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Wednesday, June 19, 2019

The Sovereignty of God

We often write and speak of the sovereignty of God. Most dictionaries define “sovereignty” as something like “the quality or state of having supreme power or authority.” It is a word we use to describe an attribute of God, that he is all powerful over all. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? (Job 9:12) Nevertheless, the word itself is not found in the Bible I use, the King James Version. Words that express this same truth include “Almighty” and “dominion.” What may not be expressed in one word that we commonly use is expressed in many words. Below are Bible verses that express the truth in various ways.

God is sovereign over life and death (and hell)

  • See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. Deuteronomy 32:39
  • And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. 1 Samuel 25:38
  • And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth... John 11:43-44
  • I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Revelation 1:18

God is sovereign over pregnancies, births, the senses, and even disabilities of mankind.

  • When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Genesis 29:31
  • And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Exodus 4:11
  • For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works... Psalm 139:13-14
  • But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8

God is sovereign in his purpose, his pleasure, his counsel.

  • I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Job 42:2
  • But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Psalm 115:3
  • and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Daniel 4:35
  • in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Ephesians 1:11 

God is sovereign over man’s actions.

  • And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. Exodus 7:3
  • ...Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. 1 Samuel 2:25
  • There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Proverbs 19:21
  • Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? Proverbs 20:24
  • Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: John 19:11

God is sovereign in the affairs of nations.

  • For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. Psalm 75:6-7
  • The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Proverbs 21:1
  • Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. Isaiah 41:2
  • At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; Jeremiah 18:7 

God is sovereign over his creation, such as the plant, insect, and animal kingdoms.

  • And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. Exodus 23:28
  • And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them. 2 Kings 17:25 
  • My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: Daniel 6:22
  • And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. Mark 11:21

God is sovereign over his creation, such as inanimate objects, the elements, and the weather.

  • He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. Psalm 78:16
  • Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. Psalm 105:16
  • When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Jeremiah 10:13
  • ...the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Nahum 1:3 
  • ...Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Matthew 8:26-27 

God is sovereign over circumstances and coincidences.

  • And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. Ruth 2:3
  • And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 1 Kings 22:34
  • So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?...Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Ezra 6:6,10
  • The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:33
  • Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Matthew 10:29

God is sovereign over salvation, including events of the crucifixion.

  • Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin... Isaiah 53:10
  • No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. John 10:18
  • Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Acts 2:23
  • For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Acts 4:27-28

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Psalm 103:19

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