Grace Fellowship 08/31/08 The Deck is Stacked (Always) Proverbs 21:30-31
I flew to Las Vegas once. And I know what you’re thinking: “What was Pastor Keith doing in Las Vegas?” I’ll be happy to answer that question. I was sitting in the airport for six hours waiting for my next flight. Apparently, in order to get from Vancouver, British Columbia to State College, Pennsylvania, you have to go through Las Vegas, Nevada. I’m not sure why.
When people think of Las Vegas, biblical Christianity is not the first thing that comes to mind. Actually, I’d rather not discuss what usually comes to mind first, or second, or third. But I suspect nothing related to a pious religious life is in the top one hundred things people think of when they hear the words Las Vegas. One thing we always think of is gambling and card playing. People gamble because they want to get rich, or at least win more money than they spend. But the majority of people who gamble, whether in Vegas or in UniMart, lose.
People who operate gambling establishments very seldom, if ever lose money, and then, only on rare occasion. Their goal is to take people’s money, not give them more. Their motivation is the same as the gambler: to get rich.
Most of us have seen enough TV to be familiar with the phrase, “The house always wins.” What that means is gambling establishments are not in the habit of allowing people to be successful in their gambling habits. They see to it that their games of chance are difficult to beat. “Lady Luck” seldom smiles on the gambler.
One way in which the house might insure that they win is by practicing the art of stacking the deck. This, of course, is illegal. But we are talking about Las Vegas. It is not a city known for its low crime rate. What does it mean to stack the deck? 1 In a card game, the dealer secretly arranges the cards in the deck in such a way as to win. When he deals the cards, he deals the best cards to himself. It takes great deal skill to be able to do it undetected. And you want to be sure to be undetected. Not a few people have been killed for cheating at cards in this way.
“Stacking the deck” has become an American idiom we use to refer to the arrangement of a situation so that it is unfair to someone else. It is a form of cheating. I had a friend in high school who had an obnoxious little brother. They got boxing gloves for Christmas one year, and in order to secretly level the playing field, the little brother put a couple of D batteries in his gloves. He, in effect, stacked the deck against his big brother, and won. His victory was short lived.
I want to return to Proverbs 21 and read just two verses to you from that chapter, the last two verses.
30 There is no wisdom, or understanding, or counsel against the LORD.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD.
In this life, as we make our way through it and see how men and women behave, and as we read history and observe how entire nations and kingdoms have conducted themselves in the past, we see consistently overwhelming evidence of animosity against God on a global scale. The proof of that in this present hour is obvious. Name one overtly Christian nation. There are nations that consist of many Christians, but I know of no nation that presents itself as genuinely, spiritually (i.e. not politically) Christian. South Korea comes to mind as a possibility. Seoul contains eleven of the world's twelve largest Christian congregations. South Korea also provides the world's second largest number of Christian missionaries, surpassed only by the United States. 2 That is probably as close as we get to a Christian nation today.
This fallen world has always been filled with people who stand against God. Romans 3 is scriptural proof of it. “There is none righteous. No, not one.” Prior to conversion, 100% of humanity can rightly be described as unrighteous, against God, and enemies of all that God is. At the time of the flood, with the exception of Noah, the Bible tells us that all men’s thoughts were only evil continually.
Mankind is not naturally the friend of God and that is usually manifested by means of the persecution of His people. Adam was against God and rebelled directly against Him. Cain, however, was against God and refused to repent of his jealousy toward Abel and killed his brother. The brothers of Joseph were against God and sold Joseph into slavery. Pharaoh was against God and refused to let God’s people go. The Canaanites, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Hittites, all the kings of the Promised Land were against God, became the enemies of Joshua and the children of Israel, and sent their armies to do battle against them. The Assyrians, the Chaldeans, the Persians, and the Romans were all against God by being against God’s people. The world has always been filled with people who stand against God.
Then we read Solomon’s words in Proverbs 21:30, “There is no wisdom, or understanding, or counsel against the Lord.” Well that’s not true! There is PLENTY of wisdom and understanding and counsel against the Lord! Let's look at the verse again. A better translation of that verse goes like this: “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.” (English Standard Version)
God has lots of enemies even today. Many books are being written to encourage people to stop believing in God. There is a phenomenon today which Al Mohler refers to as the New Atheism in which people are actively encouraged and evangelized against faith in God.
But consider the verse again: “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.” Millions upon millions of people are blatantly against God. None can avail. You might say the deck is stacked in favor of God. No one, not even Satan can win against God. The very gates of Hell cannot prevail. But it isn’t an unfair stacking of the deck because nothing has been done in secret. From the beginning, God has been forthright and honest with mankind, beginning with Adam, by telling him that sin would produce death. Sin means we lose. We’ve always known that. Yet men remain hateful toward God.
