God's care of His creatures, shown by natural blessings and daily mercies, is called Providence. Those who are satisfied with this bare knowledge of God are in great danger of not discovering the workings of Satan. Such are in danger, even though they may have knowledge of the truth of God in Christ, revealed by the Scriptures.
This danger arises from the ever-flowing goodness and bountifulness of God, "for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." He is pledged by the gracious promise under the Noah covenant that "seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
Satan can originate nothing of himself that is different from himself—"he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44.
Satan seeks to take advantage of God's providence, which He shows in long-suffering mercy and grace to His creatures, and use it to work against Him. He makes this goodness of God a point of his attack through the active wickedness of fallen human nature. This evil nature supplies a link to him in his enmity to further discredit God and His love, so that mankind "glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful." Human selfishness, too, being what it is, will abuse these external mercies so abundantly supplied, and in this way lend its hand willingly or unwillingly to this craft of the devil.
Many Inventions
The result of the "Preacher's" research is solemnly stated in Eccl. 7, "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." This wise saying, however, is no longer supposed to be a challenge, or a reflection upon the world's progress, but in independence of God is accepted as a compliment to human genius, and as an encouragement to modern perseverance. On this very account man must be a witness against himself, since this ingenuity can only be displayed by inventions to improve his own state. "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him... that he should still live forever, and not see corruption." Psa. 49:6-9.
Natural Mercies
Adam could never have known an unprovided want, till by his sin against God he was driven out from Paradise. To suppose otherwise would be a reflection on the Creator, for He could not rest from all His works when the creature was not perfectly provided for.
Man elevates himself in his own eyes by his God-given talents in scientific activities of a creative or productive power. Yet the question remains: what gave him the opportunity and desire to exercise these talents? By such activities, when the heart is in a state of rebellion, man only throws himself farther away from God.
Moreover, by this abuse of his natural mercies, both personal and relative, he joins issue with Satan in his line of devices. This forms the common ground of their combined action, which delivers over to the course of this world—to the prince of the power of the air—the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2).
The result of this confederation is that these gifts (or natural mercies) bestowed by Providence are taken and used by the receiver as a means for independence and pride, forgetting their Giver and ending in a denial of the claims of God. Compare this to Israel in Deut. 32:15. "Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked... then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation." Such a state of things as this must sooner or later bring in judgment, if merely to maintain the government of God upon the earth. Grace will make this its own opportunity for discovering the hidden resources of God's wisdom and love in human redemption by a full and eternal deliverance.
The Rescue
When Adam was an innocent being, the original sin took man out of the hand of the Creator and put him into the power of Satan as a sinner and with an evil nature! What must progressive history be, founded on this double rebellion, but God brightens up the dark pages of its records by promises and types and shadows of good things to come. By sovereign and effectual grace He brings in this remedy for the rescue of the sinner, and the maintenance of His own holiness. The grand reserve of God is Jesus Christ, the Son of His own love!
Man, in the fruitless search after the happiness he has lost, little thinks he is leaving it behind him by still going out, like Cain, from the presence of God who is the only source of blessing, present or eternal. Nor can there be either permanent peace, or personal security, till we are brought by gifts (certainly by "His unspeakable gift") to God Himself. Providence cannot supply these wants, nor reconcile a sinner to God. The cross of Christ is the only meeting-place for needs such as ours. The cross is the place of Satan's defeat and of our salvation.
Mere gifts of whatever kind or range can never put us outside the enemy's power, nor plant us inside the circle of the coming glory. But an association and oneness through grace with a risen and ascended Savior and Lord does place us where the devil has neither title nor dominion. We are beyond the reach of the enemy, and with Christ and through Christ, with God and with the giver, "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Blessed portion! "The Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever." Ex. 14:13.
God forbid that I should glory,
save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 6:14