Tabitha was a believer. She worked honestly before all men. Doing what she could, she provided coats and clothing for the poor saints in the church at Joppa. Scripture says that God made her that way, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10.)

Does that mean that it is God who receives all the glory for the works which Tabitha performed? Is it Christ who receives all the glory for her providing coats for the poor? Did God actually ordain, before the world began, something as practical as Tabitha becoming a seamstress? Was it by God's foreordination that Tabitha performed the simple act of giving a coat to a poor saint in the church? Yes.

When the Lord commanded Moses to speak to the congregation of Israel concerning the building of the tabernacle, the Lord said that the people were to bring in the gold and silver, the fine linen, the skins and the wood from which the tabernacle and its fixtures would be made. The Lord told Moses to simply declare to the people "whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it." (Exo 35: 4-7.) Remarkably, the children of Israel came with everything that was needed. The Lord describes those who came as "every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing." "All the women that were wise-hearted" sewed the tapestries (Exo 35: 20-21; 25, 26; 29.)

But what if the people had not brought those things? What if there had been no wise-hearted women to sew the tapestries, or wise-hearted men to perform the carpentry work or the metal work? Would the tabernacle have never been made? What if Tabitha had not performed her honest work and provided for the Lord's saints? Would the poor saints in Joppa have been left to simply question the Lord's faithfulness to provide? There was never a possibility that these good works would not be performed. Here is why.

Back in Exodus 28, verse 3, as the Lord commanded Moses concerning the priests garments, he told Moses that he had provided women, (that he had foreordained the good works that these women would perform) saying, "And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments" which the Lord purposed to be made. Concerning the works which the Lord ordained be performed in the building of the tabernacle, the Lord said, "See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship...that they may make all that I have commanded thee" (Exo 31: 1-6.)

Likewise, Tabitha was called by name, filled with the spirit of God, the spirit of wisdom, so that she was a cunning seamstress who was given a willing-heart by God, whose good works were before ordained by God to provide for his needy saints. She was filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Phi 1: 11; Joh 15: 5.)

What do we learn from this? First, just as Moses simply declared the Lord's word to the people so the Lord's messengers are to simply set forth the truth of the full and free redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus our victorious Lord. This wonderful predestinating grace of God insures us that our Lord will draw those he has created in Christ Jesus, whom he has given a spirit of wisdom and willingness. Secondly, the grace of God working in this elegant gazelle comforts believers in knowing that God's saints do not have to be whipped into a legal frenzy but that they shall perform the good which God has before ordained and they shall do it willingly. Thirdly, this wonderful truth of our God assures us that our Lord will use us to provide for his poor saints and his saints for us so that his church is forever in the care of his omnipotent hand. What security! What peace! What a Savior!

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SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey

LOCATION & TELEPHONE
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
Pastor's Telephone: 615-513-4464

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Worship
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
(The first Sunday of each month, morning worship begins at 10am followed by observing the Lord's Table. Afterwards we have lunch together.)