The Sovereignty of God

Readings for today: Isaiah 45-48, Psalms 119:33-64

I recently was talking to a friend about my desire to plant churches in some of the hardest to reach places on earth. Places that are dangerous. Places that are full of darkness and violence and life-threatening poverty and despair. Places where it’s hard to get a visa to travel. Places where the US State Department has issued a “Level Four” travel advisory which essentially means “do not go.” Places where safety and security are not guaranteed. My friend works on anti-poverty issues on a global level and he knows these places. He’s been to some of these countries. And he knows some of the leaders there personally. He was sharing with me how some of these leaders have begun to have visions and dreams from God. They are being called to open their doors to Judaism and Christianity in order to bring the three great Abrahamic faiths together. They are asking him how it can happen. It’s a powerful reminder of God’s sovereignty over the nations of the earth.

In today’s reading, God declares His sovereignty over Cyrus the Great. Cyrus believes he is conquering the world through his own strength. Cyrus believes his own god is giving him great success as former empires like Babylon fall before him. Cyrus believes his military genius and exceptional leadership ability is winning the day. Isaiah looks at all that will happen and sees a different power at work. Though Cyrus doesn’t know God, God knows him. God is using him to bring about His judgment on Babylon. God will use him to bring his people from exile back home. God will give Cyrus what he needs to be successful though he has not earned it and does not worship the true and living God. God will do this for the sake of His beloved Israel. “I will go before you and level the uneven places; I will shatter the bronze doors and cut the iron bars in two. I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. I call you by your name, for the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen one. I give a name to you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know me, so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I am the Lord, who does all these things.” (Isaiah‬ ‭45‬:‭2‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

It’s hard for us to look around the world today and see God’s sovereign plan at work. We have this false notion that if God is good then He will relieve all suffering. He will protect us from all pain. He will heal every heartbreak. He will cause every war and act of violence to cease. At the same time, we refuse to bow the knee to Him. We refuse to submit to Him. We do not want Him to control our lives or tell us what to do. We want to be free to make our own decisions and choose the course of our lives. Friends, we cannot have it both ways. The Bible is clear. God is working His sovereign will out on the earth. He will bring His plans to pass. “By myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to me, every tongue will swear allegiance.” (Isaiah‬ ‭45‬:‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬) But He will do this through His people. He will accomplish this in spite of our sinfulness and rebellion. He will achieve His perfect ends through imperfect vessels like you and me. He will use even those who do not know Him to bring about His will on the earth. “I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: my plan will take place, and I will do all my will.” (Isaiah‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God is not limited by us in any way. God is not subject to our fleeting desires or ever-changing feelings. He is not at the mercy of our weaknesses nor is He threatened by our vulnerabilities. God is God. He rules and reigns above it all. He is more than able to bring to completion the good work He has begun. His plan will come to pass. He will do His will. The question is how soon will we submit to Him?

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 49-51, Psalms 119:65-96

Vision for the Future

Readings for today: Numbers 35-36, Psalms 52

You are looking out on the plains of Moab. This is the view looking west from Mt. Nebo where Moses dies. On a clear day, you can see the Jordan River off in the distance as well as the city of Jericho. At night, you can see the lights of Jerusalem in the Judean hills. It’s a truly awe-inspiring sight. We were there during the summer months when it was hot and dry so it doesn’t look very appealing. Not only that but the Jordan River has been tapped for irrigation so no longer is as large which makes water in this region far more scarce than it would have been when the ancient Israelites first laid eyes on it.

As we close out the Book of Numbers and prepare to head into the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses casts a vision for the future of Israel. At this point in the narrative, we know Moses will not be entering the Promised Land. Israel will be going on without him. He’s led them faithfully and well for forty years in the wilderness and now he is preparing them for what lies ahead. He is organizing them in such a way that they will be successful in the land. As we read yesterday, Moses makes sure to recount their journey so they remember what brought them to this place. He reminds them of the boundaries God has set for them as they prepare to occupy this new territory. Today, he sets aside cities and pastures for the Levites who are not given a portion of land and he sets up cities of refuge as a way of protecting the Israelites from the blood feuds that plague so many other tribes in the ancient near east. Finally, he confirms the inheritance for Zelophehad’s daughters so the integrity of the tribal inheritance is maintained. These details may seem small or archaic but they will prove absolutely essential once Israel finds herself settled in the Promised Land.

These chapters also serve as a great reminder to us that God has a vision for our future and His vision includes taking care of everything down to final details. God has a plan for each of our lives and His will is not just general but specific. God promises to take all the experiences of our lives and the choices we make and use them to bring about His purposes. And what is true for us individually is also true for us corporately. God directs the courses of communities and cities and nations. As the famous Dutch statesman, Abraham Kuyper, once said so well, “There’s not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Lord over all, does not exclaim, ‘Mine’!”

