Because they did not
believe in God,
and did not trust
His salvation.
Yet He had commanded
the clouds above,
and opened the
doors of heaven,
had rained down manna
on them to eat,
and given them of the
bread of heaven.
Psalm 78:22-24
Israel can testify without impunity, they were there when Pharoah and the Egyptians suffered the ten plagues. They were there when the Red Sea was parted and dry land appeared on their trek to leave Egypt after some 400 years. They were there as they traveled in harsh land and their clothes did not wear out, their shoes did not wear out, furthermore, God fed them manna and quail. God stood as the One controlling nature. God controlled nature not only for the Israelites sake, but for the sake of His purpose: to bring back to their land given to them through Abraham to possess. Those acts of God make it easy for us to admit that God was in control of the Laws of Nature. Man themselves enjoyed God's control and even employed those Laws to themselves. We do the same, we cannot do anything we do without them. It is a truism, without the Laws of Nature and our employment of them we would have not any marvels of ingenuity, no beauty, and no utility of those Laws: God employs those same Laws. It is God's relation to those Laws that we now approach to glean some understanding of that relationship.To give an example in our striving to understand this relationship of God to the Laws of Nature I will use a simple compound that is to be found in almost every household: salt. Salt is a compound known as common salt, or table salt, the chemical makeup of this iconic compound is known as Sodium Chloride NaCl. This chemical for salt contains two elements: 60.663 percent Chlorine (Cl) and 39.337 percent Sodium (Na). Place those two elements separately on a table, close by each other but not so as to touch. Stop, wait, and watch, do they combine with each other when left alone? No! There is no subjection of one chemical to another forming, salt. As blind substances of physical forces, they cannot accomplish this feat, they cannot design themselves to be salt. Each chemical has its function but in of themselves they cannot function; it requires them to be employed and this employment requires an employer. While illustrations are necessary they are very inadequate but the above illustration does show that the Laws of Nature by themselves, being complicated in their design and function, have a need to be employed or compounded in such a way that they perform a particular function. When we examine man in relation to the Laws of Nature we easily ascertain that man does avail himself of those Laws but those Laws are not dependent upon him. In fact, those Laws are limited in extent when under his control. Man is entirely external to his works; but this is not true of God who fills the entire heaven and earth. God is immanent in the world; He is intimately always present with every particle of matter; note: the word "with" so as not to be confused or conjoin that fact with Pantheism for He is not the matter but with the matter, it is from and by Him that they have any power or that they are employed. It is God who has the knowledge and power that in His presence and control they operate as planned and ordained. It is inconsistent with an infinite God to not be present everywhere, omnipresent, or that He should be absent, out of His view, or that they be independent of His control.
God in His presence everywhere, controlling His creation does not supersede His efficiency over His creatures. An example taken from C.H. Hodge: Vapor rises from the ocean forming clouds which then condense and rain is produced and falls to the ground, this cycle is performed every minute of every day, but not independent for God is the controller of those events, this physical force, this Law of Nature. I made note of the fact in the narration of the travels and event surrounding the departure by the Israelites from Egypt. God sends rain where it pleases Him and this is true of all operations of the Laws of Nature, and all events in the external world. They are due to His efficiency, His Sovereignty, and His Providence whereby He adjust those Laws, combining them in such a way so the they cooperate with His Will to accomplish His purpose.
Keeping all that in mind and applying those facts to ourselves then it is perfectly rational where in the world where blind physical forces are the proximate cause of everything, to pray for health, for protection, for success, for fruitful seasons, and for the peace and prosperity of nations, since all these events are determined by the intelligent agency of God. It is as the Psalmist proclaims: "He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer" (Psalm 102:17). By the mouth of two witnesses shall a matter be settled (Deuteronomy 17:6), so I shall quote from James: "And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:15-16). God hears and acts upon the prayers of the righteous and according to His Providential care He answers our prayers at times as we ask and in the immediate our asking is answered. Yet, at other times our prayers are heard and answered in the most supernatural of ways, He heals, saves, the sick, this total depravity of man, and raises him up on the last day. Yes, He does heal the physical sick at times, and at other times He heals them by death and by means of raising this corruptible body to incorruptness (1 Corinthians 15:52). You may cavil at this fact that God is in control, even when we cannot understand or perceive how it is true, but Elijah would agree with this assessment that God is in control of the Laws of Nature: "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months" (James 5:17).
