HOW SOVEREIGN IS GOD?

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

“The Lord Reigns”  Psalm 96:10  NKJV

MALAK – To ascend the throne; be king

MELEK – from the primary root MALAK – a  king

In Psalm 93-99 this is a frequent and an important word.  It is found in 93:1; 95:3b; 96:10; 97:1; 98:6b; 99:1, 4.  In these several instances the word MALAK  or MALEK is used.  Always the intent is sovereign rule.

In Mark 1:14-15 the kingdom of God might as well have been translated as the “reign of God.”  Calvin commenting on Mark 1:14 states, “He urges the Jews to conversion, for the Kingdom of God is at hand: that is, that God takes His people into His rule”.

Psalm 96:3 states plainly the responsibility and it is especially important to clearly understand to whom the message is to go, “among the nations,” the “goy”.  This is the Gentiles.

The message to the Gentiles is stated in vs. 10, “Say among the nations, The Lord reigns.”  The gospel, vs. 2b, “the good news,” is characterized as the Lord’s reign.  This theme is not unique in this Psalm but it is the message of Scripture.

Isaiah as he defines the gospel and those who preach identifies this same truth. As you read Isaiah 52:7-10 you find this as central in the gospel “Your God reigns”

⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
⁸ Your watchmen shall lift up their voices,
With their voices they shall sing together;
For they shall see eye to eye
When the Lord brings back Zion.
⁹ Break forth into joy, sing together,
You waste places of Jerusalem!
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
¹⁰ The Lord has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God. 

Lest it be said that is the message designed for Israel the New Testament quote is the actual application for this.  When we read Romans 10:15 this message is nothing less than, “The gospel of peace.”

¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

We, a democratic society, have problems realizing what a King means.  We have a poor concept of sovereignty.  But when Christians of all persuasion talk intelligently about God they freely admit that He is sovereign.

The application of God’s sovereignty is where it gets sticky.  It is admitted He is sovereign in weather; in the promotion of rulers; He even controls health to the extent of death.  Who is not willing to say that God is the Sovereign creator and dispenser of all things.  There is providence which we know is His rule.

It is at this point that many begin to have reservations for the issue is now Man.  To what extent is God sovereign over man?  And particularly is He, either by design or weakness, confounded by the human will?  Does man have free will to the extent that it limits God?  Can he resist God successfully?

I have stated often that the Scriptures never attributes free-will to anyone but those who are considered to be believers.  This I have confirmed again today in a search to find freedom applied in the sense of a response to God’s call to anyone other than believers.  I could not find a single instance where this is so.  I say this not to enter into a philosophical debate but merely what the Scriptures state.  John 8:34; 3:20; Romans 6:17-20.

They state two truths very clearly.  One is that man is in bondage to sin.  Secondly it is God alone who can intervene and break the chains of bondage.

Some years ago I taught a Bible class on the Texas Death Row.  Those men knew, and it was proven true by an attempted jail-break, that their bondage was unbreakable.  They seemed to, with one voice, know Psalm 146:7c, “The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners”.

Let us go back to Nebuchadnezzar when he became acquainted with God, best hear his testimony.  Daniel 4:34-35 ³⁴ And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
³⁵ All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

My New King James Version was given to me by a friend because he perceived a failing eye-sight.  It is a giant print bible.  It has very few references, but at the end of Daniel 4:35 it has two, Job 34:29 and Romans 9:20.  Please read these.