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The Sovereignty of God: Part Four
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughGod's sovereignty extends over all creation, including the animals, as He actively manages and directs their actions to fulfill His purposes. In Numbers 22:28-30, He causes Balaam's ass to speak, demonstrating His authority over even the smallest creatures. In I Samuel 6:1-12, He guides two milk cows to pull a cart with the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel. I Kings 17:2-6 records ravens sent by God to feed Elijah, while in II Kings 2:23-25, He sends bears to deal with Elisha's tormentors. In Daniel 6:22, He shuts the lions' mouths to protect Daniel, and in Jonah 1:17 and 2:10, He prepares a great fish to swallow Jonah and later compels it to release him at the precise location He desires. In Matthew 17:27, He directs a fish to bring Peter a coin for taxes, and in Malachi 3:11, He rebukes the devourer to protect His people's crops from destruction. Through these acts, God shows His continuous involvement, selectively exercising His power over creatures great and small to bless His people and advance His will.
The Sovereignty of God (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Bible reveals God's sovereignty over animals, demonstrating His authority and purpose in the animate aspects of His creation. In Genesis 2, God directed the animals to pass before Adam for naming, showing His control by guiding them without human intervention. Similarly, in the account of Noah, God ordered the specific animals He chose to enter the ark, ensuring they came as He commanded. In Genesis 9:2, after the flood, God instilled a dread of mankind in animals, altering their relationship by His direct action, not through any other influence. In the devastation of Egypt, God showcased His sovereignty by turning the Egyptians' frog god, Heket, into a curse, with billions of frogs invading their homes as a sign that He alone is the Giver of life. During the plagues, God selectively protected the land of Goshen from swarms of flies and spared the cattle of the Israelites from murrain, while afflicting the Egyptians, demonstrating His power to control even the smallest creatures and limit pestilence as He willed. In Numbers 22, God caused Balaam's donkey to speak, engaging in dialogue to fulfill His purpose, illustrating His ability to use animals in extraordinary ways. Further examples include the Philistines' test with the Ark of the Covenant, where God directed two milk cows to carry it straight to Bethshemesh without deviation, proving His guidance over their actions. In I Kings 17:2-6, ravens fed Elijah under God's command, while in II Kings 2, He sent two she-bears to maul forty-two tormentors of Elisha. In Daniel 6, God sealed the mouths of lions to protect Daniel, and in the story of Jonah, He prepared a great fish to swallow, transport, and deliver Jonah to Nineveh. In Matthew 17, God caused a fish to bring Peter a coin to pay taxes for both Jesus and himself, showing His precise intervention. Finally, in Malachi 3, God promises to rebuke the devourer for the sake of those who trust Him through tithing, intervening personally to protect their resources, whether in an agricultural or modern context. These accounts collectively affirm that God exercises selective authority over animals, using them to accomplish His will and to bless or curse as part of His overarching purpose.
Psalms: Book Four (Part Four): God as Creator
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe creation offers compelling testimony to the intricacies which preclude even the possibility of evolution. Evolution is a futile attempt to get rid of God.
Creation Stewardship
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe as Christians should strive to be the most conscientious environmentalists or creationists in the world because the earth and its fullness are the Lord's.
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Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsLight is a revealer of truth and a means to expose error. When we receive God's Holy Spirit with Christ dwelling in us, we become a light to the world.
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: The Great Catch of Fish
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsIn performing the miracle of the great catch of fish, Jesus manifests His divine power over creation, forcing Peter to realize just who his Master was.