58 Man's Affliction and God's Grace

MAN’S AFFLICTION AND GOD’S GRACE
TEXT: 2 Kings 14:21-29

SUMMARY: As the reign of sinful Jeroboam II illustrates, God’s work continues despite man’s sin, and His purposes are never thwarted.

EXPOSITION

I. A SINFUL KING AND NATION, vv. 23-24.
A. A Faulty Foundation: “became king in Samaria.”
B. A Sinful Practice: “Jeroboam... did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”
C. An Undiscerning People: “who made Israel to sin.”

II. A WISE AND HOLY PROVIDENCE, vv. 25-26. “God the good creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom, does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all his creatures and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for which they were created…” (1689, Ch. V, “Of Divine Providence,” para. 1)
A. He Helped Them, v. 25.
B. He Fulfilled His Promises, v. 25b.
C. He Had Compassion On Them, v. 26.

III. AN IMMUTABLE AND INFALLIBLE PLAN, vv. 27-28. “...according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.” (1689,V,1)
A. God’s Temporal Plan for Israel.
B. God’s Eternal Plan for Israel.

APPLICATION

A. Man cannot keep from sinning.

B. God works despite man’s sin.

C. God’s plans are not diminished.