The Providence of God by John Nevins Andrews

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 29, 1870

The Providence of God.

By John Nevins Andrews

We read with the deepest interest the record of the wonderful providences of God, contained in the Bible. Perhaps no one of these seems more worthy of our admiration, than the case of Mordecai and Haman, contained in the book of Esther. The hand of God was directly concerned in the advancement of Esther to the throne of Persia. And by this remarkable event, he saved the Jews from a general massacre. No one can doubt that the providence of God made Esther queen for this very purpose. But there is one fact stated that shows how high above human agency God is exalted. The question ever arises, Suppose the agent to whom Providence commits a certain work should prove unfaithful to that work, what, then, would the Almighty do? Even suppose Esther had proved untrue, what then?

The words of Mordecai, meet this very point; Est. 4:14: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who

knoweth, whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Here we have a most striking truth revealed. The providence of God is prepared for the emergency. It can never be taken by surprise. If Esther were to forget God, and fail in her duty, deliverance would arise from another place. If she in her exaltation left her work undone, God would employ perhaps one of the most lowly. His work would not fail. Let us remember this. We may ruin ourselves by disobedience, and may cause others to stumble, but we shall find that God is not dependent upon us. J. N. A.