Opening Text: Psalm 103
Sovereignty
I. Exhortations
A. “...from this aseity of God as the fundamental concept expressed by the name
Jehovah follows the idea of absolute sovereignty, denoted by the name Lord (Adonai) and emphasized by many passages of Scripture. Only He who is self-existent and absolutely independent is absolute Lord, for absolute sovereignty is not merely supreme or highest lordship; it is that virtue according to which God is sovereign in himself. His is the only sovereignty; there is no sovereignty anywhere except it is derived from his lordship.” -Herman Hoeksema
B. “God’s sovereignty is the attribute by which He rules His entire creation, and to be sovereign God must be all-knowing, all-powerful, and absolutely free.” AND, “The freest bird is, along with every other created thing, held in constant check by a net of necessity. Only God is free.” -A.W. Tozer
C. “The Christian’s hope in God’s purposes depends on faith that He really does control all things.” -Dr. Joel Beeke
D. “In sum, all worship, lordship and sovereignty either belong to Christ the creator and redeemer—the transcendent source of all truth to which we are all accountable— or the god concept is to be found within creation.” -Dr. Joseph Boot
II. Defining our terms
A. Aseity and Sovereignty
1. The idea of sovereignty follows the fundamental truth of God’s aseity
2. “Only He that is absolutely independent is absolute Lord” -David J. Engelsma 3. “The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy.”
AND, “So far from God being under a law of “right,” He is a law unto Himself, so that whatsoever He does is right. And woe to the rebel that calls His sovereignty into question...” -A.W. Pink
B. Sovereignty and Providence
1. Providence is sovereignty in action
2. “Providence is God’s ordering all issues and events of things, after the
counsel of his will, to his own glory.” -Thomas Watson
C. Providence and concurrence
1. “These two things we derive most clearly from the Scriptures: that the providence of God concurs with all second causes and especially with the human will; yet the contingency and liberty of the will remain unimpaired. But how these two things can consist with each other, no mortal can in this life perfectly understand.” - Francis Turretin [See also WCF Chapters 3 and 5; Heidelberg Catechism Q&As 26-28]
2. “...the choice we make in even such an apparently insignificant matter has ramification for the kingdom that we cannot fathom.” -Robert Rothwell
3. “They say that to press the sovereignty of God excludes human responsibility; whereas human responsibility is based upon Divine sovereignty, and is the product of it.” -A.W. Pink
D. Names that reflect God’s Sovereignty: Jehovah, Adonai, Elyon/Eljon, Sabaoth, and Jesus - in Whom God’s sovereignty is made supremely known.
III. Defending our terms
A. Sovereignty Before Creation: Gen 1:1a; Ex 3:14 (review previous studies)
B. Sovereignty In Creation: Gen 1-2; “Let there be...” Creation ex nihilo (review)
C. Sovereignty Over Creation (Providence)
1. Angels and Demons: 1Kings 22:19-23; Job 1-2; Lk 1:5-38
2. Kings and Kingdoms: 2Kings 19:25-28; Ps 2; Dan 7:13-14
3. Life and Prosperity: 1Chr 29:10-13; Lk 12:13-21; James 4:13-17
4. Nature: Num 16:28-30; 1Kings 17:1-6; Job 36:24-37:13
5. “Random” events: 1Kings 22:34; Prov 16:33; Mt 10:29-30
6. Good and evil: Gen 50:20; Acts 2:22-24; 4:23-31
D. Sovereignty In Redemption: Romans 9:14-29
1. Regeneration: Ez 36:22-27; Lk 1:39-45; Jn 3:1-8;
2. Justification: Gen 15:1-6; Rom 3:21-30; Eph 2:8-10
3. Sanctification: Rom 15:14-16; Phil 2:12-13; James 1:2-4
4. Glorification: Jn 6:35-40; Rom 8:28-39; 1Pet 5:10
Stephen Charnock: from his work, The Existence and Attributes of God“God is sovereign Lord and King, and exerciseth a dominion over the whole world, both heaven and earth. This is so clear, that nothing is more spoken of in Scripture.”
“God is the sole and sovereign Author of all spiritual blessings...”
“If God by his supreme authority pardons us, who can reverse it?”
“His kingdom ruleth over all: there is none therefore hath any authority to make him break his covenant, or violate his promise.”
[Additional Scripture References: Gen14:17-24;18:14; Ch 22; 29:31; 30:1-2,17-22; Ch 37-50; Ex 4:21-23; 8:22-23; 9:13-17; 12:35-36; 14:17-18; 18:9-12; 34:23-24; Deut 8:11-20; 10:14,17; 33:26-29; Ruth; 1Kings 12:15,24; 17:8-16; 2Kings 4:1-7, 8-17; 20:1-7; 2Chr 18:18-22; Neh 9:6; Esther; Job 11:7-12; Ch 38-42; Ps Ch 23; 24:1,7,10; 33:18-19; 46:1-3; 57:2; Ch 72; 80:14-15; 93:1-2; 95:1-5; 97:1-6; 103:19; Ch 104; Ch 107; Ch 110; 115:3; 127:1; 146:10; Prov 16:9; 19:21; 21:1; Ecc 3:1- 8; Is11:1-10; 29:16; 40:26; 43:6-7; 44:6; Ch 45; 49:5; 57:15; Jer 15:16; 23:23-24; 27:5; 32:27; Dan 2:19-23,47; Ch 4; Ch 6; Hab 2:20; Mt 2:13; 3:9; 6:25-30; Lk 1:46-55; 22:39-42; Jn 3:27; 5:17; 10:22-30; Acts 14:16-17; 17:22-28; 18:21; Rom 1:16; 4:17; 15:32; 1Cor 1:24; 12:11, 18; Eph 1:3-14; 1Th 5:9; 1Tim 1:17; 6:13-16; Heb 1:1-3; 12:1-2; James 1:17-18; 1Pet 3:17; 5:7; Rev 1:8; 4:11; 19:6,16]
Questions to Consider and Discuss:
1) How are we to understand words like: luck, chance, fate, accident?
2) What if there was “one maverick molecule” (RC Sproul) in creation?
3) Given God’s sovereignty, is God the author of evil?
4) Given God’s sovereignty, are we just “puppets” or “robots”?
5) Given God’s sovereignty, what are our responsibilities?
6) What are the dangers in “reading” providence? How do we avoid them?
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