro 13.22)
- Other places in Scripture confirms this insight.
- Proverbs 13 gives this insight,
Persuasion:
- All Things Are Ours
21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (1Co 3.21–23).
- Psalm 104 shows
- that the Earth serves man,
14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the service of man,
That he may bring forth food from the earth,
15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to make his face shine,
And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
(Psa 104.14–15)
- Should it surprise us
- that God uses the nations
- for the service of the church?
- If all things are ours,
- then this has to be true.
- that the Earth serves man,
- Think about the Book of Habakkuk.
- The prophet wanted to know when the Lord
- would do something about the crime and wickedness,
5 “Look among the nations and watch—
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you.
6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans,
A bitter and hasty nation
Which marches through the breadth of the earth,
To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.”
(Hab 1.5–6)
- Later, under Ezra, the Lord used Persia
- to help the Jews reenter the land and rebuild the temple.
- The story of Joseph
- God allowed or caused the famine.
- God allowed or moved the brothers against Joseph.
- God allowed or had Joseph moved to prison.
- God gave Pharaoh dreams.
- God gave Joseph the interpretation.
- Gen 50 shows that later Joseph saw God’s hand in everything.
- The story of the Exodus
- Exo 9.16 – God raised up Pharaoh for the Ten Plagues and to let Israel go.
- Rom 9.17 quotes Exodus
- Psalm 105 refers to the Exodus, but notice what it says,
37 He also brought them out with silver and gold,
And there was none feeble among His tribes.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering,
And fire to give light in the night.
40 The people asked, and He brought quail,
And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
It ran in the dry places like a river.
42 For He remembered His holy promise,
And Abraham His servant.
43 He brought out His people with joy,
His chosen ones with gladness.
44 He gave them the lands of the Gentiles,
And they inherited the labor of the nations,
45 That they might observe His statutes
And keep His laws.
Praise the LORD!
(Psa 105.37–45)
- They come out with Egyptian gold, and
- entered the Land of Canaan and possessed cities already built.
- Psalm 104 shows
- Isaiah 60 and 61
5 Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
(Isa 60.5)10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls,
And their kings shall minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you,
But in My favor I have had mercy on you.
11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually;
They shall not be shut day or night,
That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles,
And their kings in procession.
12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish,
And those nations shall be utterly ruined.
13 The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
The cypress, the pine, and the box tree together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I will make the place of My feet glorious.
14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you
Shall come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet;
And they shall call you The City of the LORD,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
So that no one went through you,
I will make you an eternal excellence,
A joy of many generations.
16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles,
And milk the breast of kings;
You shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
(Isa 60.10–16)6 But you shall be named the priests of the LORD,
They shall call you the servants of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast.
(Isa 61.6)
- The Visions of Daniel
- The Book of Daniel shows the Lord manipulating the nations
- for the sake of His people.
- The Book of Revelation shows the same thing,
15 …there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev 11.15).
- Please do not see the world and the church as not connections.
- They do have connections, for
- all the world’s inventions, infrastructure, etc.,
- God has allowed or empowered man to do
- for the sake of the Kingdom/Church.
- The Book of Revelation shows the same thing,
- Zechariah 14 prophesied of the time of the church,
14 Judah also will fight at Jerusalem.
And the wealth of all the surrounding nations
Shall be gathered together:
Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.
(Zec 14.14)
- What Did Jesus Say about the Meek?
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
(Matt 5.5)
- Nation Leaders Are God’s Servants
- Of Cyrus the Lord said,
44.28 Who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd,
And he shall perform all My pleasure,
Saying to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be built,’
And to the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
45.1 Thus says the LORD to His anointed,
To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—
To subdue nations before him
And loose the armor of kings,
To open before him the double doors,
So that the gates will not be shut:
2 “I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob My servant’s sake,
And Israel My elect,
I have even called you by your name;
I have named you, though you have not known Me.
(Isa 44.28–45.4)
- Of Nebuchadnezzar the Lord said,
8 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: “Because you have not heard My words, 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,” says the LORD, “and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations” (Jer 25.8–9).
- Of Cyrus the Lord said,
- Finally,
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.
(Pro 21.18)
- Therefore,
- Do not despair
- Do not fret over how the world is going
- God knows what is happening.
- He shall use the nations for us as He always has.
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