Robert Roberts

The Ways of Providence

How God works in human affairs without open miracle, traced through the lives of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, Nehemiah and others, with lessons for the believer’s own life.

Robert Roberts · first published 1881 · first edition · about 92,000 words

Transcribed from the scans at antipas.org and proofread against the page images. The text keeps the original spelling, the printer’s misprints and the Bible references as they were printed. These are historical texts in the language of their day; the teaching of this site is set out in its own beliefs and Bible studies.

Prefacepp. i–ii
Chapter ILoose notions of providence; Importance of right views; The Bible the only source of reliable informationpp. 1–9
Chapter IIThe next principle; Individuality of the Creator; Scripture illustrations; Localization in heaven of His beingpp. 10–23
Chapter IIIMiracle as distinguished from providence; The practical illustration of the latter; Abrahampp. 24–32
Chapter IVProvidence in the life of Isaac; The promised seed; Barrenness of Rebecca; Faith and patiencepp. 33–44
Chapter VThe life of Jacob; Abundant illustration of the ways of providence; Angelic guidance in it allpp. 45–56
Chapter VIEsau’s anger at the loss of the blessing; His threatening attitude towards Jacobpp. 57–69
Chapter VIIJacob and the completeness of his case as illustrating providence; The abduction of Dinahpp. 70–84
Chapter VIIIThe case of Joseph; A providential work of God placed beyond question by explicit testimonypp. 85–99
Chapter IXThe case of Moses; The providential (apparently natural) featurespp. 100–114
Chapter XThe work of Moses; The character of Pharaoh; The result to be achieved by divine interferencepp. 115–128
Chapter XIThe conquest of Bashan; God gave the land, yet Israel had to conquer; Modern application of the principlepp. 129–141
Chapter XIIAfter the death of Moses; Joshua to be brave; Intrepidity required of the servants of God; Jeremiah; Ezekielpp. 142–151
Chapter XIIIUnfinished state of the Amorite conquest at the death of Joshuapp. 152–165
Chapter XIVThe case of Eli; The divine destruction of his house in a natural waypp. 166–177
Chapter XVLife of David,; Brimming with instruction in the ways of Godpp. 178–188
Chapter XVIThe days of David’s exile; Bitter adversity “good for” him; God’s dispensation, yet in a natural formpp. 189–201
Chapter XVIIThe consolidation of David’s power; The covenant made with him concerning Christpp. 202–214
Chapter XVIIISolomon; His recognition of the ways of providence in his dedicatory prayer; Modern misapplicationspp. 215–223
Chapter XIXThe divided house of Israel; First, the Ten Tribes; Jeroboam, their first king; His great opportunitypp. 224–235
Chapter XXAhab in Naboth’s vineyard; God’s message by Elijahpp. 236–249
Chapter XXIHistory of the kingdom of Judahpp. 250–261
Chapter XXIIReign of Josiah; Preservation of the scriptures; A work of providence Josiah’s enquiry and God’s answerpp. 262–276
Chapter XXIIIFrom the Babylonish captivity to Christ; The providential in the case of Christ; Place of His birthpp. 277–290
Chapter XXIVThe overthrow of the Jewish state by the Romanspp. 291–301
Chapter XXVThe repulse of Cestius causes uneasiness at Romepp. 302–317
Chapter XXVIArrival of the Romans before Jerusalem; Preparations for siegepp. 318–334
Chapter XXVIISummary; Nature of providence; Importance of understanding it; Much that is not providence; “Chance.”pp. 335–346