God is in control and in that fact we can take solace and great comfort with all consolation that God being in control hears our prayers and our prayers are from our righteousness, and that righteousness is not of our own but that which God has declared and given by His free gift of grace. James in speaking to the elect, the twelve tribes that are scattered, (James 1:1) says to us, those who are of Spiritual Israel: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded' (James 4:8). If we are not one of God's Children then He will not hear your prayer, if you continue in sin then as the writer of Hebrews so strongly admits, there is no sacrifice for sins for those who continue in them (Hebrews 10:26). Ultimately, God who is Sovereign and controls by His Providence will bring to an end of all things effecting for His children a new and wonderful world where there is not more suffering (Revelation 21:4). Pray, read His word, daily, meditate upon Him and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, to teach you, God's relation to the Laws of Nature is that He absolutely controls all things, and yet He will hear you, bless you, and call those He has chosen from before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:28-29), and save you where you will live with Him eternally.
And behold, I am
coming quickly,
and My reward is
with me, to give
to everyone according
to his work.
Revelation 22:12
Blessed is the one who keeps His words
Richard L. Crumb
God in His presence everywhere, controlling His creation does not supersede His efficiency over His creatures. An example taken from C.H. Hodge: Vapor rises from the ocean forming clouds which then condense and rain is produced and falls to the ground, this cycle is performed every minute of every day, but not independent for God is the controller of those events, this physical force, this Law of Nature. I made note of the fact in the narration of the travels and event surrounding the departure by the Israelites from Egypt. God sends rain where it pleases Him and this is true of all operations of the Laws of Nature, and all events in the external world. They are due to His efficiency, His Sovereignty, and His Providence whereby He adjust those Laws, combining them in such a way so the they cooperate with His Will to accomplish His purpose.
Keeping all that in mind and applying those facts to ourselves then it is perfectly rational where in the world where blind physical forces are the proximate cause of everything, to pray for health, for protection, for success, for fruitful seasons, and for the peace and prosperity of nations, since all these events are determined by the intelligent agency of God. It is as the Psalmist proclaims: "He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer" (Psalm 102:17). By the mouth of two witnesses shall a matter be settled (Deuteronomy 17:6), so I shall quote from James: "And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:15-16). God hears and acts upon the prayers of the righteous and according to His Providential care He answers our prayers at times as we ask and in the immediate our asking is answered. Yet, at other times our prayers are heard and answered in the most supernatural of ways, He heals, saves, the sick, this total depravity of man, and raises him up on the last day. Yes, He does heal the physical sick at times, and at other times He heals them by death and by means of raising this corruptible body to incorruptness (1 Corinthians 15:52). You may cavil at this fact that God is in control, even when we cannot understand or perceive how it is true, but Elijah would agree with this assessment that God is in control of the Laws of Nature: "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months" (James 5:17).
God is in control and in that fact we can take solace and great comfort with all consolation that God being in control hears our prayers and our prayers are from our righteousness, and that righteousness is not of our own but that which God has declared and given by His free gift of grace. James in speaking to the elect, the twelve tribes that are scattered, (James 1:1) says to us, those who are of Spiritual Israel: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded' (James 4:8). If we are not one of God's Children then He will not hear your prayer, if you continue in sin then as the writer of Hebrews so strongly admits, there is no sacrifice for sins for those who continue in them (Hebrews 10:26). Ultimately, God who is Sovereign and controls by His Providence will bring to an end of all things effecting for His children a new and wonderful world where there is not more suffering (Revelation 21:4). Pray, read His word, daily, meditate upon Him and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, to teach you, God's relation to the Laws of Nature is that He absolutely controls all things, and yet He will hear you, bless you, and call those He has chosen from before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:28-29), and save you where you will live with Him eternally.
And behold, I am
coming quickly,
and My reward is
with me, to give
to everyone according
to his work.
Revelation 22:12
Blessed is the one who keeps His words
Richard L. Crumb
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