God Is Sovereign-So That Means…?
By Josh Gerber June 7th, 2009
Perhaps at some point in your life you have been to an amusement park, such as Disneyland, Six Flags, or Cedar Point. These parks are filled with all kinds of rides and entertainment. You wander through them, going on the rides that appeal to you. You might be surprised to hear that many people live in “Theme” parks and “Amusement” lands. No, not physically, but in their minds. Why would someone do this?
To answer this question, and to see why it matters, and examine if we are one of the ones “living” here, we need to look at the sovereignty of God and how that relates to what we believe. The failure to understand or submit to the sovereignty of God can result in tragedy and a wasted, empty, life.
The Sovereignty of God
Quite frequently we hear that “God is sovereign”. What does that mean? While our finite minds cannot grasp the infinite knowledge and wisdom of God, He has revealed to us some understanding of sovereignty.
The Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines sovereign as:
1. Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as a sovereign ruler of the universe.
2. Supreme; superior to all others; chief. God is the sovereign good of all who love and obey him.
3. Supremely efficacious; superior to all others; predominant; effectual; as a sovereign remedy.
4. Supreme; pertaining to the first magistrate of a nation; as sovereign authority.
1. A supreme lord or ruler; one who possesses the highest authority without control. Some earthly princes, kings and emperors are sovereigns in their dominions.
2. A supreme magistrate; a king.
3. A gold coin of England, value 20s or $4.44
The sovereignty of the Bible teaches that all things are under God’s control and rule, and that nothing happens without His direction or permission. God not only has the right and power to rule, but He does so always and without the permission of anyone or anything else. God is not only sovereign in principle, but also in practice and position as well. Biblically we see that:
· God's purposes are unstoppable. They cannot be thwarted and God can do whatever He pleases:
Isaiah 46:10; 43:13; 55:11; Psalm 33:10, 11; 135:6-10; 115:3; Proverbs 19:21; Job 42:2; Romans 9:19; Hebrews 6:17
· God is in complete control of everything:
Daniel 1:9; 4:17, 35; Exodus 11:3; Proverbs 21:1; Ezra 1:1-2; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; 2 Chronicles 20:6; Job 34:13;Psalm 50:10-12, 107:25,29, 148:4-8; Acts 1:7; Exodus 34:24; 1 Kings 8:57-58; Jeremiah 10:12, 5:22
· God determines whatsoever comes to pass:
Proverbs 16:1, 4, 7, 9, 33; 20:24; 21:1; Jeremiah 10:23; Lamentations 3:37, 38; Amos 3:6; Acts 17:26-27; Daniel 2:21; 4:35; Psalm 139:16; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:36; John 3:27; Job 12:9-10; 14:5
· God is sovereign over (controls) evil, sin, and calamity without ever being guilty of wrong:
Isaiah 44:18; 45:7; 19:2; Job 1:11-12, 21-22; 2:3, 10 and Job 12:9-10, 42:11; Psalm 105:25; Exodus 4:11, 21; 7:2-4, 13, 22; 10:27; Romans 9:17, 18-23; 1 Kings 22:19-23; 1 Chronicles 21:1; 2 Samuel 24:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12; Genesis 45:5-8; 50:20; Revelation 17:17; 13:5; 13:7
Acts 2:23; 3:18; 4:27, 28; Luke 22:22; John 19:11
· God creates and controls all things and events for His purpose and pleasure:
Colossians 1:16-17; Revelation 4:11; Hosea 6:1; Job 5:17-18; Det. 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6-10; Acts 17:24-26; Job 14:5
· God in sovereign over the actions and ultimate destiny of all people and nations:
Habakkuk 1:5,6,12; Joshua 11:19-20; Proverbs 16:1,4,9,33,20:24; Isaiah 22:11; Psalm 138:16-17; Ephesians 1:4,5,9,11; Acts 13:48; Job 34:29; Matthew 11:21-27
In the city of Boston during the Revolutionary War were signs that read: “We serve no sovereign here.” Today in America this statement still rings true in society and unfortunately even in churches. We have come to believe in a democratic system of government as a right, not a privilege. The idea of a sovereign ruler, such as a king, would be very hard to accept. While we do not have a king and that form of government in America today, there is a King who is sovereign over all creation. There is no democracy here, as some would desire. Just like in Boston in the 1770’s, mankind is putting signs in their hearts refusing to serve no sovereign there.