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 1-3, Psalms 53

The Sovereignty of God

Readings for today: Numbers 22-24, Psalms 47

Believe it or not, there are some Christians out there today who want to limit God. They limit His love, reserving only for those who have been saved. They limit His power, suggesting that certain miraculous gifts have ceased. They limit His voice, arguing He only speaks to those He has chosen. I have to admit it is baffling to me. I have been in lots of places around the world and heard testimony after testimony of former witch doctors, Muslim imams, and other thoroughly pagan people whom God has revealed Himself to through visions and dreams. I remember one such man vividly. He was a Muslim warrior from a violent tribe who had never heard the name of Jesus. God visited him in a dream one night and the man surrendered his life to Him. The very next day, he shared what he had experienced and 80 people from his village also gave their lives to God. He did not know the name of this God. He didn’t have access to a Bible so could not read about this God. He only knew what had been revealed to him in his dream. A few nights later, God came to him again. Told him to show up at a particular town on a particular day where he would be met by visitors from a faraway land who would teach him all he needed to know. That’s when I met him. He showed up at our conference out of the blue, dressed head to toe in a beautiful Muslim robe with a scimitar on his hip. He had walked two days to get to where we were holding our conference. Through a translator, he related his story to us and we were blown away yet again by the sovereignty of God.

I think of that man almost every time I read the story of Balaam. Here’s a pagan witch doctor whom God uses to bless His chosen people. He is bought and paid for by a pagan king and God still speaks to him and through him. He is not part of God’s chosen people and yet God uses him for His glorious purposes. Can there be any limit to God? Can God not do as He chooses? Can He not use who He chooses? God can speak through a donkey for goodness’ sake! I love how the Psalmist puts it, “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the peoples have assembled with the people of the God of Abraham. For the leaders of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.” (Psalms‬ ‭47‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬) God reigns over all. God rules over all. There is no limit to His power. No limit to His love. No limit to His authority. No limit to His grace. God will use whomever He wills to accomplish His plans.

I am not sure why some of my friends seek to limit God. Perhaps they seek a God who they can always understand. A God who never acts in strange and mysterious ways. A God who is always safe and under control. But, as C.S. Lewis said so well, “He is not safe but He is good. He is the King.” God’s ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We cannot begin to grasp the infinite nature of His plans for us. But we can trust Him. We can have confidence that He always has our best in mind. We can place our faith in Him for while He may not always conform to our understanding, we do know He will never fail.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 25-27, Psalms 48

Raw Material

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 1-4

Human beings are the raw material God has to work with to bring about His will. Perhaps nothing illustrates that truth more than today’s reading. Political intrigue. Civil war. Assassinations. Israel was in chaos as different parties jockeyed for influence and power. An Amalekite lies about killing Saul in order to curry favor with David and ends up being executed. Abner tries to preserve Saul’s legacy by marshaling Israel on Ish-Bosheth’s behalf only to split with his master over a perceived offense. Joab and his brothers have it out for Abner, perhaps seeing him as a potential rival for position and power in the new kingdom. The sons of Rimmon take matters into their own hands to bring about the end of the civil war and gain favor with David only to suffer the same result as the Amalekite who killed Saul. It’s a brutally honest account of the politics of the day and the only silver lining is that God is using even this sinful raw material to fashion His will for His people.

The same is true today. Our politics aren’t much different. Human beings haven’t made much progress. The intrigue and jockeying for power and influence and position continues. The civil war between Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and progressives is as brutal and hateful as it has ever been. Thankfully, mass violence has yet to break out in our country but we certainly see it in different parts of the world. Last evening, I was supposed to board a plane for Ethiopia. We were heading to the northern region to a city called Dessie to train church planters but violent protests broke out as one particular tribe pushes back against the decisions of the national government. Two aid workers were killed. All US State Department personnel were evacuated from the area as fears of a resumption of hostilities in the area grows. Our only hope is that the same God who was at work in ancient Israel bringing about His will through the sinful choices of human beings is still at work in our world today.

I love the line from Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬) All things. The good. The bad. The ugliness of life. God uses it all according to His sovereign power and wisdom to bring about His will for you, for me, for the world in which we live. No matter what circumstances you find yourself in. No matter what choices you made that brought you to this place. No matter what forces you find arrayed against you. No matter what lies in your control or outside your control. Trust that God is taking the raw material of your life to make you more and more into the image of His Son and prepare you to spend eternity with Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 6, 9, 10, 14, 16, 21

God’s Sovereignty

Readings for today: Exodus 10-13

Today we have to grapple with one the deepest mysteries in all of Scripture…God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Before we even get started, let’s acknowledge the obvious. We hate this truth. It runs counter to everything we’ve been raised to believe about free will, everyone getting a choice, God loving everyone, etc. It calls into question God’s justice. God’s righteousness. How could a righteous God harden someone’s heart to the point where they are kept from saving faith? And yet, if we are courageous enough to take the text at face value, we are left with no other conclusion. 

