Providence Over All Things
This is the second post in our four-part series on the Providence of God. If you missed part 1 on the definition and dangers of Providence, catch up here.
When we say God has Providence over "all things," what exactly does that include? Let's take a biblical tour through the extent of God's Providence[1], moving from what might be easiest for us to accept to what's most challenging.
Providence Over Nature
Most people can get on board with God controlling nature. The Bible makes this clear throughout:
"He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills." (Psalm 147:8)
In the book of Jonah, God controls trees, wind, waves, and whales. In chapter 4, he controls plants and worms: "God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, and then God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so it withered."
I've planted corn three times this spring. Same with cucumbers. Every time, critters have come and eaten my corn and my cucumbers. (They don't like lettuce, but they love spinach.) Are the critters in my garden outside of God's control? Absolutely not. God is doing something by sending those critters to eat my corn and cucumbers. What? I don't know. But Providence means I have to believe he's in control of those things.
Everything that happens in the created realm—clouds, lightning, wind, harvest, famine—it's not random. God claims Providence over all of them.
Providence Over Satan and Demons
Okay, you might think, "I can accept the grass, but what about the devil?"
Here's what's interesting: every time Jesus goes up against a demon in the Gospels, who wins? Jesus does. Every single time. People are shocked by this: "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."
Even the works of the devil fall under God's Providence. In 1 Peter 5, we read that "your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." But earlier in the same letter: "It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will."
Wait—suffering comes from Satan, but it's also according to God's will? Yes. God is in control even over the works of Satan.
Look at Jesus's words to Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat." If I were there, I'd be like, "Please tell me you said no!" But Jesus continues: "But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail, and when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
Jesus allowed Satan to tempt Peter, but he also prayed for Peter. Which one carries more weight in Peter's life? They're not on equal footing. Jesus says, "When you turn again"—not "if." He knows exactly what's going to happen.
Providence Over Kings and Nations
This one gets uncomfortable quickly. Romans 13:1-2 is crystal clear:
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed."
When we have great rulers, they're from God. When we have terrible rulers, they come from God, too. Every ruler and authority comes from God. It's easy to think this only applies to the "good guys," but the Roman government was persecuting Christians when Paul wrote this.
God even controls the decisions of rulers: "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will" (Proverbs 21:1). Think about playing with a water table with your kids—that's how easy it is for God to direct kings and nations.
John Calvin wrote that often God judges a nation by giving them wicked rulers. The Bible doesn't tell us why we have the leaders we have, but we know that whatever happens, it's not outside the Providence of God.
Providence Over Suffering
God doesn't spare believers from suffering, but he preserves them in it.[2] Peter writes: "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials."
Notice that word: necessary. Why is it necessary for Christians to be grieved by trials? We're not always told, but we know it's not outside God's control.
Paul knew this reality: "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound... I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).
In suffering, we're not given the answers to why we're suffering, but we're told this isn't outside God's control. He's given us everything we need in any situation to honor him, to obey him, to do what he commands.
The question I always ask in suffering is "Why?" But God doesn't always tell us why. He says, "I've given you everything you need in this situation to honor me." That's what we need to know in suffering—that we're connected to God, God is good, and we can still honor him in whatever we're going through.
Providence Over Life and Death
God alone gives life. When Rachel came to Jacob demanding children, Jacob responded: "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
And God brings both life and death: "The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up" (1 Samuel 2:6).
Job understood this: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Providence Over Sin
Surely sin is the exception to Providence, right? If we sin, can't we break God's Providence?
God is not the author of sin, but he's still in control of it. He can prevent sin, permit sin, direct sin, or limit sin.[3] Look at the greatest sin in history—the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Peter declares:
"This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men" (Acts 2:23).
Who's responsible for killing Jesus? Lawless, sinful men. But was it outside God's plan? Absolutely not. It was "according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God."
Even the greatest sin in the history of the world was not outside the Providence of God.
The Supreme Comfort
Here's why Providence is profoundly good news: What would you rather have controlling your life? Blind chance? Satan? Yourself?
Until we realize how ignorant, weak, and powerless we really are, we want to be in charge. But when we know God—when we know his kindness, wisdom, love, and mercy—Providence becomes our supreme comfort.[4]
We don't need to know why God puts certain leaders in power or why chipmunks eat our corn. We need to know that God is in control and he's working all things according to his perfect, wise, loving, sovereign plan.
Which aspect of God's Providence do you find most comforting? Most challenging? How has understanding God's sovereignty over suffering helped you in difficult seasons?
[1] John Piper, Providence (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2020).
[2] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Book House, 1998), 416.
[3] Erickson, Christian Theology, 424.
[4] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, ed. John Bolt, trans. John Vriend, vol. 2, Reformed Dogmatics (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2003), 395.