The Works of The Lord...

Who can understand the works of the Lord? God is infinitely complex and beyond our comprehension, yet he is simple and has made himself known. His works can be seen in creation as the heavens proclaim his handiwork. We have seen his works in history and his dealings with mankind. Nevertheless, these acts can be alien and strange to us, as we do not always understand his deeds and works. Tragic events happen, and we don't necessarily receive an explanation why his judgment ushers forth on some and not others. Due to the recent tragedy in Haiti, there has been a renewed interest by some regarding the works of God and his sovereign control. Dr. Albert Mohler's blog on 1-14-10 tackles with eloquence questions about this recent tragedy in a biblical and gospel light. http://www.albertmohler.com/

While I cannot improve upon what Dr. Mohler wrote in his blog, I will aim to understand the works of God among man by listing five observations from a parable in Isaiah 28 that directly relates to the strange deeds of our Lord and his alien works.

Isaiah 28:21-29

21For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work! 22Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land. 23Give ear, and hear my voice; give attention, and hear my speech. 24Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground? 25When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer as the border? 26For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him. 27Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod. 28Does one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it. 29This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

In 28:14-22, Isaiah pronounces judgment upon the people who have yet again forgotten their God. The decree of judgment has been issued, and in .v 21 Isaiah states that God's deed is alien and his work is strange. He continues to describe the work of God in a parable illustrating how God works. This description relates to more than a specific decree of destruction pronounced upon the people. When considering passages like Romans 11:33, 34, it becomes even more clear that God's ways are inscrutable and his judgments are unsearchable. The illustrating parable helps to convey more clearly how God works, though his way are foreign to us.

Five observations from Isaiah 28:21-29 regarding the works and deeds of God among his people:

1. God is like a farmer who does his tasks in a timely, orderly, and proportionate manner. He does every thing at its proper time to yield what he has purposed. (v. 24, 25)

2. God's works and deeds are according to knowledge. (v. 26)

3. He does not desire destruction for its own sake; rather, he desires the intended results, while using the proper tools, at the proper time. (v. 27, 28)

4. Though his ways are strange, they are according to the excellent wisdom of the wonderful counselor. (v. 29)

5. The salvation that Christ brings is also a strange work. At the appointed time Christ died for us as the wrath bearer, who bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, by his wounds we have been healed (1 Pet 2:24). And all of this was done according to God's perfect purpose and timing. Though the judgment of Christ is strange it is the proper work in its due season for the salvation of his people.

I cannot comprehend the ways of God, and I do not want to think that he is like one of us. What I know is that he works according to wisdom and knowledge. We can be sure that his works will be according to his excellent and wonderful counsel. We can stand firm in the hope that he will do things proportionately, timely, and with the right tools to bring about his perfect purposes. And while we cannot be sure what the exact reason for this devastating earthquake in Haiti is, what we can know is that God is good and to be trusted in all things.