“God said to Moses: “Go to Pharaoh. I’ve made him stubborn, him and his servants…”(Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬ ‭MSG)‬‬

“But God made Pharaoh stubborn as ever. He still didn’t release the Israelites.” (Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭20‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“But God kept Pharaoh stubborn as ever. He wouldn’t agree to release them.” (Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“Moses and Aaron had performed all these signs in Pharaoh’s presence, but God turned Pharaoh more stubborn than ever—yet again he refused to release the Israelites from his land.” (Exodus‬ ‭11‬:‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

God is relentless with this man. He will not let him repent. He will not let him escape judgment. He will not let him give in until his nation lies in ruins. God will not let up until there is no doubt who is God and who is not. Now this is hard for us. This is a different side to God that we aren’t used to. A God who reigns over the affairs of humanity. A God who rules over the universe with a firm hand. A God who is to be feared as much as loved. So again, the question is pressed...how could a righteous God harden someone’s heart to the point where they are kept from saving faith? 

The key is how we define righteousness. Do we define it from a human perspective or a Biblical one? According to Scripture, God’s highest aim is NOT the salvation of His people. As important as this is, it is merely the means God chooses to achieve a higher end. What is that “higher end?” The full display of God’s power and glory and majesty and sovereignty over all creation. God’s greatest aim is to fill the earth with His glory. His grand design calls for all creation to honor His great name. This is the purpose for which we were created and it is clearly revealed in the Exodus narrative. 

“God said to Moses: “Go to Pharaoh. I’ve made him stubborn, him and his servants, so that I can force him to look at these signs and so you’ll be able to tell your children and grandchildren how I toyed with the Egyptians, like a cat with a mouse; you’ll tell them the stories of the signs that I brought down on them, so that you’ll all know that I am God.” (Exodus‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“God said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s not going to listen to a thing you say so that the signs of my presence and work are going to multiply in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus‬ ‭11‬:‭9‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

And the Apostle Paul affirms God’s purposes when he looked back on the Exodus story. “The same point was made when God said to Pharaoh, “I picked you as a bit player in this drama of my salvation power.” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭17 ‭MSG‬‬‬)

The point is clear. God will make His name known. And He chooses to make His name known through “vessels of mercy” (His people) and “vessels of wrath” (not His people). And lest we think this somehow compromises God’s justice or righteousness or goodness or it just isn’t fair; we have to remember our condition before God. All of us are dead in our trespasses. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. All of us deserve death. We are in no position - broken, sinful, and rebellious as we are - to pass judgment on God. God is free to choose to use whom He wills in whatever way He wills and this in no way compromises His integrity. 

So what does this mean for us? Does it mean we should be scared of God? Does it mean we are at the mercy of a God who is arbitrary and capricious? Not at all. In Jesus Christ, God has provided the perfect Passover Lamb! He Himself has become the sacrifice that saves! His blood delivers us from the angel of death! And because we have no idea whom God has chosen, we should go forth and gladly, even boldly, share this good news with the world! 

Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 14-18

God’s Sovereignty

Readings for today: Genesis 38-40

God is sovereign. God stands outside time and space. He is not bound by the constraints of this world. Not human history as it unfolds. Not the laws of physics He set in motion. Not the choices of His people, sinful or otherwise. God is sovereign. God is sitting on His throne in heaven even now. His hand at the controls. He moves according to His will and purpose. He acts in accordance with His character and nature. He is faithfully guiding all of history according to the plan He made from eternity.

We see this on display in the story of Judah and Tamar. Judah makes all the wrong choices in this passage. He marries a Canaanite woman. Two of his three sons are put to death for their sin. Judah reneges on his promise to Tamar. He withholds his third son out of fear of what might take place. He sleeps with someone he believes is a temple prostitute. He hypocritically accuses his daughter-in-law of sexual immorality once it’s discovered she’s pregnant. Finally, he repents when he realizes his own sinful choices have led him to this point. Still God uses it for His glory. Still God bends even Judah’s sinful choices to His sovereign will. The twins Tamar bears will become important figures in the line of Jesus. Tamar herself will gain a mention in the Savior’s genealogy.