John Gill on Proverbs 21:30 (slightly revised) - [There is] no wisdom nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord. No human schemes whatever, formed with the greatest wisdom and prudence, can ever prevail against God, or set aside or hinder the execution of any design of his; nothing that is pointed against his church, his cause, and interest, his truths and ordinances, in the issue shall succeed; all that are found fighters against him shall not prosper, let them be men of ever so much sagacity and wisdom; though there may be ever so many devices in a man's heart, and these ever so well planned, they shall never defeat the counsel of the Lord; [There is no wisdom like God’s.] There is none to be compared with his; there is none of any value and worth but his; all is folly in comparison of that … . No wisdom of the creature can stand before him, it presently vanishes and disappears. 3
Matthew Henry
The designing busy part of mankind are directed, in all their counsels and undertakings, to have their eye to God, and to believe that there can be no success against God, and therefore they must never act in opposition to him, in contempt of his commands, or in contradiction to his counsels. Though they think they have wisdom, and understanding, and counsel, the best politics and politicians, on their side, yet, if it be against the Lord, it cannot prosper long; it shall not prevail at last. He that sits in heaven laughs at men's projects against him and his anointed, and will carry his point in spite of them, Psalms 2:1-6. Those that fight against God are preparing shame and ruin for themselves; whoever make war with the Lamb, he will certainly overcome them, Revelation 17:14. 4
Proverbs 19:21 (NASB)
Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand.
Psalm 2
The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom
1 Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
Isaiah 14:24-32 (NKJV)
24 The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand: 25 That I will break the Assyrian in My land, And on My mountains tread him underfoot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, And his burden removed from their shoulders. 26 This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. 27 For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?"
Isaiah 46:5-13 (NKJV)
5 "To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike? 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, And weigh silver on the scales; They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. 7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble. 8 "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, "My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.
Acts 4:23-31 (NKJV)
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: "Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 27 "For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
Many are against God. None will prevail. None can successfully stand against anything God has purposed to do. However, not all are against Him. God’s own people are for Him. The followers of the Lord Jesus are for Him. Those whom He changes and regenerates are for Him. So do God’s people always find themselves victorious in the battle of faith? Is everyone a Joshua, and do the walls always come tumbling down when we do spiritual battle? Is the Christian life one of perpetual victory?
Even the believer needs to remember he doesn’t live this life successfully in his own strength. Paul had to rebuke Peter for hypocrisy. The believers at Corinth had every spiritual problem imaginable. We do not live the Christian life on automatic pilot. God doesn’t save us and then allow us to set the cruise control so we can glide through the rest of our lives effortlessly. We still have battles to fight, and God is still the One who gives us the victory.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD.
Psalm 20:7 (NASB)
Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
Psalm 33:17 (NASB)
A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
Matthew Henry on Proverbs 21:31
“… There can be no success without God, and therefore they must never act but in dependence on him. Be the cause ever so good, and the patrons of it ever so strong, and wise, and faithful, and the means of carrying it on, and gaining the point, ever so probable, still they must acknowledge God and take him along with them. Means indeed are to be used; the horse must be prepared against the day of battle, and the foot too; they must be armed and disciplined. In Solomon's time even Israel's kings used horses in war, though they were forbidden to multiply them. But, after all, safety and salvation are of the Lord; he can save without armies, but armies cannot save without him; and therefore he must be sought to and trusted in for success, and when success is obtained he must have all the glory. When we are preparing for the day of battle our great concern must be to make God our friend and secure his favour.” 5
We already know God has stacked the deck in favor of Himself and His people. We know that whoever is on God’s side, whoever finds favor from Him, cannot ultimately be defeated. Because Christ cannot be overcome, we also who are in Him, cannot be conquered. How is it possible that those for whom Christ died should be overwhelmed by Christ’s enemies? We take great comfort in the words of Romans 8:
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us [and prevail]? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:31-37, ESV).
Even in death, even in slaughter, the believer in Christ is more than a conqueror. Do not fear those who can kill the body and do no more! Nothing and no one, “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.” No group, no army, no power, no nation or conglomeration of nations can win against God. The deck is always stacked by Him in His favor, and it isn’t even a secret! He’s not even cheating! Everyone KNOWS fighting against God is an exercise in futility. Everyone knows. “Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32, ESV).
Revelation 20:1-9
Satan Bound 1000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a[a] thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Satanic Rebellion Crushed
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
Are you really on God’s side? If not, you should give up now. Jesus said in Matthew 12, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Don’t be found among those who are against Him.
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1 http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/stack+the+deck stack the deck - to arrange something so that it is unfair to someone. “We wanted to make sure no one was stacking the deck in their favor.” “The deck truly is stacked against the poor.”
Etymology: based on a way of cheating in a card game by secretly arranging the cards so that you will win. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms © Cambridge University Press 2003
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Korea
3 http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/view.cgi?book=pr&chapter=21&verse=30
4 http://www.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/view.cgi?book=pr&chapter=021&verse=030#Pr21_30
5 Ibid.