Bible Commentaries
2 Corinthians 1

Verses 1-5

The God Who Is Enough

2 Corinthians 1:1-5

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

God, in every need, is the God who is enough. His resources are sufficient for all, deficient for none. His supply is abundant.

When Abraham stood, with raised knife, ready to slay his son, God said, "Hold thy hand." Turning, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. The ram was offered instead of the son. Then Abraham said, "Jehovah Jireh," The Lord will provide. God was enough.

In Philippians we read the assuring words, "My God shall supply all your need." No matter the strain, or stress; no matter the pain, or penury; no matter the service, or the sacrifice, God will meet every need.

The Spirit wrote to the Corinthians, "In every thing ye are enriched by Him." Here is more than the supply of bare necessities here is enrichment. God gives "good measure, pressed down, * * and running over."

The body in which we dwell speaks of super-abounding wealth. Our body has two eyes, where one might have met a bare necessity; we have two ears, when one might have done; we have two lungs, two kidneys, two feet. God seems to say, "I will richly supply all your need you shall have more than enough.

The world in which we move is filled with super-abounding plenty. There is more than a sufficient supply for every physical need. God not only saw that "it was good," but He saw that it was "plenteous."

David said, "My cup runneth over." There is always something over, when God has dealt in grace with His own.

We may place our need over against His supply, and it will be more than met. God's granaries are full of grace. God's bounty is like the widow's barrel of meal and cruse of oil, it never wastes. We may take of God's "fullness" without ever depleting His bounty.

God's river of grace runs from the throne of God, runs earthward by mount Calvary, runs on and on touching every heart and hearth; yet, all the while the river grows in width and depth. What shall we say to these things?

Why be fearful and perplexed along thy way,

God will meet thine every need, by night and day,

He will guide thee with His eye,

Ev'ry need He will supply,

He will meet thy every cry,

Make Him thy stay.

I. THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 )

In every phase of life our God is a God of all comfort. Here, as everywhere, God is our Jehovah Jireh who will provide. Whatever we need we find in Him.

The Holy Spirit bears the name of "Comforter," because He walks by our side. He shares, with us, every difficulty, and bears, with us, every burden.

The Lord Jesus, also, is a Comforter. He entered the synagogue in Nazareth, and finding the place where it was written. He read, "He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind."

The Father is the God of all comfort, because He knows our frame, He remembereth that we are dust. In all of our afflictions, He is afflicted. He is "like as a father."

A delightful verse in Isaiah reads, "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people." God wanted the Prophet to store up comfort for His people. Where, however, do we get the nature that makes us comforters? We must comfort others with the comfort wherewith we are, ourselves, comforted.

It is only as we have passed down with Him into the valley of the shadow, and have learned the deeper meaning of "Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me," that we will be able to comfort others.

Thus, it is the comfort of God made real in our own lives, wherewith we comfort others.

The Captain of our salvation became perfect through suffering. Christ was made a perfect and princely Leader of His people, because He took upon Him our flesh, and bore our sorrows, and our pains.

We must travel along the same path which He trod if we would be perfected as comforters. The school of affliction and conquest is the only school which graduates comforters. It was there that we were perfected in our training; it was there that we caught the spirit of power to comfort others.

This is the way the key verse reads, "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble."

II. THE GOD OF ALL GRACE (2 Corinthians 12:9 )

God gives more than "comfort," He gives grace. The Apostle Paul was sore pressed on every side, yet, the burden of his prayer was for deliverance from what he called, "a thorn in his flesh," For this he prayed thrice. God heard that prayer, and answered it. However, instead of deliverance, God said, "My grace is sufficient for thee." The result was that Paul rejoiced, saying, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

It is our need, that becomes the channel of His blessing. It is our weakness, that proves the place for the provision of His power.

Had the disciples never known the storm on Galilee, they had never known the victory of Christ's "peace be still." The troubled waves gave Christ the footing on which to walk to His storm-tossed, despairing Twelve.

God delights in meeting our difficulty with His grace. He has ever proved that His grace is sufficient for any and every need.

We refresh our memories with the many trials and troubles that beset the travels and testimony of Paul. Here is what Paul said, "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great."

Look thou to God

When clouds are low'ring o'er thy way,

And darkness shrouds the orb of day,

God gives more grace.

Look thou to God

When fierce the battle and the fight,

When weak, forlorn, and shorn of might,

God gives more grace.

III. THE GOD OF ALL HELP (Psalms 46:1-5 )

God's chosen people have been driven from pillar to post. Scattered among the nations, and trodden down; they have almost despaired of help. The Spirit is anticipating the Messiah's Return. In the words of our Psalm, He says, "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early."

May we not expect as much from Gad? Will He not help us? Paul said, "Having obtained help of God"; yes, He will also succor us.

Our God is a God of all help. We can almost hear Him saying, "Be not dismayed: for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee."

Though the earth be moved, and the waters roar

Though the mountain sink in the sea;

There is One in the midst, who will help us o'er

To the pastures green by the lea.

Though the heathen rage, and the kingdoms move,

Though the lawless lift up their voice;

There is One with us, who will help us soon,

He will make us to sing, and rejoice.

How blessed are the words, "She shall not be moved"! Christ said to Peter, "Thou art Peter, thou shalt be a rock," What a revelation! We who are as fickle as the wind, as changeable as the sands of the seashore, shall be as stayed as the rocks of Gibralter. Why? Because God will help us. He undertakes for us. He is our undergirding. He holds us on the shoulders of His strength. He is the foundation that is unmoveable, and we are builded on Him.