We see God’s sovereignty on display in Joseph’s life as well. Arrogant and prideful, he is despised by his brothers. Sold into slavery for a profit, he ends up in Potiphar’s household where he finds great success as an estate manager. Falsely accused of attempted rape, Joseph is sent to prison where he continues to find ways to bless those around him. When Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker become his cellmates, he interprets their dreams. God is slowly but surely orchestrating all things for Joseph’s good. Including the evil he’s endured. Including his suffering and pain and hardship. Joseph will eventually rise to become almost as powerful as Pharaoh himself. He will use his position and influence to save his family. What his brothers intended for evil, God uses for good.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still sovereignly at work, orchestrating all things according to His divine purpose and will. Yes, our choices are real, sinful, godly, or otherwise. Yes, our suffering is real and so is our success. Yes, our pain is real and so is our joy. Yes, our heartbreak is real and so is the love we experience. God promises to use all these things for our good if we but love and trust Him. He doesn’t promise us an easy life. Doesn’t promise us a pain-free life. In fact, following Christ in this world will often result in the opposite.

This world is not our home. This world is not what God intended it to be. Humanity is broken. Deeply flawed at a fundamental level. But God still loves humanity. God still intends to work through humanity to bring about salvation to the earth. God will not give up on humanity. He will not give up on you. He will not give up on me. He is at work even now to bring to completion the good work He began in us in Christ. No matter what you are going through. No matter how many switchbacks you take in this life. Know that God is with you. God is leading you. God is guiding you. He wastes no part of your life. He will use it all to bring about your good and His glory.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 41-43

God’s Sovereignty

Readings for today: Genesis 24-26

One of the things I struggled with the most when I first started reading the Bible was reconciling how God could use such sinful, broken people to accomplish His plan. Why does God seem to overlook Abraham’s lying? Why does God turn Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt for a backwards glance and yet seemingly does nothing to Lot’s daughters when they rape their father to get pregnant? How could God allow Hagar and Ishmael to be treated so terribly by Sarah? And what are we to make of the conflict between Esau and Jacob which began before they were even born? These events seem to call God’s character into question. 

And yet, when I take a step back to reflect on my own life, I realize God’s still using sinful, broken people to accomplish His plan! I remember talking to a high school friend several years ago. We hadn’t seen each other since graduation. As we got caught up, she asked me what I did for a living. “I’m a pastor.” The stunned look on her face said it all. She and I were close in high school. She knew I was a drunk. She knew I was vulgar. She knew I was a liar. She knew I was arrogant and mean. Of all the careers she could have imagined me having back then, pastor wouldn’t have even made the list! Sure, you say, that was thirty years ago. A lot’s changed, right? You might be surprised. Yes, when Christ ambushed me at the University of Colorado in Boulder, my life was radically changed. But that doesn’t mean I became any less a sinner. Yes, the Holy Spirit entered my heart that day and began the process of sanctification but I am constantly amazed at how deep my sinful tendencies run. Yes, I have grown in so many ways and have become far more disciplined and self-controlled but my internal thoughts and feelings still reflect much of the corruption of the Fall. Does my failure to live up to my calling in Christ Jesus call God’s character into question?  

I don’t think so. In fact, I think God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He simply is doing in my life what He first did in Abraham’s life. He is sovereignly directing all things to serve the purpose of His will. His plan cannot be delayed. Cannot be detoured. Cannot be denied. God has chosen from the beginning to work His will through the creature made in His own image. God has chosen from the beginning to use sinful, broken creatures to bring about His will on earth as it is in heaven. God has chosen from the beginning to deposit the treasure of the gospel in weak and insecure and unfaithful people. That’s why the Apostle Paul will later call us “jars of clay.” Fragile. Chipped. Cracked pots through which God reveals His glory. It’s the most amazing thing. 

So back to the passage we read for today. When we read the text with the eyes of faith, we can see God at work. We see the guidance of God as He leads the servant of Abraham miraculously to Rebekah. (Reminds me of that great line from Casablanca where Bogart says, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”) We see the hand of God present as Abraham settles his estate and dies peacefully among his people. His funeral, attended by his two boys, Ishmael and Isaac, must have been a tender scene. We see both Ishmael and Isaac receive the blessing of God as their families grow. We see God heal Rebekah’s barren womb in what will become a pattern throughout the Old Testament. We witness the sovereign choice of God to elect Jacob to carry on the promise even though Esau is the firstborn. We see Esau confirm that decision as he despises his birthright, selling it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Finally, we see God renew His covenant with Isaac only to have him break faith just like his father had done. Time and time again we are reminded that unless God acts to preserve His promise, we are doomed. The human race is just too dysfunctional. Too prone to evil. To easily seduced by sin. This should challenge us as well as comfort us. So where is God challenging you today to follow His will? How is God comforting you in those areas where you fall short?

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 27-29