The Sovereignty of God
The Rev. Lou Tiscione, Pastor, Weatherford Presbyterian Church (PCA)
We live in challenging times, to say the least! Justice has become injustice. Good is treated as evil. Some say that this is the worst time in history. Yet, students of history rightly say that there were evil days in the past that would challenge our experience of evil. Nevertheless, those who believe in God look for justice and truth and are regularly disappointed. This is not new. King David wrote these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7 ESV). The kingdom of this world continues to spiral downward toward an increasing degree of godlessness.
In the midst of this moral decline into the abyss, the Kingdom of God continues to expand through the proclamation of the gospel. I suggest that there is something that all of us need to know in order to live in this fallen world. We who profess Christ need to know who is in charge of everything. We need to major in knowing the sovereignty of God! It is necessary to apply God’s revelation of His sovereignty to every aspect of our life. We should be informed by God’s word to securely hold onto this fact, “God is in charge!” By the plain meaning of the word, “God”, He must be in charge or He’s not God.
The Bible reveals the character of the true God. In one sense, the Bible is God’s self-revelation. He has revealed His character by way of declaring His attributes. One of God’s revealed attributes is His sovereignty.
Years ago, a man in a church that I served was concerned about my use of the word “sovereignty”. He said no one understood that word anymore. My response to him was that we shouldn’t stop using words because people may not understand them. Rather it would be more edifying if we explained the meaning of important words such as sovereignty. It is the understanding and application of this word which means rule that holds the key to living in a fallen world. We know God is in charge because He is sovereign. Jesus said “All authority in heaven and earth had been given to [Him]” (Matthew 28:18). He rules all things!
God not only revealed His sovereignty by declarative statements such as Matthew 28:18, but He also revealed it through historic narratives. One such timely historical narrative is recorded in Daniel 4:34-37. Daniel, a faithful worshiper of God, recorded an incident that involved a king who thought he was the be-all and the end-all. The king’s name was Nebuchadnezzar. He was a ruthless man, king of the ancient Babylonian Empire. This king had a very confusing dream about a huge tree that “a holy one from heaven” ordered to be chopped down. God empowered Daniel to interpret the dream. Daniel’s interpretation predicted that the king would be humbled until he acknowledged the one true God. The tree in the king’s dream was him.
After a time, because of the king’s pride, God drove him mad. He made him act and appear animal-like. At God’s appointed time, the king’s senses were returned. King Nebuchadnezzar said this about God, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
This radical statement was spoken by a pagan king. God humbled the king causing by Him to see the truth. He declared that all creatures are under the sovereign authority of God. He rules over every man’s action, and He holds him responsible. This great and mighty ruler who thought he was a god was used by God to declare His eternal rule.
It is serious error to qualify God’s sovereignty in the light of man’s will. The Bible says God will make even the mighty submit to His sovereignty either now or when Jesus returns. God is sovereign whether or not man submits to Him. God’s rule is absolute. God is in charge regardless of whether we think He is or not! Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings, whether we believe it or not. This is our comfort in the face of evil.