Paul saw every power of the enemy set to sway him from his fidelity to Christ, and from his purpose to serve; yet, Paul could say, with undaunted trust, "None of these things move me."

Beloved, God will help us. He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able. He will prepare a way of escape.

IV. THE GOD WHO KNOWS IT ALL (Matthew 6:32 )

How thrilling, and how soul-inspiring are the words, "Your Heavenly Father knoweth." He knoweth the way that we take. He knoweth what our body needs for food, and for clothing. He knoweth our thoughts, and the intents of our heart. There is not a word on our tongue but that He knoweth it altogether.

Does such knowledge bring fear to your heart? It should bring all joy. God's knowledge is the key to all of God's helpfulness. His eyes run throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong toward those whose hearts are perfect toward Him. It is for this cause that we know that all things work together for good, to those who are called of God, according to His purpose.

Thank God, we may safely rest in the all-seeing, all-knowing, God of love. It is in the light of that knowledge that we can say in every hour of struggle and of strife, "Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight." The blessedness of all of this is that the God who knows it all, cares.

Does the Father know? Of course He knows;

He knows the burdens and the woes,

He knows the anguish and the pain,

The bitter cup that thou must drain.

Does the Father care? Of course He cares,

He stoops to wipe away thy tears;

When ev'ry hope of earth is gone.

He stoops to turn thy night to dawn.

What then should the believer do? He should trust, and not be afraid. In all thing's, he should rejoice; in all things, say, Amen.

V. THE GOD WHO GIVETH ALL QUIETNESS (Job 34:29 )

Poor Job, beset with troubles can he find quietness? Here is what Elihu said, "He giveth quietness." Did Elihu mean to suggest that Job could be quiet mid a storm-tossed sea? Yes, it is there, that Christ gives peace. Quietness in the midst of a world of inquietude; rest mid restlessness; peace where war is reigning supreme this is the gift of God. The Lord Jesus said, "My peace," "My joy," give I unto you. The God of all quietness will give us His rest.

God has said, "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." What then? "O my soul be thou silent unto God." Be still; for God will speak to thee.

There is nothing that can disturb the soul that rests in God: "He giveth quietness." There is no storm that can enter the haven of rest in God: "He giveth quietness." There is no penury, no pain, no trial, no tribulation, no anxiety and no anguish, that can reach the God-harbored soul: "He giveth quietness."

Oh, heart of mine, be still! Rest in the Lord! Be quiet in Him! Shall we who know Him go forth with haste? Shall we be caught in the rush and hurry of an age that has no time to go apart a little and feast with Him? Forget not the warning of the Spirit, which He spoke of one who said, "While I was busy here and there, he was gone." Shall we be so busy for Him, that we may never be quiet with Him?

"Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still,

Nor move one step, not even one, until

His way hath opened. Then, ah then, how sweet!

How glad thy heart, and then how swift thy feet

Thy inner being then, ah then, how strong!

And waiting days not counted then too long."

VI. THE GOD WHO WORKETH ALL (Romans 8:28 )

"Your Heavenly Father knoweth." There is not a prayer on your tongue, a plea on your lips, but that He knoweth.

We have seen how the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong toward those who put their trust in Him. There is, however, a still deeper truth. God not only knows all, but He works all things for our good. He knows, He also cares. He cares, He also works. He works for us, and not against us. He works in all things, and not in some things. Dare we, then, write, "Disappointment" over any of our life story? May not we the rather write, "His-appointment"? Think of it! All things from God are working for you.

The things that come, the things that go,

The things of pleasure, things of woe,

All work together this I know

God leadeth on!

Then why should I be filled with fear?

And why walk through this desert drear,

With nought of joy, and nought of cheer,

When God leads on?

The part of our verse which we need to ponder is this: "We know that all things work together for good." Unless we know, we will be miserable where we should be filled with cheer. Jacob said, "All these things are against me," because Jacob did not know that God was working out his good, and that Joseph had been sent before to prepare a place for the sustenance of him and his seed.

Job did not know that his adversities and his adversaries were all working for his good, therefore Job complained.

Truly the Lord is righteous in His ways and works. Great is His faithfulness toward us. He who never slumbers nor sleeps will work out all things for our good.

AN ILLUSTRATION

PROVISIONED FOR A SIEGE

"When a city is besieged, the prince who would defend it doth not leave it to its ordinary strength and the standing provisions which it had before but sendeth in fresh supplies of soldiers, victuals, and ammunition and such things as the present exigence calleth for. So doth God deal with His people; His Spirit cometh in with a new supply, that they may better repel sin, and stand out in the hour of trial." What supplies of food, medicine, and ammunition are poured into a city which has to sustain a siege; and seldom do they prove to be more than are required! Even so, in our time of temptation, the Lord bestows vast stores of grace, strength, comfort, and wisdom; and yet there is need of them all ere the assault is over. It were well if we had a clearer idea of the needs of a beleaguered soul. We think far too lightly of the necessities which arise out of the attacks of Satan, and the blockade of the flesh. The City of Mansoul has no provision within itself, and if its commerce with Heaven be cut off, black famine stares the inhabitants in the face. While the coast is clear it will be well to get in stores, and specially on those great market-days, the Lord's Days. None can fit us to stand a siege but that Universal Provider who daily feeds countless myriads of needy creatures.

Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest when next my nature shall be beleaguered by the adversary. Provision me, I pray Thee, against the siege. Give me to rejoice because Thou hast prayed for me that my faith fail not. Spurgeon.