“And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured Him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation” – Daniel 4:34
Throughout human history, numerous earthly sovereigns have held unchallenged power over their respective kingdoms—at least temporarily. But the end of their reign was drawing near for all of them; for Julius Caesar, it was Brutus; for Napoleon, it was Waterloo; and for others, it was just old age or sickness.
In the above scripture, Nebuchadnezzar asserts, not only the sovereignty of the One true God—“the Most High”—but he also honours a unique and all-but-unthinkable attribute of this sovereign God: His reign is endless! Not only will He live forever, but His dominion is also unending in its scope, its power, and its longevity.
Emperors and pharaohs and dictators have all come and gone. Yet, God has never abdicated His throne. To think we are so impressed by the speculations of scholars, the power of politicians, or the influence of icons! While all the while God sits on His eternal throne, and many of us hardly give Him a thought. May we consciously crown this God as the king of our generation, the ruler of our heart, the benevolent dictator of our lives.
Colossians 1:16-17, “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
In the Bible, we see how God demonstrated His power and sovereignty over creation—in big and small ways:
- He flooded the whole earth but saved one family and the animals. (Gen. 7:23-24)
- He parted the sea. (Ex. 14:22)
- He rained bread from Heaven (Ex. 16:4)
- He made a donkey talk. (Num. 22:28)
- He shut the mouths of hungry lions. (Dan. 6:27)
- He caused a fish to swallow a man and spit him out again. (Jon. 1:17)
- He calmed the storm with His hand. (Matt. 8:27)
- He multiplied a few fish and loaves to feed thousands. Twice. (Matt. 14:21)
- He raised the dead. (John 11:43)
WHAT GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY MEANS FOR US
Isaiah 25:8-9, He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
Humans are able to make genuine choices that have real consequences. God does not directly cause everything to happen, yet He does allow all that happens to happen. And, ultimately, God’s will is going to be accomplished. We are certainly called to obedience, and what we do matters. However, in recognizing that God is sovereign, we also trust Him to bring us to maturity (Galatians 3:3 and Philippians 1:6).
Looking to Romans 8 again, it reads, “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
The sovereignty of God also affects how we make decisions. We recognize that God is in control, so we need not be paralyzed by decision-making. If we make the wrong decision, all is not lost. We can trust in God’s faithfulness and His ability to set us back on the right course.
On a related note, we can and should make decisions. God’s sovereign control does not mean that we sit idly by and allow life to happen. It means that we can go bravely into life, trusting that our loving Father sees the larger picture and is faithfully working everything for His glory.
That God is sovereign impacts our sense of identity. When we understand how powerful God is and how much He loves us, we can know we are secure in Him. As the objects of God’s sovereign love, we allow God to define us and give us our worth rather than look to the changing ideals of the world to do so. When we understand that God is in complete control, we are freed to live our lives. We need not fear ultimate failure or final destruction (Romans 8:1). We need not fear worthlessness. We can be confident that God will have His way and that it will be good. We can trust that the One who says He loves us is fully able to act on that love in all ways. We can trust that, even when the world seems completely out of control, God is in control. We know He has the big picture covered, so we can trust Him with our daily details.
Where do you put your trust? Is anything bothering you and you’ve lost hope of a recovery? When people say “opportunity once lost can never be regained”, tell them that doesn’t fly with God’s sovereignty.
- Jonah lost an opportunity, God gave Him another chance
- Peter got a second chance.
- David got a second chance to get it right after his terrible past.
- Even Father Abraham got a second chance despite lying about his wife being his sister.
- Have you forgotten how God gave Samson a second chance so he could destroy the Philistines?
- You! Yes you reading this article. Despite your sins and the unprintable things you have said and your unforgiving nature, God was merciful to you. He gave you a second chance by keeping you alive so you could right the wrongs. He remains the same God.
We should however learn and know one thing, “Let’s not continue to spurn God’s patience. He is the sovereign God. It cost Him nothing to deal with us. His sovereignty is not the sovereignty of blind power, it is occupied with holiness, wisdom, power and love. If you reject His sovereignty, what is your alternative? When you go through a trial or trials, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head. Be on His side and trust Him.
Stay blessed, stay out of trouble and as much as possible….BE THE BEST!
©Legzy