Psalm 22:8 says: “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.” Ps. 29:10 tells: “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.” Isaiah 6 describes His throne room and glory: “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
In Revelation 19:11 we read of Christ: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
In Revelation 4, we see more of his kingship and power: “After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
This is no democratic system of rule. This is the sovereign rule of God over everything. This sovereign rule is not popular or accepted by many. Satan started things off by challenging the sovereignty of God (Is. 14; Eze. 28) and was smashingly thrown from heaven with a number of angels. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve rebelled, not believing God had more than sufficiently provided for them and sought to be like God by disobeying God’s commandment. The builders of the tower of Babel sought to establish their own sovereignty, and throughout the rest of history man has followed in their footsteps. In the sinfulness of man’s heart he wants to rule and control, and be his own god.
Man’s outward actions flow from his inward thoughts and heart. He builds a “theme” park in his mind, where in this park, he is sovereign. God may not be totally out of this “theme park”, but he is not in full control. Non-Christians are unable to leave this place unless Christ sets them free. Sadly, Christians come back to “visit” this place time and time again. What does it look like?
Life in Fantasyland
Life in fantasyland seems great. You pick the “rides” you want to go on. You rule in your own little world. You make every situation work out how you want it to. No one has to tell you what to do. You know it all!
Too many people spend time here. They place themselves as sovereign instead of God. There is no need of God for them here because they can determine what happens. Living in this is unbiblical and wrong. Philippians 4:8 commands us to: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. “ Going on the wild imagination ride is not thinking in truth, and is disobedience to God’s command. The problem with staying in Fantasyland is that it is hard to leave it. When real life doesn’t turn out the way Fantasyland had planned, you have to go back and try again and again.
Life in Worryland Corner
In Fantasyland is Worryland corner. You might think that this place would be a pretty empty, but unfortunately this is not true. Failure to understand or submit to the sovereignty of God gets people a ticket here. When you don’t believe Romans 8:28-30, which says: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” you will worry for you won’t believe that all things are going to work together for good. A non-Christian can’t claim this promise, for they do not love God.
Many people are Worryland champions. Every situation or challenge grows the more they think about it. What is true in the situation is quickly replaced with “What if”? Worry consumes and gnaws at them, leaving them with little rest or peace. This kind of thinking is a violation of God’s commandments as well. In Matthew 6 Jesus says: “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Phillipians 4:6 adds: “ do not be anxious about anything.”
Life in Cotton Candy Land
A wrong view of God’s sovereignty draws people to the cotton candy part of Fantasyland. Just as cotton candy is sweet when it goes down, but empty and sickening later on, Cotton Candy Land promises much but gives nothing. God to them is the kind of god who exists to help them stay happy and give them what they want. Biblical commands to them are simply nice thoughts and suggestions. In 1 Cor. 15:32, Paul draws from Isaiah 22:13 and 56:12 when he says their belief is to: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Life to the cotton candy people is getting what they want now, and not worrying about the living God whom they will give an account to.
I recently met a man who appeared to be living in this place. He was telling me how excited he was to be off work very shortly. At first I was encouraged as he told me how he was going to his church to help setup for something. Unfortunately, he was even more excited about his next Saturday off as he was going to be headed to Chicago to get drunk. What saddened me was the attitude about the choice. There was an excitement, a desire to go do this. There was not even the slightest sign in his mind that this was a direct violation of God’s commandments, or that it even mattered if it was. It made me wonder how many churches are filled with people who want to make up a god who simply saves them and lets them do whatever they feel like. This group finds themselves in the description of 1 Peter 4: “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
Get Out of Fantasyland
Having the correct view of God’s sovereignty should move you to leave Fantasyland and its parts, and to live where God has called you as a Christian to live. God has promised to work all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. There is great comfort in believing God has your good and His glory in mind in all things. Do you really want to be in control of things? Can you imagine what a mess that would end up in? As we look into His Word, it shows us that he is not an evil dictator, but the Supreme King of the Universe. It is a pleasure to serve Him, not drudgery! God is the sovereign supreme, not us!
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