God's Soverenity over all...today's reminder

Reading along in both Isaiah and Jeremiah this morning, I see the biblical record stating that God is not simply in control, but has his hand firmly on the wheel of destiny. There are many today who will grant that God is in control, but only insofar as he is able to correct history at critical points or change the bad outcomes into good ones for his chosen ones. But few give God the credit he deserves. The testimony of scripture doesn’t paint the picture of a God who is in a constant reaction mode, fixing up the things we mess with and waiting to see what we are going to do next. No, God is not surprised at our actions, but we are all (both regenerate and unregenerate) a part of the over-arching plan for his creation.

For example, in Isaiah 37 we read of Sennacherib, an Assyrian king with quite an attitude. It seems that in the preceding years and months, he and his army had enjoyed great success against all their conquests, without a single failure. In each and every instance, they had overcome their adversaries with little trouble. Stating this fact to King Hezekiah, they matter-of-factly mention that if Israel simply surrenders, it will work out much better for them…but the outcome is a foregone conclusion. Now Sennacherib is a pagan ruler, about as far from being one of God’s chosen children as one could possibly imagine. Yet God speaks through Isaiah to Sennacherib in verses 21 – 29 by asking him why he has mocked the LORD and why he is so haughty. Referring to Sennacherib’s success thus far, the LORD says in verse 26: “Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass…”.

It seems that although Sennacherib may have thought all this conquest was his idea, that the LORD was directing his steps all along. Even though this pagan king will still be responsible for every evil act he carried out (or had carried out), God was still directing each of his steps…and it was all to bring ultimate glory to God. Apparently what Paul states in Ephesians 1 (that God works ALL things according to the counsel of his will), actually means ALL things. As I moved in my reading to Jeremiah 10, I found it fascinating that God chose to drive home this truth with verse 23, which reads “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.”

To be certain, the twin truths that God is sovereign and in complete control, yet we are still responsible moral agents are difficult for us to get our brain around…perhaps even impossible. Many have decided that God is only sovereign to a point, but our free will still controls destiny. But that is a man-centered theology at best, and the scriptures certainly don’t bear this out.

There is some comfort though that the wrestling match between these truths is not new. In answer to the a question one might ask when faced with this truth, which is stated in Romans 9:19 as...“Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” Paul answers by simply stating a fact we all too often overlook. In the next verse (20) he states “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”.

In essence, Paul reminds us that this is God’s creation (not ours), and we are part of it…therefore, God gets to decide how it works…and not us.

God IS Sovereign over all, and works all things according to the counsel of his will.

We ARE responsible for our actions.

Everything accomplished will bring glory to God one way or the other….either as a vehicle through which he will display the wrath of his judgments against sin, or as a vehicle through which he will display the immeasurable riches of his grace.

To God be the glory !!!