Covenant and mitzvot - OCRDivine providence

Divine providence is the belief that God is always watching over the world and is constantly involved in it.

Jews have different views about the extent to which God is active in the world. For instance, in the Tenakh there are occasions when God directly affects events, such in the Book of Jonah, where God sends a fish to swallow the disobedient prophet and save him from drowning. Some Jews might believe that a good harvest is evidence of God’s divine providence, on the basis that God sent good weather.

While many Jews believe such events really happened, some read them as parables – stories with moral or spiritual meanings.

Further examples of divine providence

Mitzvot

For most Jews, the mitzvot are the perfect example of divine providence. They demonstrate that God has given human beings rules and codes for living that will enable them to live happy lives that are pleasing to God and to avoid much unhappiness and suffering.

Jonah

As mentioned above, in the Book of Jonah, God provides a fish to save Jonah. However, God also sends the storm that causes Jonah to be thrown overboard in the first place, as Jonah’s disobedience displeases him. Once Jonah has thanked God for saving him, he is delivered safely to dry land.

Later, after Jonah helps God by going to Nineveh to tell the people that God is displeased with them, God gives Jonah a vine to shade him from the sun. However, when Jonah expresses anger to God for not destroying the Ninevites, God sends a worm to wither the vine.

These examples show that God provides things that people need but also takes things from them when they displease him. Jews believe this happens all the time, whether the cause is known to be God or not. This demonstrates that the actions and attitudes of people towards God and other human beings can affect what God is willing to provide for them. Importantly, it also shows that God can choose to take back what he has given.

Job

The Book of Job tells the story of Job, whose faith is tested by God. Unlike Jonah, Job is good and constantly praises God. Still, God allows him to suffer horribly. After suffering many losses and awful illnesses, Job says to God: I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted (Job 42:2)

God restores Job’s health, gives him twice as much wealth as before and many children. The story of Job shows Jews that divine providence (or lack of it) does not always make sense to human beings. Often, good people seem to suffer while wicked people prosper. Jews believe that this is because although God’s ways are ultimately just, God’s plan is far beyond what humans are able to understand.