2 Chronicles 16

2 Chronicles 16:9

I. Notice, first, God's continued inspection of all that passes on this earth. We may affirm it as evident that nothing can happen on any spot of the peopled immensity which is not known to Him who is emphatically the Omniscient. Indeed, it were to deny the omniscience of God to suppose any, the most trivial, incident not included within His knowledge. And it is far more than the inspection of an ever-vigilant observer which God throws over the concerns of creation. It is not merely that nothing can happen without the knowledge of our Maker; it is that nothing can happen without His knowledge or permission, for we must ever remember that God is the First Cause, and that on the first all secondary causes depend.

II. All the motions of Providence have for their ultimate end the good of those whose heart is perfect towards God. (1) If God sent His own Son to deliver man from the consequences of transgression and to extirpate evil from the universe, we cannot doubt that the objects which engaged so stupendous an interposition must still be those to whose furtherance the Divine dealings tend. The great object which Providence proposes is the stability and exaltation of Christ's Church, seeing it is for the very purpose of showing Himself strong on behalf of the righteous that "the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." (2) It is not only in reference to the Church at large that we are warranted in thus speaking of God's providence. Of each member in this Church we may declare that God watches sedulously over him, with the express design of succouring him with all needful assistance. We have promises that nothing shall harm us, but that all things shall work together for our good, if we walk obediently in love and are followers of Christ.

H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit,No. 3120.

Reference: 2 Chronicles 16:9. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xx., No. 1152.